While I'm a fan of globalization, the Japan series just completed comes off as a nice idea on paper. As my oft-quoted pal John Goalder says, "Good anecdote, bad reality."

We're left in something of a no man's land between games that "count" but seem more like an exhibition and the 'real' Opening Day. I'm far from a traditionalist, but Opening Day is special. The NFL has tried to make their season kick-off special, but it's not. However, if baseball keeps taking away from the actual Opening Day with Opening Night Before Opening Day and Opening Series A Week Before Opening Day, baseball will soon be in the same boat.

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You have to page down to the March 30th entry (what? no permalinks, Brian?) but a recent email to Redbird Nation is not only interesting, but possibly one of the more effective uses of the blog phenomenon. If teams will use blogs as PR, scouts, and analysts or as an outlet for their own propaganda, I think it's very smart. I'm curious to see what comes of this, but kudos to Brian at RN and to Jeff Luhnow of the Cards, showing one of the more creative minds in baseball with several moves.

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If I get one more email about Mark Prior, I'm gonna ...

This is fast becoming one of those things like "why does the Newsletter come out so late?" and any question involving steroids, Pete Rose, or my hair that I just cringe at. Honestly, I'm torn. I think it's great that not only do people think of me as accessible, I am accessible.

TFD makes jokes about me being a "rock star" and even my grandmother is telling me not to get the big head (waaaay too late, grandma), but I like doing Feeds where I can talk to people and answering emails. I just don't want to burn out. Maybe I'll start putting those FAQs over here, somehow ... hmmmm.

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I hope to have one more announcement before Opening Day. Oh, and if anyone's coming to the Cincy Pizza Feed on the 8th, I will be at the Reds-Cubs game that afternoon. Email me and I'll let you know how to find me.