Friday, February 19, 1999
Spring training mixes memories of past, promise of new
season
COLUMN: In preseason all teams, players have equal chances to
excel
Sunflower seeds cover the dugout floor like confetti after a
ticker-tape parade. The rays of sun bring tranquility and
peacefulness along with promises of untapped potential and hopes
for a neverending summer. The smell of freshly cut grass evokes
memories of playing over the line with childhood friends and
swinging the bat until mom calls you in for dinner.
And so it begins every spring.
High hopes and aspirations prevail throughout the clubhouses of
all 30 major-league teams with the first crack of the bat, the
primary pop of the catcher’s mitt and initial headfirst slide.
When pitchers and catchers report for spring training, it
represents the dawn of a glorious time for America – baseball
season. From the middle of February to the end of October eyes will
be focused on what will always be the national pastime.
Questions abound, dreams are pursued and legends are created.
This is what makes spring training so special. It is the one time
of the year when all teams will be on an even level, and everyone
feels that their shot at a common goal is on par with the rest.
From Mark McGwire to Mickey Morandini, every player has zero
home runs. The New York Yankees and the Montreal Expos are each
about 100 wins from the World Series. Even Greg Maddux is tied for
last in the major league in ERA.
Though it may not be for long, that’s the way it goes. Because
baseball is a funny game.
There is no other sport in the world where the day that players
first attend camp is a day that is revered by fans. In no other
game does the preseason mean so much and so little at the same
time.
It’s a time where trial and error is encouraged. Teams use their
bench more than Arnold Schwarzenneger in his prime.
Star players are lucky to see more than three innings in a game
on any given day. Spring training is where opportunities are given
rather than created, and careers can end faster than a Nolan Ryan
heater.
Baseball is at its purest form during the spring. The innate
competition for a precious spot on the opening day roster inspires
more hustle than Minnesota Fats and greater passion than Don Juan
de Marco. The spectacular becomes routine, and playing for the love
of the game is more than a cliche.
Spring training is like an extended Hollywood gala opening for a
surefire blockbuster movie. All the stars are there, the eyes of
the world are on them, and the anticipation creates a buzz so
strong that everything else is forgotten for that instant.
New age fans and purists alike struggle to contain excitement.
Rotisserie drafts are planned and favorite player lists are
revamped with each passing day. Baseball is baseball again – void
of $105 million contract negotiations and full of $3 tickets.
Autograph seekers have access to their favorite players, and
teams play on fields lined with chain link fences. Teams are split
into two squads and everybody gets to play. It is a fans’ dream
come true.
Wait a second, I hear my mom calling me … Yep, baseball is
definitely in the air.
Evan Lovett is taking a trip to all 30 major league stadiums in
the summer with three friends. They are desperately seeking
sponsorship. Any interested parties can contact him by email at
[email protected] Lovett
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