the sun is shining on a beautiful spring day, and all those familiar feelings bring back a flood of memories. a backdoor breaking ball. the crack of the bat. a two-out hit into the gap.

there’s an undeniable buzz when baseball is back in season. america’s pastime. a tradition spanning more than a hundred years with a rich history so tightly woven into the fabric of the history our own nation.

for many people it’s an escape to a simpler time. “i remember when my dad would bring me to the games when i was a kid. it was a different time back then…” but i believe nostalgia is a thief robbing us of tomorrow. it causes us to look back through this funhouse style lens distorting the past and making us remember it more fondly than we lived it.

instead, i view opening day through the lens of eternal optimism. my mind races with various configurations of team lineups, potential outcomes, and unbridled hope that—with the right pieces in place—this year is going to be the year.

go phils.