Call me unpatriotic, but I’m more excited for Spring Training and the start of the MLB season than I am about the Winter Olympics.
Yes, I have been staying up late to watch countries dual on the curling ice in addition to other events from the Sochi games, but there’s really no better way to anticipate spring’s arrival than seeing the freshly cut diamonds in Florida and Arizona while the rest of the country hopes for no more polar vortices.
By next week, pitchers and catchers for all 30 MLB teams will have reported to Spring Training, which is especially exciting for Cleveland fans like myself, as the Cavaliers and Browns have offered fans little optimism about the future.
But the same cannot be said about the Indians, given that a significant number of players are returning from their 2013 Wild Card berth.
Football season has come and gone and will not resume again until August, but that doesn’t mean talking heads on TV will stop talking about the wheelings and dealings off the gridiron and, because the NFL Draft has been pushed back until May this year, there will be even more time for unnecessary speculation about college players’ intangibles.
And though the NBA offers occasional excitement, the league has become lopsided and not competitive on a nightly basis. In the Eastern Conference, 11 of 15 teams have a record of .500 or worse, as of press time, which is resulting in games with scores like Sunday’s 123-78 win by the Clippers against the 76ers.
Despite a lack of offseason moves throughout the MLB, there is much to look forward to in 2014 (aside from an escape from the NBA):
The MLB has extended its instant replay this year in a way similar to the NFL, as coaches will be able to challenge almost anything but balls and strikes. Each coach will have one challenge per game — and if successful on the first, coaches will receive a second. Umpires can also review any play after the sixth inning.
But as replay opportunities increase, so will judgment calls for umpires, as the MLB has banned collisions at home plate beginning this season.
Finally, Alex Rodriguez will not play baseball this season and hopefully will never suit up in a MLB uniform again. It may be unfortunate for the Yankees and fans in the Bronx, especially given Mariano Rivera’s retirement and Derek Jeter’s rising age, but it’s good to see him finally serve the time for cheating.
Soon enough, baseball will be back and life will be at ease again, serving as a distraction from mock drafts and news about the Miami Heat.
—Chad Lindskog is a junior studying journalism and the Sports Editor of The Post. Are you also excited for baseball season? Let him know @ChadLindskog and cl027410@ohiou.edu
This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Baseball season can’t come soon enough for sports fans"
