A nearly perfect day

Game 1: Mets 2, Reds 1
1-0 for the season

Did you know that the Mets have, by far, the best opening day record in baseball? They've won nearly 70% of their opening days. Not that this matters in any way, but it's the kind of fun fact that gets bandied around all over the place during the first game of the season.

It was an awful day in Cincinnati; rain, cold, wind, looked like snow-- but it was a good game. The Mets stranded more runners than I'll ever be comfortable with, but Johan threw 99 pitches and held the Reds to one run on three hits, and then it was time for the bullpen. The bullpen, which is responsible for so many blown leads last year I stopped counting at the All-Star break. But it's a new bullpen this year, one that is completely capable of holding a one-run lead for 3 and 1/3 innings, which they did.

Also, the at-bat that produced Daniel Murphy's first hit and home-run of the season? Poetry. Nine pitches, and the kid just wasn't going to hit it fare until he got his pitch. He reminded me of Keith Hernandez up there; at the plate with a plan. I'm really looking forward to watching Murphy develop over this year.

And when it was all over, the Yankee's humiliation in Baltimore was only just beginning. April has arrived, and I'm feeling fortified.