Monday BP: What’s your favorite part of Spring Training?

Hello and happy Monday. And happy March! This cursed month has returned, after never leaving us last year.

Yesterday the San Francisco Giants opened up the preseason with a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in the Cactus League. They did not play well. They had just two hits, and as many errors.

I didn’t care. Baseball was back.

Spring Training results don’t matter, but it’s still one of the most exciting times of the year for a baseball fan. So I’m wondering: what’s your favorite part of Spring Training?

Here are a few acceptable answers, in case you can’t come up with any:

• The sound of the bats, balls, and mitts, which somehow sounds way more like Little League baseball than a regular season game does
• The return of Giants baseball, plain and simple
• Finding reasons to be optimistic about players and the season
• Watching some of the team’s top prospects in action
• Hearing the broadcasters on the radio and/or the TV
• Getting to look at Brandon Crawford after a long time of not getting to look at Brandon Crawford

Old, random MCC article for you to read

Are the Giants making fewer offseason trades than they used to? (Jan. 31, 2017 — Grant Brisbee)

Giants links

• Susan Slusser on how things look more normal this year, with fans and Buster Posey (SF Chronicle)
• Maria Guardado on how Buster Posey is happy to be back (MLB)
• Kerry Crowley on Scott Kazmir and Caleb Baragar trying to state their cases (Mercury News)
• Alex Pavlovic on how this pandemic Spring Training is missing Giants legends (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Maria Guardado on how LHP Sam Long is standing out at camp (MLB)
• Steve Berman on why Sergio Romo and Yusmeiro Petit are fitting in so well with the A’s (The Athletic, subscription required)
• Dalton Johnson on how Larry Baer and the Giants want expanded playoffs (NBC Sports Bay Area)

How many days until Opening Day?

There are 31 days until Opening Day.

Have a tremendous Monday.