pitchers and catchers

 Four days into feb already, Groundhog Day in the rearview mirror, Valentine's day just ten days away. and right after that, Pitchers and Catchers report.  The boys of Arizona and of Florida, stretching out those winter-stiffened muscles between that big old sun and that sweet green grass.  Hope for all of us.

But not this year.  Oh the sun will be big down south and the grass the brightest shade of emerald, but those stiff muscles will remain stiff.   Because a strike appears imminent.

There do not appear to be any major human rights, just both sides being picky about a bunch of little shit issues.  Of course those little shit issues are about billions of bucks.  But billions of bucks are just pocket change to both sides.

You know what we should do?  Around noon on opening day we should gather around the nearest sandlot, young and old, rich and poor, black and white and inbetween.   We would all bring our gloves, and additionally bats and balls and catchers' mitts, so we would have a full panoply of equipment.  Stand up and sing the national anthem (what the hell) and then play ball.  Play about nine innings, and if the score is tied, we will continue on without putting a guy on second base, until one side wins, or until our mothers call us in for supper.  The ink-stained wretches, noticing at last this phenomenon will flock to the sandlots and want to know who is doping or who is hot dogging it or who is mad at the manager or who is just slacking off, you know, important baseball stuff.  But we shall tell them nothing, not even the score.  We will just say that we are doing this for the fans, and when they point out that we are the fans, well then, we will answer we are doing it for ourselves, and then we will take leave because our moms will be mad if we are late for dinner. 

Boxer it is, Boxer.  Went for a google map spin and Saugus, appears to be the very picture of the leafy suburban paradise, and with hills to boot.  And sandwiched between a couple very large parks.  I wonder about the word Reservation in their names.

Happy Friday everybody.