Today, The Mets Will Play A Game

In roughly 30 minutes, about 1,000 miles from where I sit (at work, while the snow melts outside), the Mets will play a baseball game. Sure, it's just an intrasquad game, but it's a game nonetheless. It's been nearly five months since the New York Mets played a baseball game. Today, the winter ends. Today, the offseason that felt as long as a Steve Trachsel start finally comes to a close. Play Ball.

The first day of March always seems like the day we can begin to put the winter behind us. While there still may be some awful weather down the line, the countdown to Opening Day and the Spring has begun. When Jenrry Mejia (pictured above) and the rest of the Mets start their game today, millions of Mets fans will be smiling. Kids who are in school, people who are at work, those who are home - all of them will be happier today because of an intrasquad baseball game. The die-hards who have access to a computer (wherever they are) will be following this game on the internet, hanging on every pitch of a game that means nothing in the standings, but everything for what it represents.

The fact that today is Monday seems irrelevant. In addition to the wonderful game that's about to be played, Mets tickets went on sale today for Partial Plan holders (which I am). While I anxiously sat at work preparing to purchase my Opening Day tickets, I felt the nervousness I feel before and during a big game...the nervousness that sometimes lasts an entire day. After I secured Opening Day tickets for me and my friends, the feeling started to change - going from tension to anticipation.

In 35 days, things get going for real. Johan will be taking the mound for Citi Field's 1st Season Opener against the Marlins. I've already taken the day off, as have thousands of others. That day will be magnificent. Until that day, games that count for the Mets in the standings will wait. Baseball is back, though, and it doesn't seem to matter that today is Monday.