Normally, or at least nominally, when the final whistle blows on the Super Bowl, we get to say “woo hoo, now it’s baseball season!” And, sure, I’m still gonna do that.
But the thing is, it’s really hard to feel like the page has really been turned to the actual play of baseball when there are 75+ useful free agents still unsigned just a week before Spring Training begins. Not only that, but until we know where truly impactful guys like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Craig Kimbrel, Dallas Keuchel, and Marwin Gonzalez are landing, how can we really feel like we’re ready to compare/contrast rosters and anticipate battles and all that fun stuff that you do when it’s “baseball season”?
So, yeah. Like last year, it’s a bit of a weird time. The Super Bowl is past, and baseball season is going to start soon. I am excited for the games to return, without question, but I don’t feel that same readiness that I usually do at this time. It still feels very much like “the offseason.”
Hopefully there will be a wave of major signings this week, and then when pitchers and catchers report next week, at least at that point things can feel semi normal.