Bartender Banter: Spring is Here

Never mind that it's still February. The Cubs played their first Spring Training game yesterday, therefore Spring has officially begun in my book.

We're still getting settled back in at the Saloon here and I thought I would update our readers with some odds and ends.

• As you can see the Saloon is back and with a new look. Actually it's the same look ripped from our other blog we shall no longer name. One of the new perks is the little ratings option for folks to rate our posts. This will serve as a way for us to see what you like and dislike and strive to provide better content for you in the future....... Nah, that's a bunch of bullshit. The ratings system is just to stroke our own egos and vote 1 on posts that are not our own to piss each other off.

• Baseball is back in swing and so comes the annual TMS baseball previews. This year we'll be doing things differently, posting a team each weekday for the next month. The first preview debuts Monday as Dave Thomas will cover the California Angels.

• Also coming in the next week or so will be the TMS fantasy baseball rankings. I had started them on the other blog and plan to provide a full post with each position ranked. Stay tuned for that in the very near future.

• As I mentioned the Cubs played their first ST game yesterday, which was highlighted by Micah Hoffpauir hitting a grand slam. It's good to know that if something were to happen to Derrek Lee that we got a better option than John Mabry to back him up this time.

• Thunder Matt Murton is in Colorado now and I know some of you are wondering if we'll still keep tabs on him. You're god damn right we will. The Thunder Matt Trophy Room has been cold and lonely lately. It's about time we see some more pitchers' mugs plastered in there.

• Did you hear? Old Style is being kraeusened again! I just got my first 12 pack of it yesterday. A TMS Beer Project is sure to follow. All I can say right now is that if the sound of angels singing had a flavor, it would be this.

• At no point can I see myself this season saying the words, "Oh good, Aaron Miles is up."

• Much like Chuck Norris and bacon, the undying love for mustaches has reached such a ridiculous level of hype that it has become overrated in a sense. Yet I have to say if anyone is going to rock a 'stache with authority it would be Fat Z. Unfortunately he shaved it off. Not that he isn't intimidating enough on the mound as it is, but the mustache would've been the icing on the cake.

• Sure their weren't any big "knock your dick in the dirt" offseason moves this winter, but I don't get why folks are so down about it. Yeah Milton Bradley was our biggest signing, but look at how much other stuff we unloaded. No more Jason Marquis, Ronny Cedeno, Bob Howry? That just saved me a little extra cash on Maalox this season.

• Best new album I've heard recently: Hold Time by M. Ward. Go check it out.

¡Viva Zambrano Bigotudo!