Get Your Pencils and Scorecards Ready

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. Today is the day you hear the magical words Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training. Today is the first day of the Cubs season. Spring training is here and that only means one thing. Soon baseball, my favorite game, my religion will be back.

And boy, have I missed it. This year more then most. There are many reasons for this. First, off the Cubs wet my appetite last year with a playoff appearance only to take a shit once the post season began. Still, last August and September Cubs baseball was as exciting as you could get. I was on the edge of my seat with every pitch of every game. My mood swings went from total elation with a win to utter depression with a loss. This year’s team has my hopes raised again. Sure, the team has some holes but, they playin a weak division and should be the favorites going into April.

I also went out and pre-bought tickets to nine games this year. The Cubs sent me an e-mail offering tickets to all members of the Cubs insider nine game ticket packages. So, I jumped on it faster then Rosie O’Donnell jumps on the last jelly donut in the box. On top of that my Step-Dad got into a season ticket plan with some of his friends and asked me if I wanted some of his tickets. So, I should be at Wrigley a lot this spring and summer.

Another reason I am so excited about the start of Spring Training is that maybe now we can focus on actual on the field matters and not on Roger Clemens. I am personally so sick of this story. I don’t believe Clemens at all. I believe all people are innocent until proven guilty but, this guy has lied in the past. (Anyone remember him throwing the broken bat at Mike Piazza and then explaining he was just trying to remove it from the field.) So, I would not put it past him to lie again. The guy has always been about himself and his image first.

With that said, the whole story bores me. I don’t care anymore. It has been talked to death with very little new insight brought to the issue. Every day I would pick up a paper to read about baseball the only stories would be about the Mitchell report and the Clemens saga. I think I speak for a lot of baseball fans, when I say enough already. Let’s move on to talking about you know, the play on the field for the upcoming 2008 season.

Yet one more cause of my anticipation of Spring Training was that the Bears sucked this year. Last season, with the Bears in the Super Bowl it took my mind of missing the Cubs and baseball. This year with the Bears in the shitter, I had nothing to run interference. It didn’t help that I hated both teams in the Super Bowl. Plus the Bulls have stunk it up all year and the Blackhawk’s while better still have a ways to go.

So, I have been jonesing for baseball since November. At long last spring training has started and I can start getting my baseball fix on. I have already started preparing for my fantasy baseball draft in March. I can not wait for draft day so, I can start stressing over box scores and late west coast games.

On top of all that today signals the light at the end of the tunnel for surviving what has been a brutal winter. Spring and green grass and ivy are right around the corner. It gives you hope and something to look forward to. Today is the day I actually start to get excited. I may be 38 years old and cynical beyond belief when it comes to most things. Yet, every year on this day, I dream like an 8 year old kid, that maybe just maybe this is our year to be champions. And maybe just maybe that dream starts today.