Did you hear that? The Big Umpire in the Sky has sounded the call to, “Play ball!”
Yep, the 2009 baseball season, or NFL pre-season as Steve calls it, is officially under way. Actually, it started yesterday with the Atlanta Braves knocking off defending champs, the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-1 (behind a masterful job of pitching by former Dodger Derek Lowe). The bulk of the remaining “Opening Days” are today and tomorrow. The A’s open up with a four game set against the Angels, my beloved Dodgers get under way down in San Diego while the Giants get started tomorrow at home against the Brewers (the Milwaukee Brewers, as opposed to our own Brewers).
As a sports fan it’s hard not to love this time of year. Baseball boxscores start showing up online, the Final Four comes to a head, the Masters are in swing, the NBA playoff seeding is determined and the NFL Draft is dissected ad nauseum (nausum is what I’ll be if the Raiders don’t get a solid wideout, Crabtree! Crabtree! Crabtree!) — it’s a great time to have a satellite dish.
Another reason we’re all waiting breathlessly this spring, besides the allergy thing, is the winner of our A News Cafe.com Spring Training Baseball Quiz is announced! The lucky winner(s) were selected by a random drawing of everyone who responded to the quiz. Because of a technical glitch, we ended up with TWO winners! Drum roll please…. and the winners are….
“Dolores” and Barry Popik!
What do these two fortunates win? Well, this is where the small print gets you. All they’ve won is an original cartoon/caricature of their favorite all-time baseball player drawn by, ahem, me. (Sorry, no point trying to return it for cash value, because the cash value is a good deal less than what’s at the bottom of your car’s cup holder.)
The winners may claim their prize by leaving a comment here, or by e-mailing me at philf.anewscafe@gmail.com
Oh, and thanks for playing!
