I will be at the game. And I am pumped to say the least. Go O's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There have already been various opening days so far—last week in Tokyo, last night in DC—but, for me, the true Opening Day is this first Monday (it even gets capitalized for me), generally when the O’s play their first game as do the majority of other teams. No matter how bad the upcoming season for your team may look, Opening Day is still a great day. It may go downhill from there, but that first day of every season is always special. Welcome all, and I’m looking forward to a new season and more of Roch’s excellent coverage.

As for Gibbons—this was the right move. Jay may be a great guy and all, but this didn’t have anything to do with that. There was going to be no place for him, and he’d done little to help his case. Best wishes to him. Perhaps he can catch on somewhere else and be a contributor. If not, perhaps he can find solace in being well paid. I commend the O’s for making a necessary though painful move and for Angelos allowing it to happen.

Eating Gibbons’ contract puts them on a new direction. Sure, they were able to deal big talent like Tejada and Bedard for what looks to be a decent haul of prospects, and they’ve been working to deal Roberts as well. The one thing they had not done this offseason, though, was to eliminate mediocre veterans with big contracts, doing whatever they had to even if meant paying all of the money and receiving nothing in return, making a lot of us speculate that the club was too uncomfortable with such moves because of the money. Well, they’ve set that aside, and this move indicates they are more concerned about improving the club than the money they’re spending. We’ll still have to see how this all pans out—it’ll take some time for good results—but right now, they’re doing the right things.

I remember the snow day. It was like 2001 or 2002 wasn't it, against the Red Sux I think.

Roch, by dressing up do you mean a clean pair of tighty whitey's. What HS does your daughter go to Liberty or Century?

Go O's!!! I'll have to watch from a local watering hole in Westminster

I think I still have that game on tape somewhere..... one of my most vivid (not sure I should say favorite) Jay Gibbons memories. I have never understood why they let the Indians hit and then stopped it.

I won't be at the game today, but I was at the last exhibition game on Saturday night at the new Nationals Park. The new stadium in DC is awesome (not quite as blood-stirring as Camden Yards, but the Yard's got a charm all its own). I watched from one of the suites and just loved the entire experience. Even though the Orioles lost Saturday night and the bats were anemic the entire game (you know things are bad if Jay Payton is leading the way offensively, instead of just being offensive) it was still great to see some of our young talent get out there and play.

It was also great to see the last game in which Jay Gibbons wore an Orioles uniform, even though I didn't find that part out until yesterday. I want to believe in the rebuilding process, and eating Gibbons' contract is actually the first step in that process that has really made me think the O's mean it this time. Lets hope they can keep it going.

Alright kids, let's get this straight.

It was 2003, it was Jay Gibbons, and the snow came barrelling in from the left field corner.

Jay Gibbons was the person is RF that couldn't see the ball during the snow game. Unfortuantely he didn't see the ball during sunny games either.

Also Rodrigo Lopez was pitching, and Marty Cordova hit a homer that eventually won the game.

Yep those were the days when the O's could count of finishing in front of the Devil Rays. Memories, sweet memories.

Crap! Why does it have to rain? Oh well! I'll be there! GO O's!

Roch,

Wasn't that snow game flyball actually a foul ball that was ruled fair because nobody saw it until it was rolling around in the outfield? I remember being in the upper deck at that game and not being able to see thr scoreboard in right field during the brief blizzard.

Have fun at the game today. Wish I could be there!

The next thing Peter-The-Less Angelos can do to right the ship is to put Baltimore back on the away uniforms! Some my not agree, but it is a big deal to me.

I have been following the Orioles for 54 years since I attended the first home opener in 1954 at age 10. After I left home and stopped using my father's season tickets, I would catch as many away games as possible as I moved around the country. It was always nice to see BALTIMORE on the road uniforms.

When I moved to New Jersey my support included 5 years of being a season "mini" ticket holder (4 seats), making the 5+ hour trip for Sunday games. I also attended many other games when visiting relatives. Ironically, my last trip to Camden Yards was the end of Cal's consecutive game streak.

I decided not to return until I can read the name of my hometown on the Orioles away jerseys!

I'm not going today, but I did go to that snowy one - it was 2003, and they played the Indians. I think it went to 11 or 12 innings or something like that - it was crazy, and freezing, but great just the same. That was actually the only Opening Day I've ever attended - fun times for sure. Happy Opening Day!

Getting ready to leave now...Go O's!!

Heres hoping the weather cooperates!

It's going to be a long, long season. So if we can look beyond this season, enjoy what hightlights we do get from the team, and have patience for a better future, we might be able to survive this lowest of seasons.

"n" for next season can only get better.

Why is it so hard to get fans to understand that by cutting Gibbons all it cost the team was the difference between someone's (presumably their new backup corner infielder's) minor league number and major league number. What is that? A couple hundred grand? Hardly enough to have driven the decision. No matter how many times it is explained to them, fans here keep insisting that cutting Gibbons was a money decision. I guess with the season likely facing us, ignorance is bliss. If so, Roch you have some mighty happy bloggers. Similarly it is not an indication of a wishy washy ciommitment to "rebuilding" when the team keeps Millar and Payton and Mora. They could not get any meaningful return in the form of near ready prospects in exchange for those players so it would not advance the rebuilding to get rid of them. It does not retard the development of kids to keep them in the minors one more year if they havent proven anything at the majoe league level yet. Quite the opposite, rushing them to the majors, putting them in a losing situation that will be frustrating to deal with could cost them a prospect so get over this idea that rebuilding means cutting any adults on the roster. For my money it makes a lot of sense to keep very talented kids together in the minors. let them get a lot of innings and at bats while getting used to winning a lot of games together and then bring them up en masse over the next few years to inject their talent AND their attitude of expecting to win.

hey Roch, any idea what time the gates open for fans? I'll be there, but I want to time my departure just right.

I'll be there today and I'll be sure to throw some extra love AJ's way to help ease the nerves!

Call me crazy, but I'm more excited for this Opening Day than I have been in a really long time. Let's go O's!

i think the snow game was '03 vs. the indians. i was there. that was the last opening day i was at, i think. i can t be there today. i ll be listening on the radio at the office at 3:00.

Roch -- So, does your daughter get out of school early today. (You don't need to answer that, since her principal may read this blog. LOL)

I do remember the snow game...Rodrigo pitching. The play you mentioned made it as an MLB.com "Blooper of the Year" finalist, I believe.

"The Sun won’t cut me a paycheck every two weeks just to have me blog?" Gee, that doesn't seem very fair. Do you want all us blog readers to start a petition drive for you? LOL

Well, I'm pumped. Too bad I couldn't make the trip down from Pittsburgh for the game.

I'll be watching via mlb.tv while at work, and speeding home at 5. Just don't tell my boss/authorities.

I must admit I was surprised that the Angelorioles let Gibbons go, but it was the right move. Sure he made a mistake with the steroids, but he was a decent guy who had a couple of pretty good years with the Orioles before it all fell apart. I hope he is able to resurrect his career with another team.
I also think the O's might surprise a few of the people that have been so negative on them. They are moving in the right direction, but I think, realistically, two things will come to fruition:
1. Hernandez will be hitting about .214 by the middle of May and there will be calls to replace him.

2. You will see a steady stream of pitchers coming up from Norfolk, starting around the end of May, because the starters will have a hard time averaging 5 innings a start, and the bullpen is going to be burned out early. Hopefully, somebody (Olson, Penn, etc.) will surface as last years Gutherie and will relieve some of the pressure by becoming a reliable starter. But remember, as of this morning we are still in first place.

Not to kick a guy when he's down, but Gibbons (back in 2003, when his juice, I mean power, justified? his mediocre hitting and complete defensive liability) was the right fielder who lost the ball amongst the sudden blizzard of snowflakes. Perhaps his 30 inch neck prohibited him from looking up to track the ball. Let's face it, Hairston would have been racing toward the warning track regardless of the snow.

I was at the blizzardy opending day game a few years back as well. The wierd thing is that (although cold) the sun was shining brightly right before that blizzard.

Okay, O's fans, let's take a deep breath, a deep draught of beer and try to enjoy year one of the re-building plan. I'm looking forward to this season more than any since year one of the Tejada era (does four years even qualify as an era?) At the very least, it shoud be interesting.

Hey, does anyone know if 105.7 is streaming the game? (Or if they are allowed to stream the game?) I know BAL never used to and was just curious. I'm basically trying to get out of having to pony up the dough to MLB.com to listen to the broadcast.

Be sure to keep the blog updated, Roch, especially for those of us who won't get the game on TV.

How lucky am I today? The Orioles game is on at noon and Opening Day happens to fall on a CA government holiday, Cesar Chavez Day. Man, how am I going to pass the next 4 hours? Guess I'll take a jog down to the beach and enjoy this sunny, 70 degree weather.

My favorite day of the year is here! Let's go O's! I will be there, in a big group of about 50 in Section 328. I may try to turn my Tejada #10 into a Jones #10 if I can find some orange tape.

I have a better question about your daughter. Is she an Oriole fan and does she keep track of the players?
Stay in school.

See you at the game, Roch!

always a big fan of your blog.. but maybe you shouldn't knock the cameraman for trying to get a "clear" shot of his subject.. you do watch tv, no?? it's a visual mean.. how about if the cameraman instead puts a blanket over your recorder and takes your pen away.. might make it hard for you to do your job, no?? plus, do you need to be right next to everyone talking.. as long as you can hear him, you can record him.. it's the same old complaint from newspaper guys.. always upset with the tv guys.. until someone offers you a job on tv.. then you jump all over it.. enjoy opening day!!!

I just finished looking at the special section in the Sun titled Building Blocks, a 2008 Baseball Preview. Nice work. The only thing is, I asked about Evan Longoria of the Rays being related to actress Eva Longoria a couple weeks ago. No answer until today. The Sun says they are not related, but I have to dissagree. Check the records again. I've been to Eva's web site and nothing, but Evan...Eva. How can they not?

Leaving for the game now. I hope they continue the tradition of winning on opening day.

I'll be there today.

And if I may offer one plea with the people reading this blog: Don't boo Aubrey Huff. He may deserve it, but we need some production out of that spot in the batting order this year.

He had a hard enough winter/spring; and its going to be a tough start for him without battling fans.

Cheer everyone.

Except Jay Payton.

I lived in CO for a while and there were many April games that were snowed out. It's a very surreal experience to be at a ballpark waiting for a game to start or be ppd while snowflakes are falling. I hope the weather breaks. I'd really like to see the O's play today.

I know it's going to be a long season but I'm excited to see what happens this year. I wish I could be there.

One thing Trembley and MacPhail shouldn't have to worry about this year is job security. The expectations are too low for this year.

Deke - you mention a steady stream of pitchers coming through at the end of May... I'm expecting that to happen even sooner. As you say, the bullpen will likely get lots of work from the get go. The law of averages dictates that someone will get hurt, or at least a couple of the pitchers will flame out. For the hurlers in Norfolk, neraly every game will serve as an audition. The Orioles used 27 different pitchers last year. I think we'll see the same this year.

For what it's worth, I'm thinking a 70-92 mark sounds about right for the team.

And if anybody in the AL East is due for a substantial tumble, it's the Yankees. That whole roster seems to be on borrowed time. And the whole A-Rod thing will continue to be a distraction... steroids or no steroids.

Opening Day!!!! I'm going too, my first one actually and while I wish the weather was better its nothing a couple hours at Pickles won't take care of.

I would also like to take this oppurtunity to give King Pete some cred. He appears to have humbled himself and handed over control to a good baseball man. I'd also like to point out the wisdom of getting Mcphail on-board and not handing over this responsibility to Flana-Quette.

Go O's!!!!

Its a new era....GO O's !!!! Lets surprise some people !!!

Prediction player of the game today.

Luis Hernandez

I won't say for which team.

Thank goodness we are down a Jay. thanks for (some of the) memories, and the illusion of great potential.

In other news:
FanSince54 asks for the return of 'Baltimore' on the away jerseys. Fair enough.

But I have as yet read no reactions to the disappearance of any bird on the cap - ornithologically correct Oriole or cartoon caricature.

What do people think of the "O's" on the new cap?

Long as we're complaining and being ignored -

BRING BACK THE BIRD!

CRY HAVOC AND UNLEASH THE ESSKAY HOTDOGS OF WAR

Booing today is classless , I don't care who it is or why. I am not happy with this FO or team either, but I would not boo if I were there. I would just stand there, not clap, nor boo. It's opening day, a special day, boo tomorrow if you must.

The fans booing the Pres. last night are morons too, IMHO. The man is our Pres, was there for baseball, not to campaign or push any agenda. All that did was show no class & give our enemies on the world stage a good laugh. You think that won't be on Al Jarierra, whatever that Arab network is? Nats "fans" just showed ignorance last night. Indifference is better, last night & today....

Why can't we go get one of the 2 SS cut by the Chicago teams the last 2 weeks? Either would be an upgrade on Hernandez & not alter the "rebuilding" at all.

Roch, tell A Jones to relax & enjoy the moment. No worries.....
The Sun should cut you a check on just this blog, it gets more hits than any other I bet & gets them lots of advertising on this site too.

That issue with the roamers sounds like what we sued to call the people who came to the beach, only on holiday weekends.... we called them amateurs... Anyway, what's wrong with a free ticket Roch? :-) Good luck with that clip on tie buddy!

Good luck with the Yakute Swallows Gibbons!

Happy Opening Day all! I wish I could be there. It's been a tradition for my Dad and I to go to Opening Day. We were both at that crazy snow game in '03, also wondering why the hell the umps didn't call the game until after the Indians batted.

Despite the lowered expectations, I hope the fans at the game today will help pump some life into the team, and make the new guys feel welcome! Two more months, and I no longer have to overpay MLB.com to let me watch dem O's. And I can go to games whenever I want.

Hope the sun comes out for you guys!

I won't be surprised if the Orioles refuse to pay Jay Gibbons any money for the remainder of his contract. Gibbons was offerred that contract based upon the numbers he put up in the earlier years, when he was on performance enhancing drugs. And the Orioles could argue that they wouldn't have offered him the same contract if he had not cheated the baseball world by putting up those inflated numbers.

The O's could cite how Jay's muscle mass dropped once he stopped using those illegal drugs.

Roch, I feel a little silly asking this as a baseball purist, but -- can you let us know who wins the video board race between ketchup, mustard and relish? (This is assuming they're still gonna be doing that; after all, it is advertising revenue!!) Money - or at least a free lunch - might be on the line. Thanks.

Go O's!

Remember what D. Trembley said at the beginning of ST, "We're not conceding anything to anybody."

Play hard, play smart!

Good luck O's...
You're gonna need it.

I wore my Orioles polo into work today and came in extra early so I can leave should the game be on TV, and it is-glad they are playing the Rays!
Lucky Me!

I had a streak of attending about 15 Opening Days in a row that ended with the O's moving to Camden Yards. Anyone remember the snowy game in 84 (I think) when Storm Davis started?

l is for LETS GO O's!

Matt in DC -- I hope Hairston wouldn't have been racing to the track, as I seem to remember it was actually a short, easily playable fly ball that Gibbons never saw and let drop 10 feet in front of him. Gibbons too about 4 steps back when he needed to take about 5 steps forward. But it's been 5 years, my memories could be fuzzy.

According to Retrosheet, the game went 13 innings and the O's won 6-5.

About the blogs about Angelos finally letting a baseball person run the show: Maybe he realizes what he has and what the Orioles will be worth if he decides to sell!!

Roch , Lighten up on the camera guys! Everybody is just trying to do their jobs. Remember, the print guys need the ability to hear and speak. There is no reason some of the print guys need to hold the hands of the subjects being interviewed during an OPEN event. Think about the reasons you do radio and TV when asked. Sorry to say but the Sun is dying. Paul

Thomber Hugoharris - Relish won the condiment race, erasing mustards lead around 3rd. I hope you win whatever was on the line for you.