"It's hard not to be romantic about baseball."

I don't even remember where that's from. I guess it's from "Moneyball." I just looked it up.

But no matter where it's from, it's true.

While all offseason we've heard baseball get ripped because of season length, pace-of-play, lack of offense and other things, today is the day that we put that all aside and just focus on the games.

Baseball is back. Hope springs eternal. Everyone has hope.

But more importantly, baseball represents something more. Call me a Mariners homer. That's fine. But this is what it's all about:

"It fills our days. It brightens our nights. Over the course of a season, and the span of a lifetime."

I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks to the late-great Dave Niehaus for putting it so perfectly.

Enjoy the season. Enjoy the summer. Enjoy the father-and-son bonding. Enjoy it all.

Welcome back, baseball.

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