Game 1: or Beth vs. DirectTV

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The Major League Baseball season is now under way!! The Red Sox opened the season Tuesday morning in Tokyo, with the first pitch thrown at 6:09 am. I was up at 4:30 - wanted to be showered and ready when the pre-game show started at 5. Imagine my (surprise, shock, anger) when I flicked on the tv at 5 - and had the message, "Searching for satellite signal." Okay - I go thru the checklist: weather = clear. DirecTV bill = paid. Connections = checked. Hmm. So I scan through the channels. I seem to have nearly all of them - except NESN and ESPN2, the two channels broadcasting the game!

A quick look at Sox message boards makes me realize this is happening nationwide. Not just DTV subscribers, but some who have Comcast cable are reporting similar problems. Thank Heavens I also subscribe to cable, so I was able to watch the game on ESPN2 there. To have been completely shut out would have made me (homicidal, suicidal)

It turns out there was some kind of national outage. They finally recovered NESN around the 8th inning - long after I left for work. My new DVR lay unused and neglected.

But the important thing is: the Red Sox won! An incredible game: 10 innings, four RBIs for Manny, some very shaky pitching from starter Daisuke and our bullpen. (I keep saying, "it's only March, it's only March.") JD Drew "injured." Brandon Moss' first ML home run.

Manny was named MVP of the game. He's shown above showing off the fruits of that title: One Million Yen (plus a color printer/copier from sponsor RICOH). When asked, he said he was going to spend the check on "gas money." I just hope he doesn't try to cash that check at a bank in Kenmore Square.

I think a Manny in incredible physical shape, plus a Manny entering a contract year, could mean an awesome offensive output for our Peter Pan of Left Field.

Tuesday a.m.: Yes, I actually have my DirecTV today!! However, because the Red Sox are the "visiting team," NESN is blacked out. So, I'm stuck with Steve Philips and that buffoon Gary Thorne. Oh, well...