Does the thought of either on of those make your ears purk up and the recesses of you brain that contain all the baseball minutia start firing on overdrive? It does it to me!

Although I thought the first WBC was contrived, force, and a marketing ploy, I began to enjoy the games. I truly loved watching the Asian and Caribbean teams play. They play such fundamentally sound baseball on such a high level these games should be mandatory viewing for all little leaguers. The way they execute the game is almost like watching ballet.

Spring training is my favorite time of year. We get to see highlights and listen to radio broadcasts from where it is warm and games are being played. Where the young guys are trying to earn a spot and the old guys are trying to hang on. Where the anticipation of a new season of unknowns, up and downs, balls and strikes, and the desire for your guys to go out and play hard and make it to the playoffs.

Being a fan of one of the most futile franchises in all of sports. If follow me on twitter (www.twitter.com/bartonomus) I have had extensive discussions about how bad they are. It is hard to keep the warm fuzzy from spring training alive through the All-Star Break. So I hope they are not the regular buzz kill they have been so I can be baseball intoxicated for a long time.

Tags: Baseball, Classic, Spring, training, World