Spring is in The Air - Let 'The Show' Go On

It's spring training season as Major League Baseball takes its talents down Florida way, or wherever else it's sunny and warm (and has good golf courses).  Some major personnel moves were made this off season, most notably Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, two elite power hitting first baseman who were formally in the National League and now play for American League ball clubs (Angels and Tigers respectively).  Neither plays first base exceptionally well and I'm sure will be glad to slide into the DH (designated hitter) role on occasion; which they were unable to do in the National League.

The Red Sox and Braves are going to try and redeem themselves from their epic meltdowns towards the end of last regular season that led to both high-octane, high salary teams missing the playoffs.  Theo Epstein, the young GM (General Manager) that helped bring a Word Series victory to Boston for the first time in 86 years (at the time the second longest championship drought in Major League Baseball) has moved on from the Red Sox and joined the Chicago Cubs.  The Cubs, much like the Red Sox, are a storied franchise with a loyal fan-base and a ballpark that could be considered a historic landmark.  Oh and by the way, they haven't won a World Series since 1908.  As the Cubs haven't won it all in over a century now, saying that Cubs fans are hungry for a team that can contend for a championship is an understatement.  'Weary' might be a more appropriate adjective than hungry, and yet with Theo Epstein coming to town there is cause for hope.  Epstein constructed a championship squad in Boston that broke their legendary cold streak, and fans in Chicago would be forever grateful if he could do so once again.  For those who saw the Oscar nominated film "Moneyball" Epstein utilized a similar empirical method for player-scouting and roster-building that was 'invented' by the Oakland A's Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) and his assistant (Jonah Hill).  Granted the Red Sox had a much larger payroll to work with in '04 than the A's have ever had.  Nevertheless, Epstein has proven himself as a fine executive and one of Baseball's best young minds.

Epstein certainly has a formidable challenge ahead of him as the Cubs were a pitiful 71-91 last season, but I suppose that's the point.  I wish the Cubs and Theo the best, and sincerely hope he can bring the same satisfaction to Cubs fans as he did to Red Sox fans in '04.  UVM students were so satisfied, in fact, that they drunkenly rioted in the streets and set a car or two on fire, if I remember correctly.

I am very excited to watch how the 2012 season unfolds, it would be hard to top the excitement of last year, but with a new expanded playoff format (now 10 teams in instead of 8), anything is possible, especially in sports.