A Day of Love

Today, February 14, is a day to rekindle romances that have gone stale in the past few months. A time to appreciate the past and look forward to the future in your relationship. For some, the past, the present and the future look grim. Some see retribution lying ahead while others see rings being fastened to their fingers. While a few relationships have been destroyed recently, some are just beginning.

I would like to wish a happy St. Valentine's Day to the one I love and who has been with me through the good and the bad, the sad times and the joyous. For it is today that one is giving me the greatest gift of all - a chance to begin anew.

So happy Valentine's Day to all of you pitchers and catchers and those few eager position players who have reported to Spring Training in either Florida or Arizona. Today is a day to recognize the people that are in your hearts throughout the year whether you see them daily or not. Today is the beginning of MLB Spring Training! Thank God! It's been too long since the final out of the World Series was recorded. Too long since the last time I was able to sit in those dark green chairs, smell the luscious grass and watch some baseball.

To think, in two short months, we will once again be able to hear "Play Ball!" and "HAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWTTTTTTTTTTT DAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSS!" and then see the toothy grin of a hot dog vendor (namely John Hunter). If only it was April...

The link to all top Spring Training news. MLB.COM

For coverage of yours and my Texas Rangers.
TEXAS RANGERS OFFICIAL WEBSITE
DALLAS MORNING NEWS BLOG

Already the big news of the day for the Rangers is the move of prospect Chris Davis from third base back to his natural position of first base. Could this be a sign that the front office is set to award Jarrod Saltalamacchia the starting catcher position for the next few years instead of moving him to first base later on? The Rangers have too many talented catchers to have Salty blocking them in the major leagues (i.e. Taylor Teagarden and Max Ramirez)

The move does make a lot of sense though since the Rangers don't really have a major prospect at first base. Then if Hank Blalock comes back from his shoulder injury, he could possibly give time for more prospects to develop. Blalock has an option for 2009, so depending on how Elvis Andrus and Travis Metcalf develop Blalock could be on his way out. If Metcalf finds a bat as good as his glove he'll be a nice cornerstone to the infield. If Andrus develops quickly and as he should, maybe Michael Young makes a move to third base and Andrus moves up to shortstop leaving Metcalf as either a bench player, designated hitter or trade bait.

In other parts of the team, C.J. Wilson and "Everyday Eddie" Guardado are competing for the closer's job. C.J. did very well last year but Eddie brings lots of experience with him from Seattle. It's always a good sign when you have too many good arms in the bullpen because you know if you have the lead when it's time to go to the pen, you have a damn good chance at winning the ballgame. Now if the starting rotation would do what it should then the Rangers could have a kickass team and be geared up for the playoffs. There's only one problem.

Erik Bedard in Seattle.


Oh yea.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, except if I don't know you. In that case, go find someone else. :)