Spring is Here

Now is an appropriate time for me to suspend news updates indefinitely. I’ll be traveling all next week, and real life is cutting into my excess Cubs energy despite the mounting excitement about the upcoming season.

Next Monday’s spring training game against the Rangers is going to be available to watch here in Ireland on NASN, the special pay channel that shows American sports. I have access to NASN for the first time this year (got satellite finally) and would have ordered it in time for the game if I weren’t going to be in Germany next week.

I like all the noises coming out of Mesa, but I’m wary because of the way the Cubs dealt with springtime injuries last year. Most interesting to me will be finding out what the pitching staff will look like next month, with all those prospects and non-roster guys competing for just a few open slots, and the fifth starter position still wide open.

I see the radio broadcast of today’s Spring opener against Oakland will be available through MLB.com – I’ll have to think about subscribing again. It would be nice just to hear Pat and Ron – it would certainly help get this lingering winter feeling more like spring.