Expectations

No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference. ~Tommy Lasorda

It's here! It's finally, actually, really here! I am absolutely thrilled that a new season is finally here.

Someone asked me what the season is going to be like, and I said, "Well, different." And I meant it in the best possible sense. I am optimistic that, even though it may not be the best year, it's still going to be a great year. Now I'm not sure if my optimism is coming from my glee that I get to watch baseball again, or that this season really feels like a fresh start - a fresh, and maybe a bit scary, start.

Now I tend to shy away from making predictions. I find that when I do so, it tends to have a jinxing effect. However, I do have a few general expectations for both tonight and the whole season:

• I expect to get choked up when they introduce Torii tonight.
  
• I expect that Joe Mauer will take the first pitch to him tonight.
  
• I expect that Joe Mauer will take the first pitch to him every night.


• I expect that Carlos Gomez will make me wildly happy sometime this season.


• I expect that Carlos Gomez will make me wildly angry sometime this season.


• I expect that Joe Nathan will give me a near mental breakdown sometime this season.


• I expect that Joe Nathan will appear to have a near mental breakdown sometime this season.


• I expect that I will be pleasantly surprised by one of the new guys this year.


• I expect that I will be profoundly annoyed by one of the new guys this year.


• I expect that the roster at the end of the season will look quite a bit different than today's roster.

Though I know better than to ask for too much, I do have some hopes for this year:

• I hope that there are more good games than bad.


• I hope that the guys have fun and encourage each other.


• I hope this year goes a long way to building a strong core that has a bright future.


• I hope the Twins surprise some people.

I wish I was going to the game tonight, but it didn't work out. However, I'll be making the best of it in front of the TV (hot dogs and nachos for dinner tonight and crackerjacks for dessert).

PLAY BALL!