The OFFICIAL "oh my god spring training starts soon" thread!

[yeszir]

It seems like the world series just ended, but its now only 9 days until the start of spring training. Thoughts? Opinions?

And should we get game threads going for ST games, or is that a waste of space and effort? Maybe just for the ones that are televised?

[RedSoxRooter]

I don't get the SP games, but those of you who do should do threads - at least to talk about prospects...


NESN's 2005 Boston Red Sox pre-season television schedule

Thursday March 3 Minnesota @ Ft. Myers7:00 p.m.
Sunday March 6 Philadelphia @ Ft. Myers1:00 p.m.
Monday March 7 New York @ Ft. Myers7:00 p.m. - you guys better damn start a thread!
Saturday March 12 Tampa Bay @ Ft. Myers1:00 p.m.
Sunday March 20 Pittsburgh @ Bradenton1:00 p.m.
Tuesday March 22 Cincinnati @ Ft. Myers6:00 p.m.
Saturday March 26 Tampa Bay @ St. Petersburg1:00 p.m.
Sunday March 27 Pittsburgh @ Ft. Myers1:00 p.m.
Thursday March 31 Arizona @ Phoenix6:30 p.m.

[element1151]

Not that interested in ST games myself, but a little interesting to see what the future has in store.

[mosox]

My favorite time of year. I'll be at the March 19th game against Baltimore. Meeting family and friends down there to celebrate again. What a wonderful spring it will be.
Maybe start threads on some games, especially to evaluate individual performances.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

i am so excited! I love spring training because you get to see so many different people play. Seems like we just began sprign training for last year.

[Zenny]

I don't think there's any need for Spring Training game threads. Like you said, it seems like a waste of space. I am very excited to get to see some of the younger kids play, though.

[stocker323]

I think we can have game threads during televised games, because the point of a game thread is to talk during the game and you can't really talk about the game if you can't see it. If you don't want to have separate threads we can just create one game thread that will be used for all spring training games.

[yeszir]

I think we can have game threads during televised games, because the point of a game thread is to talk during the game and you can't really talk about the game if you can't see it. If you don't want to have separate threads we can just create one game thread that will be used for all spring training games.
Now there's a good idea.

[Yanksin2010]

I ususally don't watch spring training games.

[CalvnHobs6]

I say do one Spring Training thread for the entire month. That way - if a game isn't televised and someone happens to have access to it somehow, they can post neat and tidy updates if necessary.

[Gertie]

That sounds like an excellent plan to me.

[sarasoxfan]

calvin's idea works for me

[sarasoxfan]

speaking of spring training--look who was the first to arrive for the Mets.

(from the new york post)

All eyes were on the man with the red glove and the Hall of Fame arm. Pedro Martinez showed up at Mets camp yesterday morning to work out 10 days before pitchers and catchers officially begin spring training sessions. Fresh off his World Championship victory with the Red Sox, the three-time Cy Young winner proved just how serious he is about winning and his work ethic, giving the Mets the emotional jumpstart they were hoping for when they signed him to a four-year, $53 million contract.
"I'm just happy," Pedro told me, noting he will be a Met for the rest of his baseball life. "I know now where I'm going to finish my career. Hopefully I finish it healthy and that's why I work so hard.

"I think the new Mets are going to be a new attitude," he said later. "It's going to be a team that went from being from last place to a team that will be in the middle of the race."

Third baseman David Wright, the only Met regular here, was ecstatic. "Being a young player you get a little giddy," Wright said. "You try to get a clean ball and ask Pedro for an autograph.

"You watch him on TV in the playoffs and World Series, he's a future Hall of Famer who comes to spring training early and this really sets the tone for us young guys," Wright added. "This is a new beginning for the Mets."

It sure is. Season tickets sales are on fire and Mets officials, including Jeff Wilpon, have gotten on the phone with fans to close deals. "It's really starting to roll now," Wilpon said of sales, adding tickets for individual games go on sale Feb. 27. "We really appreciate Pedro coming in early. He said he would and he lived up to his word."

Pitcher Heath Bell, who rollerbladed nine miles to camp as part of his workout routine, was Martinez' long-toss partner. "To me," he said, "this means Pedro is really serious about his workouts."



Martinez was the last Met in the clubhouse after completing his grueling five-hour regimen. As he unpacked he pulled out a pair of long johns and said with a smile about Shea in April, "I know what the cold weather is like."

In Boston, Martinez once was criticized for not being in camp when he was in the Dominican, attending to his son in the hospital. As he sat in that hospital room, the TV above him blared a report that hammered him for not being with the Red Sox.

"It was very scary, the anesthesia went into his system and it went wrong," Pedro said of his son. "And the Boston media, I didn't like that. It felt awful to sit in that room, knowing your family member is laying in bed there and you're watching on TV and what they are saying and it is not true.

"It was always a lie that I reported late. I was always on time. One time I asked for permission to be late two days and I was given permission and I was late two days, but I reported in shape and actually ended up winning the Cy Young for them.

"The Red Sox don't need to worry about me no more, I'm not worried about them. I moved on. I went out of their lives. My ex-teammates, I'll give them a call, I'll call Jason (Varitek), I'll call (Derek) Lowe, (Kevin) Millar, Bill Mueller."

He smiled. He is comfortable here.

"This is where I threw my first inning with the Dodgers," said Martinez, who drove to his home in Miami after the workout and will return this morning.

He said he is here for the duration, although he will go back to Miami "to chill" this weekend. He plans on living close to the ballpark. Martinez will not have to worry about eating at chain restaurants. His sister does the cooking. "It's all about family with me," Martinez said. "That's why I've never been in any trouble."

The Mets are his baseball family now. He's already the first one home

[Sox fan in Tex]

Thanks for posting the NESN tv schedule for spring training games RedSoxRooter I knew WGN was showing the Cubs spring training, but wasn't sure if NESN was showing all or just some of ours.

BTW, will MLB Extra Innings be up and ready for SP games? This is the first year I'll be buying it, and I wasn't sure if they will show the spring training games or not. Any info would help, thanks.

[yeszir]

Sarasoxfan, when I saw that article before I couldn't help but laugh. Of course, the second pedro leaves Boston he exemplifies what a team player and hard working pitcher should be, showing up early for spring training.

Of course, it could all be a ploy to get the Mets fans to like him before BOOM...just like he did to us.

[yeszir]

For whatever reason, this just looks pathetic to me:
http://bostondirtdogs.boston.com/Headline_Archives/PM_2.9_bdd.jpg
Image is from bdd.com

[Zenny]

It has to be the orange shorts and the jacked-up socks. What a homo.