Any other baseball fans out there? Every year in January I start counting the days until pitchers and catchers report.

I always try to shave my beard when spring training starts. I grow it out during the World Series.

I'm afraid to shave mine. If it is anything like the hair on top my head it might not grow back

I'm hoping my Yankees go all the way this year!

They are sure trying to get back to the series. Look at the cash they have spent this off season.

I'm a baseball burnout these days.

I loved baseball growing up. I played baseball through high school. I umpired games for 3 years to make extra money. I loved playing baseball and, no matter what the match up, I watched each World Series passionately.

But these days, I have a hard time watching games. I think it's the imbalance in the money each team has to spend. You know the Yankees and Red Sox will gobble up every big name free agent. Teams like the Pirates and Royals exist only as glorified farm teams, seasoning players until free agency or a trade comes along. They have zero chance at competing.

There's always one team (like the Rays) that comes out of the pack every year to challenge the big boys, which is kind of cool, but they end up falling apart in a year or two when the odds catch up to them.

In the end, I come away thinking that what the perennial contenders do isn't that impressive, because they can buy and sell the rosters of any 5 to 10 small market teams. Heck, I think any of us could put together a playoff contending baseball team with a $200+ million budget.

It reminds me of the Premiership in English football, where there are 4 giants and a league full of other teams just there to be squashed.

Compare that to the New England Patriots. Even though I hate the very sight of the Patriots, I respect their ability to consistently put a contender on the field in a league where the revenue resources are equal and the system is set up to make it hard for teams to build dynasties.

But enough of my bitter rant about MLB. I'm sure my attitude would change if the Rangers had a season where they played a meaningful game in September.

The shame is, the Rangers don't have the excuse the Royals and Pirates have.

Well, I don't know what most of what Big America means in his post, but I love baseball, especially the Texas Rangers.

I guess I'm what you might call a "baseball fan".

I enjoy going to the games, but get burned out watching it on TV. I get too into it and get mad when the Rangers lose.

A couple Texas Rangers fans here I see. Anybody remember Pete Incaviglia? He was one of my favorite players the short time he was around. If I remember correctly he played for Oklahoma State and hit 100 home runs in his college career and then went straight to the majors upon being drafted. I think the Expos drafted him and traded him to the Rangers, but I'm not sure.

I remember him and also Steve Buschell (sp?)