Spring Training....

You don't have to really know me to realize I don't like Major League Baseball all that much. Not too many folks who claim to have a sports section in their blog can say that. I actually despise the sport. Sure, I understand it does take talent and physical ability to play baseball. I certainly couldn't hit or throw a 90 mph fastball. But seriously, besides for a few outfielders and shortstops, the majority of big leaguers are out of shape, pudgy and in some instances, actually quite fat. I remember being about 12 and meeting Cecil Fielder, the Tigers slugger of the early 90s. It was at some student sport function, but I vividly recall him being out of breath after climbing some stairs. I realized a couple things that day. The most important being, baseball players are the least gifted athletes in major league athletics. By far.

But that's not the real reason I don't like baseball. I think it all comes down to two things. It's awfully boring to watch and I'm from Detroit. First of all, anyone who was a kid in the 80s in the D was absolutely spoiled. The Tigers were the dopest. Trammel. Parrish. Lemon. Whitaker. Gibson. Willie Hernandez. Are you kidding me, I said Willie Hernandez! Those were players.They won the series in '84. All the kids in my neighborhood rushed to the streets and we shot fireworks and played baseball the rest of the night after the final game. Our dads turned their cars on and around in their driveways to light the streets for us. Our moms let us stay out til about midnight, and as I recall, it was a school night. That was some special shit just between you and me.

Baseball was watchable in '84. Today's games are painful. I'd rather watch Joe Millionaire re-runs frankly. I watched the series last year and vomited and tore at my eyes after each game. The Yankees organization gives me heart pain. I was watching Sportscenter this morning and they mentioned that they had 7, good starting pitchers, and didn't know what to do with the other 2 in the rotation. What problems money can create, what problems. The Tigers are gonna start a 37 year old hack on opening day and I've barely heard of the other 4 guys making up the rotation.

I'm not saying money has ruined baseball, I'm saying money has killed baseball.

Baseball has no more heros. No more stars I respect. The games are boring. There is no personality, no fire at all. It's really kind of sad. Outside of spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon outside at Wrigley or CoPa, I really wanted nothing to do with baseball, until now....

This year I'm going to do everything I can to bring Baseball back into my life. I want to be a fan again. I want to sit there on a Wednesday night this year and watch a Orioles/Ranger game without falling asleep. I want to have a favorite team again. (not the Tigers, they will absolutely blow and I can't restore my faith in baseball rooting for the worst of the worst of all sports teams in North America) I might go with the Cubs. Dusty Baker seems like a good guy. They've got Sammy....but I really dislike all his little antics. I usually like antics. Cerano from Major League had good antics. Rum and skinning live chickens - that's good stuff.

So this is my promise to you. I am going to give baseball another chance. I'm gonna join a fantasy baseball league. I'm not going to turn away from baseball highlights on Sportscenter when they come on. I'm gonna read box scores again and go to atleast one game a month when good teams come into town. I'm gonna do everything I can within my will to give this sport another chance. But I'm warning you baseball, if you come out and give a performance like you did in '02, you're getting bumped under arena football in the best sports leagues rankings....

Oh yeah, and check out the Spring Updates on ESPN.com.