I am ready for baseball to really start. I always love Spring Training because of the promise of an actual spring, in Oregon, or a few short years ago, Boston. The rain is going to continue to fall, but baseball is being played.

I love looking at box scores, trying to put the game together without having watched it. Seeing who got hits off of what pitcher, how many ground outs vs. fly outs, etc. I am a nerd, and that's okay with me.

I am really interested in two teams, as previously mentioned: the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox. The Royals because I was born in Kansas and the Red Sox because, well, it started with a hatred for the Yankees, and developed more so as I lived out there for three years. The Red Sox will be good this year, without a doubt. They have the financial means to get guys they want, such as Carl Crawford, and the resources to trade four top prospects to get a guys like Adrian Gonzalez. They also have scrappy Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Oregon Native Jacoby Ellsbury. They will be fun to watch.

But My thoughts lately have been on the lowly Royals. I was 4 when they won their only World Series. I remember the days of Bo Jackson, Mark Gubicza, Tom Gordon, Steve "Bye-Bye" Balboni, Carlos Beltran, etc. They had some great players, but a cheap owner and hardly passable GM in Allard Baird. The past 15 years have been sorry, to say it gently. Of course there was 2003, but that was a mirage. The Royals did finish over .500, but everyone knew they wouldn't be able to make the play-offs, and they didn't. But, that was the year that got me following the Royals again.  The young guys like Beltran, Sweeney, Greinke, Dye, etc. Their was potential, but when your owner was the previous owner of Wal-Mart, what more can you expect. It was dreadful.

But, as hope springs eternal (i.e. when Spring training starts), I begin to see what may become of the Royals. I haven't been excited about a Dayton Moore free agent signing as much as I was of Jeff Francis. He is coming off injury, but this is the type of signing GMDM needs to make in order for a small market team to compete. There is a chance that Francis, if he can show he's healthy and regain his form, can be traded for a young prospect to go with the #1 Farm system in the game. This isn't just a shot in the dark, or a top-10 because one needs to be made. These players are legit prospects that have the talents to make a splash in KC that hasn't been seen since the days of Beltran and Sweeney. Balboni holds the team record for Home Run's in a season. Once Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, and Wil Myers get into town, that will not be a safe number, unlike that last few Royals teams.

Baseball begins March 31. Everyday we are getting closer, and it is very exciting. the 2011 version of the Kansas City Royals may not be entirely exciting, but this is the year we will start seeing prospects long promised graduate and make an influence on the team.

Here's to hope!