Wake up and smell the pine tar

It may be a grey day in Paris, and the calendar may not say March 21st, but spring is nonetheless officially upon us.

Although the flocks of spring creatures have yet to make their customary trips south, sightings have already been reported of the great-striped Junior and the very rare Spring Pedro.

The voice of reason inside my head tells me now and again that I should worry about getting this worked up over a bunch of millionaires turning up for work after 3 1/2 months' vacation, but mostly I don't hear it - it's drowned out by the shouts of "Play ball!"