Here it is. The beginning of the good part of the year. Baseball begins tonight and I am already figuring out how and when to make the drive to Cooperstown - maybe even for the Hall of Fame game. Four and a half hours according to Google but I think it is more like three and a half if Syracuse is two from here.

Baseball's beginning also means eyeing those two Watertown Wizards double headers on the Canada Day long weekend. Maybe a game at Auburn or Syracuse or Ottawa as well. Staying away from major league tickets means you can take the family to half a dozen games instead of buying a good pair of tickets to one.

This year I play catch. I am taking my glove to Maine in two weeks and, just for the record, note that Binghampton's in town then. Maybe I'll buy a bat and get the kids some mitts as well and start working on their double play. Six ain't too young - not if you want to make sure they are more interested in the game rather than something grimly isolating like fly fishing or reading. And then there are those Sox games on the car radio fading in after sunset from 1080 Hartford. And on the computer during the day.

When does it get to be too much? How many times does it take for ice cream to become boring?

Update: A few lessons learned. First, price objects of kids' desire before exposing kids to those objects. What they do not know will not hurt you. Second, Walmart has a good range of well made little kid gloves which are are sized by the inch. The lad got a ten and herself an eleven and a half. Who knew? Canadian Tire, no so much but it may just be that the stock is not out yet because hockey season lasts until July, dontcha know. Third, test the glove by having kid hold ball in glove and turn glove over to see if kid can hold ball in glove while shaking. Passing that test move on to the grip test wherein the kid with glove on tries to keep it on as you try to tug it off. This test can be confused with the no-kid-you-are-not-getting-the-129-buck-glove situation so be clear on the verbal instructions at that moment. Finally, good to see a league baseball is still under five bucks, though you no longer get them in individual boxes.

Now, off to throw three throws, roll my ankle and lay on the ground as the kids say "Gedup! Gedup!" knowing ten years from now in the same situation they will not be as kind.