the season is almost here

It is time to be excited. Baseball is in the air.

Pitchers and catchers reported and for at least a few weeks, hope and excitement are abundant. Everyone is hoping for the continued development of the kid they saw last fall and for just another good year from their aging stars.

Things wont pan out the way most hope, but it’s always good when you get that first whiff of baseball on a cold February day.

Well everywhere except in one place. It’s amazing how this A-Rod story has trumped everything baseball in Tampa Bay. That’s a good thing too because it helps some people avoid the spotlight (Girardi, Matsui, Mariano, etc).

I think the happiest guys are AJ Burnett, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. They are after thoughts despite signing some of the most insane contracts ever signed in baseball (this will change as we get further into the season and Burnett shuts it down after stubbing his toe on a door).

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Livan Hernandez is in the fold and this effectively has ended the Pedro Martinez era. I can’t say that I’m excited about Livan. He eats innings but his best years are behind him. I hate to see Pedro go since he can be of some use. It wouldn’t be much use around here though.

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Buying tickets for games this year is going to be a joke. The brokers have swooped in have snatched everything up. That in addition to the fewer seats is going to spike the prices and cause a lot of fans to have a long distance love with the Mets.

Seeing the Mets promoting Stubhub, I can’t help but to think that they have taken the seats and have thrown them on Stubhub themselves. I’m sure that they love to turn the lovely profit Stubhub usually provides. I believe this more now that the Giants have fluctuating ticket pricing.

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Can we keep Mike Pelfrey off the golf carts?

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I’m tired of hearing this “team to beat” crap from the players. The Phillies are the team to beat because they won the World Series and they will remain as the team to beat until they are officially eliminated from an opportunity to win the World Series.