Before we cry out about the economy, floundering jobs, and the preposterous prices that are flooding our new American ballparks, specifically the new Yankee Stadium palace that opened Thursday in The Bronx, let me tell you I get it. I really do.

I understand that many families are finding it difficult to enjoy a night out at the ballpark when their disposable income is being demanded in other mediums. A $10 beer isn't for the cheap fan, and who is going to fork over their life savings to sit behind the plate for four Derek Jeter at-bats per night?

Yes, it is unfortunate that many baseball fans cannot enjoy the lavish luxuries that exist in ballparks nation wide. Today, it is a year of college tuition or a handful of CC Sabathia starts. Which one are you going to choose?

Price tags are exorbitant, from tickets to food to merchandise, at a time when most wallets have been severely dented. This is true and we aren't arguing that fact. But, for the baseball fan, for entertainment purposes, the New Yankee Stadium is the prized jewel that is going to lead Major League Baseball into a new era, and it couldn't be better for the fans.

There will be a time when the auto industry plugs its oil leaks, when the stock market rises again, and when many citizens will be out shopping for a new home. Things aren't going to be dark forever. And when that time comes, we aren't going to be making such a big deal about how much we are spending at the ballpark, but rather enjoying the ultimate fan experience.

What I love about the new Yankee Stadium the most, is that is built to accommodate every baseball fan. There's the youngsters, the college kids, the wives, the corporate bigwigs, the blue-collar guys, the fanatics. A sports fan comes in so many shapes and sizes that it is extremely difficult to satisfy each and every type. The Bronx has come about as close as you can get.

For all the news made about the $2,600-someodd tickets behind home plate, there are more than 18,000 seats going for $25 or less in Yankee Stadium. There are bleacher seats going for $14, and there may not be a better pure baseball experience than taking in a day ballgame in the bleachers.

Not everybody has to eat sushi, drink Merlot, and have their own personal server while they constantly guard their temples in case Mark Teixeira didn't put enough pine tar on his Louisville Slugger.

The point is that those options are available for those who have the cash and the desire to enjoy them. As a sports fan, you are who you are, and a new stadium isn't going to change you.

I'm more of a baseball traditionalist, the guy who thinks you can't beat a hotdog, bag of sunflower seeds, and a Coke at the ballpark. I won't say never, but I have a hard time seeing myself porking down California rolls and a shrimp salad at any stadium any time soon.

I can sit in seats three rows off of the on-deck circle, circled by the folks in coats and ties who just came from their Manhattan high-rise offices, and not be lured into cocktail-party hors d'oeuvres. But that's just the type of baseball fan I happen to be. That's not to say that the guy who likes his fancy choices at a game is wrong.

The people who are sitting in the extremely expensive seats are the ones who have extremely prosperous careers and are making extreme amounts of money. Take that demographic into consideration. It's filled with middle-aged doctors, lawyers, and business people who are probably treating clients more times than not.

They don't mind spending $50 and getting three beers and a snack. Why? Because those people aren't at the game to chug a 12-pack before batting practice. They aren't there to throw up their ribs on the leadoff hitter. It's a different fan looking for a different experience.

Those are fans who just came from work and are looking for a healthy meal to go with their entertainment before they head home and sleep for 5 hours, and get up and repeat the process. Don't you think organizations take these things into account when pricing their seats and concessions? They absolutely do. They know what type of fan is sitting in premier seats, and what those fans most likely want to consume.

The rowdy fans that fill the bleachers, second deck, and areas down by the foul poles are going to be liquored up regardless, and they are still going to get what they came for. They enjoy baseball in a different way.

I laugh when I hear 25-year-olds complaining about the price of beer. What? Like you didn't just split a 30 block of the cheapest beer you could find with your buddies before you hopped on the 4 Train to the Stadium? These are the same fans that are going to scarf a sub sandwich at home before they come to the ballpark.

They don't care about food at the game, it is meaningless to them. They come to the park ready to heckle, and are interested in two beverages to keep them hydrated for nine innings. This is the same fan that managed to have a keg on the deck every weekend in college despite working forty-three minutes a week in the campus bookstore.

The rest of the stadium is filled with casual fans, dads with their sons, and friends who don't really like baseball but knew somebody who had an extra ticket and thought, "Heck, why not?"

Those people are going to enjoy the game and move on with their lives, back home for mom's spaghetti. That's how it works. Not every fan needs to buy a hat, jacket, and Babe Ruth's jersey when they come to the yard.

We forget that all popular forms of entertainment attract opulent fans and the best seats in the house are going to be taken by the affluent customer. It's not just Yankee Stadium that holds seats worth more than a year's worth of airline tickets.

Want to sit behind the dugout when the Angels visit the Dodgers in May? StubHub.com has your back... for $600 a pop.

Want to be at mid-court, two rows behind the scorer's table when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Utah Jazz next week in the 1st round of the Western Conference Playoffs? $1,300 and you're there! Give a kidney and you may be able to sit on the floor.

Better yet, want to be at Fenway Park later this month when the Yankees come to Boston? Follow me. I found you a ticket for only $54. The problem is, you have to stand for the entire game. Half a Benjamin and you get to tango with other Bahhhstan fans in the concourse.

The 'real' fans haven't been priced out of the ballpark, like some claim. The home field advantage and Yankee Mystique hasn't gone anywhere. Just because more rich people will be filling seats that were already filled by rich people doesn't mean that the new ballpark isn't going to rock in October or when the Red Sox visit.

Mystique, aura, intimidation, and any other fictitious labels that fit the bill of success are present when a team plays good baseball and wins. It's that simple. No ballpark is going to make your eardrums bleed when the home team is getting romped 11-3. 

I was at Dodger Stadium for Game 3 of the 2004 NLDS when Jose Lima of the Dodgers threw a complete-game shutout over the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the first playoff win for the Dodgers since the '88 World Series team, and I'm not sure if I have ever heard a stadium louder than on that night. And that's Los Angeles, the home of the baseball fan who comes late and leaves early.

Taking that into account, I'm sure Yankee Stadium is going to be fine. They just need to win, and the new ballpark will feel exactly like the old one when autumn arrives and the postseason chill fills the city.

The point is, there are ways to enjoy a ballgame without taking out a loan, even today when most people have little to no room in their budgets and sporting events are costly.

It all comes down to desires and how you prefer to enjoy a baseball game.

If you want to sit in a ballpark La-Z-Boy and eat like you are dining at one of the cities finest restaurants, you can.

If you want to drink beer and yuck it up with other diehards in the bleachers while berating A-Rod for not getting a hit with runners in scoring position, you can.

If you want to take the family out for some clean fun, and learn a little bit about baseball too, you can.

And that's the core beauty of these ballparks with every amenity available. As intemperate as Yankee Stadium may be, there's something for everybody, and that is the true ultimate fan experience.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com.

www.mvn.com/aroundthemajors

Somebody forgot to tell the Florida Marlins that the National League East is supposed to be a Mets and Phillies division with a sprinkle of Braves somewhere in between.

There isn't supposed to be any room for sea creatures in one of the deepest divisions in baseball, but then again, nobody has a school of fish like these Phish.

The young Florida Marlins broke in the 2009 season with a 5-1 record in the first week, and they look as good as anybody this spring. We know, it's only one week, so we aren't going to get overly giddy, but no team has more flair and more depth than the Marlins.

Florida is going to stalk the top of the standings when the summer heats up in Miami because they have one of most talented starting rotations in the sport, despite the inexperience of their staff.

Yes, better than that New York rotation that features Johan Santana, and even better  than the rotation of the 2008 World Series champion Phillies that is led by Cole Hamels. The South Florida staff is that good.

Josh Johnson threw a five-hitter on Sunday to beat the Mets and Mr. Santana, and he only gave us a glimpse of what is to come. Johnson's arsenal is headlined by a mid-90s fastball that explodes on the hitters, and when he is commanding the heater, he is untouchable. For a hitter, it's like trying to shoo away a hyena with a fly swatter. Good luck.

Ricky Nolasco joins Johnson on the list on dominant right-handers in Florida's rotation, and Nolasco's 7.36 ERA through his first two starts of the season is not indicative of his talent. At 26 years old, Nolasco is the oldest member of the rotation, and Nolasco will rebound from his rough start to build on a great 2008 in which he posted a 15-8 record to go along with a 3.52 ERA in just over 212 innings.

If you saw Chris Volstad's first career start last July at Dodger Stadium, you know how good this kid is. Volstad, only 22 years old, dominated the Dodgers and came within one out of a complete game while striking out six. Volstad won his first start this season, and could be one of the biggest surprises in the National League come the All-Star Weekend.

If that's not enough for you, the Marlins have two more impressive filets at the back end of the rotation. Anibal Sanchez is the fourth starter, and came over to Florida along with Hanley Ramirez as part of the trade that sent Josh Beckett to the Boston Red Sox in November, 2005. Sanchez hasn't had a completely clean bill of health, but he has already thrown a no-hitter in the big leagues - September 6, 2006 versus Arizona - and has the stuff to pitch at the front of a big league rotation.

And then there's Andrew Miller, the big southpaw who was part of the trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers before the 2008 season. Miller, a former North Carolina Tar Heel, is long, loose, and lanky, and was described as a "smaller" Randy Johnson as he made his way to elite amateur status, which sounds a bit funny considering Miller is 6'6".

What makes the Marlins contenders and not pretenders is that they have the horses to win any division. To win any division, a club has to have at least one starter who is capable of going on the road and throwing a shutout in a hostile environment. The Marlins have five different arms that can go to New York, Philadelphia, or Atlanta and turn an opposing lineup into a blended concoction of maple and ash.

You haven't heard much about the arms in the bullpen, but the only thing that matters is that the Marlins have Matt Lindstrom waiting in the ninth inning. That's the same Matt Lindstrom that pitched for Team USA in the WBC and features a fastball that reaches 100 mph. This is Lindstrom's first full year on the job, so he will have to work through the nuances of the closer role, but he is as electric as they come out of the bullpen.

Of course, great pitching needs to be complemented with at least average defense if a team is going to reach its potential, and that is the one downfall of this Marlins club. Part of the problem could be that the Marlins have so many young players that they haven't had the time yet to fully develop as players, which would include polishing the leather.

But this club may never be a great defensive team, and the pitching staff is going to have to overcome that deficiency and continue to make good pitches. In fact, the Marlins don't have one player who ranked among the 2008 leaders at his position according to John Dewan's Plus/Minus system. Knowing this, missing bats is an even bigger priority for the pitching staff. Luckily, Florida has those kinds of arms.

But this doesn't mean that Florida lacks athletes in the field, and I'm still not sure if there is more excitement coming from the rotation or the lineup. This lineup is hard to project since so much rides on the performance of young kids. Dan Uggla has two home runs on the season, but he will need to hit for average and power if this lineup is going to be deep.

Hanley Ramirez is arguably the best player in all of baseball, and there is nobody that can match his average-power-speed trifecta. Mr. Pujols in St. Louis may be the best hitter, but he can't run like Hanley. If the Marlins are around at the end of the season, Ramirez should be headlining the MVP discussion.

Cameron Maybin, Emilio Bonifacio, Jeremy Hermida, and Jorge Cantu round out the other possible impact hitters, but Cantu is the oldest at 27. Some of these guys are infants in terms of their baseball development. There isn't one player even 30 years old in the Marlins starting lineup.

But as baseball has showed us time and again, age is merely a number. The ball and bat only know talent, and there is no shortage of that here. A roster this talented should be the buzz of the city en route to becoming the talk of baseball, but does anyone in Miami care about their baseball team?

The Marlins have carried up the rear in attendance the last three seasons, and whether it is the Miami Heat, Cuban food, or South Beach nightlife, there seems to be many different entertainment options in South Florida that take away from the excitement at Dolphins Stadium.

The Marlins are offering a special ticket promotion this season for families that have been hit hard by the economic decline. "Workforce Mondays" will provide fans with proof of unemployment four free tickets to Monday games May through August. A little relief can go a long way.

Fresh talent beckons for a fresh home, and the Marlins are hoping that their proposal for a new ballpark, which has been approved, will help generate an energy and a following for this club.

The $515 million Miami Marlins Ballpark is scheduled to open in 2012, and the team will change their name to the 'Miami Marlins' before christening their new digs. The franchise has finalized a Top 30 list of companies for naming rights, although those names will not be revealed for some time.

What we do know is that Miami should be home to a great baseball atmosphere come 2012. The new 37,000-seat ballpark will feature a retractable roof, so a cozy, fan-friendly environment will no longer be interrupted by the hellacious rain and wind that routinely sweeps through Miami.

Whether it is Hanley Ramirez home runs, Josh Johnson shutouts, or Matt Lindstrom triple digit radar readings, the Marlins sport one of the most exciting brands of baseball today, and the baseball world hasn't quite taken notice. It is likely that the Marlins will swim under the radar all summer, but don't expect them to be reeled in any time soon. This club is no longer the bait of the N.L. East.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com.

www.mvn.com/aroundthemajors.

If we think Game 7 of the World Series, bottom of the ninth, one run lead, a shaky closer on the mound, and the meat of the opponent's order coming to the plate is the biggest roller coaster ride we could possibly be on, we better think again.

All the intense moments that we enjoy as fans, that make baseball such a great game, are irrelevant when you wake up to news like this. Twenty-two year old pitcher, dead. Forget a career-ending injury. That is a rainy day compared to a life-ending tragedy.

I woke up Thursday morning and turned on ESPN, like many of you probably did, and was utterly shocked like all of you definitely were. The type of shock that leaves you staring at a colorful television screen, looking but not seeing, hearing but not listening, for fifteen solitary minutes of nothing. Fifteen minutes without talking, without blinking, without thinking. Just overwhelmed.

I saw Nick Adenhart's name and face flash across my screen for the next hour, and I couldn't feel a thing. I was completely numb after hearing about the hit-and-run accident that ended Adenhart's life early Thursday morning in Fullerton, California. Two others were killed at the scene, while a fourth is currently in intensive care.

That fourth kid, former Cal State Fullerton baseball player Jon Wilhite, went to a high school close to mine, and I remember watching him play baseball around the city. He graduated when I went into my freshman year, but he was around when we played his former high school. Talk about hitting home.

It was chilling to hear the news of Adenhart's passing after watching him pitch against the Oakland A's less than twelve hours earlier. I watched the entire game, saw each one of his six shutout innings, marveled at his poise and the five strikeouts. He was brilliant, much different than when he made his big league debut last season.

But there won't be any more of that. There won't be any more moving fastballs and hammer curveballs out of Adenhart. There won't be any more regular season starts and first postseason memories. But you know what? That doesn't matter.

What matters is that there won't be anymore birthdays, Christmases, Thanksgivings, and vacations. There won't be any little Nick Adenharts running around a house in Southern California or Silver Springs, Maryland, where Adenhart grew up. There won't be a Mrs. Adenhart. There won't be any bachelor parties and best man speeches. There won't be any more life.

And that buckles me way more than Tim Lincecum's curveball ever could.

Log on to mlb.com, pull up Adenhart's player profile, and read his "current status": Deceased. It immediately puts your stomach in knots and makes you want to vomit.

Don't take my word for it. Visit that page yourself and feel the same sorrow and the same grief. I don't know Adenhart personally, but it truly hurts to look at that page, see his smiling mug on the left, and get instant justification that a kid born in 1986 isn't around anymore.

There are so many emotions that run through your veins, that chill your blood, it's difficult to collect thoughts and take something positive away from the news, form some kind of closure. As baseball fans, we genuinely care about the guys that play our game and what happens to them as men, and that's a beautiful thing.

So excuse me if I'm just not that excited to turn on Baseball Tonight, or the MLB Network, or the Dodgers-Padres game and actually care what Manny Ramirez does at the plate.

To be honest, I feel stupid talking about stolen bases, home runs, and OPS today. The interest just isn't there after something like this. We realize how fickle life is when tragedy strikes, but how come we don't realize it before an accident happens? How come we lose sight and perspective and it takes a twenty-two year old kid mindlessly dying to wake us up? I don't have the answer to that.

The hardest part about coming to grips with Adenhart's death is the fact that he was so young and was just starting to emerge as a pitcher and embark on his big league career. His dream was just beginning and he had what it takes to make it. He had the repertoire, the composure, and the intelligence.

By all accounts, Adenhart was a great teammate but a better person. Torii Hunter, manager Mike Scioscia, and general manager Tony Reagins all spoke about Adenhart Thursday, and all mentioned the kid's sense of humor and how he was so well liked. You had to try not to like Nick Adenhart, and then you still might find yourself fond of the kid.

The only thing a minor league ballplayer ever dreams of is a chance to make it to the big leagues and succeed. That's the dream of every kid who puts on a baseball uniform, and Adenhart fulfilled that dream. It just hurts to think that his dream was carelessly taken away from him without warning and without reason.

The hard work and the perseverance through years of minor league ball was spread across an intersection at the hands of a drunk driver.

I feel sorry for the driver that ran the red light, pulverized the vehicle Adenhart was driving in, and then cowardly fled the scene. That young man is going to have a hell of a time forgiving himself for his stupid decision, and he is going to face self-conscious purgatory unfathomable to any of us. It would have been easier for him if he would have died, too.

We can't forget the two others that were pronounced dead at the scene: Henry Nigel Pearson, 25-years-old, and Courtney Frances Stewart, 20-years-old. Two young people with their entire lives ahead of them. Gone.

Adenhart's father, Jim, addressed the Angels Thursday at Angel Stadium and thanked the players, coaches, and Angels personnel for giving his son the opportunity of a lifetime and for doing their part in raising him to be a quality young man.

Jim Adenhart strolled out to the Angel Stadium mound, Thursday, and stood there. He wept on the rubber that his son had pitched from the night before. He glanced at the thousands of empty seats in the ballpark, the same seats that were filled to cheer on his son Wednesday evening.

But more than anything, Jim Adenhart was in search of solace. The mound was the last place he had seen his son, and it was his best chance to reconnect with him, to pay his proper respects. No parent should have to bury their child, and I can't imagine how Jim Adenhart stood strong on that mound. Envisioning that image burns a hole in your heart.

The Angels will attempt to move on from this tragedy, but I don't think that will ever completely happen. Sure, the Boston Red Sox come to town on Friday to begin a three-game series, and I would like to believe that playing these games will be a good thing. This upcoming series will be a distraction for fans, players, and Adenhart's family and friends.

But I just don't know. I don't know how you move on so quickly from something that cuts so deeply. Maybe that's the thing about all of this. The one true Band-Aid is time, and time is the only thing that softens life's gut punches. Grieving is a necessary step, and Friday night at the ballpark is going to beyond somber, but it's emotions that need to be felt, and it's tears that need to be let go.

People handle events like this in different ways, but we don't need to be a Major League Baseball player or a friend of Nick Adenhart to feel the pain of  this sad story. We don't need to be directly involved to rethink our priorities and to evaluate our lives.

The one positive that can come from this is change. Every one of us should take the time to reflect on Nick Adenhart's career, life, and story, and to realize what is truly important in our own lives. It shouldn't take something like this to make us appreciate little treasures and nondescript moments that make our lives unique. What is special to you is for you to decide.

But, whatever you do, count your blessings before you pull the covers to your chin and turn out the lights.

God turned out the lights on Nick Adenhart Wednesday evening, but this is one eternal Angel who will forever shine.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com.

www.mvn.com/aroundthemajors.

The greatest sports day of the year has come and gone, and we don't need to wait for the front page of the New York Post to offer us the juiciest of Opening Day headlines. Nope. We can figure that out before the delivery boy hurls a four-seamer at our front porch by dawn.

Opening Day for the New York Yankees and New York Mets are both national events considering the new names filling the respective clubhouses, but too much is going to be made of both ballgames, and that is inevitable when you are all about big city lights.

Both clubs are opening new ballparks this season, and both made extravagant acquisitions in the off-season, but we can't forget the long journey that awaits every team over the next six months. Nothing happens in April.

There is going to be more cameras and writers hounding the Yankees this season than those covering the American League West combined, but that comes with logo and the roster. When CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira are new to the Bronx, forget about seclusion. This baby is going to get more play than anything Mr. President does this year.

And wait until A-Rod returns. We will really understand what a circus is all about.

But that is the trap that is set in pinstripes this season because of dollars and expectations. Nothing went right for the Yanks in Baltimore on Opening Day, and you can already smell the blood dripping from their limbs.

CC Sabathia got shelled in his debut outing with the Yankees, and I don't care to count how many stories will run this week questioning the big contract, questioning his workload in recent seasons, and questioning whether his massive frame will allow him to compete at an elite level for the next seven seasons.

That's how business is done in New York. There is no perspective.

Sabathia walked 5 and allowed 6 earned runs in the Yankees 10-5 loss to the Orioles, and most telling, didn't strike out anybody. His stuff was decent - although he claimed he thought it was pretty good - but his command hadn't made the trip north from Tampa in time for Monday's start.

It is going to be hard for us to remember that this is only the first start of the season for CC, that Sabathia is a guy who sported an ERA over 7.00 last April, and that the big southpaw will have thirty-something more chances to do his part to get the Yankees to the postseason.

It is going to be hard because the media won't let us, the fans will start to wonder if their life savings for two season seats snuck around the right field foul pole in the new ballpalace is actually worth it, and, for all we know, the Steinbrenner brothers are two more consecutive losses from making their first We Need To Play Like The Yankees press conference of the season.

Teixeira went 0-for-4 in his first game as a Yankee, and how long until you think he starts hearing the same grumble A-Rod does for not hitting with runners in scoring position? A week?

And that is what is comical about all of this. There shouldn't be any question marks after Opening Day, because nobody should be making any big decisions after one start or one day at the plate. But we know it is going to happen, so lets brace now.

The Yankees could get swept in Baltimore, and they would still be the same team that they broke camp with. They would still have the same talent and the same chances of winning their division, despite what the papers say. Chances are that won't happen, but Sabathia is going to pitch, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Andy Pettitte, and Burnett should all give the Yankees great chances to win.

Teixeira will find his rhythm, Rodriguez will return from hip surgery, and Hideki Matsui, who hit a homer Monday, could be the tipping point for that lineup, taking it from great to unparalleled. Opening Day shoved the Yankees' wallet down their throat, but don't expect that to be the trend.

In Cincinnati, the Mets played great baseball through soggy conditions and started the 2009 season off right with a 2-1 victory over the Reds. There wasn't a lot of hitting, but that is what happens on a cold, wet day with two aces on the mound.

David Wright and Jose Reyes didn't do anything spectacular at the plate, but that's not uncommon. The bats warm up with the weather. What's exciting for the Mets is the arms they rolled out on Opening Day.

Johan Santana picked up where he left off last September in New York, allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings to go along with seven strikeouts, and shutting down an explosive lineup in one of baseball's most explosive ballparks.

Santana, entering his second season as a Met, had a riding fastball in the low 90s that he commanded well along with his signature change up, and that is oftentimes too much for any lineup to handle.

But Santana isn't going to be the mug seen around Manhattan after his brilliant performance, it is going to be the new guys, namely J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez. After Sean Green pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, Putz came on in the eighth inning to bridge the gap to K-Rod with a one-run lead to protect.

Putz was the same guy we were accustomed to seeing in Seattle, punching out one on a heavy 93 mph heater, and chewing up bats with a sinking fastball. With a frame as big as his arsenal, Putz has to be the most intimidating set-up man in baseball.

But the glory goes to the man of a season that included the single-season saves record, and Rodriguez made his name known quickly in the National League. K-Rod set the Reds down in order in the ninth, needing only 10 pitches - 8 strikes - to notch his first save with the Mets.

The Mets pitching staff made it look easy in Game 1, and that has to be a sigh of relief for manager Jerry Manuel. The bullpen woes of 2008 weighed on the Mets as summer turned to fall and October aspirations turned to early vacations for the boys from Flushing.

Those concerns seem to be gone, but I'm not about to get too excited about the possible metamorphosis of a Mets franchise that has seen big talent meet big collapse in recent memory.

We still need to see who is going to pitching 6-7 innings a game for the Mets when Santana is spitting seeds and throwing side sessions. That is the question mark for New York at the outset of the season. Potentially, though, the Mets rotation could be very good if Oliver Perez, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey pitch up to their talent.

The Yankees will be grinding through the gauntlet that is the A.L. East, and the Mets will be gunning for the crown of the callous N.L. East, and both will have their opportunities to write their own seasons.

As Langston Hughes once wrote, what happens to a dream deferred?

Opening Day was made for major league dreams, and nothing that happens this early should wilt those champagne-laden thoughts or send those dreams spiraling into oblivion, despite the pretentious ink that is now hitting your local newsstand.

There's a lot of ball to be played.

But, the Yankees and Mets, they know this, and they don't need the delivery boy to break the news.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com.

When I say Detroit, you will probably turn and run, as fast as you can, and that's a common reaction these days to arguably the most downtrodden city in America.

The faults of Motown have been well documented, but if there is ever a city that can use your support, and a franchise that can use your loud cheer, Detroit is the place and the Tigers are the team.

The 2006 Fall Classic seems so long ago, but I swear Alan Trammell wasn't around for that one. The brilliance of Justin Verlander, the explosiveness of Joel Zumaya, the precision of Kenny Rogers, all of those warm memories were only three years ago.

Now, for these Tigers, it's deja vu all over again. The '05 Tigers won only 71 ballgames, but the steadiness of Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, and Rogers allowed the World Series club to win 95 games the following year.

This situation is eerily similar, except the difference is that things outside of Comerica Park, societal factors that reach much deeper than a baseball team, are worse than ever before.

Unemployment has reached twelve percent in Detroit. The Tigers sold 27,000 season tickets in 2008, and are struggling mightily to get to 20,000 this season. So, yeah, things are rough, life is humbling the men and women of Detroit, and the rest of the country is far from immune.

Suffice to say the Tigers will be hard-pressed to match the 3.2 million fans - a franchise record - they drew last season.

We know this. But the Tigers have a chance to give the city their swagger back, if only in the smallest of ways.

Oh, there is plenty of reason to fire up the hot seat for manager Jim Leyland, and start making some serious roster revisions.

General manager Dave Dombrowski is attempting to find arms -- any arms -- that can get outs for the Tigers this summer. He has already begun cutting sunk costs, beginning with handing Gary Sheffield his release this week.

The Tigers will be paying Sheffield $14 million for nothing this year, but when you enter spring training as one of the most heralded teams in the sport, boasting one of the most fearful lineups in the American League, and then proceed to win 74 games, be the wash rag of the A.L. Central, and finish 14.5 games out of first place, like Detroit did last year, you are subject to such changes.

If I'm a Tigers fan, I want more out of a payroll that settled just under $138 million in '08.

Many people are projecting the Tigers to finish last in their division again this season, and we can't argue with that perception.

But we also aren't talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates, here, either. Don't forget that there is still an inordinate amount of talent on this roster. This is largely the same offense that was rumored to be able to score 1,000 runs a year ago.

It didn't happen - they came up 179 runs short - but this is still the same team that ranked 4th in the American League in runs scored, 2nd in home runs, 3rd in OPS, 5th in walks, and 2nd in total bases.

Edgar Renteria is gone with Sheffield, but neither of those guys will make or break this lineup.

With Curtis Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, and Carlos Guillen forming the nucleus of the order, the Tigers are going to hit this season. Count on it.

A lot of things need to go right for Detroit to be in contention, but that comes with playing in a very good division. The A.L. Central doesn't get the respect it deserves in comparison to the powerhouses of the East.

But the Twins always pitch and find ways to be good enough to be there at the end. The White Sox have a lot of young talent and a tank of propane at the helm in Ozzie Guillen.

Cleveland could be dangerous with the addition of Mark DeRosa to the lineup, Kerry Wood to the bullpen, and, with any luck, a healthy Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez. And don't swat the Royals away just yet; there could be a surprise coming from Kansas City this summer.

For the '09 Tigers, as with last year's squad, it comes down to pitching. The Tigers are deep in talent and short on answers. But the pitching staff also could be the most tantalizing experience for the city of Detroit and a reason to fill up the ballpark.

Justin Verlander extremely disappointed last season, but some of that may have been a result of the Tigers tinkering with him in spring training. They encouraged him to take a little off his fastball and throw a sinker in the low-90s, hoping to get more groundballs and therefore reduce his pitch count.

Note to Tigers: You don't "tinker" with 98 mph. You let it ride.

Regardless, Verlander is still one of the brightest young pitchers in the game and a guy that is legitimately worth the price of your StubHub voucher.

Armando Galarraga was a pleasant surprise last year, posting a 3.73 ERA in approximately 178 innings.

The Tigers shipped Matt Joyce to Tampa Bay this winter in exchange for Edwin Jackson. Jackson showed some things last year with the Rays even though his overall stats weren't outstanding. But a big right-hander with a big fastball is always worth the gamble.

Zach Miner will fill the fourth spot, and if I were him, I would find the best hypnotist and tell him or her to work their magic while playing the video of Kenny Rogers in the '06 playoffs. That's how Miner needs to pitch. The more he can become Kenny, the better the Tigers will be.

But the jewel of this club, and the buzz of the city, is 20-year-old Rick Porcello. Porcello was the Tigers first-round pick in 2007, hasn't pitched above Class A, but may very well earn that last spot in the starting rotation while Bonderman is on the DL trying to find his velocity.

Porcello has a fastball in the mid-90s to go along with a great curveball and a solid change up. Scouts rave about his poise and mound presence. Leyland sticks by his motto of "give me talent over experience any day," and Porcello may just be the answer.

The bullpen should be formidable with Fernando Rodney, Brandon Lyon, a healthy return of Joel Zumaya (keep your fingers crossed Detroit), and the emergence of Ryan Perry, a power arm the Tigers took with their first pick in the 2008 draft out of the University of Arizona.

No, we can't expect Porcello to dominate immediately after putting on the Detroit uniform.

No, we can't expect the Tigers to make a magical run to the pennant.

And, no, we can't expect the people of Detroit to bother with the Tigers all that much when nobody is buying cars, crime is increasing throughout urban neighborhoods, and they have many more important things to worry about.

But, then again, Porcello could become a big league sensation, the Tigers could play up to their talent level, and the fans could be inspired by a small positive in their hometown, and wouldn't that be one of the greatest stories come the Fourth of July?

Regardless of your loyal team ties, this is something we all can certainly root for.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com