This is one installment in a team effort by The Cleveland Fan, highlighting the top local sports figures by jersey number. Please weigh in with your thoughts, in the Boards. As David Letterman would say, “For entertainment purposes only; please, no wagering.”
The Indians won on Opening Day for just the second time in their last ten tries, as Justin Masterson “outdueled” R.A. Dickey by pitching more or less exactly the same as R.A. Dickey except for one pitch. In today’s B-List, Buff welcomes newcomers, lauds the return of the Ho Hum Bullpen, and generally shakes off the rust of a year and a half of inactivity. He doesn’t sing “O, Canada,” because he doesn’t know the words except “O” and “Canada.”
As long as everyone walked off the field healthy, you had to consider the Indians Cactus League finale a success.
Another spring training is in the books as the Indians head northward to open the season in Toronto tomorrow night. Between the exciting additions to the team this offseason and the early start due to the World Baseball Classic, this spring has seemed to drag on for longer than any in recent memory. The excitement surrounding the team for opening day is higher than at any time in the recent past, as the improvements in the starting lineup have people whispering about playoff possibilities for a club that finished 68-94 last season. That talk may well be premature, especially considering the question marks in the starting rotation, but the mere fact that talking about the playoffs isn’t completely insane is encouraging in and of itself.
Our long suffering nightmare is over, Tribe fans. Not only is the offseason finally finished, but the Indians actually look like must see TV this season. They’re going to play an exciting brand of baseball with a lot of passion and it appears that changes on the business side will help with attendance and affordable options at the ballpark for both tickets and concessions. This has the chance to be a special year.