Forget the dismal spring record. Forget the long empty winter. Forget ignoring the premium free agents. Forget the Macgyvered rotation. Forget last year’s disappointment.

Baseball is back. Another season awakens. It’s National Optimism Day.

There’s nothing better than baseball when the season resets itself. Nothing better than looking at that long road ahead and say, “I’m hopping along for the ride.”

It’s going to be a bumpy ride. One that will probably see a future Hall of Famer fall off the back of the truck half way through. One that will see the starter give out daily. One that will see the car crash into a tree.

But it’s better than no ride at all.

The smell of the grass. The pop of the ball in a glove. The sweet crack of the bat.

It’s been a long time.

It’s back in Arlington today. Hope is unleashed at roughly 2:35. How long it lasts is anyone’s guess.

But for today, it’s play ball. It’s Baseball Time In Texas. It’s the Rangers having the exact same record as the World Champion Houston Astros. The Ballpark will be filled. The in-state rivalry will be renewed.

It’s opening day. For so many people, it’s a religious holiday.

Bless these boys. They are going to need a lot of divine intervention.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Justin Verlander (0-0, -.–) vs. Cole Hamels (0-0, -.–)
Game time: 2:35

How the Astros hit against Hamels.
How the Rangers hit against Verlander.