CATCHERS AND PITCHERS REPORT IN 25 DAYS

BY STEVE DUNN 

A friend of mine, Jim Wilder, posted this on Facebook today and announced "I'm ready for Spring!"

Well, Jim, I couldn't agree more.

 "Catchers and Pitchers report to camp in Lakeland FL in 25 Days."
Jim and I are devout Tiger fans.  My long-suffering Dianne noted when I made this announcement, "Didn't the season just end?"  When I noted (with joy I might add) the baseball had the longest season off any sport, Dianne just shrugged.

I haven't grabbed my first Fantasy Baseball Preview yet, but soon I'll be visiting MLB.com to plan my entries in the 2013 Fantasy Baseball Season.  (Five teams last year--two made the playoffs-one made the final).  Because I will be starting a new job in the next month as as Intentional Interim Pastor, I probably can't invest a lot of time planning and strategizing for this season, my heart is already beginning to race with anticipation.  I have many roster changes in the year because I am not afraid to take a chance on emerging talent (watching the "who's hot" sections).  Last year a young man named Bryce Harper was one of my greatest "finds" last season.

We Tigers fans had a close call with destiny last season - overtaking the White Sox at the wire and wiping out the Yankees in the AL Championship.  If we hadn't started channeling the Yankees against the red hot Giants, we might be sporting World Series rings.  But we can celebrate the runaway MVP, Miguel Cabrera, our second MVP in a row.  With the return of  Victor Martinez and the acquisition of Tori Hunter and at season's end one of the lowest ERA starting staffs in all baseball,  it is not too much to anticipate glory in 2013.

I can hardly wait until they shout, "Play ball!"