Vacation!

So we're going to Spring Training in March, during Stephanie's Spring Break.

But before most of you get all excited...we're going the wrong direction. Yeah, we're going to Surprise, Arizona. Right. Texas Rangers Spring Training.

I'm doing this for Stephanie. Plus we've always wanted to go to Arizona anyway. We've never been there.

So here's the plan. We fly out on my birthday, March 13. We land in Phoenix (after a layover in El Paso), and drive to Surprise, where we will check into our hotel. We'll probably just look around some the rest of Friday, find where all the players are and stuff like that.

Saturday, it's back to Phoenix for a game against the hated White Sox at their home field. Then Sunday, we go to a game in Surprise against the Padres at the Rangers home field.

Monday morning, we pack up and head north, probably to a cabin somewhere in Munds Park. Tuesday, we will more than likely drive to Williams, where we will get on a train that will take us to the Grand Canyon, where we will take "motorcoach" tour of the area.

We have one more game back in Surprise on Thursday, with the A's before we fly back home on Friday.

Should be fun. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the beautiful landscape in Arizona.

Dice-K is Up!

Congrats to Dice-K for getting the start on Opening Day in Japan. I guess it's fitting for him to get to open the season in his home country. That should be exciting for him.

Of course, we wish that Beckett could be healthy for it, but probably better to save him, hoping he can be good for the home opener. Or very soon thereafter, at least.

So we lost to the Evil Empire...as I keep saying about the Rangers, as well, "It's just spring training." And we were letting Colon start, too. For some reason, I've never been quite as excited about ST as some folks get. It does, however, begin to whet my appetite for the real thing, later this month. And I would like to visit Spring Training one year. You can bet, I'll be glued to my...Oh, my God, those games are at 5 am my time. Hahaha...I guess I'll be watching them on MLBTV here at work. How the heck can anyone play baseball at 5 am??? Egad. Well, I will sure DVR the games at home, too. I can watch them after I take Steph to school.

Hah...the scheduling gods are cruel this year. I just noticed we have to play at 6 am ET, then one day later, play on the west coast. Hmm...I also just noticed that, according the schedule, the Japan games are not on MLB TV. What's up with that?? Oh, well.

Ok. Back to work. See y'all later.

Ooh, That Smell! Can't You Smell That Smell?

What's that smell?

It's in the air. Faint, but noticeable.

Do you smell it?

Of course you do. You're a Red Sox fan, too.

Pitchers and catchers report to camp tomorrow. This weekend, Spring Training is officially on.

Happy sigh.

It's Time For Baseball!

Baseball starts this week!!!

Huzzah!!!

I can hardly wait.

<3<3<3<3

Forecast: Baseball Coming Soon

Just an update to let anyone know I'm still here. I know at least one person reads this...heh.

Congrats to the Patriots for win number 17. Looks like they have a clear road to a Superbowl championship now that the Colts lost. Our Cowboys laid down, as well. Truthfully, I think they quit playing three or four weeks ago. I'm predicting a Packers/Pats 'bowl, with a Patriots victory. They'll probably come from behind, too. They seem to like to do that.

I keep checking the baseball sites for trades, etc. This has been a relatively slow winter. I'm watching the Red Sox site eagerly (with some anticipation) to see if Ellsbury is staying on the roster. They'd better hang on to him. I've got a lot of respect for Theo's baseball genius. If he trades Ellsbury, that will drop drastically.

They probably should go ahead and deal Crisp. I like Crisp (sounds like a good breakfast cereal), but Ellsbury is faster and much more exciting to watch.

I will say, though...the one thing that the Sox could trade for is a consistent shortstop. It seems like that has been a weak spot for several years. You know, we've got solid, recognizable names at almost every position, now, but when I think of Red Sox shortstops, I have to stop and think a minute...um...oh, yeah. Lugo...or maybe Cora.

I wish it would hurry up and be April. Or even March. At least they would be playing in Florida and Arizona. Especially now that football season is winding down. We are rapidly approaching that boring time of year when there's nothing to see but basketball. Ugh. Oh, yeah...and that hockey thing. Heh.

See you soon!