OK, enough with the carping already. Spring is here, the grass is green, so let's "PLAY BALL."
And of course, like 99.999% of us, your NCAA bracket is busted..most likely after the first two days. In SI.com's bracket challenge, I currently rank 33,323.
It's shaping up to be a fascinating season. Lots of teams plausibly in contention. And unfortunately, several pre-season contenders have been decimated by injuries. OUCH!!
The contracts being handed out continue to astound. Canoe, Cabrera, Fielder, Trout...just to name a few.
Lots of story lines to follow this season. Among them:
1. Can the Red Sox do it again?
2. Ryan Braun's return from PED suspension.
3. Will Robinson Canoe find happiness in Seattle?
4. And of course, most eyes are on the Yankees. It's Jeter's last season. Can he return from his injury? Can they get him to the playoffs one last time? ( Let's face it, "win one for the Jeter" lacks a certain 'je ne sais quoi.') Will their Japanese wunderkind, Tanaka be worth the $$, or turn out to be another Hideki Irabu, whom the late George Steinbrenner ( who signed him) once called "a big, fat, pussy toad?" Will C.C. Sabathia overcome his new-found anorexia and return to Cy Young form?
5. What happens when the first baserunner attempting to score wipes out the catcher, despite the new rules against home-plate collisions?
6. And of course, the great new experiment begins: INSTANT REPLAY. Managers are already brainstorming how to game the new system.
7. What else will Yasiel Puig do wrong?
I could go on, and on. There are easily hundreds more. That's what makes baseball the greatest game. And even better, Obama ain't making picks.
"Baseball was made for kids, and grown-ups only screw it up." Bob Lemon
"Baseball is a fun game. It beats working for a living." Phil "Harmonica" Linz
So, weigh in. Who's your favorite team? What are their chances? Who's gonna win it all? Anything else on your mind?
Note: I'm planning to revive something I did several years ago, a weekly baseball thread. I'm planning on posting it every Monday morning, and it'll run for the week. If you post to this thread, I'll put you on the ping list, ( I'm assumng you have an ongoing interest) unless you FReepmail me not to do so.
Yippee!!!
Wait ‘til next year!
Or as I like to call it... "Meet the Mets"
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.
I’ve got my sign all made that I’m going to parade around with at the Mariner’s home opener.......WAIT’LL NEXT YEAR
That's reason enough to love it.
Cardinals are at the ready for another stunning season!!
Go Red Sox...
currently it's 29 degrees here in Detroit.......that's nuts too!
My team is already 0-2. They look awful this year.
Speaking of the opening day(s) fiasco, why does MLB manage to screw up everything? Maybe with Selig out of the way they can start to get their act together.
Keep your eye on the opening ceremonies in Pittsburgh.
They’ve invited Barry Bonds back to town to present Andrew McCutchen with his MVP award.
Crowd reaction should be REEEEEEEAL interesting!
My earliest memory of the Tribe is going to a Yankees-Indians game in 1968 at Municipal Stadium. Mickey Mantle was playing first base for the Yanks. Tom Tresh hit a grand-slam off Sonny Siebert that proved to be the winning margin.
Long suffering Royals fan. Last season was fun for a change, but Hochevar our for the season isn’t going to help.
As of today, My Lastros (Astros) are tied for first place!
Wait till next year CENTURY.
I’m fired up for the Tigers, yet dismayed by Iglesias, Rondon and Dirks being out of commission for extended periods.
Miggy and Verlander left spring training in mid-season form, new manager Brad Ausmus is promising more risk-taking on the bases, Ian Kinsler playing 2nd base and leading off should account for more runs than last season’s lead-off, Austin Jackson, Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer is playing out his contract and has every incentive to perform well this year.
Play ball!
Let’s go Mets!
We’ll probably be out of the pennant race by Friday.
I like some of their offseason moves, but our bullpen looks weaker than last year.
Play ball!