This Week in Purple: Ups and downs of a different type of Opening Day

Welcome to the first This Week in Purple of the 2019 regular season, where we look back at the good and bad from the past week in baseball, as well as life. Let’s dive in.

What was good

Opening Day, obviously.

What was bad

Typically, this is what I do on Opening Day: I watch partial baseball games around watching the entirety of the Rockies game. It’s pretty simple! This year was different though. This year, I’m on a work trip, which got a little bit in the way of those usual plans.

What was good

I like what I do and it’s been a rewarding and gratifying business trip. And even if the entirety of my responsibilities for the day took place during the Rockies game, it’s no big deal to miss one game. Even better, though, I had a great work trip and almost everything has wrapped up just in time. As I write this, David Dahl is batting in the top of the second inning, and I’m watching it!

What was bad

I’m watching it, that is, on my pretty small phone. That would be okay, and it’s better than nothing, but I had a moment of hope when the hotel TV had a “connect to device” option. I have a device to connect! Except that I don’t typically carry an HDMI cable with me, and it doesn’t recognize the USB connection. So it’s watching on an unnumbered iPhone for me.

What was good

The hotel internet, so far. Fingers crossed this continues.

What was bad

This one’s arguable (though we know how Mr. Hayden Ringer feels about it), but I’ll go with the emergence of evil Drew Goodman, which is obviously signified by the goatee. I wonder if this version never thinks a fly ball is a home run and cites Ian Desmond’s slugging percentage rather than his stolen base total.

What was good

Nolan Arenado and David Dahl and Ryan McMahon and Chris Iannetta creating runs in the fourth inning.

What was bad

The 24 hour timeout on hotel wifi. That was a harrowing several minutes.

What was good

Watching Zach Greinke and the Diamondbacks getting rocked on the TV (which is considerably larger than my phone).

What was bad

The fact that it was the Dodgers who did the Diamondback rocking.

What was good

This tweet

What was bad

José Ureña, but his badness was actually good for the Rockies, but I’m running out of things that were bad for myself or for the Rockies so we’ll go with him here.

What was good

Jeff Huson’s tie — 8/10 would wear.

What was bad

That it wasn’t a shutout I guess?

What was good

Having your favorite team’s Opening Day be exactly what you wanted it to be, and in such a way that completely validates your optimism.

What was bad

It’s time for an evening engagement, and I won’t be able to watch the remainder of the game. But I got to see a lot more than I anticipated, I’ve had a great work trip, and there will be at least 161 more games to watch — here’s hoping for more though.

What was good for you this week?