Spring Training is finally over and meaningful baseball will begin anew tomorrow afternoon when the Detroit Tigers take on the Yankees. Opening Day is always a momentous occasion that will carry on through Friday night. Optimism is high throughout the MLB (with the perennial exceptions of Pittsburgh and Kansas City) and there is no better time to be a fan of your team. As a Mets fan Opening Day has tended to be as good as it gets over the past couple of seasons although the Amazin's tend to stretch expectations out until mid-May or so.
As for the real contenders it's the usual cast of characters who are predicted to be playing October baseball. At least 98% of all baseball analysts have already penciled in the Phillies and Red Sox for the Fall Classic and rightfully as those two teams made the biggest splashes during the offseason after both teams won 90 games last year. In fact I'm a little disappointed in the baseball pundits of the world because I haven't come across a daring prediction for the 2011 yet. The 2010 World Series featured two teams in the Giants and Rangers who were mere afterthoughts heading into season. I don't know why but after last year's result I am annoyed that no one is making an call that require them to go out on a limb. Sure the the Phillies might have the best rotation ever on paper (also the have the best nickname thanks to the presence of Joe Blanton: Fat Joe and the Terror Squad) but they play the games for a reason and I can't wait to see which teams surprise and disappoint us.
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