My Mets are playing baseball in Florida. Yay.
Click, click, click, stop. Sigh. They are playing baseball in Florida.
A weekday surf through the sports channels leads me happily to a spring training game for my New York Mets, against the Houston Astros.
The Mets are leading 4-0. It’s the fourth inning, and many of the players have names that may become household names this season. For minor-league teams.
But that doesn’t matter in these exhibition games.
No, the reason I will hover is that there is a green field. There are announcers talking about cut pitches and hand grips with Mets second-year man Zack Wheeler, during the game, with this year’s big pitching hope for my squad wearing fast-food window mike-phones.
The real season starts March 31, with my Mets playing at the Washington Nationals’ stadium in our nation’s capital. Maybe there will be green fields there by then. Maybe in upstate New York, too.
For now, though, spring baseball on the flat screen, beamed north by SNY, will make me feel kind of warm.
Does baseball on TV in this last grasp of winter improve your spirits any? Which baseball team is your favorite?
Mark Bialczak 
I love spring training – there’s always so much hope. Go get’em Tigers!
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All of our teams are still undefeated, Cat. Hope springs eternal is the old saw saying.
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Don’t think Marlins or Yankees will produce much to be thrilled about although it will be fun to watch “this is Jeeter’s last year” at bats.
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I respect Jeter to the utmost, even though I am a Mets fan and they are the hated Yankees. The season is coming, Carl.
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happy to see you are a mets man, i’m not too fond of the yankees. as for me, it’s tigers all the time and yes, i love spring training, always gives me hope that spring is on the way, and i would love to go one day. )
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Yes, the Yankees are my most hated team, Beth. The Tigers are pretty cool! A spring training baseball trip would really rock!
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I’m not in to baseball Mark. I was in the 70’s as a kid. Because the family was. But I like the idea of green field, blue skies…..and warm air!
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Stadium chant, Colleen: We want warm! We want warm!
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I’m on it! I
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It’s in the mid- 50s here today, which is also my sons’ first high school baseball game together. 10th and 9th graders, both of them are starting for the varsity team… Garrett at short stop and Weston on 2nd. This day brings my absolute favorite time of the year… baseball season! (Oh… and my favorite team would have to be theirs, of course! The Clarksville Panthers!)
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Today I shall be rooting for the Clarksville Panthers, featuring the double-play combination of Garrett and Weston. You must live someplace south, 50s and playing baseball already, addercatter. Lucky you!
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Thank you Mark! I’ll do a post tonight when I get home, complete with pictures of said double – play (hopefully).
We live in Northwest Arkansas. Monday and Tuesday school was canceled due to the ice storm… today they are playing baseball… crazy weather!
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You’re not kidding! It was 8 below zero here this morning, here being Syracuse, N.Y. It warmed up to 23 or so. But the sun was out, so as I was walking the dog, water was dripping from melting roofs everywhere. Odd time of year when it’s still cold and the sun is almost at equinox!
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Green fields …. Mark, your audience should read Bart Giamatti’s “The Green Fields of the Mind,” perhaps the best contemporary essay ever written. Better yet, there’s a live recording of him on YouTube reading it in front of an audience in NYC. “It breaks your heart …” I listen to it and re-read it every spring, and sometimes in the winter to make it to Opening Day. (And I don’t have to tell you that it was 6-below-zero this morning in Upstate NY. Enough. Play ball!)
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I will read it today, Jim. Bart was the best commissioner.
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Thank you for this warming post, Mark. Go Sox!
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I don’t nothin’ ’bout no baseball, but the pitcher’s mound reminds me of Charlie Brown. I know who Pete Rose is, and I know Joe DiMaggio sent flowers to Marilyn’s grave for 20 yrs. Does that count?
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And you know there’s no comma in Let’s Go Mets, but you think there should be. Don’t forget that one. And yes, Kerbey, they all count.
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I did notice that again, and I always will. It makes me think that the Mets would do better if the sign were better. Not that I have any clue how they do, because I am a girl. My uncle is 65 and plays in a league, despite a bad ankle, so he is my baseball inspiration. It is his joy.
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I haven’t had a chance to see my team on TV yet, but we are going to see them next month (Orioles). We can’t wait!
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Yes, have fun rooting on your Birds, Sheena!
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