SOMETHING ABOUT SPRING TRAINING

SINCE 1997, I'VE BEEN GOING TO BRAVES SPRING TRAINING AT DISNEY'S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS. BEFORE THAT, IN 95/96 I WORKED IN WEST PALM BEACH, AND COVERED THE BRAVES IN PALM BEACH COUNTY.

IT'S MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR.

NOTHING EVEN COMES CLOSE.

SO, I'M MAKING SOME OBSERVATIONS, AND , IN FULL DISCLOSURE, AM A HUGE BRAVES FAN. I SCREAMED DURING THE INFIELD FLY RULE DEBACLE, AM VERY BIASED , AND AM A BIG FAT HOMER. ( WEARING MY BRAVES CAP AS I WRITE THIS)

RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM MY FIRST WEEK: I MISSED CHIPPER JONES, FIRST YEAR OF NOT DOING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MVP. THERE IS A HUGE SEMINOLE PRESENCE IN THE CLUBHOUSE.... BOTH UPTONS, PASTORNICKY, GILMARTIN, AND CHRIS JOHNSON. (BORN TO CHOP). JASON HEYWARD IS THE HAPPIEST I'VE EVER SEEN HIM, HECK HE WISHED ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY! CHRIS JOHNSON WILL BE AFAN FAVORITE. HE'S GREAT WITH HIS TEAM MATES AND MEDIA. DAN UGGLA LOST 25 POUNDS, LOOKS GREAT. JR GRAHM IS A BADD ASS. AND KRIS MEDLEN IS WITHOUT A DOUBT, A FANTASTIC GUY. I'M GLAD HE'S REPRODUCED.

WE HEAD BACK TO SPRING TRAINING MID MARCH, COUNTING THE DAYS ALREADY, MOSTLY BECAUSE IT WAS SNOWING HERE TODAY, AND WHEN I LEFT ORLANDO ON FRIDAY, IT WAS 77 AND SUNNY.