Today marks the true start to the 2012 Major League Baseball Season, with a full slate of games. There were two games played in Japan last week in MLB's continued efforts to expand the game globally (don't get me started), but today is the first day of baseball... all day.
For me, it's really marks the start of the summer. In my mind, nothing says summer more than sitting out on a sunny day, watching a ballgame, drinking a beer and eating a hot dog (even though it may cost an arm and a leg at a Major League Stadium). Now that I think about it, it may be the only time during the year that I eat a hot dog.
Unfortunately, it's not quite sunny out yet. There's still a chill in the air. But I'm ready.
I do think the first game of the season should be a bigger deal though. The Cardinals and Marlins played the true opening game of the regular season last night... along with the final spring training games. It doesn't make a lot of sense. The opening game should be the only game that day, all the spring training games should be done by that point so everyone's focus can be on the actual game. But I suppose the real event is today.
What event marks the real start of your summer?
