Spring Cleaning

The weather is getting warmer which means only one thing. Spring training.

For next month, the states of Florida and Arizona will be buzzing as the anticipation for the return of the regular season looms closer.

It is a bit unlike regulation baseball because teams are trying to get good looks at prospective players and because they want to preserve veteran players from being injured before the start of the season. For these reasons, it is difficult to gauge how the results from the preseason will play out once the teams begin playing for keeps.

Nonetheless, it is promising to see the Atlanta Braves sitting alone atop the Grapefruit League standings. Their 15-4 record is the second best in the country behind the Cactus League-leading Anaheim Angels.

New pitchers Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami, and Javier Vasquez have all looked sharp. The offense has been surging despite injuries to Chipper Jones and Garrett Anderson and the absence of those still participating in the World Baseball Classic, like Brian McCann.

Once outfielder Jordan Schafer and right-handed pitcher Tommy Hanson get promoted from the minors later this year, things should solidify nicely. Hanson is the guy the Padres wanted for Jake Peavy, but the Braves weren't even willing to discus trading.

The Atlanta farm system was what got the Braves 14 consecutive division titles and that is where they will have to turn to again if they want to see that kind of success repeated. There are several other promising young players scattered throughout the rosters in Rome and Gwinnett.

Again, spring training records should be taken with a grain of salt, but a record that good can only be a good thing. After missing the post-season for a miserable three consecutive years, the Braves are improved and ready to play again in October.

March Madness Update:

Pitt gave everyone quite a scare by threatening to be the first #1 seed to ever lose in the first round. Missed upsets by Tennessee and Utah State by a combined total of three stinking points. That close. Apart from that, I'm 18 of 24 and counting. Luckily, none of the games I got wrong affect any second round match-ups. And don't let me to forget to reminded you that Western Kentucky was going to advance. Go Hilltoppers.