My first opening day thoughts

[dougdirt]

Well today was my first opening day ever. Here are some things I thought throughout the game.

1. It is way to windy in the bleachers. So I left and went and sat in section 520 something.

2. We traded Pena to improve our defense but stuck Dunn back in the outfield over Freel or Denorfia? I want Pena back if this is what we are going to do.

3. Opening day for me was overrated. Maybe it was the horrible weather. Maybe it was Dunn in the field. It just felt to me like any other game after about 5 minutes.

4. Opening Day has way to many people getting drunk and socializing rather than watching baseball. That also may be a reason why opening day felt like a let down.

5. Why on earth did Bronson Arroyo get the third loudest ovation during the announcement of the teams behind just Griffey and Dunn?

6. Edwin looked real bad today at the plate.

7. Boy are a ton of people going to be flipping out because they bought into the fact that the Reds were going to win 90 games this year.

8. There are still 161 games left.

9. Crap, Arroyo is pitching next.

[Sea Ray]

Well today was my first opening day ever. Here are some things I thought throughout the game.



7. Boy are a ton of people going to be flipping out because they bought into the fact that the Reds were going to win 90 games this year.


Anyone who thinks the 2006 Reds will win 90 games, I want what they're smokin'. This team will exceed expectations if they avoid the NL Central cellar.

[dougdirt]

I agree Sea Ray, but tons of people were expecting way to much from this team and are going to be hating the Reds and management/ownership by the end of the season because they were told "we will win" and they believed it.

[BoomerSoonerRed]

Anyone who thinks the 2006 Reds will win 90 games, I want what they're smokin'. This team will exceed expectations if they avoid the NL Central cellar.
I guess picking them to win almost 80 games was a tad too generous, don't you think?

[redsmetz]

Call me crazy, but I'm willing to take a Mulligan on yesterday's game. I stil think this team can win some games. Harrang is a good pitcher and yesterday was not indicative of his talent. I hope both Arroyo and Milton have good years. I think yesterday was the worst weather day I've ever seen at GABP - it felt like Wrigley.

I spent a third of the game in the walkway trying to stay warm. I also got tired of the foul-mouthed pair behind me.

Ultimately too, Adam Dunn will win us more games than he will lose. I never believed this team capable of 90 wins and I won't be disappointed in .500 ball this year. Onward and upward, as they say.

[Sea Ray]

I agree Sea Ray, but tons of people were expecting way to much from this team and are going to be hating the Reds and management/ownership by the end of the season because they were told "we will win" and they believed it.

I think new ownership said we want to win. They know this is a tough rebuild. If they finish at .500 it'd be an incredible year.

I don't think they're as bad as they looked yesterday but it did show some recurring weaknesses, pitching and defense. This team will be fun to watch as they pound the ball out of the ballpark but I don't know how many teams they'll be able to outslug. I do think the pitching will be better than last year but that's not saying much.

[Reds1]

It's just 1 game guys. It's not over. Let's at least give it a couple weeks before we just drop kick our team. :)

[TeamBoone]

I agree Sea Ray, but tons of people were expecting way to much from this team and are going to be hating the Reds and management/ownership by the end of the season because they were told "we will win" and they believed it.


Oh please, such feelings after one game, albeit really bad game, but one game none the less.

People expecting 90 wins may be smoking something... but people that expect the Reds to play all season like they did yesterday are... well, let's just say that's pretty warped thinking as well.

[Ravenlord]

it might be just me, but with the weather of yesterday, i was entirely expecting both starting pitchers to have bad games, and be luckey to have quality starts...i honestly didn't expect either Harang or Zambrano to make it to the sixth inning.*

[vaticanplum]

9. Crap, Arroyo is pitching next.

I think Arroyo could tear it up.

[scounts22]

I'm kinda glad I didn't get to watch all of the game yesterday as I can tell it was very ugly. I coach JV softball and we ended up playing yesterday. Let me tell ya, it was one of those games for everyone. The wind was freakin gusing about 8 million miles per hour, 5 of my girls forgot their pants so the whole team had to wear their shorts, and 3 of my girls almost blew away. Ok, not really, but still. :D But, we did win our game in a pitchers duel, 27-15. ;)

[Falls City Beer]

Call me crazy, but I'm willing to take a Mulligan on yesterday's game. I stil think this team can win some games. .

Me too.

My only concern is with Harang's health--his stuff looked not only hittable, but a bit slower than normal. Add that to the shoulder "muscle" ache earlier in the spring, and I just don't know. I hope it was just the cold, as I really don't care that he was being "squeezed"--the ump was pretty consistent throughout. In the end, he couldn't put away really weak Cubs' hitters, and neither could the bullpen.

I thought that outside of Griffey and one Dunn misplay (the other two were definitely wind-hindered) the defense was fine.

[KittyDuran]

My first Opening Day was 2000 and besides Junior being on the team I was miserable. The weather was so bad that the game was stopped and resumed Tuesday night, and I was one of the few that froze only to see the Brewers win anyway... :thumbdown

[traderumor]

I haven't even seen the most optimistic, glass all the way full type people predict the Reds would win 90 games this year, most especially around these parts, unless they were obviously speaking tongue in cheek. Who are these "tons of people?"

[KittyDuran]

I haven't even seen the most optimistic, glass all the way full type people predict the Reds would win 90 games this year, most especially around these parts, unless they were obviously speaking tongue in cheek. Who are these "tons of people?"I don't think they inhabit RedsZone...:)

[dougdirt]

Pretty much no one on this site, but if you have listened to local talk radio you have heard these yahoos.

[traderumor]

Pretty much no one on this site, but if you have listened to local talk radio you have heard these yahoos.That explains it.

[max venable]

My first Opening Day was 2000 and besides Junior being on the team I was miserable. The weather was so bad that the game was stopped and resumed Tuesday night, and I was one of the few that froze only to see the Brewers win anyway... :thumbdown
I was there too, Kitty. Miserable. Went back the next night and fortuantely, amazingly, my buddy talked his way into someone letting our group (four of us) into one of the suites. The game stunk, but at least we were warm that night. :thumbup:

[KronoRed]

My first opening day was last year, great game.

I bring the Reds good luck

:D

[membengal]

I care about Harang getting "squeezed", because it explains some of the difficulty that he and Zambrano were having. That was a mercilessly tight strike zone yesterday, and explains some of the pitching woes on both sides...

[RBA]

To be truthful, I predicted 88 wins. But I don't expect to be right. ;)

[Joseph]

I was a bit surprised by the ovation Arroyo got as well, but then you take into account he's a bit of a star. People have watched him in the playoffs every year for a few years and they know about the CD maybe and let's face it, he's got some degree of recognition to the casual fan.

[Chip R]

I was a bit surprised by the ovation Arroyo got as well, but then you take into account he's a bit of a star. People have watched him in the playoffs every year for a few years and they know about the CD maybe and let's face it, he's got some degree of recognition to the casual fan.

I didn't hear his ovation since I was on a :beerme: hunt but I think that people may see him as somewhat of a savior. We are so desperate for good pitching that trading for a pitcher that has had some past success and won a world championship as recent as 2 years ago is reason enough to give him a big ovation. Also people may have felt that since he has had such a difficult time accepting the trade they wanted to give him a nice welcome.

[kbrake]

Worst Opening Day ever for me, but had nothing to do with the game. Saturday night I got sick. All day Sunday I was in bed with 102 fever and the only time I got up was to go hurl, I also had a sore throat, chest and a real bad cough. Needless to say I woke up Monday and was determined to not let that get me down so my dad and I made the 2 plus hour drive down to Cincinnati. After the 4th inning my fever was back up, I was froze and completely miserable. Needless to say I could not take it anymore and finally caved into my dad who didnt even think I should have gone in the first place. Not Dunn or anyone elses fault just the weather and my flu/cold that made it a terrible Opening Day. Hope everyone else at least enjoyed it a little bit more.

[Red in Chicago]

yesterday was my first opening day experience as well...i guess i was expecting more as well...i'm sure a lot of it had to do with the weather, but i don't think i'll be going out of my way to purchase opening day tickets again...unless of course, they move opening day to may:D

now i've got all these power pack tickets that i won't be able to use...(can you say ebay or stubhub:)

overall, i don't really have any complaints about the game itself, other than our horrible pitching and defense:D

political views aside, it was cool to see the president up close, along with the swat teams up on top of the stadium and having the helicopters fly overhead...however, being asked to get their up to 4 hours early on such a crap day, really didn't win me over any:thumbdown

it's very disappointing to drive 300+ miles to see such a bad game, in bad weather...but at least i can finally say that i went to an opening day ballgame...it only took 40 years for me to do it...

[realreds1]

This was my first opening day as well. I was pleased with the festivities that I saw.

I did have a couple jackarses sitting behind me, making unbelievably stupid comments during pregame and in the early innings. My favorite comment from jackarse #1: "Man, Kearns has slimmed down a lot since he came off the juice!" :ughmamoru

Ahh, to be a casual -- and moronic -- baseball fan. :thumbup:

[creek14]

Most opening days are more fun. It was just too darn cold to have fun. Survival, it was all about survival.

[KronoRed]

Today would have been a perfect day.

[traderumor]

To be truthful, I predicted 88 wins. But I don't expect to be right. ;)I bet you called the Big One and gave that prediction too ;)

[KittyDuran]

I was a bit surprised by the ovation Arroyo got as well, but then you take into account he's a bit of a star. People have watched him in the playoffs every year for a few years and they know about the CD maybe and let's face it, he's got some degree of recognition to the casual fan.Same for Junior on OD in 2000... he was someone most casual fans recognized.