See this face?

This is the face, I promise you, of a player we will absolutely adore all season long.

I've always liked Sean Casey and I was thrilled when the Sox signed him. Here's a guy who could have signed somewhere else and been a starter. Instead, he chooses to sign with the Sox as a bench player. There hasn't been a photo taken of him yet where he isn't smiling. He hasn't given an interview yet where he doesn't mention how willing he is to do "whatever Tito tells me".

He's a team player who all the players love. Voted nicest in MLB by his peers, we now have him and Papi in the same clubhouse. Watching players running sprints and taking batting practice on NESN isn't doing it for me. I really just can't wait to see Sean and the rest of the guys take the field.

Mark your calenders, those of you not making the trek to Ft Myers this week, for Friday, February 29th. That's the first Spring Training game NESN will be airing. If you're looking for a baseball fix, it'll definitely be worth your time!

(Photo by Matt Stone)

Goodbye boys!

Yesterday started out for me like many other days. I went out for my morning walk at 8 a.m. When I got home I didn't change out of my walking clothes, didn't shower, didn't fix my hair, didn't put on any make-up and didn't brush my teeth. Aren't you glad you weren't with me yesterday? I didn't realize until my sister (affectionately known as SoxCruiser around here) called me at 5 p.m. and asked how I was that I realized I was feeling a bit depressed.

You see, I'm a spring training season ticket holder and I attended my last game of the spring on Thursday. Most people look forward to the end of spring training and the beginning of a new season but it means I don't get to spend any more gorgeous days sitting in the stands at City of Palms Park watching my favorite team play baseball. I like to get there for the National Anthem and I don't leave until they are playing Dirty Water or the song with the words "so you had a bad day". I don't know who sings it or the name of the song but that's what they play at COPP when the Sox lose....or even if they end in a tie like they did on Thursday.

I love to watch all the new guys who have joined the Red Sox in the off season and all the minor leaguers who get the chance to play with the major leaguers. Every spring for the last 3 years I wait for the appearance of Iggy Suarez. I saw him get his first hit at COPP and he was so excited he stayed around to sign autographs after the game. This year he didn't come into a game until the last couple of games. He's listed on the roster for the Lancaster JetHawks (A) who used to be located in Wilmington, Delaware. Forget keeping track of the players, I can't even keep track of where the teams are playing from year to year.

Usually I can look forward to a trip up to Tropicana Field to watch the Sox in April or May but this year the Sox aren't heading back south until the end of July! By that time I will have made my pilgrimage up to Fenway in the middle of July. So, for now, I'll put away my Sox earrings, my "B" necklace, my "B" sneakers, and my two jerseys (Schilling and Matsuzaka) until July. On Monday, April 2 my depression will lift as another exciting season of baseball begins. I have a good feeling about this year but I say that every year. This year the Sox won more games in spring training since 2004. They Sox also won the Mayor's Cup this year. The Sox and Twins play each other 5 times during spring training and the team who wins the most games wins the Mayor's Cup. The last time the Sox won the Mayor's Cup.....2004. These are signs of good things to come this year.

Go Sox in 2007!