No matter who you are, you’re starting to feel it.
We’ve reached that point in the school year when everyone starts to get the itch. It’s harder to study, work seems longer and the words “we’re supposed to get some snow” don’t sound the same.
Instead of finance and marketing, we’re thinking Florida and Mexico. Instead of Penrose, we’re thinking powder. Instead of late-night study sessions, we’re thinking late-night Las Vegas.
If you didn’t pick up by now that I’m referring to Spring Break, you seriously need to get out more often.
For baseball fans, “spring break” translates to “spring training.” But both share the same message: good times are ahead.
With the MLB season starting 40 days from today, the Lenten season for baseball advocates is underway. Spring training officially starts in six days in Florida and Arizona. It is the beautiful time of year when no matter whom you root for—be it the Yankees and Cardinals or Nationals and Royals—everyone is on the same playing field. Everyone can hope it’s their team’s year (especially Cubs fans—who’ll likely be saying “maybe next year” in seven months.)
I say this because a lot happened in the offseason, which will impact teams.
Tons of marquee pitchers did some major moving this winter. Phillies former ace Cliff Lee is now in Seattle, and Toronto’s former ace, Roy Halladay, is now in Philly. John Lackey headed East to sign in Boston, and Ben Sheets—out all of last year—is heading West to see if he can pitch in Oakland like he did in Milwaukee. The Brewers signed Randy Wolf, hoping he can replace Sheets’ sport. For the sake of avoiding a brain aneurism, I think I’ll stop there.
The Washington Nationals will be lucky to have a winning record this season, but should be pretty optimistic about their future. The future is Stephen Strasburg, a pitcher from San Diego State, who was the first overall in the 2009 draft. Also, he signed a rookie-record $15 million contract. He was 13-1 with a 1.52 ERA in his senior season, and his fastball has been clocked as high as 103 mph. In short, Strasburg might be the most highly anticipated pitching phenom of all time.
Another story line is Mark McGwire, who is trying to move on with his life as a hitting coach for the Cardinals. Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols, MVPs of their leagues last year, are expected to receive pay raises—the latter of which could become the richest player in the history of baseball.
This only scratches the surface of all the stories that’ll develop throughout spring training, but the bottom line is that we are talking about spring again you only have to worry about that itch for a few more weeks.
The wait will be worth it. It always is.
