Not only does it begin for real Sunday night, but it will begin with a flourish (national television), a fanfare (World Series flag-raising ceremony) and a feeling of ferocity (Cleveland is the opponent).
And, the White Sox hope, it will begin like last season.
When the Sox opened at home against Cleveland last April, the only flags waving were those of surrender for another mediocre season, the only fan hopes were of finishing second and the only immediacy was being a good show for future television ratings.
Oh boy, what a difference a year makes.
And doesn’t make.
While the expectations are higher, the opponent is the same and the meaning of Opening Day is that of eternal optimism.
Perhaps over-optimism in the case of the White Sox, who open defense of their World Series championship against the team that almost kept them from fulfilling an eight-decade long dream.
Cleveland, the American League Central Division nuisance that has become a nemesis, is again the opponent.
“I think everybody in this clubhouse wants to put [a butt-whuppin’] on them to show last year wasn’t a fluke,” Sunday’s White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle said. “And I know they want to do the same thing, run us into the ground to say, `Hey you guys won last year, but this is a new year.'”
Opening Day–Opening Night in this case–means so much more than the outcome on the scoreboard. This game, this series, is for mental superiority over a season, even though the teams will play 19 times. The White Sox know they are good enough to repeat, the Indians believe they are good enough to keep them from repeating.
Last April, the White Sox won two of three games from the Indians at U.S. Cellular Field. Then they won two of three in Minnesota and two of three in Cleveland. By the end of the month, the surprising Sox were 17-7 and had a 1 1/2-game lead in the Central, one they never relinquished even with a scare in the final two weeks from the Indians.
And so we have drama on the first day, enough so that ESPN and Major League Baseball have decreed it the only game worthy of being played Sunday.
“We might as well jump right into it with the team that was right behind us last year and one a lot of people expect to be with us this year,” catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. “That’s what it’s all about, jump right in and get it done.”
The Sox seem to have enough confidence, at least publicly, that–banish the thought–a series of celebration won’t turn into disaster.
“It’s not like if we sweep them or they sweep us, then the season’s over,” Buehrle said. “It’s 162 games and those first three aren’t going to be 1 percent of what happens during the season.”
But doesn’t it matter that Cleveland, which had closed to 1 1/2 games out with eight games to play, is the opponent?
“What matters,” team voice-of-reason and captain Paul Konerko said, “is that we’re playing a divisional team and those are the teams you have to beat. For us, it doesn’t matter [who the opponent is], I don’t know if it matters to them.
“We play our game. We don’t care. I don’t think we let the emotional stuff take us out of our game. Obviously, the big picture is to win the division. And there are different ways to go about that. If we don’t start off this year with a huge lead . . . we [still] believe we’re going to win.”
Last year the Sox won the division by going 14-5 against Cleveland and 52-22 against the entire Central.
“Last year we started against them and did pretty good,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “The best way to win the division is to win against your own division.”
And win at home.
“What you want to do is win ballgames at your house,” outfielder Jermaine Dye said. “We just want to get off to a good start. It’s going to be real hectic that first series.”
And after that as well if the White Sox fall behind Cleveland.
