Baseball fans inspired by beginning of spring training

Phillies single game tickets went on sale today, and Spring Training begins in in Clearwater, Florida. For baseball fans – it’s a much needed mood booster in the midst of winter.

Phillies single game tickets went on sale today, and Spring Training begins in in Clearwater, Florida. For baseball fans – it’s a much needed mood booster in the midst of winter.
(Photo: Sign post in the Clearwater, FL ballpark [audio:100218msphillies.mp3]

It’s a harbinger of Spring weeks before the first daffodil could hope to break through the snow-covered ground. Phillies fan Mike Kennedy of Fishtown started his day by posting “Pitchers and Catchers” on his facebook profile. He says thinking of Spring Training makes his dreary neighborhood a little more bearable:

Kennedy: Most of the streets have not been touched by plows or salt, so it’s like a frozen tundra there, so just contemplating the games coming and the players going down to Clearwater makes me feel at least the end is near of this winter.

Psychologist Dan Gottlieb says the beginning of baseball is a ritual, like festivals around the winter solstice

Gottlieb: I think we need to mark change, it’s a way of getting us through the darkest time.

Mike Kennedy says he bought his season tickets at the end of last season, and is ready for the sold out home opener April 12 against the Nationals.