No, Seriously... Why Was I Watching MLB Opening Day at 3 A.M.?

Yes, folks, I was one of those fans. I stayed up until three o’clock in the morning to watch the Oakland A’s-Boston Red Sox game.

Earlier that day, I received a text message reminding me of “Opening Day,” and I responded that I am not that “hardcore” to postpone sleep in order to watch my beloved A’s lose to the 2007 World Series Champs.

I was wrong.

As the evening transformed into early morning, my stomach began to fill with baseball excitement.  My eyes fought back languor, as my mind remained fully aware.

Finally, the first pitch was upon us.

Then it struck me—what is this?

I am all for the globalization of baseball, but why do I, a loyal MLB fan, have to stay up and watch “Opening Day” at such an unnatural baseball-viewing hour?

I can handle the East Coast time difference—that's no problem.

But come on, I am an Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants fan. Baseball hasn't been that good to us lately. Asking a Bay Area fan to watch in the middle of the night is a bit much.

While MLB is gaining fans overseas, fans in areas such as the Bay are not being courted properly.

Don't get me wrong, the games in China were great. The whole idea of expanding baseball's fanbase is a wonderful idea. Believe me, it doesn't hurt my feelings when teams play exhibition games overseas.

This was not some mere exhibition game that has no impact on the season; this one counts. 

When it counts, I want to witness the game without being cognizant of the fact that I am the only one awake in my neighborhood—thus questioning my sanity.

Suppressing my profanity-laced rants as Emil Brown runs the bases shouldn’t be my concern; I need to release every four-letter word as my team inches its way toward defeat.

I live for this, but this isn’t how I chose to live with baseball.

Baseball is one of the few true loves in my life. However, this year it was quite difficult to celebrate our yearly Opening Day anniversary together.

MLB mustn’t forget who is number one in this relationship—me (or should I say the hometown fans, excuse my selfishness). It’s okay that baseball has a little something on the side, but the top priority resides at home.

Fully secure in our relationship, I have no objections with sharing baseball, but MLB needs to recognize that the rest of the world is the concubine, while I am the first wife.