...or opening day. Depending on how you feel about it.

I got a wire from Toots Shor in Anahiem before the game. It said, "Good luck, Jim. I hope you pitch often and win many games." Who says Toots never talks to has beens?

Actually, I don’t know Toots that well. I’ve been in his place a few times and once when I was going bad he told me my whole problem was that I was striding three inches too far and if I just shortened up on the stride by those three inches everything would be fine. I was so desperate I actually tried it. It didn’t help.

Everyone works out pregame nervousness in his own way. Tommy Davis was standing in the middle of the clubhouse taking a hitting stance with no bat in his hands, anticipating the pitching, striding into it, checking his swing, and then going back and doing it all over again. It reminded me of a guy going over his notes just before a final exam knowing all the time that it wasn’t going to do any good. If you don’t have it by now, Tommy, you’re never going to.

There was a lot of grousing about th uniforms. It isn’t only that they don’t fit (no baseball uniforms fit, possibly because you are carefully measured for them). Its thats they’re so gaudy. I guess thats because we’re the Pilots and we have to have captain’s uniforms. They have stripes on the sleeves, scrambled eggs on the peak of the cap, and blue socks with yellow stripes. Also, there are blue and yellow stripes down the sides of the pants. We look like goddam clowns. There only worse looking uniforms are the ones they wear in Vancouver.

Naturally, we won our first game. Beat the Angels 4-3. Mike Hegan hit the first home run for the Pilots and Joe Schultz, jumping up and down in the dugout, clapped his hands and actually yelled, "Hurray for our team."

When we came into the clubhouse, all of us yelling and screaming like a bunch of high school kids, Joe Schultz said, "Stomp on ’em. That-a-way to stomp on ’em. Kick ’em when they’re down. Shitfuck. Fuckshit. Now go out and pound the ol’ Budweiser and stomp ’em tommorow. Stomp ’em good."

Already we’re better than the Mets.

-Jim Bouton, Ball Four pp. 103-4

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One of my favorite days of the year. I can remember sneaking a transistor radio into class with a mono ear piece that I would run down my sleeve so I could listen to Opening Day in Cincinnati.

Good luck to your team today.

I took the day off just to watch some games, woohooo


Though it looks like the Cubs/sox openers might get soaked..

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

What if my team is the Diamondbacks (-105) today? Do you still wish them good luck?

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Against Harang? Yes, they'll need all the luck they can get.

I might rename today Kosuke Fukudome Day if this game ends right.

What a minute... I'm a Tribe fan... nevermind. Are you sure WGN doesn't use some mind control "Subliminal Suggestion" in their broadcast?

Praise be to Craig Counsell then.

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possibly, im a sox fan but when fukudome hit the homerun i got all gitty and happy for some reason.

The day didn't end right, but Fukodome day sounds fitting, man what an opening day for him. lets go CUBBIES!

...

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Looking forward to this

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused

Should be a good day. Cubs are on and sox are playing one of my local market teams so go Indians. I need to get some beverages though and I just don't know what to get.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Screw the Cubs and screw Ohio.

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Have another burger schilling. God damn have you aged.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Ya he is putting on the #'s and the bags under those eyes don't help

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused

then they show orel who is older and looks great

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Give me Oral over a Schilling anytime of the day

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused

I remember skipping school on opening day and going down to the park, no tix but just to be around the energy. Nothing feels like opening day at the park.
I will be tuned in tomorrow to watch it as usual. When I worked at the CBOT it was the second hardest day to get off( Cubs home opener,Sox was easy compared.)

Frank:


Why so Serious?

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

This game is going to be a 4 hr marathon. 105 pitch count to open the season for your ace? How the hell much did espn pay their favorite 2 teams?

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

God bless america. Give it a fucking rest already.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Hell if you think that was bad try this Neil Diamond shit that is on now WTF!!
WHYYYYYY

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused

Nice to see Neil Diamond cash a five (or large four) figure check to do a Sweet Caroline.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Steven Tyler, Neil Diamond, theyre working their way up in age. Im thinking Abe Vigoda with "Hello My Baby" in the 9th. UMN you need to just accept the USA FUCK YA! stuff. Why let it bother you?

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused

Didn't take Pujols long to go yard.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Pujols 2 bombs already. Going to be another long year for NL pitchers...

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Harvey, IL's own Garrett Jones went yard twice as well. Maybe he is for real. Dude had 20 bombs in only 300 AB's last yr.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Do opposing pitchers still pitch to Albert if he keeps this up or do opposing pitchers start walking Pujols like they used to do, dare may I say Barry Bonds?

They pitch around him. Albert's eye is just so good. And they have Holliday and Ludwick behind him.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Don't forget about Rasmus. He is going to have a break out year.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!