Street and Smith

It’s February and, as a sufferer of BSAD (Baseball Seasonal Affective Disorder) wherein I get depressed after the World Series and don’t come out of it until right around now, I want to acknowledge the loss of  The Street and Smith Baseball Yearbook. For me, the first true sign of Spring.  

I understand why it’s gone. The internet, and particularly this site provides me with all the baseball I need year-round, but there was always something truly wonderful about the day when it finally appeared on the magazine rack. 

I always held off  buying the earlier arriving but crappier ones like Athlon and Dell. But even they gave me joy as their appearance meant it was just a matter of time until the Street and Smith showed up.

Stretched out on the couch, holding the promise of a new season in my hand, was always a turning point for me.

I always started with the Baseball Targets. That page that listed where the best current players stood in terms of the greats. 37 hits away from passing Willie Stargell. 12 Victories from Koufax.  

Next the team reviews. Particularly the Yankees (Duh!) Who they got. Who was up and coming, always wrong BTW, but that small paragraph was pretty much the only thing I read all year about the minors.  

And of course, their predictions on how the teams would finish. Also, always wrong.

When I ran out of articles I would stare at the baseball card ads or the one for Strat-o-Matic. 

Soon I wouldn’t have to wake up ½ hour earlier to warm up the car. Soon I could open a window. Soon there would be an article in the newspaper with my favorite phrase of all,  “Pitchers and Catchers arrive next week.”