Pitchers and catchers, please report to Legends Field

Today my beloved Yankees are preparing to fire the opening salvo in their assault on the National Championship. Pitchers and catchers are due in Legends Field. I sit here in the utter gray-ness of a New Jersey winter, looking out my window at the bleak surroundings. But, I do not despair because even at this very moment, the boys of summer are in Florida making preparations to return the championship trophy back to where it belongs, back to the House That Ruth Built. The absolute Mecca of major league baseball, Yankees Stadium in The South Bronx.
I'm pretty excited about this. Easy to tell, huh?
The Yankees have been the one constant in my life. From the first game I attended back in the days of Mantle and Maris, through the dissapointments of the 60's and early 70's (Michael to Clark to Cater--double play!!) right through to the monster teams of the late 90's led by Jeter and company, I have always looked at spring not as a renewal of the earth, but as a renewal of baseball, as a renewal of life itself.
My best times were spent either watching the Yankees, or talking about the Yankees, or reading about the Yankees, or...this could go on for a while, so I'll just stop here. I belong to the Official Yankees Fan Club, I have stickers and flags on my vehicles, anywhere you turn, there is some Yankees related icon in my home. I'm wearing a Yankees shirt while I type this.
I have a statue of St. Thurman Munson that I look at every day. As soon as I can, I'm packing it and sending it to a friend who is going to give it a good home. I'm just afraid that if something happens to me, the statue will wind up at a yard sale and be sold for a quarter. Kind of sad to think that one of my favorite things will be just penny ante trash to others.
Maybe that's why I have been so melancholy lately. No sports to take my mind off my incredibly dull existence. The stupid Giants had a mediocre season that ended too soon. The Super Bowl is done and gone. Basketball and hockey? Bleeeeh.
But today, pitchers and catchers report.

Today is the beginning. Today is the rebirth.
Today is the first day of 2007.