The Three Best Words in the English Language, "Pitchers and Catchers"

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Finally, after what seems to have been an eternity, pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training. Even though this means pretty much nothing in terms of television watching, it is a welcoming sign that baseball is finally around the corner. In the hell that is February for sports fans, pitchers and catchers reporting is one of the few things we can look forward to besides a few good college basketball games and snow. Now I understand the Winter Olympics are going on, but I just can't get excited about specialized sports that are tape-delayed and mean nothing for three out of four years.

Each day as we creep closer to Opening Day, we hear about interesting story lines in various camps. Who will the Yankees choose as their fifth starter? Will Aroldis Chapman's talent translate to the Major Leagues? Will Seattle's moves dethrone the Angels as the AL West champions? Every story is as compelling as the next, and we all wait to see what will happen.

All the off-season shenanigans are finally over, for the most part. We still have to find out the destinations of a few prominent free agents (Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye come to mind), but nobody cares about the Mark McGwire saga or the McCourt divorce soap opera any longer. All that matters now are bats, balls, and gloves. We can sit back, relax, and enjoy seeing our favorite players back on the diamond.

Spring Training belongs to the fans, as it gives us the best access to players all year. It is really a testament to the game when slews of fans show up just to watch players practice. Maybe it is just for an autograph, or to get a preview of the season, but fans routinely show up every February to get a glimpse of their favorite team.

So hang in there baseball fans, we are less than two weeks from the first Spring Training game, and a little over a month from the best day of the year, Opening Day. So stay tuned into what will most certainly turn into a great 2010 season.