Baseball's Easter: It's Opening Day

At the beginning of spring training, I mentioned the analogy I originated last year that spring training is baseball's version of Lent.  Which makes Opening Day baseball's version of Easter.  Opening Day definitely is a holiday to millions of baseball fans around the world.  I'm not sure any other sport's opener quite compares.  Many (at least if you believe the coverage it gets) love the opening of football season, I guess, but it doesn't seem to have the hope, the excitement of the first "play ball!"

Assuming they get the game in today, here's the lineup:

Ryan 2B
Ankiel CF
Pujols 1B
Greene SS
Ludwick RF
Molina C
Duncan LF
Barden 3B
Wainwright P

Thankfully this lineup came out before the UCB Radio Hour special last night, because there is so much there to discuss.  So much that the fact that the pitcher was hitting ninth barely flickered on the radar.  It's just the first game and there's already plenty of focus on LaRussa's lineup juggling.

First off, after the long spring and the focus on his transition, Skip Schumaker starts the year on the bench.  It's completely because there's a lefty on the mound, of course, but it's still notable.  As Matthew Leach commented last night on the show, it was the first time he had ever heard Tony LaRussa consider playing someone because it was Opening Day.  He thought Skip probably had earned the honor due to his hard work, but he couldn't get away from the splits.

The more noticable change, though, is Brian Barden on the hot corner. There wasn't any explanation given for why David Freese wasn't playing, being that he'd at least in theory earned the job.  Freese was hit by a line drive on the arm this weekend in Memphis, but as far as could be determined that wouldn't hold him out.  Leach speculated that with the terrible weather projected, Freese's ankle could have been a factor, but we really don't know.

So, basically, everyone else treats Opening Day as almost a high holy day, while TLR lives up to his mantra of all games are alike.  I think if you polled the fans, you'd find they wanted to see Colby Rasmus in the outfield, Freese at 3B and Schumaker at second, but there's a reason LaRussa is third on the all-time wins list.

The weather is a major issue for today, though right now it looks better than it did last night when we were discussing it on air.  The precipitation likelihood has diminished, so while it's going to be darn cold, they should be able to get the game in.  They have little choice, since neither team wants to play a double header this week and Pittsburgh only returns to St. Louis for two games early next month, also in the middle of a long stretch of games.

A new season is upon us, one that will likely rest in the hands (or on the arm) of Chris Carpenter.  Very few Cardinal fans would disagree that he's the key to the season.  The good thing is that we don't seem to be idealistically clinging to the old Chris Carpenter—the current one appears to be just as good, thank you very much.

To get you ready for the new season, The Bird's Eye View, a series preview I wrote occasionally last year for CardsClubhouse, is up for this series.  Speaking of the Clubhouse, be sure to get in on the YNOTs that are over there.  YNOT is a prediction game that comes around every series, asking questions worth various points about what will happen.  No prizes or anything, but a lot of fun seeing how you do against everyone else.  The season-long one and the Pittsburgh one are open until today's first pitch.

Happy Opening Day everyone!  Go Cards!