Major League Baseball has kicked off Spring Training, as the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics opened camps for pitchers and catchers. They are starting about one week before the rest of the 30 MLB organizations due to the MLB Japan Opening Series. They will play two games at the Tokyo Dome on March 28 and 29. MLB Opening Night with the Miami Marlins officially open their new stadium against defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals will follow on April 4.
While the Athletics made a splash on Monday signing Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract, European Baseball will focus on the Mariners. Italian third baseman Alex Liddi joins the other position players to report on February 17. Also Gregory Halman, who died last November, will remain in our minds. Close friend Mike Carp distributed orange tribute shirts to his teammates with Halman’s #56 and a Jackie Robinson quote on its back:
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”