Opening day

The long buildup of spring training helps us familiarize ourselves with the players and their potential. We can scope the previews and predictions and decide for ourselves what will be the best matchups of the season — whether it is teams, pitchers or batters.

Though it can be argued that baseball has taken a back seat to football when it comes to America’s passion, it is still America’s pastime with a pacing like no other sport. Some complain of the long stretches of inaction or lack of hitting or the sometimes deliberate pace of the game. But it lends itself to careful consideration of the nuances of the sport between a strike, a hit, a catch, a steal or a run around the bases. The world moves pretty fast and baseball gives us an opportunity to slow down and appreciate not only the skill and mastery of the athletes but the surrounding environment as well. Baseball gives us a reason to pause.

With the awakening of spring, there holds a promise of a long summer when we can spend time outdoors and enjoy the bounty of the winter rain. If we can’t make it to the park, the game can go with us. It makes time on the gym’s bicycle go faster and lends a welcome and familiar voice to time spent in the backyard alone or with friends. We can enjoy the delightful timber of Jon Miller’s voice or the knowledgeable treble of Dave Fleming as he shares with us the background behind each play. Kuiper is OK, but Krukow gets on my nerves.

Baseball can be the glue among family or friends and creates bonds with others who share our passion for the game. I am a Giants fan and have been for as long as I can recall. Maybe it was listening to games with my great aunt in San Francisco or the handful of games my father took me to as a child. I remember the days when the outfield was patrolled by the likes of Jack Clark, Jeff Leonard, Kevin Mitchell and Chili Davis. I even had a soft spot for Johnnie LeMaster, but not really, I was more into the experience of chiding him. To me, he was the original goat. As the team developed through the years, I cheered the acquisition of slugger Barry Bonds and learned to like Jeff Kent though I missed the humble, business-only home-run trot of Matt Williams. I have been awed by the field mastery of J.T. Snow and Omar Vizquel — and Will Clark wasn’t too shabby either. Last year, we were introduced to a spritely phenom in Tim Lincecum and a happy slap-hitter named Pablo Sandoval. I have a feeling neither will disappoint us this year. We will relish their triumphs and sour when others let us down like Solomon Torres, Jose Cruz Jr., Cody Ransom and Félix Rodríguez did (I can’t talk about the rally monkey). I suspect Edgar Renteria will end up a goat like Edgardo Alfonzo or Armando Benítez because of his hefty contract but I’m hoping Aaron Rowand’s home run yesterday is the first of many this season and Travis Ishikawa proves to be a capable first bagger.

But that’s the beauty of baseball, I can have my suspicions and theories and dreams as the season begins anew. They get to play the game. And we get to enjoy it.

Jon Mays is the editor in chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com.