Let Me See What Spring Is Like On Jupiter Or Mars

My office is a dead zone today. No one's here. Fridays are typically slow, but I guess people like abusing the snow while they can.

• Former DC Council member John Ray, not to be confused with the biologist, has signed on to be MLB's designated lobbyist/arm twister. It's not unusual to need this kind of 'facilitator'.
  
  Although there's not much they could do to derail the stadium, they could complicate things, delay things and make it all-the-more expensive, which would only harm the schools and hospitals they claim to love so much.
  
  
• Ibid, Cost Overruns Watch Part II:
  

  During the contentious stadium debate in the fall, Major League Baseball pledged $100,000 to renovate the athletic fields of the Fort Greble community center in Ward 8. But documents from the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission state that the renovation will cost $275,000.

  
  Alright, so we're 175% over budget here. And we're 40% over budget on stadium reconstruction.
  
  What's $5.6 million between friends anyway?
  
  
• The Times examines the relationship between Brad Wilkerson and Brian Schneider. No, it's not like that! Get your mind out of the gutter! (Although, we know which one would be the catcher... *rimshot*)
  
  
• Tony Armas starts the opening spring training game. Hopefully, he won't break.
  
  Jose Rijo has already started working his Domican magic, signing four players.
  

  "We need to sign more Latin players," Bowden said. "We haven't signed enough in the last few years. Forty percent of the big leaguers are Latin American, and in the last two years we haven't been aggressive doing it. We're aggressive now."

  
  
  Antonio Osuna finally waddles into camp today, after dealing with his sick father.
  
  Inning-Endy Chavez finally got around to signing a contract. Hmm.... does that make him more tradable? (Sadly, no.)
  
  
• Brad Wilkerson is about to be a multi-media superstar. Hopefully, they'll film more than two of these this year, because if I have to see Al Leiter do calisthenics once more, I'm gonna... I dunno. But it won't be fun!
  
  
• The Falls Church News Press looks at Zach Day, who I think will prove to be our best non-¡Livan! pitcher