Baltimore at Twins. Twins 7, Orioles 4.
Imagine if you will a season, not so long ago, and when you picture this season you see one moment of perfect joy bookended by two pieces of total crap, the second piece 100 times crappier than the first, which seems to you like a very bad bookend, because the whole point of bookends is symmetry, unless you're going for some avant-garde sort of thing, which you're really not, you're just trying to watch baseball, which has nothing to do with the avant-garde except perhaps in certain people's pitching delivery and most of the content of Pulling a Blyleven, and everything to do with seeking that one rare moment of perfect happiness, like when your team ascends from the ashes of truly spectacular crapitude to win the division title on the very last day of the season with just a little help from the Kansas City Royals and you jump up and down and probably initiate the premature labor you experience just a few months later, and your chest opens up and a great pillar of light bursts out and travels up to the very heavens where Bob Casey is waiting to announce its arrival, and it seems that there has never been before, norever will be again, such happiness. Like that.
And then some things happen that you’d rather not discuss, and your whole bookshelf topples over from the weight of that craptacular bookend, and it burns, it burns, oh how it burns, and finally a few months later you climb out of the wreckage of your soul and all the crap seems not to matter so much anymore, because there was Johan Santana—Cy Young, and Joe Mauer—Batting Champ, and Justin Morneau—MVP, and Torii Hunter—30 home runs, and other things, like Joe Nathan's perfection and DJ Cuddles' RBI benjamin and Sideshow Pat and the F-Bomb, and Brad Radke the one-armed man, and there was the moment you wait for all season, many seasons, sometimes your whole baseball fan career, and for one beautiful, perfect day it is yours—all yours.
And then you wait. And winter is cold and boring as crap, until you accidentally have a baby and then things get very interesting, and then suddenly its April, and Johan Santana is on the mound, and the Minnesota Twins take the field, and the ump shouts play ball, and the first thing Johan does is strike somebody out, and the first thing Joe Mauer does is get a hit, and the first thing Justin Morneau does, and the first thing Torii Hunter does, is crank the ball out of the park, and it seems, once again, like all things are possible, that that perfectly elusive moment is within our grasp—for the crappiness all fades off into the dark corners of memory and what keeps us going, year after year, is hope. We have the batting champ, the Cy Young, the MVP, and one of those people is Johan Santana, and it is the first day of baseball season and all things are possible.
Batgirl does not know what form this blog will take this year. She cannot possibly recap every game, or even the majority of games, with BabyDash who is as time consuming as he is magnificent. Batgirl is so very, very sleepy and hopes everyone understands, and is very forgiving of the various mistakes/typos/and brain freezes that will no doubt ensue. For the time being she will blog about once a week and give an occasional BOD and hope to feature excellent guest bloggers.
...and they're off.
Great start, and after seeing some strange predicint stat over at ESPN.com yesterday; the happy news is that it was correct. Had both Morneau and Hunter down for HR's, and at least an RBI each. (I don't think the computer rates Bedard much...)
Having just moved from Shanghai to Tokyo; I can look forward to more games on television (as long as it is against the Red Sox, Mariners, or Yanks). Otherwise, it is back to the 5" screen on MLB.TV Don't think I'll wish to listen to the radio in these sad days.
Posted by: Shanghai Twins at April 2, 2007 11:30 PMBaby Dash has yet to witness a Twins defeat. Keep up the good work, kid. (Best wishes, Team BG.)
Posted by: E-6 at April 2, 2007 11:31 PMOh come on... its ONLY another 161 games! OK, maybe a few postseason games, too... but that's MORE than offset by those weekends you've been getting to take off anyway (which seems only fair, I suppose). Teach daddy to change a freaking diaper and get back to work!! sheesh.
OK, maybe I'm being a little harsh. Sorry.
Posted by: JimCrikket at April 2, 2007 11:37 PMYes. YES. That was my mantra today...all things are possible. Opening Day is the time when all things are possible. That is what I love most. That and Johan and the Chairman and the Doctor and Torii and EVERYONE ELSE TOTALLY MAKING ME PROUD.
Tied for first with the Royals. Awesome.
Posted by: Carmen at April 2, 2007 11:40 PMHere's hoping the Bat family and Twins do well. :)
Posted by: Piranhtachew at April 3, 2007 12:18 AMThe whole Johan starting it off with a strikeout and Joe starting off with a hit and the Doctor and Torii starting off with back-to-back homers (not to mention other unexpectedly spectacular things like Morneau's mad base-hockey skillz--even if he was out--and massive diving catches from Rondell) was too beautiful for words, and yet you've done it, BG.
Posted by: Spacey Stacey at April 3, 2007 04:05 AMsomebody made off with BatHQ!!! there's no milk in right field!
Posted by: kafumbly at April 3, 2007 06:55 AMWhat!?! No Big Milk? I'm crushed. I love The Big Milk. It was like the Golden Calf (or dairy cow) of all that is wholesome and good...kinda like Twins Baseball. And so very, very Minnesotan. Who was the bonehead at Land O'Lakes that decided to stop sponsoring Twins home games? Not a good move, Land O'Lakes...those Kemps dairy products are starting to look awfully good to me.
Posted by: Lauri at April 3, 2007 07:31 AMI was watching the game on mlb.com and saw Hrbek being interviewed when Morneau hit it out. He (Hrbek) has gotten HUGE.
Posted by: Ted at April 3, 2007 08:06 AM
A most excellent hope opener.
I agree about Hrbek. I told my husband it looked like he ate Nick Punto for breakfast, and hubby said it looked more like he ate 2 LNP. And oh yes, that was a wonderful game. Yay!
Posted by: Tricia at April 3, 2007 08:16 AMI was just as shocked and awed as you over the lack of BatHQ, kafumbly. That corner is so... so *naked* now.
What a great night that was! I have a battle wound on my hand from clapping so hard for the homers and the Ks and the catch by Rondell and the save for the Nathanest and the almost-long-ball from the tiniest of superheroes and the hustling on the baselines. The ring comes off for the next game, methinks.
Posted by: FH at April 3, 2007 08:19 AMThere was this little kid sitting next to me who said his favorite player was Roberts of the Orioles, and his mom explained that he like BR because he's 5'7". Why, that's even smaller than Nick Punto!
Posted by: kurtis at April 3, 2007 08:29 AMDoesnt' get any better than a opening day win--starts the season with a winning record and that sometimes elusive hope. Oh how I have missed baseball--there really isn't much else on tv the rest of the year. I thought it was so lovely that the team gave Bradke last years pitching rubber with all their signatures--teared me up a little.
Oh and BG--sleep whenever Dash does, trust me you will sleep again (waking him up when he is a teenager is sweet revenge)
Posted by: Sandee at April 3, 2007 08:55 AM"A most excellent hope opener."
TwinsGoddess, if that was an unintentional spelling error, it was most serendipitous. If it was intentional, it was even better.
What a wonderful game. It could have sucked. We could have looked like Curt Schilling against the Royals, and I still would have been happy, because baseball is BACK. But it was a wonderful game, and thank everything for that.
Posted by: Katharriet at April 3, 2007 08:58 AMBEEEEG!!!!!
it's as wonderful to have you back at the keyboard as it is to have baseball back! This post completes the beginning of the season for me as much as the good doc's HR or the ever so cute and twitchy Joe getting his first save!
ahhhh... things are good right now.
Posted by: CapitalBabs at April 3, 2007 09:22 AM162-0, baby!
Posted by: Bring Back Reboulet at April 3, 2007 10:02 AM
Kath--
It was intentional, inspired by a serendipitous unintentional typo I made on opening day last year.
It definitely applies to last night's game.
Posted by: TwinsGoddess at April 3, 2007 10:06 AMIt was a WONDERFUL day in baseball yesterday, wouldn't you say so?! I'm so glad the season is finally here.
Justin and Torii... one hell of a way to start the season!
It would have been the most delightful of home openers, were it not for the fact that I live in DC and was therefore prohibited from watching said delightful home opener by my proximity to Oriole Baseball Theme Park at Camden Bar and Grill or whatever it's called. The one time the Twins get onto ESPN for Opening Day, and I still don't get to see it...
But it sounded good on the radio. I about gave my two-year-old a heart attack when the Doctor hit his homer, but he recovered well.
Posted by: adidasman at April 3, 2007 12:01 PMDon't know if this was brought up, or if anyone heard it, but apparently, the Hold Steady recorded a special version of Take Me Out To the Ballgame for the Twins that will be played during the season at the Dome.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1556150/20070402/hold_steady.jhtml
Posted by: Paul at April 3, 2007 12:15 PMI am SO happy to have my twins back and with you at the keyboar BG, Life is good.
There was already booing for Silva. I anticipated it... but wished that it would never come. Let the guy play, it is opening day when all should be perfect and wonderful. All almost was perfect if not for the 30 or so fans near me that decided to let Carlos have it. Life is indeed good with the twins and BG back in action.
I missed the Hold Steady last night... did they really play it?
Posted by: saraD at April 3, 2007 12:36 PM"Batgirl is so very, very sleepy and hopes everyone understands, and is very forgiving of the various mistakes/typos/and brain freezes that will no doubt ensue."
I have a friend who refers to the first several years of her son's life as "The Lost Years". She claims that eventually it gets better.
Posted by: msb at April 3, 2007 12:57 PMWe'll take what we can get BG.
Great game last night -- I just knew they were going to win. After watching the hapless Nats at RFK, it was great to go home and watch the Twins-Os. We were blacked out of the ESPN2 broadcast but the O's announcers kept talking about how "disciplined" the Twins are at the plate. How things have changed!
I would trade the Metrodome and its fans for RFK any day of the week. Christian Guzman was booed loudly after he came up lame trying to run out a grounder to first. People around us talked really loud and text messaged the entire game. I'm not saying Nats fans are stupid, but one called in to a radio show after the game and asked where he could find a schedule!
Posted by: funoka at April 3, 2007 04:47 PM->Don't know if this was brought up, or if anyone heard it, but apparently, the Hold Steady recorded a special version of Take Me Out To the Ballgame for the Twins that will be played during the season at the Dome.<-
The song is available (as a free download even) on the band's myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/theholdsteady
(or just click my name)
Posted by: Franorama at April 3, 2007 05:23 PMThanks for the link, Fran... what a weird cover.
BTW, Beege, do you know who sang the nat'l anthem last night? Hint: it might be someone from a television show that both of us are much too sophisticated to watch.
Posted by: Kurtis at April 3, 2007 05:53 PMBG- Perfectly reasonable.
Baby Dash's needs are far more pressing than the blog's! Enjoy him, he will be asking for your car keys before you know it.
Posted by: talldrinkowater at April 3, 2007 06:34 PM"It takes a village," BG. Even if it IS just a "village" of understanding Batlings adjusting to your limited availability. It will make your efforts for us all the more special. It's not the quantity we love, it's most definitely the quality.
(Plus, Dash-inclusive updates count as a bonus!)
Posted by: BAT bandwagoner at April 3, 2007 09:27 PMWe're leading the Central :-)
Hang in there, BG. Take all the time you need, and we will be here for you. Please just pop in once in a while and bless us with excellent entries just like today's and we will be happy!
Thanks Bat-family!
Posted by: TX Ken at April 3, 2007 10:56 PMAhhhh...
A great post to start what I hope will be a great season.
I proudly wore my Twins hat to the Yankee game yesterday (er, Monday... it's a wee-early Wednesday now). I loudly talked with my friends about Mauer/
Is it wrong of me to have a second favorite team... a team I mock most of the season and occasionally root against... a team that is despised by a majority of baseball fans... a team with a salary cap 3x that of the Twins?
Does it help that I don't cheer for ESPN's poster boy and everytime the pansy-ass is up I yell (not too loud because I don't need an ass-hole chant directed at my by angry Yankee fans), 'Suck it Jeter'?
I can't wait to get home to my MLB.TV and watch my first real Twins game of the season. *bliss*
Posted by: Shelley at April 4, 2007 02:04 AM