Absence makes the heart grow fonder…

Hey ladies… on this weekend where so much of the country is focused on love, I decided to discuss a matter of the heart:  the old saying that absence (or distance) makes the heart grow fonder.  Hopefully this is the case with my excellent writing.. since I’ve been away for a bit I hope that you’re all aching for another informative, quirky, and highly original post.  Well, if thats the case, here I am.  Lucky (or unlucky, as some may see it) for you, I’m not the only thing returning from a lengthy absence this weekend:  many of the 30 major league baseball teams start Spring Training this weekend, which is the first sure sign that warm weather is returning (or at least my husband likes to think so).  Apparently I’m one of those people who just doesn’t understand how “meaningful” this day is… this is a great day for baseball fans, probably running a close second to Opening Day (just wait until my blog post for that one…seeing as my husband already has a countdown going…I should have a lot of information)…  

For weeks now, maybe even months, my husband has been counting down with his Dad, his good friends, and basically anyone else who will listen to him, which isn’t really many people:  Pitchers and Catchers report in 5,4,3,2 days!  What is so special about pitchers and catchers, they’re only two of the nine players on the baseball field at any given time?  Well, it turns out that in the world of baseball the pitchers and catchers are required to report to Spring Training a few days before the rest of the team, usually 5-7 days, to give them time to build familiarity with one another and start getting their arms and bodies in shape for the season.  Apparently this is mainly for the pitchers, but they wouldn’t have anyone to throw to if the catchers didn’t show up too.  And this used to be a much bigger issue in decades gone by, when players typically didn’t work out in the offseason and commonly showed up to Spring Training 20-40 pounds heavier than the last time we saw them in the fall (rumor has it that Ryan Howard of the Phillies will be appearing 20 lbs lighter…look at him).

So, now that you know why they’re required to show up at camp before everyone else, my question is, why wouldn’t everyone show up as early as possible?  All of these teams train at luxurious complexes in Florida and Arizona, spending 6-7 weeks in great weather getting ready for the season, and also working on their golf games and their tans… I’d be there the first day I was allowed to show up!  The World Champion Philadelphia Phillies (wow, that phrase looks weird… and great) started Spring Training on Saturday, and I’m sure their long absence from the sporting landscape in Philadelphia (it has been about 15 weeks since the parade!) has made a lot of hearts grow fonder, and ready for the 2008 season.  So ladies, keep an eye out on the TV for glimpses of palm trees swaying in the breeze and catchers mitts popping with good fastballs, baseball is back, and that means warm weather can’t be far behind…damn groundhog!!

 

Alright..here’s to motivation that I can get my act together this week…I am just particularly bored with sports right now…but I don’t want to let any of you down….I’ll be back

 

-sportsgirl