Was it Good For You?

Soooooo.

It appears that 2011 Opening Day has come and gone, Philadelphia.

My only question: Was it good enough for you?

The early morning snow (snow? REALLY??? WTF Mother Nature?!) and game-peppering light rain could not stop the 45,000+ from entering Citizens Bank Park, anxiously awaiting the start of a “World Series or Bust” season.

As the 2011 Phillies entered CBP, walking along a red carpet lined with excited fans (myself included), it was obvious to everyone that these guys were just excited about getting to April 1^st as the fans were - if not more. Jimmy Rollins’ face was lit up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree as he made his way across the field. Ryan Madson looked slightly awestruck as he filmed the pre-game ceremony with his seen-better-days flip cell phone (Ok Madson, we know you make some decent coin. I think you are well overdue for an upgrade buddy). Our beloved Clifton Phifer Lee looked as thrilled to be back in Philadelphia as Philly was to have him back (and he turned down the YANKEES!! He etched himself in the hearts of this city with that alone). Yes sir, this was going to be one FUN (funner?) season.

Doc Halladay took the mound on opening day, throwing out 101 pitches over six innings; not quite the start we were expecting from the 2010 NL Cy Young winner, but we’ll take it. Down two runs in the 9^th, John Mayberry cemented the win with a walk-off single, erupting fan and players alike.

While the game didn’t offer the season’s first homer (that wouldn’t happen until the third game via Ryan Howard) or even one of Halladay’s ‘better’ performances (compared to what I think we have come to expect of him, I guess I should say) it did show that the Phil’s seemed to realize that they need to return to playing a game of ‘small ball’. No, it won’t make for the most exciting of games, that’s for sure. But it will help make up for what they lack offensively.

Opening day 2011 (and the subsequent games with Lee and Oswalt) seemed to be consistent with how I figure this season to be. While our rotation has the opportunity to become one of the sickest in MLB history, stopping the other team from scoring is only half the game. The winning team needs to only have one run more than their opponent, and the Phil’s seem to understand they need to get that one extra run  anyway they can.

Good enough? It sure was. My Dad once told me that slow and steady would win the race… and hopefully a pennant, too.

Play ball, boys.

-xo Diamondgirl215