Winter and Spring arrive on the same day

So I go into the local convenience store today, and the baseball annuals are in stock! Of course, I pick up the Athlon.

It coincides with what will supposedly be the biggest snowstorm we've had in awhile. Here is the view off the front porch at about 2:15 today.

Maybe it's an exaggeration to say that winter "arrived" today - it was a pretty cold January after all, and I got a nice big snowstorm when I was in Syracuse for Christmas. Still, it was a cool contrast. Baseball reading and hot chocolate will keep me warm as I enjoy the blizzard.

Initial Reaction: Felix Hernandez deal is sensible

I've been writing quite a bit about the Mariners this offseason. Well, in contrast to how little I've written about everything else, at least, I've written quite a bit about the Mariners. I suppose they're a more interesting team than I realized. They've been undergoing a rebuilding phase that hasn't gone anywhere in several years, and they don't seem to do anything, strategically, outside of the mainstream. Still, they've built an interesting minor league system, and didn't foolishly blow it up like the Royals did. And they have some cool players, none cooler than Felix Hernandez.