Spring Training 2012: Hope Springs Eternal (again)

Just hold on and find a way to get through the next month or so. Before you know it, all of us here at Baseball on Ice will be back talkin' baseball, each with our unique perspective. I know what you're thinkin': "I CAN'T WAIT!! Waiting is total madness!" Relax--I hear you loud and clear, so I might as well make it known that as I blog, the Blue Jays are presently in Dunedin, FL and they'll be playing their FIRST Spring Training game in THREE days!

Like all of you, I'm also counting down till April 9, when the 2012-13 season officially opens vs AL East rivals Boston. However, if you just can't wait and you NEED to get your fix even though it's only Grapefruit League, tune into the FAN radio network, as they'll have the call of the Blue Jays taking on the Pirates.

We'll chat again soon...most likely when the season begins.
Cheers, everyone! In the meantime, a few vids for your viewing pleasure:

Joey Bats Homers to MLB The Show Cover

Jose Bautista is one of the most feared hitters in the game and is starting to get recognition for it. This year he will grace the cover of the Canadian edition of Playstation's MLB 12: The Show baseball game.

Bautista has lead the Majors in home runs for the last two seasons with 54 and 43 respectively. He bumped up his batting average by 42 points in 2011 from .260 to .302 and was intentionally walked 24 times (only twice in 2010). He also finished third in American League MVP voting and won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award. The Blue Jays' right fielder is only the second Toronto player of the four major sports (although the city does not have an NFL team) to find himself on the cover of a sports video game (Vince Carter was the first for the Toronto Raptors, NBA Live 2004 North American cover).

I am really excited to see Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays getting some attention from the rest of the league. To me, this is a step in the right direction and soon the United States will see just what this team is capable of doing. Next stop, Sunday Night Baseball!

Until next time,

Let's Go Blue Jays!

Twitter: @ChaseHadden