Not only did Jerry Manuel opt to start Gary Matthews Jr. over Angel Pagan today. He’s also batting Alex Cora leadoff.

There are so many jokes I want to be making here about Jerry speeding up the inevitable or ultimately reading the lineup card at Cringe Night at Freddy’s Bar in my old neighborhood in Brooklyn, but I’m really, really trying to remain optimistic.

And the game hasn’t started yet and I’m trying to keep to my promise of no Alex Cora rants until the season begins.

Plus, as has been discussed this offseason, batting orders don’t really mean a whole ton, especially in one-game samples.

But I mean c’mon. The leadoff hitter should be the guy in the lineup who gets on base the most, and Alex Cora has a .313 career on-base percentage.

The terrifying thing, incidentally, is that Cora’s .313 is actually the median on-base percentage of the nine guys in the Mets’ batting order.

OK, sorry. Optimism. It’s Opening Day, and it’s beautiful out, and the press box is abuzz with old-man sportswriter voices.