Happy Opening Day!

Guess Matheny missed the memo about how the Marlins were supposed to win in their new stadium. Actually, maybe he didn't. Thanks to the cornucopian outfield that is apart of the new stadium several would be homers were tracked down. Add in some horrible baserunning by John Jay, Lance Berkman, et.al. and I'd say we didn't play that great. There were several hits that were laced, but right at defenders. This could have easily been a loss. However, I'll be fair and say that we had some bad luck on well struck balls as well. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the first game of the season.

Although I love the idea of having everything on opening day, I do like having a nationally televised game the night before. It makes folks like me (who are in areas where viewing can be limited) grateful to have more baseball to watch. What I do not like, however, is some joke of a game halfway around the world, viewable by so few, and a week before everyone else starts. Selig keeps messing with things that are working perfectly fine.

Speaking of which, Selig was interviewed by the ESPN crew and one thing they talked about was the +1 for the wild card spot. Now look, I don't like watering things down (yes, I know the Cardinals won last year and got in on the wild card). And I especially don't like the thought of a team winning the wild card by multiple games only to slip up in a one game playoff because a butterfly flapped it wings in Beijing--who knows what problems could arise for games played in the closer Tokyo?! What was truly stunning, however, was not Selig's laughter at the comparison of County Stadium with the monstrous Marlins Park, nor was it the chuckle over how much he bought the Brewers for vs. how much the Dodgers sold for, but it was Selig's proud logic that the plus one makes winning the division mean more. He was literally beaming. That's right kiddies. Now it means....that you get to play immediately in the division series as opposed to....wait for it....getting to play immediately in the division series. Read it again. Yes, it's the same thing. It changes NOTHING for the division winner. Don't even try to say that they now get to play a possibly weaker opponent because (A) you still have to play against a team that won the silly almost meaningless play-in game and (B) if you claim the weaker opponent argument then you've just undermined the whole argument for why a play in game should even exist. Pip over at Fungoes must be going mental. Your commish, ladies and gentlemen! 

Parting shots: Congrats to the Marlins, your new hideous lime-green stadium makes you the new Oregon Ducks. Perhaps you could invite the Seahawks to come play there as well?

Started revamping and updating the site here as well--will be redoing the blogroll, adding some widgets, and adding the UCB logo. Feedback is truly welcome--and encouraged. We can promise no flamingos, aquariums, showgirls, or lime green anything.

-CJ