When you think of Baseball and Opening Day, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

If you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan, your Opening Day memory can range from the bizarre to the sublime to the poignant.  From Kiteman and his daring, but catastrophic attempt to conquer centerfield in old Veteran's Stadium, to Jimmy leading the team onto the field on April 7th, 2004, to Chris Short rebounding from 1964 by opening 1965 with a 4 hit shutout.

Baseball's Opening Day, unlike the other major sports, falls near the beginning of a new season, and as such, is generally viewed more transitionally than other sport's Opening Days.

The weather is changing for the better and our local nine have clean slates.  Last year is a memory in the rear-view mirror, newness abounds, and hope springs eternal.

Even for the Washington Nationals and New York Mets.

Personally, I have been taking my daughter to Opening Day since 2003.

She attended the last Opening Day at The Vet, and hasn't missed an Opening Day in the history of The Bank.

Here we are last year reaching for Josh Willingham's second inning home run off of Cole Hamels.

This dinger was probably the only low point of an otherwise gorgeous sunny day as our local nine won the home opener and went on to have a very good season.

This year, the Phillies open the season at home, and do so, according to the local and national talking heads, with an expectation of World Series or Bust. 

The Phillies have assembled a pitching staff the likes the League hasn't seen since the early nineties and the Atlanta Braves rotation of Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine.  And man is the pressure is on.

But not in my book.

Unlike a lot of the local Philly media and a lot of newbie fans, I do not believe the Phillies have to win the World Series to think 2011 is a success.  If they stay healthy and work hard, every game will be an event.  The parking lots surrounding The Bank will be filled with revelers, tailgaters, and jealous Eagle fans hours before every first pitch.  Phillies Red and talk will dominate the summer.

And the Phillies will be good.  Actually, they are good.  And they will be fun and the consecutive sellout streak will add another 81 games to the run.

How can this not be a success?

From April until September (and most likely October), we will see great baseball, possibly historic pitching, in the best baseball park in the land!

A World Series would simply be a cherry on top of an awesome ice cream sundae.

Enjoy this April 1st and create your own Opening Day memory.