It is cold in St. Louis - A Hunt and Peck

My boots crush against the new-fallen snow
Cold airs stings my face as bitter winds blow
Winter is here, this we all know
For that is the way the seasons go

This weather is #fine, until it is not
Then we yearn for the days when it was hot
The green grass, curveballs, a solo shot
And pitching changes with danger fraught

But with season’s change, baseball it will bring
It’s a call we answer on the first ring
But until the return of the sport I call king
I’ll just stare out the window and wait for spring.

what else is going on in baseball...

• These are the 17 most compelling MLB figures for 2017. | Sports on Earth
• Your cheering guide for the 2017 NFL playoffs. | Sports on Earth
• Gary Sanchez and Trevor Story have much to prove. | Sports on Earth
• The top 5 most impactful free agents remaining. | Sports on Earth
• 8 unlikely MLB players who pulled off some of baseball's rarest feats | MLB.com
• Marlon Anderson, the Dodgers and back-to-back-to-back-to-back ninth-inning homers | MLB.com
• Chris Sale tops list of Hot Stove upgrades | MLB.com
• Cleveland’s Inspired Front-Office Hire | FanGraphs Baseball
• Here’s an Obscure Dominican Lefty Throwing 93 a Minute Ago | FanGraphs Baseball
• Looking for Active Hall-of-Fame Position Players | FanGraphs Baseball
• The Blue Jays aren’t ‘anxious’ to bring Jose Bautista back | SBNation.com
• Chip on Jose Bautista's shoulder may prove too heavy a burden | SweetSpot | ESPN

what the cardinals are up to...

• BenFred's 5: Fretting over Cardinals in WBC misses big picture | Ben Frederickson | stltoday.com
• Carpenter, Reyes commit to play in World Baseball Classic | Derrick Goold: Bird Land | stltoday.com

KNOW THINE ENEMY...

the nl central

• Brandon Phillips blocked Reds-Braves trade | MLB.com
• Brandon Phillips blocked an attempt to trade him to the Braves, per report | Talking Chop
• Rockies, Reds engage in Twitter snowball fight | Purple Row

viva el stuff...

• FANPOSTS!
  Who's On Third? | Viva El Birdos
  Reviewing 2016's "Extreme Risk" Prospects, Part 1 | Viva El Birdos
  Emotions, Money and the St. Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos

other things...

• Isaac Bruce Says Greatest Show on Turf Should've Won 'Three or Four' Titles | 101Sports.com
• The Blues Will Be Wearing Their Winter Classic Jersey Again | St. Louis Game Time

schadenfreude...

• In 2016, the Rams' TV Ratings Were Higher in St. Louis Than Los Angeles. LOL! | 101Sports.com