Baseball is back in Minnesota – “cooler” than ever.
BBRT was in the stands – on the very chilly third deck – for the Twins home opening 4-2 loss to the highly-compensated Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers. BBRT survived a brisk wind and temps that my IPhone indicated dropped into the twenties during the game (other sources quoted the low at 34 degrees), but came close to not surviving the $8 price tag on a cup of vendor-delivered hot chocolate. Among the keys to my enjoyment were long underwear, two pair of gloves, boots and earmuffs – all Opening Day firsts for BBRT. All around me I saw stadium (ballpark) blankets, hoodies, hats with earflaps – and, of course, truly “ice cold” beer. And I could have sworn I saw a couple of hitters sporting mittens instead of batting gloves.
Still it was baseball and the well-bundled crowd enjoyed the atmosphere of Opening Day. As for BBRT, I dutifully kept my scorecard up to date until my pen stopped delivering ink in the eighth inning, when I retreated to the already crowded (Kent) Hrbek’s Pub to catch the final nine outs on the big screen (in a crowd that drew warmth from each other).
Overall, the 3 ½-hour game was less than cleanly played, as the players, at times, seemed to have trouble getting the feel of the ball (2 errors, three wild pitches). Twins fans did get to see a lot of new faces, including the starting pitcher (Vance Worley), who proved his Minnesota-worthiness by taking the mound in bare-armed short sleeves and new leadoff man Aaron Hicks (who helped justify Verlander’s new contract with three early strikeouts). And, there were MVPs in abundance – Verlander, Miguel Cabrera (also last year’s Triple Crown winner), Joe Mauer (also a three-time batting champ) and Justin Morneau. And, there was the tension of a close game – the Twins left twelve men on base in a 2-run game and just couldn’t seem to get the big hit (or sacrifice fly). Having twelve batters go down on strikes will do that to you. For BBRT, the season was officially welcomed in the second inning, with the first (witnessed by me) 6-4-3 (Florimon to Dozier to Morneau) double play. For BBRT, double plays are a thing of beauty.
In addition, the beer was cold, the hot dogs steaming (as was my breath), the ball stark white against green grass and blue sky, the crack of the bat as sharp as ever, the scorecard cheap and informative, the home team garb plentiful throughout the sellout crowd – and there was a full slate of games being reported on the scoreboard.
So, all in all, despite the cold, there was plenty to enjoy at Target Field. Most important, however, baseball is back! BBRT note: Also enjoyed a truly cold pre-game brew with Ballpark Tours operator Julian Loscalzo on Cuzzy’s Bar & Grill’s outdoor patio – a markedly Minnesotan way to precede the opener. (See www.ballparktours.net for info on this year’s trips.) Julian’s beloved Phillies opened in Atlanta, where it was reportedly in the 70s.
Clayton Kershaw – a shutout and a homer on Opening Day. LET THE PITCHERS HIT!
While Julian may have envied the fans in Atlanta, I was envious of those in Los Angeles, who not only enjoyed the California warmth, but saw HOFer Sandy Koufax toss out the first pitch – and then enjoyed their Dodgers beating the long-time rival Giants 4-0, behind Clayton Kershaw’s complete-game shutout. They also witnessed Kershaw becoming the first pitcher since Bob Lemon (in 1953) to hurl a shutout and hit a homer on Opening Day. The result reminded me – one more time – of why I still oppose the DH. A couple of other reasons: On June 23, 1971, Phillies’ right-hander Rick Wise no-hit the Reds at Cincinnati 4-0 (one walk, three strikeouts) and also drove in three runs with a pair of homers (he would hit six dingers that year) – making him the only pitcher to hit two homers in a no-hit performance. Another reason? The first National Leaguer to hit two grand slams in a single game? Atlanta Braves pitcher Tony Cloninger, in a July 3, 1966, 17-3 road win over the Giants. Cloninger also added a single and had nine RBI in the contest. So, I say, let the hurlers hit.
In a final Opening Day thought – since April 1 was this year’s official Opening DAY (versus March 31, Opening NIGHT) – BBRT offers a tribute to late MLB umpire John McSherry, who suffered a fatal heart attack while working the plate at the Cincinnati Reds’ home opener (against the Expos) on April 1, 1996. Seven pitches into the contest, McSherry called a timeout and began to walk toward the Reds’ dugout before stumbling and falling. McSherry, a 25-year MLB umpiring veteran, had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and was scheduled to see a doctor the next day. It was reported that McSherry had cancelled an earlier appointment because he didn’t want to miss Opening Day. McSherry was rushed to a hospital, where the 51-year-old was pronounced dead about an hour later. (The game was postponed and played, from its beginning, the following day.)
Well-respected and well-liked, McSherry worked a dozen post-season series, including the 1977 and 1987 World Series, as well as the 1975, 1982 and 1991 All Star games. He was behind the plate for Larry Dierker’s July 9, 1976 no-hitter, as well as for the 1977 World Series contest in which Reggie Jackson belted three home runs. He was also behind the plate, doing what he loved on April 1, 1996.
