Remembering the most perfect day in Rays history

Baseball is back. The Rays may not kick off the season until Tuesday night, but as of right now, the 2013 MLB season has officially begun. Rejoice, as the dark days of winter are finally behind us!

MLB 2K13 is looking for every site to write something relating to a perfect game in the team's history, but with the season about to begin, this should be a time of positive thinking and happy memories. Unfortunately for the Rays, they have been the unwilling victims of three perfect games over the past four seasons -- a ridiculous statistical anomaly, considering their are only 23 perfect games in all of MLB's history.

So let's not focus on those games right now; it feels too much like bad luck to start talking about those directly before Opening Day. Instead, let's focus our attention on what was without a doubt the best day in Rays history: Game 162.

It's now been a full year and a half since September of 2011, but I can still remember that final game of the season like it was yesterday. Videos from that game still give me chills, and I imagine they will continue to do so for as long as I live. And so, it seems like a fitting way to kick off another Rays baseball season: basking in the glory of our favorite memories, and reminding ourselves the emotional thrills that baseball can provide.

All sports have the ability to create long-lasting memories and to provide fans with emotionally transcendent moments...but I firmly believe that baseball has higher highs and lower lows than other sports. The length of the season and individual games plays into it, as it requires you to invest so much more of yourself into the sport and your team. So when those special moments happen, they resonate all the stronger. (Or at least, that's my completely biased take.)

So anyway, enough blather. Enjoy the videos, enjoy the memories, and let's get ready for some baseball!