The snow might not be thawing in Cleveland just yet, but spring training is finally upon us with the arrival of pitchers and catchers. Tribe fans were blessed with a short off-season, but due to how the 2016 season ended, we’re craving baseball more than ever. And so without further ado, the boys are back!
Before I get into the new season, let me refresh your memory on how things were left in 2016. The Cleveland Indians seemed to be depleted from the get go with a lack of Smooth in the outfield. Our mindset at that time was, “No Brantley? No chance” and from there the entire team stepped up. They proved that baseball, though from the naked-uneducated-eye might seem like an individuals sport, will only work if you compete as a team.
That team took every challenge, doubt and snide comment and turned it all upside down, resulting in a very in-your-face trip through the post season. It came down to the literal final out of the year, leaving Tribe fans new and old speechless and amazed. And now here we are, starving for the next page of such a mind-numbing cliffhanger.
During the shorter than usual off-season, the wheels continued to turn. The Indians signed big with Edwin Encarnacion, and sniffed at others like Jose Bautista. They let guys like Rajai Davis, who will be a legend in Cleveland for the rest of forever, and Mike Napoli walk their parties to other teams. The front office has been quiet and loud all at once, trying their best to ensure a repeat of 2016 with a better ending.
And now we are here, finally! Not quite full circle exactly, but with pitchers and catchers making their way to Goodyear, it’s one exciting step closer to Opening day and even more so, another October! Take your level of fired up and times it by a thousand, and that probably doesn’t even scratch the surface at the level of pumped the Indians players are. Pitchers and catchers day is the first step onto the new field of the season, just crossing those white foul lines, holding a whoosh of adrenaline and excitement no other day of the year can claim.
Up to this point, the smell of fresh cut grass has only been a memory. The whistle of a ball ending in a perfectly timed slap into a glove echoes in our brains. The sounds of fans cheering JOSE! JOSE JOSE JOSE! JOSE! JOSE! And swearing up and down that MillerTime originated at The Corner are things we’ve been clutching to. Get ready ladies and gents and players alike, because the memories that have gotten us to this day will be part of our daily lives again very soon. Spring training is finally here, baseball and back and it couldn’t have arrived any sooner!
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