Twas the Night Before Spring Training (sort of)

‘Twas the night before Spring Training, when all through the land,

Baseball players were arriving where there’s sun and there’s sand.

Their jerseys were hung in their lockers with care,

For the veterans and rookies that soon would be there.

The fans were on Twitter, tweeting away,
Talking about how long they’d waited for this day.
The caps we were wearing, for Cubs, Mets, Reds and Braves

For Yankees and Cardinals and even the Rays.

We watched MLB Network, Baseball Tonight,

We read Baseball Prospectus, this was our year…right?

The thought of the season with a fresh and new start
We dreamt of dirt and of chalk and our favorite parks.

For two thousand eleven, we didn’t yet know,

What the roster would be, who’d be up in “The Show”.

Will we compete?  Is what some of us fear,
We don’t want to end a season in tears.

There were others who could let their confidence show,
Like the underdog Giants from San Francisco.
Coming into the season with pitching in force,
With championship rings, and their mission on course.

With Sanchez and Timmy and a pitcher named Cain,
They had all caused us grief, and some of us, pain.
But the new year is starting, a new champion awaits,
And in just mere hours, they’ll open the gates

We’ll all start out hopeful this year’s a success,
Without injuries, arguments, or some sort of mess.
Wearing jerseys and caps, we’ll wait and we’ll hope,
By years end we’ll celebrate, with no time to mope.

Baseball is back where warm weather is felt,

And slowly, but surely, snow and ice will all melt.
And for those who’ve been stuck in this cold winter’s chill,
The thought of our beloved game assuages it still.

Oh, they’ll be dressed in their jerseys, tossing the ball,
And they’ll lace up their cleats and maybe leave their socks tall.

Wearing proudly, we hope, that name on their chests,

From the lowliest invite to the grizzliest vets.

Our eyes will be twinkling, our smiles, wide,
As we think of our teams with hope and with pride.
For no games have started and everything’s square,

And we all hope in October, our team will be there.

Even the Cubs with their hundred year curse,
And the M’s or the Pirates hope it couldn’t get worse.
Or, maybe the Padres, last year they were close,
Is there hope for the Royals, the Tigers, the O’s?

From Texas to Oakland to Philly, LA,
Baseball fans everywhere have awaited this day.
Arizona to Florida, Cleveland to Denver,

Hoping 2011 is a season to remember.

From the Jays of Toronto, to the Red Sox, to Queens

To the Brewers, the Angels, the Nats of DC,

White Sox and Astros, and even some Twins

Hope 2011 brings many, many wins.

The crack of the bat!  The pop of the glove!

Two sounds we know, and we want, and we love!
Baseball season is here!  It is finally in sight!

Happy Spring Training Eve to all, and to all a good night!