Spring Training is upon us, with pitchers and catchers having officially reported to Goodyear as the first iteration of the 2021 Cincinnati Reds. Birds there are chirping, the sound of baseballs being cracked by bats echoes through the Arizona canyons, bloggers are repeatedly pondering whether to capitalize Spring Training or simply refer to it as spring training, and lean, mean, baseball machines are sveltely fitting into their uniforms better than they ever have before.
It’s an annual tradition, the latter. After the grind of a baseball season, it’s typical to see players spend a few weeks huddled over buckets of chicken wings, shampooing with sweet & sour sauce in bathtubs of butter as the first glimpse of relaxation in months allows them to finally let their bodies rest and heal.