It must be old age. I'm turning into such a sucker for such Americana. First Ground Hog Day in Punxsatawney PA and now this. I admit it. I can't tell a one pitch from another at a live game. Baseball is the one where the specifics escape me the most. My mind tends to wander as I soak up the atmosphere. Then some lightning fast play happens and I only see the tail end of it.

Still, it was loads of fun. I pitched my tent about a mile from the Twins spring training facility and I love walking to the park on game day. The visitors don't always bring all of their good players but every day you can usually catch one of the game's best. Ken Griffey Jr, Hideki Matsui and Jonathan Papelbon have all put in appearances.

And for $1.15 I could catch a bus and go to the Red Sox spring training park in downtown Fort Myers. It's a bit more crowded and crazy there but I can see some of the established players as well as some of the prospects show us their stuff. In what other sports does half the league concentrate itself within about a 150 mile radius and put on a bunch of exhibition games for half price? ...And the bratwurst at the Twins park is pretty good also.