Catz Corner: STEP OFF THE LEDGE (for a month or so at least)

Hey guys! Long time no talk.

For those that are unaware I'm on sabbatical for the near future due to a big job change, that requires a relocation, and a whole lot of other things that have nothing to do with the Phillies.

But I gotta step in here for just a minute and be a little voice of reason.

RELAX.

Take a deep breath in through your nose... Hold it... Slowly breathe out your mouth...

REPEAT.

There we go. Nice and easy.. The season hasn't started yet.

Feel better?

No?

Then try this.

The Boston Red Sox were projected to win 77 games in 2013, had the worst pitching staff last spring, the 20th worst offense (the Phillies were better) and ended up 3 wins shy of 100 and are all wearing shiny gold rings in a few weeks.

The Los Angeles Angels meanwhile were everyone's clear favorite in the AL West, had the best pitching last spring, the second best offense, and won 78 games and missed the post season.

Spring training is useless.

The starters have now had about 5 games of 3-5 AB's in the past week. And the Pitchers are just getting stretched out.

And yeah, the off the field crap is a joke, and we have to replace our back up 1B/OF (who probably was ticketed to Lehigh based on roster issues and options anyway) and back up SS (who really should have been ticketed to Lehigh to play every day anyway) with a different back up OF and a different back up SS and Cole Hamels is a question mark.

Brandon Beachy, Kris Medlen and all the Braves fans want to say hello.

Nothing matters until it matters, and the only thing that really matters right now is that real baseball is a week away.

And if you want a silver lining, look at what the two old guys we shouldn't have signed are doing this spring. Byrd and Ruiz are a combined 21 for 69 with 4 walks to 11 Ks with four doubles and 3 home runs, and neither of them is in need of a walker, oxygen, depends undergarments or a pass to the senior center for bingo.

I'm not saying this team doesn't have problems, nor do I expect them to win 100 games, but how bout we hold off on the doom and gloom for a couple weeks until things actually count.

Sound good?

Good.

Catz Out.