Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Rosin bags and facemasks

When you woke up today (if you're awake yet) did you have a little more energy than usual? Did you have a hop in your step seemingly unexplained? When you threw away the coffee filter, did you look over your shoulder to check the runner at first? I did.

This can all be explained by the phenomenon we call "Pitchers and Catchers". It is derived from the custom of having Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training around a week earlier than the rest of the team. And for 8 teams, including the Cubs, today is that day. The Cardinals report tomorrow. Here's a list of major league team report dates. The last teams to report: The Marlins and the Twins on the 17th. You think they're trying to save money.

It's kind of ironic that it will no doubt be over shadowed by the Congressional hearings in DC about steroids or rather performance enhancing drugs. And did anyone hear or read about John Rocker? Oi vey. This guy will do anything he can to get himself in the news and then complain about that everyone gives him grief. A quote: "I've taken a lot of crap from a lot of people. Probably more than anybody in the history of this sport. I know Hank [Aaron] and Jackie [Robinson] took a good deal of crap, but I guarantee it wasn't for six years. I just keep thinking: How much more am I supposed to take?"

When searching for a news story for Mr. Rocker, I found his website. Yes, his website. It's kind of funny but mostly it does everything to confirm he's an egotistically driven racist. Example: Under the link "rocker gear" the only things you can buy are a bumper sticker and T-shirt that say "Speak English." And it contains a formal statement about his steroid use, because I guess he couldn't control his big yapper. For me it evokes the expression, don't go away mad, just go away.

And speaking of away, that's exactly where the Cubs will start their Spring schedule. Feb. 28 at San Fran. Get out your eye black and get ready for a long season.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

When I woke up today, I felt awful...but that's because I ate an entire large bag of Peanut Butter M&M's before promptly passing out last night...ya know...the red bag...however once I regained consciousness and got out of the shower, I did find it a bit odd that there was a guy in my bathroom with a tin of Skoal who slapped me on my ass and said "good job." I just shrugged it off as the sign of a large bag of candy and a long and blustery winter. But then when my first instinct was to find my jock and 1988 cubby-blue stirrups to go to work, I knew...I felt it...it has to be...only one day could awaken this sequence of events...and then I read your blog, and found out for sure...IT IS Wednesday.

Coovo said...

Yeah right. Then on Thursday does Bart Conner meet you on the L and you two practice dismounts onto the third rail insulated by your rubber galoshes.

Unknown said...

I've never met Bart Conner, and he is certainly not part of my business week. However, Scott Hamilton does wake me up with breakfast in bed on Fridays before we practice our lutzes at the Daley Bicentennial Ice Rink.

Roller said...

Marty, 2 of your last 4 comments on this site have focused on chocolate/peanut butter combinations. I think you should go see a movie with a big tub of peanut butter. Some hot chick is bound to drop her chocolate bar in it from the balcony. You've earned it.

Coovo, reading your post makes me want to run outside and breathe the fresh air and feel the sun on my face. But it's like 4 degrees outside. And windy. BUT, it will be nice to see another season get started. For the Cards, there are still a number of question marks, so Spring Training should be fun to watch.

Anonymous said...

we need to play more wiffleball once the weather improves. i'm sure Tim has some sort of disgusting riser/knuckle-curve that will piss me off incredibly.

and i can't wait.

i'm all signed up for one fantasy league - any others out there?

Coovo said...

Mike---I mean Callahan. The boys from the Lou--myself, Austin, Roller, McCabe, Austin's bro John, Gene, Al, Billy Tomber and others are all in a league that we've been playing for who knows how long. I mostly play for the first two months and ten lose interest. If it weren't for posting, I wouldn't even play. . .

My super knuckle-slurve was left with the majority of my shoulder and elbow cartilage in the late 90s. But like David Cone, I keep trying to bring it back.