Even in cities where ML baseball teams and NFL teams are close neighbors, there’s nothing like playoff baseball-especially an afternoon game, to energize a city. Even as a guy with relatively no social life on the weekends, I’d rather spend a Saturday afternoon at any baseball game with the evening free for a good meal, then the converse.

With the Orioles and Brewers already out, I still have the Royals, Guardians and Tigers to root for in the postseason. If and when they all get eliminated, I’ll still find a reason to continue watching.

Whether any of the rookie managers have a say in the matter or roster construction is left to the front office wonks, one of the things that separates MLB from the other sports is roster construction and the ability to change the rosters from one series to the next. Some teams choose to set the wild card roster with designs on the next round and others go one series at a time.

Determining how many starting pitchers to carry is a big part of strategy in the 2020’s as many teams opt for the opener and a slew of relievers. Personally, I like watching teams take advantage of deep rotations. There was a time when a fourth starter might make his first start in the World Series after sitting out the first round.

Even if today’s opener between Cleveland and Detroit doesn’t prove to be the dramatic nail biter many hopes for, I have a pretty good sense that the atmosphere in Cleveland and Progressive Field is worthy of an ESPN Gameday set.

Personally, I’m hoping the ticket prices drop. Looking at the prices around the league, I’m still surprised at the low price I paid in Philly two years ago for the clincher against Atlanta.

MLB,com ran a funny building up the rivalry between the Royals and Yankees. I have to laugh as most readers probably weren’t around in 1977-78 when George Brett hated those Yankees. And as much as Phillies fans don’t care for the Braves, I expect the Phillies faithful to be in full voice when the Mets come to town.

The league and its marketing arms will do their best to create stories (that don’t exist) to push their popular narratives. I’m lucky as I have plenty of individuals to root for and enough players and teams I don’t especially like.

The longer I watch this first (noon) game, the more I wish I were sitting in a ballpark right now.

Enjoy the games-especially if you have the good fortune to attend one!