Despite Oakland A’s third baseman Eric Chavez’s attempt to support his teammate, “come back” and “have a great year” do NOT belong in the same sentence when it comes to Bobby Crosby.

Other than hitting 22 homers in his Rookie of the Year season, Crosby has never put up numbers anything better than pedestrian. So how can he “come back” if he basically hasn’t done anything?

Assuming he stays on the active roster, he’ll continue to hear the awesome derisive cheer my friend Nick W. has honed at a couple of dozen games during the last season or two.

Of course, Chavvy has every reason to be optimistic about his teammate’s chances of having a good year, because he himself is due for a big year. Both of these guys have been injured multiple times.

But, hey — these guys are on my adoptive home team, the A’s. I want them to do well. I just don’t think the chances are that great.

Yes, I am writing about baseball. Spring training has started. My World Baseball Classic semi-final and final ticket strips (to be held in Los Angeles in March) were delivered to my apartment today. And 27 A’s games (to which I have a ticket) aren’t far behind.

As many times as I’ve considered stopping following pro sports, I haven’t and probably won’t anytime soon. Going to baseball games relaxes me, and sports serves as one of the great social lubricants of our time. So – take me out to the ballgame. Take me out with the crowd. And so on.

I also sent in some money and “joined” Uni Watch today. Yes, I’m a dork.

[This is another in my new and, I hope, long-lived series of “if it rates a comment on another site, then it surely rates a blog entry” posts.]