Now that spring training is underway it’s time to reflect on the Hot Stove League. Wait! Was there such a thing or, a better question, is there such a thing? Has the offseason baseball rumour mill gone the way of phone booths? When was the last time you saw a phone booth?
I haven’t bothered to round up the detail of offseason transactions because I know there weren’t many, and few notable one’s other than the Yankees being the Yankees, and Manny being Scot Bor-ass. The Peavy thing was a charade of some sort and now Adam Dunn will hit 40. 17 home runs in Washington, and only a few fantasy-leaguers care about that one; maybe he’ll hit 41.25 because of the home field advantage.
Was it he economy stifling transactions? Are so many teams satisfied with their rosters that there wasn’t an urge to make changes? Has “the Twins way” infiltrated baseball to the extent that every organization is relying on their farm systems to elevate the quality of teams?
Whatever the reasons, they have burned the Hot Stove into virtual nonexistence. Now there is nothing to look forward too when this season ends. Winter will be longer and colder than ever and February of 2010, ugh! We must find a way to obliterate February from out lives or, more realistically, find a way to spend it in Arizona, waiting for spring training to begin.
This February is finally finished and the ides of baseball March are upon us. The Twinkies have won four-in-a-row and Delmon Young is pounding the crap out of the baseball. Oh no, what if he forces his way into being an everyday outfielder; what will the ball club do. No one likes the guy and our beloved Mikey Cuddyer HAS to play all the time, Denard Span had a great rookie season last year, Carlos Gomez is a Gardy “energy” favorite. So . . . what up Gardy?
And please, where are J.J. Hardy and Jason Werth going to bat in the orders of the Brewers and Phillies. They are two of my “on the fence” fantasy baseball roster selections. Their salaries are relatively cheap compared to potential production, but if they’re batting sixth or seventh-do I want them?
Thank you, Lord, for spring training. Life can resume again, and baseball fans can lament the disappearance of the Hot Stove League some other day.
