Pichers and Catchers, Oh My!

Pitchers and Catchers are reporting to their respective Spring Training camps this week.  The Cactus League camps are open in Arizona, and the Grapefruit League camps are open in Florida.

How great is that! 

Its real great!

I am one of those people who think there are two seasons to every year: Baseball Season and Waiting for Baseball Season.

I do follow College Football and College Basketball...Notre Dame is my team in each of those sports.  And I do follow College Baseball...Notre Dame again.

But Professional Baseball...now we're talking. 

For the next five weeks or so, the teams will be rounding into playing shape at practice sessions and practice games.  Pitchers, Catchers, and Position Players will drill over and over again all the plays that will need to become "routine" for them when April and Opening Day arrives.

The players and the finances of the game have changed a lot since I started following Major League Baseball back in the 1950s.  I miss the days when I could tell you the name of the team that just about every player belonged to...and of course, that was what needed to be changed (with Free Agency)...but it did seem comforting back then to know who all was coming back with what team each year.  I miss the fact that it did seem to be more of a "game" than a "business" back in those days...but it was inevitable that would change, too.

Ah, but the game.  The game hasn't changed all that much.  (Yeah, I know about the Designated Hitter...I actually like that change.)  Its still 60 feet 6 inches from the Pitching Rubber to Home Plate; its still 90 feet between all the bases; and 3 strikes still mean "Yer Out!"

And come the first week of April the Boys of Summer will head to the towns where their teams call home for the next 6 (or 7, if your team gets in the Postseason) months.

162 games...plenty of time to correct a losing streak...or make a run...or figure out how to win the close ones.

Bring on The Season.

Play Ball!

Go Yankees!