Pitchers and Catchers Is Here!

What does this mean? Basically Pitchers and Catchers is a roll call. As of earlier this afternoon Jason Varitek hadn't even been seen on the field, and Jorge Sosa was having Visa issues, as in he couldn't get into the country. Tomorrow the players will have physicals and conditioning tests, and the first real practice will be held on Saturday.

So again I'll scoff at the Pitchers and Catchers countdown on Redsox.com, although I wouldn't dare make light of the countdown embedded in fans biological clocks or the actual day itself. I'd like to continue living in New England. I should also note that I regret assuming a countdown to Position Players would replace the Pitchers and Catchers ticker- in actuality it was replaced with a First Spring Training Game ticker. (That apology will be rescinded, however, should I learn that the folks at Redsox.com read my blog.)

Terry Francona noted that Pitchers and Catchers gives him the opportunity to speak with players that haven't returned his phone calls. Um, okay. I get yelled at if I ignore a friend's voicemail for an hour. These guys get paid millions, and they don't call their boss back for an entire winter? Really? I doubt Francona was just calling to talk about what skirt to wear on his blind date.

Moving on, and I know it doesn't seem like it, but I am actually trying to love, or at least like, baseball.

Maybe this is normal, but there seem to be a lot of players who are hurt. Mike Lowell is recovering from thumb surgery, Wakefield is coming off back surgery, and Dice-K isn't practicing yet because of a sore upper back. Perhaps some blue-hatted readers can shed light on this- and maybe pink-hatters would like to offer up some b.s. too. Do you think the number of injured players on the roster speaks to how irreplaceable players are (when you're good you're good, even when you can't currently raise your arms above shoulder height)? Or rather does it have something to do with contracts?

I ask this because reading that free agent Adrian Beltre has been signed to take Mike Lowell's place started me on a wild-wikipedia-hunt of unrestricted vs. restricted free agents and type A vs. type B players. This was then complicated in my mind when reading that David Ortiz is in the final year of his contract, but the Sox are holding an option for 2011.

I will report on what I learn about this at some point- my fellow pink-hatters need to know, and I'm sure there are blue-hatters in the wings waiting to correct me. But right now I need to google Johnny Damon. It looks like he is going to go to the White Sox. Or the Tigers. Or the Braves. I'm just excited because once he's out of those pinstripes, it will be less sacrilege (remember who I live with) to drool over him. Unless the Sox are playing the Sox. Or the Tigers. Or the Braves.*

*Note to self. Add American Leauge vs. National Leauge to the long list of things I need to learn about to become a fan.