Opening day is here…well, sort of. The Braves play the Nats tonight on the WWL but, of course, the official opening day is tomorrow – when most teams get started. The A’s and Red Sox have already played two in Japan so maybe last Tuesday (Wednesday?) was opening day. (Aside – would you believe that the A’s and Red Sox open AGAIN w/ each other tomorrow?) Don’t let the fact that this intro is dripping w/ sarcasm fool you – I love baseball and there’s almost nothing better than opening day. This is the day we’ve all been waiting for – or is it tomorrow, or was it some day last week when baseball was on at 4 in the morning or something? For 6 months we’ve sat through football games and baseball games, maybe hockey if they still have that on TV, just to get to this point. We’ve rattled on and on about moves that were made and should’ve been made. There’s no other sport whose fans so look forward to the season beginning than baseball. Don’t believe me? Does the NFL or the NBA have anything approaching baseball’s "Hot Stove League?" They have their offseasons and drafts, free agency, etc. but it doesn’t have a title, for crying out loud. There are parades and the introductions of the teams. When I saw my son put on his first t-ball uniform a couple of weeks ago (the Mets, yuck) I thought – "We’re getting close!" I don’t know when he has to play the Cardinals. I don’t know who I’ll root for! Dammit, I just love opening day.

On another note, Friday I was listening to NPR on my way home from work and there was an interview w/ a guy named Stefan Fatsis who has written an essay for a newly released book called Anatomy of Baseball . Fatsis’ essay is about his baseball glove – how it feels and smells, etc. You can listen to the interview here. I encourage you all to do it – it’s tremendous, a tear-jerker. Isn’t there something about our baseball glove? I still have mine from when I was a kid and on the few occasions during the year when I make it out to play some softball, I still use it. In the essay, Fatsis says something like "there is no inanimate object with which he’s been more intimate in his life." At first, I thought – "that’s really strange." The more I thought about it, it’s really true. There’s just something about MY glove.

I pride myself on being fairly selfless, willing to share, etc. but whenever I do go to play softball, there are always some women, and often a few men, who don’t have a glove. Whenever they need to warm-up or if they’re on the other team, or if they’re on my team and I’m sitting this inning, they often need to borrow a glove. Though it shouldn’t matter to me (and I work w/ these people), I’m always hesitant about letting them borrow MY glove. What if something happens to it? What if they forget who they borrowed it from? What if they give it back to someone on the other team? What if, somehow, they taint it so that it doesn’t catch anymore? This is the glove I played with when I was a kid.

Remember how hard we all worked to break in our gloves? We spat in them and rubbed dirt in them. I’ve banged my fist in my glove a million times and it just feels great each time I do it. I can tell that it’s MY glove. I used to sometimes throw it on the ground, not just drop it, and then walk on it a few times to make sure it was good and broken in. Could one of my co-workers undo all that hard work? In the interview, Fatsis relates the story about how he sent off his glove to someone who restores baseball gloves. When he got it back, it just wasn’t his glove. It was absolutely beautiful – the leather was incredibly restored; it looked like a brand-new glove. But it wasn’t HIS glove. His, like ours, was dirty and imperfect. It had that perfect cup in the middle that allowed every ball to be sucked right in. There were no spit stains or dirt stains anymore. It just wasn’t his glove anymore.

I love my glove. It’s perfect. Feels perfect on my hand, fits like a … nevermind. But it does. There’s something just not right about wearing somebody else’s glove. It’s like wearing another man’s pants. I’ll do it if I absolutely have to (to avoid being arrested, for example) but that’s just about it. I just wouldn’t trust another man’s glove. There’s just something about the way it feels on your hand and how you know that every ball is going to bounce right into it. You know how the glove cradles the ball as it enters the glove and releases it for that throw to first. It just feels right on your hand and no other glove has that. It’s a beautiful interview. I encourage everyone to listen and you can also read the transcript of it from the link. I think I’ll buy the book.

Note to self: watch "Field of Dreams!" I love that movie and there’s no better time to watch it than as opening day approaches. Notice how Kevin Costner uses HIS glove to go out and have a catch w/ his dad. Dammit! More tears!

Finally, speaking of tears – Rico Washington has made the team. Good for him. It’s important to understand that this isn’t exactly a victory for youth over experience. Rico will be 30 around Memorial Day, but he’s paid his dues and, even if it’s just for 15 days, I’m glad he’s going to get to put on the uniform and, even better, experience opening day at Busch! Because he’s 30, and has been in AA and AAA since 2000, he’s no longer really considered a prospect. In 1999, he was the #6 prospect in the South Atlantic League after busting 13 HR in 287 AB’s w/ Hickory. It’s not as if he can’t hit. His career minor league OPS is .802 and last year he pounded a .910 OPS in 168 AAA AB’s.

His major problem appears to be defense. He’s sort of a jack-of-all trades, master of none, sort of fielder. He was drafted as a C and moved to the infield in 2000. He bounced to the Padres organization and was signed as a minor-league free agent by the Cards prior to the 2006 season. Since moving from behind the plate permanently, he’s played some 1B, some 2B but spent most of his time at 3B. Minor league fielding numbers (aside from fielding %) are very hard to come by but his career fielding % at 3B is .944, and at 2B is .956. He’s not going to win any gold gloves. Still, I’m somewhat surprised that he’s just now getting his first crack at the big leagues. He’s had some very successful years at AA, but never seemed to really put it together at AAA until last year.

It won’t surprise me if shows off some hitting while w/ the big club. He won’t be overmatched. I hope I can say the same this year for Adam Kennedy. Still, he’s basically a 4-A player. He reminds me some of a right-handed hitting version of Marlon Anderson. He could hit the ball but was an absolute butcher whenever and wherever he played in the field.

As for projections, BP hasn’t done any on him. In fact, as far as I can find, no one has. BP did do its minor league translations last year for him, and everyone else, at every level. Those done last year, based on his AA numbers create a major league equivalency of a .717 OPS and .246 EqA. Not bad for a utility infielder. Those done based on his AAA numbers are even better -- .816 and .281, respectively. Sounds high to me but still…Curiously, his regular translations are also his peak translations. In other words, this is what Washington might reach in the big leagues at his peak. It’s still not bad. I’d be pretty content if Adam Kennedy had a .717 OPS (last year it was…wait for it…5! 7! 2!) .572! A .246 EqA wouldn’t make either Chase Utley but would be a 41 point improvement over Kennedy’s 2007. The point is, if Kennedy hits the way we might expect Washington will hit while he’s up, he’ll have a much better year. Don’t be surprised if Washington provides a little punch at the plate – and that he punches a few balls in the field as well.

Anyway, I’m really proud for the man. Even if he spends 15 days w/ the club, he’ll have sated a dream he’s had since he could walk and one he probably thought would never get here. I hope he gets to pinch-hit tomorrow. I hope the crowd gives him a standing-O. They’ll probably turn to each other and say, "Who?" Unfortunately, it’s probably a sound we’ll here quite often in Busch this year. Still, opening day is here and, guess what, we may not get another chance to say this again – The Cards are tied for 1st! 

Well, Azru stole my opening joke for his post yesterday, so I got nothing. Oh well.

Hey, did you hear the one about the radio host who tricks people into coming on to his show? No? Here you go. Apparently, Kevin Slaten is no longer content with just haranguing Cardinal officials from afar. He just has to get them on, no matter how unethical or possibly illegal it may be.

Have I mentioned how much I dislike Mr. Slaten and his ilk? I believe I have, at some point in time. I've been quite critical of Dave Duncan at various times, for various reasons. However, this sort of thing is just ridiculous and uncalled for. I'm not sure who exactly is in charge over at KFNS, but they should be very proud of their station as it continues to circle the drain. Congratulations, KFNS, for lowering the bar for us all.

It appears that Uncle Rico is going to make the team. I'm really excited about this move. I think it's important to have a player on your team who can throw a football over a mountain. You just never know when a quarter mile toss could be the difference between victory and defeat. Seriously, though, it is very exciting to see a career minor leaguer like Rico finally get his shot at the big time. He probably won't be around too very long, as he's expected to go back down when Brendan Ryan gets healthy, but at 30 years old, Rico Washington will be wearing a Major League uniform on Opening Day. Congratulations, Rico. I wonder if this could just be the 2008 model of John Rodriguez? Similar skillset, although Rico is obviously an infielder, guy who gets an initial look because of some injuries, and his bat's just too damn good to send him back. I guess we'll see.

Opening Day for the Cardinals is Monday afternoon. There's not really a whole left to say about the roster; it appears to be set. No reason to rehash any more Anthony Reyes drama; it's just needless arguing at this point. The predictions are all in; we aren't going to be very good, at least by the numbers. So what to talk about?

I thought today we would just open it up and everybody toss in your ideas about the new season to be. What's everybody planning on doing for this most momentous of occasions? I feel fairly confident that at least some of you have made special arrangements to be around for the game; seeing as how we are all members of a community that have spent literally thousands of hours the past six months discussing baseball with absolutely no actual baseball happening.

Bukowski has a nice Fanpost up about his favourite opening day memories. Let's have some of those, too. Any particular season openers that stand out in your mind? Maybe you spent it with a loved one who isn't around any longer. Maybe you just go stranded on the side of the road trying to get into downtown St. Louis when the radiator in your past it's prime Mustang blew a hose. You know, hypothetically. That totally didn't happen to me in 1999. It's a really great post by Mr. Bukowski, by the way. Check it out.

Most of all, though, what are you hoping to see this season? Are you looking for a playoff appearance? Do you want to see the kids get a chance? Do you just hope the team doesn't embarass itself? Want to make a bold, certain to be wrong prediction? Here's the place to do it. And all you realists out there, none of that today. Let's all be optimistic today. It's the weekend, and baseball is on the way. Even I, as cynical and bitter a human being as you could ever hope to encounter, can't find it in my heart to believe anything but the best for this team right now. Seven pm, Monday night, we'll see if reality set in. For now, though, we're a title contending team.

Hey. Remember Spring Surprises? Well, the results are in, and the winners are:

On the position side, I think Joe Mather made the biggest leap forward in everyone's eyes. We all knew Rasmus was going to be good, and he didn't disappoint. Jose Martinez put up a nice spring, and the aforementioned Uncle Rico did some very nice things, with a little extra credit for making the team. (On a related note, Skippy has been surprising but not that surprising; he is Mr. March, after all) Barton has been a definite, pleasant surprise. Overall, though, Mather came in just hoping to make a bit of an impression, and ended up seriously in the conversation to take over Scott Spiezio's utility role with the team. Joe Mather, everybody!

Pitcher? Not even close. Kyle McClellan, St. Louis native, has thrown a limited number of innings above the single A level. He only has a year of pitching under his belt since Tommy John surgery. He's young and unheralded and should be grateful that his Springfield uniform fits so well. Kyle McClellan will be standing in Busch Stadium on Opening Day, watching as the Clydesdales he's tried to describe to Brian Barton parade around the stadium. Of all the longshots in camp, K-Mac, (nope, not letting it go) has to be the longest of all. Congratulations, Mr. McClellan.

More importantly than the players who surprised, though, is the burning question on everyone's mind: who called it? Who won our very own Spring competition?

AlberttheKing23 and cardschinmusic both had Mather. Excellent calls, gentlemen. Personally, I thought Mather would come in and struggle, more in line with his AAA line from last season. I wasn't a believer; count me among the converted.

Cariocacardinal and Hinkster both picked McClellan; again, kudos to the both of you. I picked Motte. I think I would do it again, as I think Jason has a nice future ahead of him. For the love of god, someone teach that kid to throw a splitter! As for McClellan, though, I'm curious: what did you guys see in him, exactly? I was aware of him coming in, but I never saw this kind of breakout coming. Heck of a call.

Our winner, and new supreme ruler, though, is...

Drum roll, please...

Hungry Jack. He had both Mather and McClellan. Congratulations, Hungry Jack. If I had thought this through a little better back in January, I would have laid in some sort of prize. However, seeing as how I failed to do so, you have only my eternal admiration. Fantastic calls, both. Huzzah!

One last thing. Shameless personal plug coming. The River Front Times, the independent alt journal here in St. Louis, is going to starting a Cards blog this season. I've been asked to be the main contributor. I'm incredibly excited to get this kind of an opportunity, and I really hope that you'll all come and visit me over there. The format is still a little up in the air at the moment, but we're taking the 'jump in head first' approach to the thing. Here's the link to the site:

riverfronttimes.com

It will be under the "STLog" area; there's also a link directly to that section on the sidebar here. Again, I'm all kinds of excited to be doing this; I really hope to see some of you around over there.

Alright, everybody. Here we go. Let's all enjoy this last bit of anticipation that we have. Two days until real baseball.

I can almost taste it.