Last year, I went to my first Opening Day ever with my dad. It was a gorgeous April day and unseasonably warm. I was worried that my dad was going to get a sunburn.
Fast forward to April 1, 2013. I was able to get tickets again to Opening Day, but this year I was worried that DB~ was going to get frostbite. It didn't rain (or continue to snow as it did at 11 am) but the sun was fleeting and the wind strong at time. It was kind of miserable overall, as the Pirates were totally flustered by Jeff Smzararjgharagagja of the Cubs.
Further complicating matters was the parking situation. We got down to the North Shore at 12:30, an hour before game time. I didn't figure I could just breeze into a parking spot like most other games, but I didn't anticipate the trouble I would have. After not being able to park in the Clark Building parking lot, I dropped of DB~ and her dad and started my sojourn.
I did a spin through the North Side, hoping to get a street spot by Gus the Iceball Guy. No luck. Nothing around CCAC, either. I went around Allegheny Center -- no good. Over the 9th Street bridge for me and into town. I hoped to squeeze into the O'Reilly Theatre Square garage to no avail. Ditto 3 other garages. I started to sweat a little bit and consulted ParkPGH to see that the Grant Street Parking Center (Greyhound bus station past the Convention Center) had some spaces.
I was able to park there and then hustled my muscle over to PNC Park. I got to our seats at 1:20, plenty of time to see the national anthem performed by a Pittsburgh Symphony violinist that was aching to go all Charlie Daniels on it.
I was also able to secure my first Pierogie Race win of the year, thanks to Cheese Chester winning a photo finish at the end of his race over Sauerkraut Saul. As for the game, it pretty much sucked. Hurdle started his (final?) season off strong by starting right-handed hitting Gaby Sanchez at 1B and Jones in RF instead of Jones at 1B and left-handed Snider in RF. What's the use of having platoon partners in 1B and RF if you aren't going to use them?
Yes, it is only 1 game, but there are already some unpleasant memories of April 2012 when the Pirates seemed allergic to scoring runs. If that happens this year, it wouldn't be surprising to see Hurdle fired with so much riding on this season for Huntington.
Have not payed attention to a single game, nor a single box score yet. And I must admit....I hardly even care. They've finally sweated it all out of me, I think.
ReplyDeleteThe whole non-platoon thing you're mentioning looks like it's continue and Sanchez is really Hurdle's starting 1st baseman. "Reward for a good spring!" WTF ever, Clint.
Wake me in July for training camp.