A Day to be Optimistic

The sun shines, KNBR cranks in the office, and the major league baseball season has begun. Opening Day ranks alongside my favorite days of the year - alongside All Star Monday, the first day of the playoffs, and Christmas. I love Opening Day becomes it brings with it optimism and opportunity. It will be weeks before your team is either in the hunt or dismally under .500, but on Opening Day, everyone is equal.

The last two Opening Days have been awful harbingers of doom for the Giants, however, with Barry Zito giving up first inning runs and hardly inspiring confidence. While the Giants Opening Day lineup lacks the big bat we hoped they would acquire, it does feature a lot to be optimistic about. The presence of young faces with promise has at least made the Giants a team I look forward to watching again. The best pitching staff I have ever seen in orange and black gives me hope we'll be turning a few of last year's 8-3 losses into 3-1 wins.

When the Giants Opening Day starter takes the mound tomorrow afternoon, there will be no harbingers of doom, even if first inning runs are allowed. A Cy Young winner dubbed "the freak" has given this city something to be excited about again. He has inspired a confidence our high-priced fourth starter simply cannot command. As long as there's a journey that says "Lincecum," there is hope.

It's very well possible that by June 1, the Giants will be dismally under .500, but at least today, I have a few reasons to be optimistic.