"Hey New York Mets fan!" was the greeting that met me as I checked my e-mail inbox at 9:32pm last night. It couldn't be. I mean, it's been so long I wasn't even sure if it would ever happen again, especially not after the way things ended last year.
With some trepidation I moved my mouse over the subject line and gave it a quick double-click. And there, before my wondering eyes it appeared: the very first official pregame notes of the new Mets' season. "The new pregame notes are here! The new pregame notes are here!" I exclaimed to Kim, as she stared awkwardly at me, not immediately recognizing my "Jerk" reference, nor fully grasping why she decided to marry me in the first place.
She clearly didn't understand what this moment signified. The long offseason was officially over, and after a cold, boring, lamentable winter without baseball, things could start over anew. As soon as those boys run out on that field and pitch and hit and throw, I think in some way I can finally close the book on 2006 and open the brand spanking new 2007 version. It's gorgeous and leather-bound, smelling of rich mahogony and, though there is little if any writing on the pages, you can just tell from its heft that it's going to be a great read.
It's an utterly meaningless game the Mets will play this afternoon at Tradition Field, but at least it's a game, and that's really all I need right now.