Really makes you respect good hitters.

With how many pro baseball players - not just at the major leagues - are from outside of the US, how many of them will want to return to the US to play? I hope that MLB has some kind of agreement in place to make sure that ICE doesn't roll up to Spring Training facilities and start arresting players and staff.

Years ago, the Cubs used to play a mid season exhibition game against their Triple A club the Iowa Cubs. In 1986, we bought tickets late, and found ourselves down the right field line, just behind the plate in the visitors bullpen.

George Frazier was a Cub reliever then, and he was having a terrible year. Harry Carey called him the most inept pitcher he had ever seen. For some reason the Cubs elected to have him start the game, and we watched him warm up. I was ten feet behind Johnny Oates who was catching him. The most inept pitcher in baseball was throwing BBs and exploding sliders. I can’t imagine what a GOOD pitcher looked like.

Will be interested in Spring training after that, though.

Can't wait for 2026, especially considering the possible labor dispute looming in the near future.

As a HS freshman I was toying with the idea of playing until I got up close and personal to a fastball thrown by our Senior ace.

Nope.

Sorry to be a "Debbie Downer," but that's very much on the table right now. Hopefully the two sides can come to an agreement before it reaches that stage, but...