Great time of year often lost to sports fans during March Madness. I love baseball and Spring Train always signals the end of Winter, even if Mother Nature doesn't always see it that way.

When my daughter was still in school, she had Spring Break in March and we'd take the opportunity to catch games at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Spring Trianing is a great time to see te stars relaxed, and often talkative and crowd engaging. The stadiums only hold 4-5000 fans, so you park, walk in, and are righ on top of the action.

Ten years or so ago, we went to see the Braves and Yankees kick things off. Stood maybe 10 feet from Randy Johnson as he warmed up. I never appreciated how tall 6'10 standing on the mound is until I watched him in the bull pen. No way would I every want to dig in against him.

Sat in the grass berm that is in Left Field on a blanket and a picnic that day. A-Rond and Jeter did their running out along the fence once they were out of the game. They threw the kids some balls.

Anyone else ready for baseball?

This graduate of Wendelstedt umpire school is always ready for baseball.('Cept the 3rd Saturday in October Roll Tide!)

Yes!! Our never-ending winter up here has me looking forward to opening day more than ever. Plus, my team, the Red Sox, has added a bunch of talent and the curiosity of seeing how they play is adding to the anticipation.

Also looking forward to softball. Been helping my daughter's team all winter practice in an old warehouse they have nicknamed "the icebox". We are all really looking forward to getting outside on a real field in some real sun. Unfortunately, it might still be weeks before the fields are ready.

Bring it on and go Dodgers!

Booooo


Go Braves!

I was a life long Braves until they yanked their farm team out of Greenville, SC. I still have a special place in my heart for the Braves but what with being a Washington sports franchise fan I latched onto the new guys.

Nats vs Braves provides great entertainment!!

I live in MN. We have not had a pro baseball team since '91

And:

Boooo Clemson!
Took 2 of 3 from VT this weekend.

HA!! Both Clemson and South Carolina have become baseball powerhouses.

I am still a Virginia resident and was sad to see Hooooooo's go down this weekend.

But this is baseball. You big leaguers best look out for the Nats this year. They're loaded!!

Looking forward to it!

I did Wendelstedt in Ormaond Beach! Got stories from that, for sure, along with good stories umpiring.

Karnak the Great sees:

Gio on the DL - Tommy John
Strassberg goes mental
Harper suspended for PED's
Werth on DL for 2 months
Zimmerman injured
No closer
Hole at 1b

Enjoy April!

I do agree that Adam LaRoche should NOT have been let go. Just dumb!!
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Baseball Odds: MLB World Series Futures

Submitted by Dave Harrison on Tue, 03/10/2015 - 01:55

After signing free-agent pitcher Max Scherzer to a massive seven-year, $210 million contract the Washington Nationals and their bolstered starting rotation have vaulted to the top of the odds to win the 2015 World Series at online sportsbook Bovada.

The Nationals are the 7/1 favorites on the 2015 World Series odds at Bovada, with the Los Angeles Dodgers at 17/2 odds, the Boston Red Sox at 10/1 odds, and the St. Louis Cardinals at 12/1 odds. The Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, and San Diego Padres all have 14/1 World Series odds.

Odds to Win 2015 World Series at Bovada as of March 10


Washington Nationals 7/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 17/2
Boston Red Sox 10/1
St. Louis Cardinals 12/1
Chicago Cubs 14/1
Los Angeles Angels 14/1
San Diego Padres 14/1
San Francisco Giants 14/1
Chicago White Sox 16/1
Detroit Tigers 16/1
Seattle Mariners 16/1
Cleveland Indians 20/1
Toronto Blue Jays 22/1
Kansas City Royals 28/1
New York Mets 28/1
Oakland Athletics 28/1
Pittsburgh Pirates 28/1
Baltimore Orioles 33/1
Miami Marlins 33/1
New York Yankees 33/1
Houston Astros 50/1
Milwaukee Brewers 50/1
Texas Rangers 50/1
Atlanta Braves 66/1
Cincinnati Reds 66/1
Tampa Bay Rays 66/1
Arizona Diamondbacks 100/1
Minnesota Twins 100/1
Colorado Rockies 150/1
Philadelphia Phillies 150/1

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After signing both Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez to lucrative free-agent deals the Boston Red Sox have shot up to 9/1 on the odds to win the 2015 World Series at the online sportsbooks, putting them just behind the 15/2 Los Angeles Dodgers on that baseball futures list.

The Washington Nationals are then tied for third with the Los Angeles Angels at 10/1 on the odds to win the 2015 World Series at Bovada, followed by the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs at 12/1, and each of the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals at 16/1. The Toronto Blue Jays are at 18/1 on those MLB futures, with the Baltimore Orioles at 20/1.

Odds to Win 2015 World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers 15/2
Boston Red Sox 9/1
Los Angeles Angels 10/1
Washington Nationals 10/1
Chicago Cubs 12/1
Detroit Tigers 12/1
San Francisco Giants 16/1
Seattle Mariners 16/1
St. Louis Cardinals 16/1
Toronto Blue Jays 18/1
Baltimore Orioles 20/1
Chicago White Sox 25/1
Kansas City Royals 25/1
New York Mets 25/1
New York Yankees 25/1
San Diego Padres 25/1
Atlanta Braves 28/1
Cleveland Indians 33/1
Miami Marlins 33/1
Pittsburgh Pirates 33/1
Milwaukee Brewers 40/1
Oakland Athletics 40/1
Texas Rangers 40/1
Cincinnati Reds 50/1
Tampa Bay Rays 66/1
Arizona Diamondbacks 100/1
Colorado Rockies 100/1
Houston Astros 150/1
Minnesota Twins 150/1
Philadelphia Phillies 150/1

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I watch all or part of about 100 Braves games a year. I miss the Cox/Chipper/Maddux years. Maybe when they get the new stadium built they will be able to pay top talent for the long run. I watch for the two announcers in the booth as much as the game. They are far and away the best in the business.

Baseball also signals the beginning of turkey season!


RS

I will not waste one minute of my time watching that trainwreck of an organization.

Played golf with LaRoche a few times when he was with the Braves. Nice guy, down to earth and no big league ego. Would rather hunt and fish than anything else. Lives in Kansas, has a good spread there with BIG whitetails.

Decent golfer, left, and he can knock the crap out of it, sometimes!

No kidding! Wish there was a way to to block the scores on the radio.

I'm ready!

Been a Giants fan since they moved west. They were the closest pro team to Reno.

They won't be the same without Panda, but he was getting where he would go down hill soon. And, with Hunter Pence's arm fracture it might be a slow start for the World's Champs.

They have some great new talent, and Bochy is a great manager, even drunk.

Rooster and Ghost, your trainwreck has won a WS since my team has. I understand your sentiments, but even a bad big league team is so good I could not help but watch at every opportunity. Bad baseball beats good anything else hands down.

Just gets old losing almost a 100 games a year and they won't spend the money on pitching or even on a good power hitter.

Greatly looking forward to baseball! My oldest will turn 8 this summer and is really digging the game and starting to actually follow it some. Big Cardinals fan, so it's not surprise is favorite player is Molina, which is a good thing IMO. That said, I'm a bit worried that the Cubs may start being a bit too competitive this year.