Spring Training and What's Next

It is spring, and I took the opportunity to go to three of the Cardinal spring training games in Jupiter, FL. I saw them play the Dodgers, Marlins and yesterday I saw them play them their last spring training game against the Mets. The Cardinals look pretty good this year, but perhaps not as good as last year. There seems to be some weakness at second base, and in the paper today I saw that Miles won that position. He does not look nearly as good as Grudzielanek looked last year (although his name is easier to spell). I don’t see any super hitters in the outfield. Edmonds seems to be dragging a little; I am not sure why. According to the newspaper, Cardinal pitching is said to be in good shape, and I suppose that, more than anything will be the key to a winning season.

Anyway, it is lots of fun to go to spring training games. The stadium is small. So all seats are pretty near the field. There are lots of Cardinal fans here at the games, so that makes for a friendly filed. Lou Brock and Bob Gibson are here as advisers. I didn’t see Gibson, but Brock is about on the field, and seems friendly --- signing autographs, and doing the honors with visiting kids on the field. Red Schoendiest was managing the first game I saw (I think La Russa was out of town), so he brought out the lineup for the umpires. He looks good, and it made me nostalgic for the old days in Saint Louis when he was manager.

Tomorrow, we start on our migration west. We will go to northern Florida, where I will visit my sister and Niece for a few days, and then it will be on to Alabama to get a little work on the rig.

We have changed some of our plans. We cancelled our trip down Grand Canyon. I was getting apprehensive, because of some health concerns. The problem is that once you start the trip down the Canyon, there is no turning back unless you have a helicopter come and get you. That is a very big deal, and a rather expensive emergency. Amore likely outcome is spending a series of miserable days on a raft, until the trip is over. I hate to give in to what I guess is aging, but probably it is a wise decision.