Yesterday I saw the first winter aconite, an early sign of spring in this part of the world. Only one--nestled against the stone wall along the driveway--was in bloom, but the bud behind it means that more are on the way. It was a cheery note on a cold, blustery morning.Of course, Bill Veeck famously said that the true harbinger of spring was "not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on the ball." Yesterday down in Clearwater it was just that, with the first batting practice of the year underway. Even the rehabbing Chase Utley stood in the batting box to track some balls. The news is that Utley is ahead of his rehab schedule and Pedro Feliz, recovering from back surgery and just starting to take fielding practice, is a bit behind. This early spring training has barely begun so let's hope that the two pace themselves accordingly. No rush, guys, no rush.
