Opening Day Rainout Reminds Us Why Boston Red Sox Usually Start On The Road

The anticipation had built to excruciatingly high levels. Millions of Red Sox fans had their TVs, radios, or computers ready. People at work found ways to get up-to-the-minute updates of the Red Sox-Rays ALCS rematch that was finally about to happen.

But all that anticipation was swiftly washed away by the all-too-familiar rain of early April in Boston, a staple for the city when in transition from winter to spring. Until the moment today's game was officially postponed, opening the 2009 season at Fenway was a brilliant idea to all of us.

But, as a nation, we all now realize why our team is almost always in Baltimore, Tampa, or Toronto on opening day. These kinds of weather problems that we deal with year after year are too easy to avoid to take this kind of risk.

MLB management inexplicably felt it was worth it for this year. And now Red Sox Nation, Rays fans, and everyone else who anticipated this game will have to wait another 24 hours.

Yes, it is only 24 hours, but it is hard to deny we saw this postponement coming miles and miles away. Credit is due for leaving tomorrow open in case of events like today's, but it also makes it seem almost useless for today to be opening day.

Credit is also due for the Red Sox calling the game off early in the morning instead of postponing after opening the gates, which they have done countless rainy days in the past. But it still risks a major a hassle for potential spectators to start the season here in the first place.

Thousands of fans that may have had to pull plenty of strings to get their afternoon off to get to Fenway will now have to do it all over again tomorrow.

In all honestly, the only people we should really feel bad for are the players, especially starters Josh Beckett and James Shields. It will be tough for both of them to gear down for today, then back up tomorrow.

I'll be expecting shaky starts to the game for both of them. But these guys are professionals. They should be fine.

The postponement has tweaked the Red Sox pitching schedule for the next week, as Brad Penny will now stay with the team rather than head to Fort Myers for a simulated game. He will now start Sunday against the Angels.

Beckett also lost an extra day of rest he previously had, and thus will remain the starter for Friday's game, also against Anaheim.