By By Chandler Myers
Spring is almost here, and what a wonderful season it is.
February is just past the halfway point and March is quickly approaching, and one thing is certain: baseball has officially started.
The Blue Devils of Atmore started their season on Monday night and walked away with two huge wins over LeFlore. The Lady Devils also won a game over LeFlore Monday evening by pounding the Lady Rattlers 25-0. Look for their stats in Sunday’s edition.
Spring training is underway for Major League Baseball and the news is picking up after A-Rod’s admitted use and Ken Griffey Jr. keeping it quiet about where he would like to play this season.
It’s down to the Mariners where he started his career and the Atlanta Braves where he can be closer to his family.
Personally, I think he should choose the Braves because I am a fan, and I would love to go a game in Atlanta and get to witness one of the greatest hitters and centerfielders ever to play the game.
The Braves have had a couple of down years, and lately have let go of some players that have turned some of the fan base away from them.
Letting John Smoltz go is probably one of the dumbest moves I have seen from this team in a long time.
It’s starting to look like we are going back to the 1970s and 1980s when the Braves were non-existent in the playoffs.
The news is going to continue to surround baseball all spring and summer, but the majority of it will be negative because of the government’s involvement in the steroid scandal.
The Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens sagas are sure to keep the sport at bay from any positivity they could find.
The best thing that baseball has going for it right now professionally is the up and coming teams like last year’s World Series winning Philadelphia Phillies and their opponents the Tampa Bay Rays.
Other than that, the only positive things I see in baseball are coming from high schools and little leagues.
It’s going to be nice to get out of the gyms and be out in the sunshine watching players throw fastballs, and seeing little kids hit the ball off of a tee and run towards the wrong base. I’m sure the latter will be corrected quickly by all of the great coaches on the field.
Here’s to hoping the spring is warm and sunny and full of wins for all the local high schools.
Also good luck to all of the Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken players as well as the Atmore and YMCA Tee-ball leagues.
Chandler Myers is sports editor of the Atmore Advance. He can be reached at 368-2123 or by e-mail at sports@atmoreadvance.com