'Pitchers and catchers report to camp'

I admit it. My interest in baseball has waned - I yearn for the days when a fat guy named Babe who drank too much was the sport's greatest legend and the game was played by regular guys, not pumped-up steroid poppers - but the start of spring training still gets my blood racing.

"Just 112 days after the Chicago White Sox completed their World Series sweep of the Houston Astros, spring training began Wednesday when pitchers and catchers reported to a half-dozen of the 30 major league training camps in Florida and Arizona.

"Workouts start Thursday, and the Minnesota Twins become the final team to report on Sunday. Position players are due in next week, and before you know it will come the April 3 opener, when Cleveland visits the White Sox."

Sure, it has more to do with the promise of spring than the promise of peanuts and Cracker Jacks, but it's good to hear that the ball diamonds are getting active again somewhere.