Trumpets are a-trumpeting!

And flags are a-flying! It's Opening Day!

Big test for the defending champs right away with six games on the road (four in Chavez LAtrine and two in Petco). Then it is six at home--three vs. St. Louis and three vs. LA. Then it is on on the road again for six against division foes Arizona and Colorado.

The Giants only play nine home games in April. That's with seventeen road games. In May they play twelve home games against seventeen road games. It evens out in June with sixteen at home and eleven on the road. It's even in July--thirteen and thirteen. August is when the payback comes with only ten road games and nineteen home games. The longest homestand of the year (twelve games) is August 23rd to September 4th. The Giants finish at home in September (with three against the Rockies) but play ten road games right before that! The final count for the month is twelve home, thirteen away.

I think the schedule gods have thrown down the gauntlet. The Giants will have to play well right out of the gate. Last year they dug themselves into a huge hole by losing the first seven games to the Padres. It all worked out, of course, but digging out of holes is a lot more fun when the hole isn't too deep.

At 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time today the talking stops and the season gets underway. I'm excited and I'm confident the Giants will be up to the challenge. I'm very excited about Brandon Belt. Check out Rory Paap's column at Bay City Ball for more on our new phenom.

GO GIANTS! BEAT LA!

--M.C.