Here's to Today

"I walked in today at 7 o'clock in the morning and saw the dew on the outfield grass and, you know, man, there's nothing like a baseball field when no one's on it. It's like such a peaceful sight. You can't forget these times."

Kevin Millar of the Boston Red Sox made that statement and I find it hard to argue. I love baseball and today I get to see my first games of the year. Now Kevin might not have made that statement had the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome been his home field instead of Fenway Park, but the Dome allows teams here in Minnesota to start playing games in early February.

Today, I go to see St. Cloud State, which features one of my former players. I always enjoy seeing guys whom I worked with move on to play at the next level and BK has done OK with the Huskies. He was second on the team in appearances last season, had an 0.96 earned run average and, this season, is expected to be the team's closer.

I'm making myself a promise to lay off the licorice this baseball. Normally, you can find me with Twizzlers and sunflower seeds at a ball game. After stepping on the scale last night, and being pleasantly surprised that I was down to 267, it would pain me to go back to my old bad habits. For those of you who think 267 is pretty heavy; you're right, it is. However, it's also about 110 pounds less than what I weighed two years ago and about 70 pounds less than what I weighed just one year ago.

Baseball was good to me in that respect last year in that I had an outlet for exercising and motivation to keep after what I was doing. When I started running foul poles before and after games last season, some of our pitchers started running with me and the players all encouraged me. It's no wonder why last year's baseball team was one of my favorites, in any sport, to work with.

So, as it approaches 6 a.m., I find myself wide awake and ready to go. I'll also go see some hockey later in the day and get to see my sister, brother-in-law and niece tonight so it will be a good day. With the other stresses going on in life right now, this day is one that is needed and will be appreciated.