Ah, baseball

So I made it to the U of U Baseball game on Friday, the second day of spring, and they won 7-5.
I was very impressed with 3rd baseman DC Legg, he hits well, is fast on the bases and has quick hands in the field. If he always plays like that I don't see him completing his college career.
There were only four problems with the game:
1: It was bloody cold sitting there: nothing to be done, I should've brought a blanket or a warmer coat, I'm sure the weather was great for the Saturday day game but I was busy
2: The $2.75 coffee at Not-Dirks (Franklin-Covey) Field was highway robbery, at least they were going through enough that it was fresh, at least they had coffee: don't charge Starbucks prices for coffee that isn't as good as the 7-11 across the street
3: Only about 100 fans out: come on people, it's $5 well spent -- better and cheaper than most movies
4: Metal bats just don't sound right, though I do like the little "plink plonk" tune when a pitch skips across one back to the catcher.

At least I got my baseball fix and can probably hold out now until the Bees home opener on April 11. I also found one more reason I'm going to hell: just keep in mind it was Good Friday - they played Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young" on the PA, I couldn't stop laughing. I hope it was intentional, but since we are in Utah it probably wasn't.

Spring and a Media Rant

I missed baseball on the first day of spring and have, once more, learned that I can't trust either the U of U athletics web site or The Salt Lake Tribune.
The Trib said today's Utes v. San Diego State baseball game was at 1pm (it was not corrected on their web site as of 5pm), the U's web site said 6, as did San Diego State's. I could've gone at 6 if I didn't trust my local newspaper.
As of 9:26 p.m. (a few minutes ago) I could not find the score of the game on the U's site, but found it on San Diego State's site. Maybe the U just doesn't post scores promptly when they lose. I'll have to try to remember to check that on occasion.
Anyway, the Aztecs won 7-2 and I missed the game because I trusted my local newspaper.
Today's Trib also fails to give the schedule for the rest of the games in this homestand, but it's just as well, they'd probably get the time wrong.
Maybe tomorrow I can go, I'll believe the 6pm time on the web sites. I know the bats are metal and don't sound quite right, but I really need some baseball.

Half Serious World Series Prediction

I'm just want baseball badly this year, so the time has come to make my usual World Series prediction: Brewers and Tigers go 7 with extra innings in at least 3 games. This is not, yet, my serious prediction. It's just the thing that would actually make me sell my soul (or shell out money) for Series tickets.
Ah, spring, when we dream our biggest dreams of romance and baseball, and the heartbreaking romance which is baseball.
I don't care about "performance enhancing drugs" and who may or may not be accused of using them by people who've been supplying them and been promised immunity for testimony. In fact, I haven't heard any of the baseball fans I know talk about this very much, beyond wishing that everyone who was named without hard evidence in the Mitchell Report could sue for defamation of character and potential restraint of trade. As for people I know who are lapsed fans, they have been turned off for a lot of other reasons: salaries, ticket prices, beer prices, season length, no big league team in Salt Lake, spoiled brat athletes, spoiled brat owners, poor officiating, on field promotion nonsense at minor league games, Bud Selig, The Yankees being in too many/not enough World Series... the list just keeps going. But steroids and HGH are not on the list in my circles.
One of the reasons I'm not in charge (someday I'll make that list and post it) is that I say we cannot judge ball players in the "steroid era" any more harshly than we can judge the hard drinking, cocaine using athletes of the past. The league and the union need to sit down and decide that as of Opening Day 2008 (or whenever) all players will be subject to random testing. First offense is one month without pay or play, second is a season suspension, third strike and you are out (of course).
I'll make my serious Series prediction between June 1 and the All-Star Break, just remember I've gotten at least one team right the last five years.

Spring in the air

Today feels like spring and I'm jonesing for baseball. I haven't been to a movie in weeks because grad school is filling so much of my time, and I am missing movies, but it's spring and I want baseball. Here. Now.
I'm sure it's the changes in the weather. There's a bit of a breeze today that's making the weather chilly, but it smells like spring, and there are crocuses and daffodils in bloom if you look in the right places.
I turn on Sports Center and see highlights from the spring training games and long to hop in the car and drive down to Arizona for a Cactus League game or 10. I'm antsy and baseball seems to be the answer to my discontent. Well, one of my discontents, the one I'm thinking about now.
It's St. Patrick's Day, less than a week from Easter and I took the new Flogging Molly disc (Float), which has been rocking my world for over a week, out of the car CD player and put on some bluegrass because it feels right for the weather.
I'm just done with this long cold early spring we've been suffering in Salt Lake City and want some summer, right now. Baseball ≈ summer, or maybe I've got that backward.
Anyway, I may hit the U of U v San Diego State games at Franklin Covey Field this weekend, even though metal bats don't sound right.

Crossposted with my Beck's Day blog.