Take me out to the ballgame ....

I don't care that we were blanketed with 6 inches of fresh snow. It's baseball season! I don't care that my basketball team just had it's first game. It's baseball season! I don't care that the Red Sox haven't even played an inter-squad game. It's baseball season. Do you want to know why I am so overzealous? Do you want to know why I am acting like a hyperactive kid on a caffeine bender? 1 word. 2 syllables.
MANNY.

Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez showed up to camp on Friday. Now, I know what you're saying, "So what, everyone else was already there." And that is very, very true. But you see Manny had "special permission" to tend to the medical needs of his mother. His tentative arrival in Fort Myers was scheduled for Thursday March 1, at the earliest. But to the delight of the entire Red Sox Nation, Manny showed up 3 days earlier than expected. This simply means that either Manny is ready to start playing ball or he just got confused where he was and arrived at the facility on accident. (Let's go with the first idea!)

Manny enters season # 7 with the Boston Red Sox. Though this year, Manny is in an unfamiliar role. Comeback. Every "professional" baseball writer has Manny Ramirez losing his game, heck, he is even losing value in most fantasy baseball leagues! This season Manny will show everyone why he is the most feared right handed batter in baseball today still and a sure fired 1st ballott Hall of Famer!

In the final 6 weeks of the 2006 Season, Manny only played in 8 games. However, Manny wasn't the only Sox player to be banged up. Varitek was missed (See our pitching staff). Coco Crisp was playing injured. Papelbon, who was "lights out' during the first half, was out due to injury and Jon Lester was out with Cancer. But you see these things tend to go around full circle. Manny will be Manny. Varitek is healthy (Enter a cheer from the pitchers). Coco will be making us ask who Johnny Damon is by July. Papelbon is about to take his spot in the best rotation in Major League Baseball. And most importantly, Jon Lester is cancer free.

Now, I am well aware that it is early. For goodness sake's it's not even March yet and I am already "giddy" about this season. Though I am trying to curb my enthusiasm, especially after last year's collapse, I know now that baseball is a marathon and not a sprint. But we are out of the gate and in a hurry! Apparently we have the same trainer as Ben Johnson and Marion Jones!

But c'mon, give me a break. I have plenty of reasons to be excited:

Dice K - At first I was a little apprehensive about this whole thing. It cost 50 million dollars just to talk with the guy. However, I am slowly coming around on the notion of Dice K. The Red Sox will easily get the money back in jersey sales as he will become a global commodity.Though, I thought one thing was funny. After Dice K, Francona and Theo had the press conference holding up the #18 Sox jersey, the Red Sox website was quickly trying to make a quick buck. The site said, "Get your official Dice K jersey." They weren't official jerseys! They were recycled Johnny Damon jerseys !!! One more thing about my new favorite Japanese player, the gyroball. Is this thing legit or is it the result of a long night of sushi, karaoke and Japanese beer?

Curt Schilling - Is there anything that Curt is not an expert about? Well he can't predict the futre! The Red Sox opted not to re-sign Schill until after the season. I believe this is a smart move. Make Curt earn the 10-15 million he will be asking for. In the past 2 seasons he is 23-15 with an ERA of 4.86. Seriously, would you pay that much for this production? But Red Sox fans don't fret, Curt will be back. And he will be making his weekly rants on WEEI. Want to know why? He has made it painfully obvious that he has aspirations to run for some kind of office in Massachusetts. (Oh my gosh, I just had a vision .... Ted Kennedy and Curt Schilling together. I need a hug and a shower!) But Curt will go out and have a monster year, because there will be a check waiting for him!

Big Papi- Now I have not been to Fort Myers. But I have been reading reports and seeing video tape of David Ortiz and dude is ready to play. Big Papi must have joined that weight loss system that Dan Marino is selling. Papi reported to camp in the best shape of his playing career. OK, this is for you New York, Toronto, Baltimore and Tampa Bay. Manny is focused (by baseball not just shiny things) and Papi is in better shape. Your ERA'a are about to go up as high as Rosie O'Donnell's cholestorol!

JD Drew- The signing of "injury proned" Drew came under more fire than the Dice K negotiations. Yes, JD Drew has had his share of injuries. However, JD says those days are far behind him. Apparently JD has started a new dietary program. One that is solely based on eating foods found in the scriptures of the Bible. Let's hope for JD that this "divine diet" produces "heavenly health." Think about it ... Manny, Papi, and JD Drew pretty darn good!

CoCo Crisp- Seriously, I feel for this guy. He comes into Boston with the responsibility of making us forget all about Johnny Damon. Though injuries prevented us from finding our new Centerfielder. I believe CoCo has the most to prove in Boston in 2007. However, he has given us glimpses of what he can do. Last season, the Sox were playing the Mets at Fenway. Mets third baseman, David Wright sent a laser into the left/center gap. Coco sprints and makes possibly the second best catch of the season! He's going to be healthy this year folks. And he is going to do some remarkable things. Just you watch!

Jon Lester- This story is far more than just about a baseball player. Lester overcame Cancer and is now preparing to pitch this season.The organization backed him, his teammates backed him and the Red Sox Nation backed him. Jon Lester is Boston. Jon Lester exemplifies what Boston is. And if Jon Lester gets traded for Todd Helton or Chad Cordero after this ... I will feel stupid!

Let's go "idiots" ... "Cowboy Up" .... "We Believe," do whatever you have to do. We want another ring wicked bad!

PS. I'm missing the "Dirt Dog" already!