Steve Lundeberg

I was telling a friend the other day how much I love this time of year, especially sunny, mild days like Sunday when the first hints of spring are really in the air.

First off, pitchers and catchers report to spring training in a mere 22 days, signaling the return of the National Pastime (I realize the Super Bowl is just six days away, and I’ll certainly watch the game as I always do, but in the vast pantheon of sport, baseball has always shone brightest for me).

Second, Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition will arrive in about 10 days, and nothing removes the last chill of winter as much as Brooklyn Decker, Bar Refaeli, Marissa Miller, et al.

Third, just about any time now the “volunteer” daffodils will start springing up in the farm fields that surround my place, a sure sign that life is once again being renewed as it should.

And finally, we’re in the homestretch in the countdown to my two favorite days of the entire sports calendar: the opening rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as, of course, March Madness.

But like I said, with all due respect to the tourney, the Super Bowl, the Masters, etc., baseball has always been my primary sports interest and pursuit. Over the course of my life I’ve spent countless hours at baseball fields as a spectator, player, coach and umpire, and when I die — after the med students are done practicing on me, and the organ donor people have taken what they wanted — it would be fine with me if my next of kin had what was left of me cremated and scattered at one ballyard or another.

What I love about the game is too lengthy to fully explain here, but one of those things is that, through analogy and metaphor, it’s taught me a number of valuable lessons for everyday living, including:

– Never save a pitcher for tomorrow; it might rain tomorrow.

– Never get beat with your second-best pitch.

– Sometimes, for the good of the team, an individual has to make a sacrifice.

– You can’t play the game if you’re afraid of the ball.

– A key to success is working the count to your advantage.

– If you make an error, learn from it, then forget it; if you don’t, you’re bound to misplay the next ball too.

– Raw ability isn’t enough. If you’re fundamentally unsound and don’t understand situations, your odds of success go way down.

– Pain is part of the deal; shake it off and keep playing.

– Failures to communicate can be especially costly.

– There’s value in running as hard as you can even if it appears likely you’re going to be thrown out.

– As long as you’ve got at-bats left, it’s never over.

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