They Keep Pulling Me Back In
I feel like the last 16 months have been part of the longest off-season in the history of baseball.
Last week I was forced to miss attending Truck Day for the first time in about five years and for a couple of days I really dwelled on how miserable that made me. And it was acknowledging to myself that I really wanted to be standing on Van Ness Street in the freezing cold watch vacuums and compression shorts being loaded onto an equipment truck that made me realize the Red Sox aren’t dead to me.
And, really, for a while there I was worried that they were.
But no, as happens every freaking year the sonofabitches have my heart. I saw a photo of a trimmed-down John Lackey and read a blurb about how good he feels and thought “Hey, he could win 18 games this year!” I got excited when I read that regardless of whatever drama circled around the Mike Napoli signing, he always knew he’d be with the Red Sox. And if you aren’t on Twitter (or if you are and don’t follow him) you’ve missed the absolute joy that Will Middlebrooks has been tweeting with in regard to the team and this season. His enthusiasm is contagious. I also have to admit I melted inside when I read this Twitter exchange yesterday between Middlebrooks and Gabe Kapler:
@middlebrooks cherish that, brother. It goes by quick! You earned the pride you feel and deserve to illuminate it. — gabe kapler (@gabekapler) February 11, 2013
I’m such a mush.
Today begins the first official day of workouts in Fort Myers. A week from Thursday are the games against Northeastern and Boston College and on February 23rd we get the first real game of Spring Training (against the Tampa Bay Rays at Jet Blue Park). My fingers might be freezing as I type this but I can feel the sunshine bursting through and soon enough we get baseball…real baseball…and dammit even though I really thought I might not care this year…I really do.
Amen, sister!
I’m right there with you.
Was actually able to stop by Truck Day for the first time this year, but had to leave before the festivities. The player tweets are such a tease. It reminds me of when I used to believe in Santa, the hope, the anticipation, the excitement building as you get closer to the day.
You know it! It’s good to see you back here and great to hear about all the positive vibes surrounding training camp this year. I think that already, Farrell has made this year different.
I woke up this morning with all good intentions to go to water aerobics. Instead of putting on my bathing suit, I was dressed and off to JetBlue Park knowing I didn’t want to miss Day 1 of who knows what. My favorite sound around the practice fields isn’t the crack of the bat or the ball hitting the glove but the sound of cleats on the gravel and it was music to my ears. Blue skies, a gentle breeze, friends to talk to and players to watch….can’t get much better than that!
Oh, so good to read you again, Cyn–and you all in the gang commenting :-)
I had exactly the same thought when I looked at that Lackey stuff. Hope springs eternal, and HOORAY for that!!! Spring is coming! Anything can happen. Can’t wait to watch the whole experiment unfold. They may be mediocre or they may be grand, but they won’t be bland. The Sox made sure to hire a bunch of dirt dogs this winter, and have got a host of returning guys with everything to prove. I think it will be great fun to watch them go forth and see what they can accomplish.
And I love those dear tweets. Go Sox!
Watched TC last night with Salty and Hanrahan (how awesome is Salty? and Hanrahan seems really down to earth) Yay for Baggo!
I will be up at Zero Dark Stupid tomorrow morning watching Lackey of all people and wondering where it will all end. Good to have you back, Cyn.