Marathon Pundit: Rites of Spring: Baseball is back

Last night I watched most of the Washington Nationals game as they hosted the Atlanta Braves a the new Nationals Park in the city's Anacostia neighborhood. Amidst a few boos, President Bush, continuing a tradition that goes back to 1910 and William Howard Taft, threw out the first pitch--it was a bit high.

The president joined the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball crew of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan in the fourth inning, when the Braves' Chipper Jones hit the first home run in the new ball park. The Nats ended up winning, when Ryan Zimmerman hit a two run home run--with two outs--in the bottom of the ninth.

As my team, the Chicago White Sox, they dropped their first game of the year against the Indians in Cleveland, 10-8. White Sox ace Mark Buehrle was hammered by the Indians and was chased out of the game in the second inning--giving up seven earned runs.

Two controversial calls against the South Siders in the eight inning, coupled with a three run bottom-half by the Tribe, put Cleveland on top for good.

Good news for the White Sox: Jim Thome hit two homers.

As for the North Siders, the Chicago Cubs lost their home opener to the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3 in ten innings. I didn't watch any of the game or catch any of the radio coverage, but I'm enjoying the post-game press conference, and seeing Cubs' manager Lou Piniella dismiss a reporter's claim that this afternoon's game had "a playoff atmosphere." Opening day is a wondrous experience, but it's not like the playoffs.

Today the final home opener for the New York Yankees was scheduled, the "House that Ruth Built," but it was called off because of rain. The Yanks move into a new stadium across the street from the old one.

Technorati tags: