Let The Games Begin!

At 3:05 PM today, February 25th, 2011, San Francisco's Tim Lincecum threw out the first pitch to Arizona's Willie Bloomquist to kick off the first spring training game of the 2011 MLB season. And although it ended with few surprises (aside from the Diamondbacks somehow scoring 6 runs, still losing to the Giants who scored 7), it provided us with something we haven't been treated to since November 1 of last year: a Major League Baseball game. And that is more than enough reason to celebrate.

Yes, my faithful readers, baseball is finally, pardon the pun, in full swing yet again. Tomorrow we'll be treated to a fond reminiscence of the 2009 World Series with the Phillies facing the Yankees, which should be fun to watch for the extra reason of Cliff Lee once again meeting the team he so monumentally snubbed this winter, and a late-night matchup between the exciting Rockies and the boring Diamondbacks. Admittedly, it's far too early for any of our burning questions for 2011 to be answered, but it's a nice way to thaw out the winter cold and invite the warm spring air into our hearts. We finally have some stats to pore over tirelessly, grasping for some indication of who will do what in '11, and we get to see our favorite players getting back into their regular playing shape. We have some box scores, however inconsequential, to fuel our flames when arguing with our friends about who the best team will be in 2011.

And yet, even though spring training won't answer many questions, it sure will raise hundreds more. Who will be the best team this year? Is it the Red Sox? The Phillies? The Giants? The Rangers? Who could the sleeper teams be? The Brewers? The Cubs? The Orioles? Dare I say it, the Yankees? Where on earth will Albert Pujols be playing next year? Can CC Sabathia pitch every 3 days? Will Kendry Morales and Justin Morneau bounce back? Is there a Second Coming for His Holiness Strasburg this year? Can Jason Heyward carry the Braves into October on his back again, or will Dan Uggla help carry the weight? Can Ichiro make it 11 straight seasons of 200+ hits? Will Jose Bautista be the only person to hit 50 or more homers this season? Will even Bautista hit 50? Does Prince Fielder feel neglected and overshadowed in the "I'm a free agent first baseman after this season too!" category? Will the Pirates score any runs, even with Andrew McCutchen in the lineup? Are the Rays too depleted of pitching and batting to continue to be a threat in the potent AL East? Will I begin to like Roy Oswalt as a part of the ridiculously good pitching staff in Philadelphia? Well, that won't happen. But you see my point here: spring training does anything but quell the constant rumors and guessing as to what 2011 will hold.

It's the time of year where the excitement reaches the boiling point, even as the hot stove cools. It's when we start gearing up and bracing ourselves for an even crazier season than the last. We finally get a taste of what we've been craving since last year, but instead of satisfying our hunger, it makes us even more rabid for Opening Day. But we must sit tight, because this is going to be a bumpy ride. See you all on March 31st!