The St. Louis Cardinals open their Grapefruit League schedule with a game against their fellow Roger Dean Stadium tenants, the Miami Marlins, today. This falls into one of the now many “official starts to the season,” along with the Winter Warm-up, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training day, position players report to Spring Training day, Opening Night, Opening Day, and the Cardinals’ home opener.
I definitely don’t blame fans for getting excited for wanting to declare baseball season officially here as early as possible: 1. Baseball is the greatest sport ever invented. and 2. It conjures thoughts of warm weather, long days and cold beer (two of which I could definitely use as I sit with a healthy helping of ice outside my window and the mercury in the thermometer not even touching 20 degrees as I type this).
Unfortunately today’s “start” only marks the beginning of the season of glorified scrimmages. Any baseball game that is acceptably ended in a tie is closer to tee-ball than Major League Baseball.
Fox Sports Midwest will air 15 of these scrimmages in the next 30 days, but today’s is not one of them. Fortunately, baseball junkies who are itching for their fix can still listen to the game on KMOX and the Cardinals Radio Network.
If you have MLB.TV, the first time you can watch the Cardinals will be Saturday, March 7 when they take on the Washington Nationals (or whatever reserves/ minor leaguers wear Cardinals and Nats jerseys). If you don’t, Fox Sports Midwest’s first broadcast will be March 12.
Manager Mike Matheny has already laid out his plans for the starters for the first three games. The three pitchers who are most likely to see time in the fifth-starter role will get their shot to make a first impression this spring. Carlos Martinez, in his new No. 18 uni, gets the nod against the Marlins. Marco Gonzales gets the ball in the second game. Jaime Garcia will make his comeback debut against the Nats in the third Grapefruit League game.
UPDATE: 9:30 a.m. CT
Lineups have been announced.
via Baseball Press
(Photo Credit: Springtrainingonline.com)
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