At long last, the day has arrived: the Reds’ pitchers and catchers have arrived at the spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona. Baseball is upon us!

Like you, I wish I were taking my own photos of a view of the pitchers and catchers dancing slightly obscured by Dusty Baker’s backside, but for now we’ll have to be appreciative of the second-hand accounts offered by the Internets. Like this tidbit from John Fay:

Good morning from Goodyear, where it’s a bone-chilling 51 degrees. Sorry, had to do it.

John, it was 57 today in Indianapolis. I drove home from work today with my coat discarded and forgotten in the other seat and the sunroof open. Apologize for a job that has you running around spring training camps instead of stressing out about software releases if you like–I know I certainly resent it–but the groundhog was right and there’s no need to apologize for your 51.

Now let’s get on with some baseball.

Ken Griffey Jr has always been my favorite baseball player, and I found how his career ended in 2010 to be quite sad. But today’s news about his old club hiring him strikes me as good news.

Ken Griffey Jr. is returning to the Seattle Mariners as a special consultant less than a year after abruptly retiring from baseball.

Good. Griffey was always good for the game, and I’d hate for him to no longer be associated with it. Hopefully, he can stay awake for this job, though.

It sounds like the unthinkable is actually going to happen. Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals are breaking up. Prince Albert has reportedly turned down the Cardinals’ contract extension offer.

Wow.

I always thought the two would work things out and make sure that Pujols would be a life-long Cardinal. It’s not looking so likely now.

[Pujols] will announce Tuesday he’s ceasing contract talks for the duration of the season, a person close to Pujols told USA Today.

Pujols has also indicated he will not discuss the contract status when he reports to Spring Training on Wednesday to avoid distractions from baseball. Clearly, Albert understands exactly how the media works.

Manager Tony LaRussa is not so naive to think it won’t be an issue, though.

Manager Tony La Russa told reporters Sunday he will also encourage his players to avoid the issue.

“This is a spectacular distraction potentially,” La Russa said. “We won’t allow it to be.”

Yeah, good luck with that. The Cardinals underperformed last season without the Albert Pujols Distraction. 2011 isn’t starting off particularly well for them.

I guess does this mean that the “best fans in baseball” aren’t good enough to keep the “greatest baseball player” around.

Well happy Valentine’s Day to you, too, Cincinnati Reds:

I have never won one of these lotteries, nor has anyone I’ve ever known, ergo I have no choice but to assume that they are an elaborate hoax:

1. To get me used to disappointment. It’s only been one good year, after all.
2. To try to get me to buy season tickets. Sure, I’ll make the 5-hour round trip for each home game!
3. To secure my email address for MLB–whose emails are always identified as a “scam” by my email client and I cannot disagree–so they can offer me “huge” savings, such as 5% off orders over $250.

Bah.

Pitches and catchers reported today.

The Chicago Cubs beat all the other National League Central teams to the start of Spring Training by having pitchers and catchers report today.

The Pittsburgh Pirates start tomorrow, but I somehow doubt that the extra day or two will help either team all that much. Although I do expect the Pirates to win more than 57 games this year.

But this is the week it all begins. And in just two weeks, the Cincinnati Reds will play their first exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians.