Cubs Spring Training Opens With A Yawn

MESA, Arizona (SNARKY) -- Rip Van Winkle and I never had so much in common as this past off season and I'm not talking about our impressive beards.

Cub fans' only prescription for the nagging pain of the White Sox championship was to go to sleep. We wanted to fall asleep so quickly that we could pretend it was all just a silly dream. Or nightmare as it was for Northsiders.

Today the faithful can finally awake as pitchers and catchers begin spring workouts. And as we rub the sleep from our collective eyes, it's time to ponder the new season before us and catch up on what we missed during our slumber.

Lead off hitter? Check. Bullpen help? Check. A new shortstop? Furcal and Tejada play elsewhere. Kerry Wood? We don't know yet and don't care. Dusty Baker? Checkmate, his departure is a foregone conclusion.

This year is already different in the lack of buzz around this team and the muted expectations. We should embrace that listlessness and apathy because that way we're turning convention on its ugly head. We have to aim low because recent teams have consistently proven to us that they cannot handle the limelight.

I love the Cubs and it kills me to feel this way already before the first pitch of the season has even hit the opponent between the shoulder blades. But I'm not stupid.

Perhaps, there will be a star rise from our midst like Derrek Lee did last year. The Tribune Co. seems to think that it'll be the renovated bleachers and I can get behind that. At least the bleachers can hit better than .215 with only 31 extra base hits in almost 500 plate appearances. And the bleachers cover the whole damn outfield, too.

So get a pot of coffee brewed, this snoozer of season is just around the corner.

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