The date of March 28 has been circled since I put the 2019 calendar on the wall in my townhouse in north Puyallup in the first week of January.

The Seattle Mariners baseball team will host the Boston Red Sox in its home opener at 4:10 p.m. at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. On Jan. 10, I purchased three tickets to the contest. It will be the third consecutive year I’ve attended the Mariners home opener on the diamond. My friends Sonny Ebalo and Roni Pewo will be attending the game with me.

Expectations for the Mariners in 2019 aren’t particularly top shelf considering the large amount of turnover on the roster throughout the offseason. However, despite the lack of expectations, there is always a huge sense of optimism for every single Major League Baseball fan this time of year. The baseball season is a proverbial marathon (162 games). The feeling of hope is shared amongst all MLB enthusiasts across the nation in early spring. Home openers on the diamond typically provide an indescribable electric atmosphere. Last year, Felix Hernandez performed proficiently on the hill in the home opener, guiding the Mariners to a 2-1 victory on March 29 at Safeco Field.

Hopefully the Mariners can reign victorious yet again in front of the hometown faithful in their first home game of the season. In all honestly, I know the playoffs are a long shot for the Mariners during the 2019 season. The Mariners, who haven’t advanced to postseason play since 2001, have one of the longest playoff droughts in professional sports. Despite the lack of success, I will never turn my back on them!