Opening Day - Redux

7:01 - Teams introduced, U.S. anthem sung (cringingly poorly) and Reggie Jackson about to throw out the first pitch. Baseball's here. See you after the game.

6:19 - The fourteen-and-a-half-hour long documentary tribute to Babe Ruth being shown on the scoreboard has just ended and ... gasp ... the sun is coming out.

6:02 - Cheers greet the groundscrew as they come out to take off the tarp. This looks good.

5:28 - Tarp's been out for a couple of hours now as a light drizzle falls. Forecast calls for tapering rain in the next hour or so. Consensus here is that they'll wait all night to get this one in, even if it's just five innings.

2:10 p.m. - Just arrived at the press box at Yankee Stadium and the weather is holding off for now. Since the forecast called for 'definite light rain' right now, I'm taking this as a good sign.

It's been unseasonably muggy and drizzly all morning, but now the temps are dropping and it's clear. Should have had an afternoon game after all - we'd be in the fourth inning by now. Check that - it's Halladay pitching. We'd be in the fifth for sure.

We now begin the long watch for weather leading up to 7:08 tonight. The good news is that the forecast is clear for Wednesday and Thursday, so the season should begin in New York at some point. Remember that I said 'should'.

Cathal Kelly

Comments

[Christopher Jones]

I hope one game is cancelled so I can see Dustin start the home opener. Not looking forward to seeing Shaun get shelled by Boston.

[KB]

CK: I'm loving your blog posts (and those of the entire Jays crew). One question, though:

While I technically only need to READ your name (and in my head, no less), I actually prefer to read it correctly. Can you please enlighten me as to the correct pronunciation?

errr... second question: Did that make any sense to anyone other than me? I'm guessing no, since each time I re-read it, it's making progressively less sense to me...

CK: Kevin, you're a gentleman and a scholar to ask - seriously, both of those things.

It's pronounced CAW-haul. Silent 'T'. Don't worry, everyone but my wife and my mother gets it wrong. It's the effort that's appreciated.

I lived in Dublin for six months or so and everyboyd, but everybody, just knew how to say it. That was bliss. Except for the poverty. The crushing, crushing poverty. That Cromwell forced upon us.