SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)  – No other sport does a better job starting a season than baseball, according to John Madden who quoted his grandson Jessie Madden as saying, ”It’s darn near a holiday.” 

“Opening Day and baseball go so well together,” Madden told the KCBS morning crew Thursday morning, and noted baseball is able to prolong its Opening Day with home and road openers, not to mention Opening Night for some teams, including the Oakland A’s. 

The San Francisco Giants begin their quest to repeat as World Series champions Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, while the Oakland A’s kick off their season at home Friday night against the Seattle Mariners.

As baseball celebrates the new season, the Wall Street Journal reported that youth participation in baseball is waning.  But John doesn’t see it in the Pleasanton-Livermore area where his grandsons play and where the fields are always busy.  “At least in our area here, I see it at capacity,” said Madden.

Giants closer Brian Wilson won’t be active for Thursday’s Giants opener because of an injury.  Meanwhile, his name is an answer in the Thursday New York Times crossword puzzle, which Wilson – an avowed NYT crossword puzzle enthusiast – said is a dream come true.  Madden said he seems to recall once being the answer to a crossword puzzle back in the Miller Lite commercial days. “I was less filling,” said Madden.

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