WARNING!! It's the 2012 Annual Baseball Thread!! Open at your own risk!!

[ChuckElias]

Don't talk to me about regular season games played in Japan that start at 3 am, are blacked out in the home team's market, and will be followed by additional exhibition games. Don't talk to me about opening night, even if it is in a brand new retractable-dome ballpark.

Give me Opening Day baseball, baby! We are scant minutes from the first pitch of the 2012 season.

The thread has gotten less and less attention over the last couple seasons, so if it's time to let it die out, I won't be offended. But it's here for whoever wants to comment on their favorite team's chances on getting the second wild card spot.

Play ball!

[Mark Padgett]

Unfortunately, it looks like my White Sox will be having another mediocre season. However, as long as they finish with a better record than the cross-town rival Scrubs, I'll be OK with it.

Even though I haven't lived in the Chicago area for over 40 years, I have a White Sox license plate frame on my car and I use a photo of my youngest grandson in a White Sox t-shirt as the wallpaper on my computer. When I was a kid, I played shortstop and had a Luis Aparicio model glove. He was my baseball idol.

[Welpe]

It's a good day, for even the Cubs are in first place.

I also will be working my first baseball games this evening after almost 9 years away. I have good timing on coming back.

[APG]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

Give me Opening Day baseball, baby! We are scant minutes from the first pitch of the 2012 season.

More like the 700th or so pitch.

[Raymond]

My one and only contribution to the thread. I accidentally got a hotel room in Miami about a mile or so from the new Marlins baseball stadium, which I didn't realize had been built, and on Opening Night, which I did not know was scheduled for last night.

One cool thing is that we got to witness the pre-game fly over from the patio of Garcia's Seafood Grille.

[Hugh Refner]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

My one and only contribution to the thread. I accidentally got a hotel room in Miami about a mile or so from the new Marlins baseball stadium, which I didn't realize had been built, and on Opening Night, which I did not know was scheduled for last night.

So, was it nice and quiet in your room?

[Mark Padgett]

Sportswriter Bob Klapisch of the McClatchy-Tribune syndicate picks the Tigers to be the AL champs and the Phillies to win the NL. He also says Miguel Cabrera will be the AL MVP and Matt Kemp will win that award in the NL.

What do you guys think about his picks?

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Welpe

It's a good day, for even the Cubs are in first place.

....and Stephen Strasburg pitched very well against them......and got NO run support again (is this a different yr or not?)

[canuckrefguy]

OK (OK!)
Blue Jays (Blue Jays!)
Let's....play....ball!

[Welpe]

Hehe I lied, evidently the Cubs are already a half game back.

[Zoochy]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Hehe I lied, evidently the Cubs are already a half game back.

That's right. St. Louis won the 1st game played in the States. So season started yesterday.
Go YANKEES

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by canuckrefguy

ok (ok!)
blue jays (blue jays!)
let's....play....ball!

+1

[BillyMac]

My "Old Towne Team" certainly missed Jonathan Papelbon today. I wonder if they serve Popeye's Chicken, and Bud Lite, in the visitor's locker room at Comerica Park?

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

My one and only contribution to the thread. I accidentally got a hotel room in Miami about a mile or so from the new Marlins baseball stadium, which I didn't realize had been built, and on Opening Night, which I did not know was scheduled for last night.

One cool thing is that we got to witness the pre-game fly over from the patio of Garcia's Seafood Grille.

Originally Posted by Hugh Refner

So, was it nice and quiet in your room?

Is that a thinly veiled (as in no curtains) reference to the old SkyDome Hotel?

[canuckrefguy]

Woo hoo

Jays win 7-4 in the longest opening day game in history!