Early Spring Training stories

Nothing newsworthy really happens the first week of Spring Training, but that doesn't stop articles from being written. Despite the fact that all that is going on is unpacking, players taking physicals, and a bunch of meetings reporters have to justify being sent to Florida or Arizona while their neighbors are shivering. Here is what passes as news:

Barry Bonds won't play next season or then again he might. Hey, this season hasn't started yet!

You also get the annual story attempting to paint Milton Bradley as a decent guy. It isn't his fault that everyone who has tried to straighten him is a racist. The over/under on the date that he realizes the A's are racist is May 15th.

In Boston the big question is where is Manny Ramirez and when will he report to training camp.

It was David Ortiz who said that Ramirez had told him during their one-minute phone conversation (anything longer costs too much for Ramirez's tastes, according to Ortiz) that he was headed to Italy this week, despite the fact that he's due to report to camp within days. Yesterday, Ortiz joked that it was maybe Brazil. I think the crack Red Sox marketing gurus might have their first popular item of 2006 on their plates -- the "Where in the world is Manny Ramirez?" board game.

"He won't surprise me anymore," Ortiz said. ''I'm telling you right now."

Ortiz was asked by reporters whether he expected Ramirez to be in the lineup on Opening Day. ''He might," Ortiz said. ''I don't know. That's a good question."

Gotta love Ortiz playing into the intrigue as well. Instead of your standard, "Manny will be here, not to worry," Ortiz happily gives us, "What, you think I can figure this dude out?"

The will be an article each team to announce their opening day pitcher even though in most cases it's pretty obvious. Here's an article ending the "suspense" over Cleveland's opening day starter.

Sadly, there was some real news yesterday as longtime broadcaster Curt Gowdy passed away after a battle with cancer. Something I didn't know until today is that when Gowdy announced Ted Williams hitting a home run in his last at bat no one else knew it was Williams' last at bat. In fact, the other reporters in the booth looked at him like he was nuts since the Red Sox had a couple more games to play. Williams had confided in Gowdy prior to the game that it would be his last. Chris Lynch at A Large Regular has another Gowdy story.