Nothing like opening day for YC couple

Jim Nunes and his wife Janet have been to plenty of San Francisco Giants games, but he said nothing compares to opening day.

“It’s a long winter without baseball and I think everyone is just excited to be back and always optimistic,” Jim Nunes said Tuesday afternoon after watching the Giants drop their opener, 7-0, to the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park.

“There’s more pageantry at the first game than any other game. They are all fun, and I love to go to any of them that I can, but there’s just something about that first game that’s special.”

Jim and Janet, who live in Yuba City, attended their eighth consecutive opening day at the Giants’ beautiful waterfront park. Jim said he purchased season tickets, in section 318, when the team relocated from windy Candlestick Point, where he also attended numerous Giants games.

“We’re just a little left of the catcher,” he said.

Jim and Janet’s day began at 8:30 a.m. when they left Yuba City and headed to Richmond, taking BART across the Bay and arriving in downtown San Francisco at 12:30 p.m.

Jim said AT&T Park is so much more attractive to fans because of its location, but also because of the intimate atmosphere.

“Candlestick is just kind of out in the middle of nowhere, a park out in the middle of vacant land,” he said.

“It is so much more windy there. It wasn’t a good ball park. This (AT&T) is a much better ball park. It’s a lot more fun, there’s a lot more atmosphere and it’s in an area that’s rebuilding, really looking nice.

“AT&T is just a really good ball park to visit, and even if you’re up high, you can still see well.”

Nunes said he will probably attend 30 to 40 of the Giants’ home games, and he will most definitely be in his seat if Barry Bonds has an opportunity to break Hank Aaron’s career home run record of 755.

“I hope it’s at the park and I’m here when he does it,” Nunes said. “It looks like he’s healthy. He stole second base in the first inning and it was way ahead of the throw. As long as his legs hold up, he’ll have a good year. I think the power will be there.”

Nunes said Bonds received enormous amounts of applause during his first at-bat, so much that the game was held up briefly.

“He got a hit the first time up at bat and that made everyone happy,” he said.

Despite a disappointing opening-day loss, Nunes speculates the Giants can compete for a division title.

“I think if they can get their bullpen straightened around, they’ll have a fairly good season,” he said. “I think they’ll be in the hunt for the division, provided they stay healthy and get their relief pitching straightened out.”

Appeal-Democrat reporter Justin Miller can be reached at 749-4796. You may e-mail him at jmiller@appealdemocrat.com