Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Picking Up Where They Left Off

My blog gets a little boring at this time of the year for people who are not Orioles fans. I'm not sorry, it is just a fact.
Wieters rounding Third after and Opening Day Two-run Homer

I wandered off to a local watering hole yesterday afternoon to watch the first Orioles game of the season. The excitement of the Spring Training and the unsatisfying loss to the team from up north to end the 2012 playoff run were etched in every Orioles fan's mind and we wonder and hope that, no--we are convinced, this season will be even better than the magical 2012 season when Baltimore became the king of baseball towns again.

And we were rewarded during the first inning with a double from team leader center fielder Adam Jones followed by two run shot off the bat of all star catcher Matt Wieters. And the season was on its way!

Scoring in the 7th on an Adam Jones Double
The opening day game in Tampa had it all. Homers, great plays in the field, and even coming from behind after the Orioles has surrendered their lead and were behind 3-2 at the end of 6 innings. A five run 7th, ignited by two teal leaders who finished the season on the disabled list, Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis, put the exclamation point on why the Orioles did not need to make a flashy and expensive move to acquire outside help to cement the lineup.

Another perfect ending from the bullpen, including a save for Jim Johnson last year's league leading closer,  and it was over with a win!

Was it perfect? No. In Orioles fashion they left too many runners on base at the end of innings, they failed to score any runs after loading the bases with one out during, and the designated hitter, didn't.

The end result though was:

One down and 161 to go.

BUCKle Up!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

No comments:

My Zimbio
Top Stories