Thursday, March 29, 2018
Opening Day
The day I have been waiting and planning for since baseball season ended during early November has arrived.
Opening Day.
Baseball, major league-style, is returning to a ballpark near me! The best ballpark in all of baseball, OPACY, will be alive and thronging with thousands of Orioles fans this afternoon.
Traffic in Baltimore will be snarled.
But hope springs eternal. At least at the start of the day, the Orioles are tied for first place in the American League East! Game 1 of 162 games is set to commence in a few hours.
This is also the first opening day in 50 years where every team will play its opening game in the same day! That is really awesome.
The Orioles face the Twins and the weather is supposed to be fantastic. We are scheduled to enjoy a one day warm up that will see temperatures inn the 70's--yes, you read it right. The cold is leaving us for one day and then it will return tomorrow. How lucky can we be. Warm temperatures, sunny skies, Orioles baseball, and thousands of adoring (but skeptical) fans.
Did I mention that I have tickets and am planning to be there?
Bring on the baseball, let's get this season underway!
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Turning the Corner
The region may have turned the weather corner, so to speak.
Hot Fudge Sundae with Malt from Cindy's March 27, 2018 |
I went back over the calendar and the last time it did not go below freezing was on March 4th.
It is time to let Spring spring! We've sprung forward, baseball is starting, March is ending and there are so many things that need to be done around the yards.
To celebrate Spring, Chris and I headed off to Cindy's Soft Serve, which reopened this week, for some dessert last evening. The temperatures were definitely not summer-like, but ordering our sundaes made the unseasonable cold seem just a little bit less oppressive.
But it may get to 70 degrees tomorrow for Orioles Opening Day!
Cue the sunshine and the baseball. Bring on the sodas and hot dogs.
Take me out to the ballpark and lets party!
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Orioles Outlook
It is the time if year when hope springs eternal. Spring training has ended and the Orioles have broken camp and are heading north in preparation for Opening Day.
Thursday is Opening Day and I am planning on being there to see the team in person. I have my tickets in hand for the big event and am excited that baseball is returning.
That written, the Orioles are facing three greatly improved teams in the American League East. The Red Sox, the Blue Jays, and Yankees have each improved their positions during the off season. The Orioles will face each of them 19 times during the season. That is 57 games of a 162 game season, or almost 1/3 of their games will be against improved division rivals.
On top of that, the Orioles face the World Series champion Houston Astros six times.
To start the season, the Orioles face the four teams just mentioned during 13 of their first 17 games, including two four game away series against the Red Sox and the Yankees. And did I mention they open the season at home against the Twins, who may be the heir apparent to win the AL Central?
It could be a very disappointing and ugly start to the season. The Orioles could start something as bad as 4-13 for their first 17 games. I prefer to think that based upon what I saw during Spring Training they will be competitive and they will start the season 7-10. Where does it go from there?
I believe the O's are going to lose a lot of high run scoring games. Offense abounds in the AL East. The O's may have a solid rotation eventually, but they are starting the season with only three capable starters and a couple of hopefuls. The Orioles have holes in the reliever corps and are starting the season without the closer, Zach Britton. The lineup will be suspect against left-handed pitching and defensively right field and third base could be a disaster.
Did I mention Manny Machado? The circus surrounding him will likely end mid-season with a trade that will leave a gaping hole in the Orioles offense and defense.
For the 80 games against AL East teams and the Astros, it is likely the O's will collectively go 34-46 for a .425. That leaves 82 games against the rest of the league and it is likely the O's will split those games going 41-41.
Sadly, then, my projection is that the O's will limp through the season and finish 75-87, which, sadly, is where they finished last year. I do believe that the Tampa Bay Rays will have a worse record in the AL East and so the Orioles will finish 4th.
I will be very happy for the Orioles to prove me wrong and make the playoffs.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Monday, March 26, 2018
Monday Musings - March 26, 2018
Hawk at Timbers at Troy Golf Course March 25, 2018 |
Jeremy Suffering in the Cold on the Golf Course March 25, 2018 |
3. I played in a golf tournament yesterday. It was probably a mistake because it was just plain cold. The temperature never made it above 39 degrees.
4. Animals on the golf course were bountiful yesterday. The hawk was magnificent sitting in the tree. It was not concerned about me at all as I got close to take its image.
5. I was amazed at how quickly the snow melted. Hopefully Spring will be finally arriving later this week.
6. The MLB season begins this week. Go O's!
7. The hockey regular season ends soon--I can tell that spring is in the air.
Headlines
In Gun Control Marches, Students Led but Adults Provided Key Resources - New York Times
D.C.-area forecast: Cool today, but 60-degree weather is on the horizon - The Washington Post
Ronald Reagan Quote for the Day
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Ronald Reagan Quote for the Day
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-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Sunday Sunrise Musings
Radio Flyer View of the Neighborhood March 24, 2018 |
I love the dawn, but I'm not too keen on waiting for it.
I do get to plan the day and wake up, but the dawn can still be elusive.
Across the Hedgerow March 24, 2018 |
I know that I need to broaden my drone flights to new territory, but I am still getting comfortable with flying it. With each flight I am trying something new and pushing my limits to help me know how to react when something unexpected happens. Yesterday was height and distance. I lost sight of it when it blended into the sky and had to figure out where it was from my screen display.
Quote for the Day
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts.
-- President John Adams
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Funny Snow Pictures
Winter meets Summer Snow on the Mowers March 21, 2018 |
Snow on the Spring Plants March 21, 2018 |
It was an interesting drive in the middle of the storm. There wasn't much traffic and the roads were in good condition on the way to the store. Coming home, however, over an inch of snow had fallen during our brief visit and things changed dramatically. The roads were snow covered and slick.
While at Lowe's, however, I took two images of things that just shouldn't be allowed. Both of them involved snow. They document what happens when Winter meets Springtime on the first full day of Spring.
The snow on the mowers and Spring plants was an interesting sight. The scene was an example of what is to come meeting what is happening right now.
The snow will be gone soon. Not soon enough.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Friday, March 23, 2018
A Bright Day
The Neighborhood March 22, 2018 |
The Yard March 22, 2018 |
It is amazing how blue the sky looked as the sun rose yesterday. I enjoyed seeing the golden rays illuminate the still naked trees as the day dawned bright.
The snow retreated significantly during the day in a clear victory for the forces of Springtime.
The ground was saturated as the snow melted, which is what I had hoped for when I oversewed the lawn and put down fertilizer for the season as the storm approached.
Now all we need are some great 70 degree days! Did I mention that there are none in the 10 day forecast?
I always wanted to be a pilot and now, through the magic of my drone, I can make that a reality on a much more personal level. Yesterday I received the high winds alert warning again. The winds aloft were really buffeting Radio Flyer, but it did great.
It was fun to fly Radio Flyer during the storm and the day after to get some comparison shots.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Dogs in the Snow
Makayla in the Snow |
Finnegan After Running in the Snow |
Whenever it snows they rush outside to play in the cold, wet, white stuff.
I am always amazed at their reactions as they charge out the door and off the steps into the snow. They frolic, yes frolic, through the snow like they have never seen it before.
I'm sure that if we had snow all year, they would tire of it, but as it is they continue to enjoy the freshness of the newly fallen snow.
I am glad at least my dogs enjoy the snow, even though I wish that I lived somewhere that it never falls.
I have to keep telling myself that.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Flying in the Storm
From the Storm March 21, 2018 |
More from the Storm March 21, 2018 |
It was interesting because the collision avoidance sensors frequently activated due to the falling snow.
It was fun flying through the snowflakes and imaging the trees and the yard. Later, I will be flying up the street as the snow is already melting and I am hopeful that this Spring storm is the last of the winter period. It is time for flowers and sunny warmth.
The big snowflakes made the flying interesting, but the flight provided some unique views of the snow on the trees.
I am glad that the leaves had not yet appeared as there likely would have been a lot of tree damage.
It is not 5:30 PM and the storm appears to have spent its energy. Now comes the freezing and the cold!
But then there is the Spring, although temperatures are not forecast to be in the 50's until a week hence, next Tuesday.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
And This is Spring?
Welcome to the first full day of Spring! And we are expecting 4-7 inches of snow. It may even develop into a snowpocalypse! But probably not.
Beginning of the Storm March 21, 2018 |
What a way to welcome Spring, with snow.
Two days ago I was outside working the team during baseball practice. Now, it will be until next week until i can do it again.
The local weather continues to remind me why I want to live somewhere that the sun shines and the temperatures are warm. Even though it was cool during my weekend get away to Florida, it was warmer than it has been in the Baltimore region.
Springtime brings such promise, but the weather can really crush those hopes with reality.
I was thinking about when I will be opening the pool. May is beginning to look like a definite possibility.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
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