It's Opening Day!!

So, here we are at the beginning of another marathon, with people saying this might be the best Red Sox team ever. For that to be true, a lot of pieces will have to fall into place in just the right way. Pieces named Beckett and Saltalamacchia for example. I try to not get too up on the team, because the further up you get, the further down you go. That said, this is a team that is going to score a lot of runs. But, based on spring training, it looks like the pitching is not going to be what most people expect. Prediction: They'll make the playoffs, but they'll get there by winning a lot of 6-4 and 7-5 games.

As far as this being the best Red Sox team ever, well, when the club has been around for 112 seasons, there are a lot of teams to measure this team against. The early 20^th century championship teams had a lot of great players like Speaker, Hooper, Lewis, Young and the Babe. Then there's 1946, with three Hall-of-Famers. But to me the best team was the ill-fated 1978 team that led most of the year only to end up the season in a tie and, well, you know.

That club had four Hall-of-Famers on it: Yaz, Fisk, MVP Jim Rice and Eckersley. Add to that a couple of guys whose numbers are better than some Hall-of-Famers (Evans, Tiant) and some really good ones like Bill Lee, Fred Lynn and Bob Stanley. That team was 99-64, scored 796 runs, hit 172 home runs, led by as many as eight games and, well, you know.

Three Red Sox teams have won more than 100 games: 1912, 1915 and 1946. As this season starts, I'd settle for 98 wins. The last time they won 98 games was in 2004 and, well, you know.

--000--

Jet Blue Park, huh? It does kind of roll off the tongue pretty well. If the Sox were going to sell naming rights to the new Fort Myers ballpark, they could have done worse. CVS Stadium sounds awful harsh. But still, it does sound like it's referring to the tarmac where Jet Blue leaves its planes overnight. Can't wait to see it, though. It's the closest thing we'll ever have to a new ballpark.

Back at the beginning of the 20^th Century, when ballparks were first being built, they had a life of about 15 years. Of course, they were made of wood and had this nasty habit of burning down every now and again. The next generation was built mostly of concrete, with only some wooden sections to burn down. Places like Forbes Field and Shibe Park lasted about 50 years. Then everybody got the idea that giant donuts were the best way to go. Forbes Field gave way to Three Rivers Stadium and Shibe Park was replaced by Veterans' Stadium. They were built for both baseball and football and the sight lines were bad for both sports. But they had luxury boxes and other ways for the team to make money and distract the fans. That era lasted for only 30 years or so, until the owners demanded even more luxury boxes and even more ways to make money. Three Rivers Stadium gave way to PNC Park and Veterans' Stadium was replaced by Citizens Bank Park, as owners realized that honoring veterans made no money, while honoring a bank did.

Through it all, Fenway Park has just chugged along. Always small, always green, always with the same wooden seats that has given it the title of America's Most Cramped Ballpark®. The Sox stayed in Fenway not because they wanted to. The real reason is that the city and the state would not build them a new ballpark, as those other cities have done at least twice now. If Massachusetts had a Stadium Authority to build ballparks the way Maryland does, do you really think Fenway Park would still be around? But, here we are, about to celebrate the 100^th home opener. Even for those chilled fans who will be sitting in right field facing East Boston instead of home plate, it is a reminder that this ballpark is special, even if the only reason it still exists is New England frugality.