Small Town Hermit

My opinion about the MLB lockout begins and ends with “The lockout started on December 2nd. Everyone knew it was coming. They waited how long to do anything about it?” ~eye roll~ I respect that labor negotiations are complex, and while it is a game, baseball is big business … so all the more reason to not lolligag.

Somehow they figured out enough to get the season started, which makes me a happy camper. On a rainy almost spring Saturday such as today when I am motivated to do absolutely nothing, I can watch baseball in sunny Florida and Arizona.

I consider myself a fan without being a fanatic. I like the slow pace. Napping my way through a Sunday afternoon baseball game is pretty much my idea of heaven. I love those magical baseball moments. I love spring training with smaller ballparks and the murmur of the crowd and seeing new and familiar faces. I love listening to the commentators as they try to keep track of everyone and get back into their own rhythm.

From today’s Cubs game – First commentator: “We have Davis in center and Davis in right. And they are both wearing 94.” Second commentator: “They do make it challenging.” Hee hee.

As a National League fan living in an American League part of the country, I was excited to discover that a subscription to mlb.tv gave me access to more games than I could possibly watch, for basically the price of one ticket to one game. It was money very well spent.

My hometown team is the St. Louis Cardinals. My favorite player was Willie McGee, who is now back in the clubhouse as a coach. Jack Buck and Mike Shannon narrated the play by play on KMOX. I grew up watching the best defensive shortstop to ever play the game. (I make that statement as a fact and will accept no argument or dissent.)

Watching the Cardinals beat the Cubs at Wrigley field … it’s a thing of beauty. Mets, Dodgers, Pirates, Brewers, Reds, Giants, Padres, Braves, Phillies — these are the teams I know. (Diamondbacks, Rockies, and Marlins are still the new kids as far as I am concerned and don’t really count.) It was good to see them all again. I am looking forward to another fun season.

Play ball!