by James Madalinsky

Created on: March 01, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

With the northern half of the country mired in snow, it's hard to imagine that spring training games are already upon us. I think it's safe to be said, though, there's nothing like the fresh smell of pine tar and the smooth crack of wooden bats in the winter.
The games have begun in Florida and Arizona for all 32 Major League Baseball teams, and with that comes one beautiful feeling for fans nationwide...false hope.

About this time each year fans from the league consistently terrible teams always proclaim, "Finally, this is the year, we're gonna do it this year!"
The fact of the matter is that's more than likely not going to happen. As a lifetime Pittsburgh Pirates fan(yeah I was seven last time they had a .500 record), I've come to realize that false hope is what makes spring training so intriguing.
"This guy is finally going to turn it around," "I swear to you Oliver Perez is going to win the Cy Young this year,(sorry for the cheap shot)."
The way it always seems to turn out, though, is these lower tier, small market teams have great a spring training, only to tank it in the regular season.
For example, the teams with the five highest winning percentages last spring all failed to make the playoffs, with one of those teams being the dismal Kansas City Royals.
Now don't get me wrong spring training is without a doubt one of the best times of the year. Fans get to see number one prospects that never seem to pan out, and hitters that look like the next Ted Williams...that is until the regular season starts. This spring does offer a few good stories to follow, though.
Can Ryan Howard possibly improve on his MVP sophomore season?
How in the world will the Cubs prepare Alfonso Soriano to play center field at Wrigley?
Can the most cerebral pitcher in history(Greg Maddux) help Jake Peavy control his Cy Young caliber stuff?
Will Adam LaRoche be the left-handed power hitting savior the Pirates desperately need?
How many times will Pedro Gomez do a story on Barry Bonds at Giants camp? (I'm saying no less than 30)
While most of us in the north dwell in the freezing hell of winter, the beauty of it all is that somewhere far, far away the pop of the glove can be heard, rosin bags are being tossed and the never-ending supply of bubble gum and sunflower seeds have been cracked.
So soak it in and wish you were there because soon enough the regular season will be here, and the hope for your team will slowly fade away again...until next year.

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