Missing Spring Training

This morning I was just about to write my Goodbye, Astros blog. I'd made my decision: Try to become a Nats fan, let the Astros go their merry way (to the AL!), time to part after 49 years. But first I took one last look at astros.com... and just like that I got sucked back in. Before I knew it I was checking the Spring Training schedule, looking at Osceola Park seat availability, checking out whether there were any cheap last-minute flights to Orlando, and thinking that maybe I'd try to get down to Kissimmee just for a couple of days. The pull of Spring Training is overwhelming.

The long and short of it: Plenty of seats in the ballpark, but no cheap flights, and no, I can't really take off work this week. Reality check. But sitting in my kitchen in Maryland, I can close my eyes and picture that first glimpse of the field when you walk up the ramp, and it's so hard not to just pick up and go. There's nothing I need more right now than a few days in the sun, watching practice and games that don't matter, and talking baseball with friends that I only see in Kissimmee.

The chances that I can get down there even for a couple of days are next to nil. But I'm going to watch the ball game today -- the Astros are playing the Nats -- Strasburg's Spring debut -- and the game will be on local TV. I'll give you an update after the game.