On Opening Day And The End Of Speculation...

Shortly before 7:10 p.m. on Friday, Florida's Governor Rick Scott will throw out a ceremonial first pitch. The national anthem will be sung--likely with a smattering of "Oh!" from the Baltimore contingent at the appropriate time. David Price will step onto the mound, throw his warm-up pitches--unneeded because he will never be as warm and ready at any point during the season

Brian Roberts will step up to the plate: to the right-handed batter's box, against the lefty Price. Price will stare in for the sign, possibly shake off John Jaso once to get a new signal from the catcher. Roberts will take a practice swing or two as he sizes up what he should expect as the first pitch from one of the best in the sport.

Price will get the sign he wants. The capacity crowd at Tropicana Field will go quiet. Price will wind-up, then let the pitch go...

...and another season of Orioles baseball will begin.

Six months of waiting will be at an end. Six months of speculation. Of arguments. Of debates. Of outright hostility and subtle wit. Of cheering the brilliant experts and insiders who predict the best possible outcomes for the Birds. Of blasting the "so-called" experts and "know-nothing" insiders who offer only the worst. Of stats. Of scouts. Of strawmen and non sequitur and the ever-popular online ad hominem. Of every possible debate and argument and mistaken fact that is discussed beyond a reasonable lifespan, seemingly even that of the participants themselves.

Only to create new ones, of course: Will Reynolds hit 40 home runs or 200 strikeouts first...Can Luke Scott really play left field...Will replacing the defense of Izturis with the offense from Hardy balance out to help the club...How soon will Reimold/Bell/Mahoney/Machado use their bats to smash through to Baltimore...Can Wieters, who was supposed to be all hit and no catch but has instead been no hit and all catch, do both for a change...Can Luke Scott really be that bad in left field...Can Showalter reopen whatever can or jar or Pulp Fiction-style briefcase he used last season to turn the club around...Will Markakis get more assists on throws to home than actual homers...Could an overweight nobody blogger with a breaking ball that curves less than the Warehouse strike out Adam Jones by throwing everything low and away...Seriously, *bleep* Guerrero and Lee, just PLEASE get Luke Scott out of left field...

...and finally, when, oh when, will that Britton kid, soon to be known as ZacK, actually pitch his way into the rotation, and will he already have his own ZachBrittonFacts.com by then?

I'm ready.