Yeah… I was there, of course. Being in a season ticket group has its perks. And, despite the fact I’ve dressed lighter skiing in the Colorado in February, I wasn’t going to miss the opener in the new ballpark. And it just happened to be my erdy-eimph birthday. I just want thank Ryan Zimmerman for my birthday present. (I’m talking about the game winning walk-off homer, you perves!)

So my thoughts? I love the new ballpark. I had feared that they would go retro, which is becoming a bit of cliche in baseball. Thankfully, Nationals Park is laid out perfectly for baseball, but manages to subtly blend into the background. As much as I like Camden Yards, I’ve always felt an O’s game was more about the park than the game. Nationals Park is a modern, complete facilities to make a baseball game enjoyable, maybe even enhancing the game, without distracting from the game itself. I’m thankful that elements that do work at other stadiums, like the concourse at center field, and the restarant/bar Red Porch and Red Loft were incorporated.

I have one big gripes: Concessions. Granted I’m a big beer snob, but the beer selection at Nationals Park seems to be inferior to that at RFK. At RFK, you were never too far from a Red Hook, or Sierra Nevada. At Nationals Park, the best I found was the Home Run Ale at a hidden Leinenkugel counter, which was gone before the first pitch Ditto for the Bass. I did find Stella Artois and Pilsner Urquell, but I was looking for something with a little more heft. In fact, the stands were running out of a lot of things, but I’m going to assume that they running short from the exhibition the night before against the O’s.

Even if I had found a good beer, I would have been hard pressed to get it. The lines were horrendous. One counter’s lines were intersecting others, so sometimes you weren’t sure what you were in line for. I’m hoping it had a lot to do with the crush of people at opening day, and some inexperience. The current situation is not sustainable for the ballpark.

As far as the Nats’ prospects for the season… well, we need a closer… bad. I’ve never been a big fan of Chad Cordero, since he usually gives up runs, and makes every save a nailbiter. That said, Rauch blew it, and had me wishing Cordero was well enough to play. Granted the Lo Duca’s passed ball blew the lead, but Rauch put the guy in a scoring position. Other than that, glad to have Johnson back, see that Zim hasn’t lost his touch, and the Guzman may live up to my hopes.

Speaking of Lo Duca… Hubba Hubba! I know he likes them young and with vaginas, but… Hubba Hubba! And he’s in his mid thirties… close to my age of erdy-eim. So, Paulie, if you decide to give up the teen ‘tang, call me. A year or two ago, I was lamenting how the Nats were the perfect team for DC, since it is Hollywood for ugly people. Let’s face it, while Dmitri Young and Nick Johnson can hit, I don’t want to see either naked. But I’m thinking with Lo Duca, FeLo, and Zim, the tide is turn. Batter up!

I actually snapped tons of lovely photos, but I was battling a new camera, and most came out blurry. Here are the few that came out OK.