The number of the day is:

25, for those Facebook notes that list 25 different things. Since opening day will be upon us in just a matter of days, I figured this would be the perfect time to do a list myself. That list is the 25 reasons why I am happy baseball season is upon us. The list is in no particular order. Let's get started, shall we?

1. Baseball means spring is here and summer is right around the corner.
   
2. The smell of a new glove. It's one of my favorite smells in the World, slightly ahead of new car smell and slightly behind the smell of the beach.
3. Vin Scully; If the Dodgers some how end up being the best team in baseball, it won't change my level of enjoyment that much. Because Vin is back, and that's reason enough to celebrate. Seriously if you haven't listened to a game called by this National Treasure, you're missing out.
   
4. Weekday afternoon games. I especially love afternoon games because it's the perfect accompaniment to happy hour at Pancho Villa; a Tecate, a burrito, and baseball is always a lovely combo.
5. Fat guys. Some of the best players in the game (present and past) are fat, and its nice to see men who are fighting weight problems achieve at such high levels in professional athletics.(See: C.C. Sabathia, Prince and Cecil Fielder, David Wells, Tony Gwynn, Fernando Valenzuela, and of course Babe Ruth)
   
6. Camden Yards. I try to make a trip every year. The drive for me is about 2 hours and that's not including the hit or miss traffic situation of the beltway. It seems to rain almost every time I go, and the Orioles faithful are typically outnumbered by the visiting fans. Yet even with all of those factors, I have had a blast at every single game. I have great memories of CY@OP from high school and college, and I guarantee this summer and every summer after; that I will continue making great memories watching the O's at this great ballpark.
7. Peanuts. If we ever go to a game together and we get split up; just follow the trail of peanuts and you are bound to find me.
8. Heckling. I don't do this that often, but when I have it has made for some of my best baseball stories; ranging from Mike Piazza chucking a ball at a 12 year-old version of myself to Chone Figgins yelling at me and Dan Brody.
9. 30 degree games with Berndon. In 2007 (the last season for the Nats at RFK), we couldn't wait to get out to see baseball in person. We didn't pay attention to the weather reports and went to see the Nats play the Diamondbacks. I'm not sure what the temp actually was, but is was easily the coldest I had ever been at a sporting event. I have been to Redskins games in December, and that couldn't compare. Why? Well it was spring and the temp during the day was in the mid 60's, warm enough to break out shorts. We did just that and by the third the sun had gone down along with the temperature. It got so cold that we were trying to drink beer to keep warm. Under the assumption that if we were drunk, we wouldn't care if it was cold. It didn't work, but we made it through all nine innings along with maybe 120 other people. We still managed to have a great time and over the years it is has become one of the most memorable games I have ever been too.
10. Batter Introductions.
11. Baseball Tonight. Although the show hasn't been the same since Harold Reynolds left.
    
12. Speaking of Harold Reynolds, how about the MLB Network? I have enjoyed the channel immensely, but I am tired of watching 30 Teams in 30 Days and am interested to see how they cover the day-to-day of the season. I am also hoping that once the season starts Barry Larkin won't somehow connect everything to the Cincinnati Reds.
13. Sinker Pitchers. I think the disparity of when a sinker baller is on and off is one of the funnest things to watch. Its like going to a movie you haven't seen the trailer of, you have no idea whats going to happen. When they are they on they can make batters look helpless; and when they are off they might as well set up a tee at home plate. What's especially interesting to me is that the difference is only a centimeter or less for them to be on or off.
14. Keeping Score. What other game can you keep score of everything that happens, without expending a lot of energy?
    
15. Strategy. A lot of people say they don't like baseball because it doesn't move fast enough. Which is a pretty uneducated reason to not like a game, especially when the action in baseball comes from the inaction.
    
16. Beer and a dog. The best way to enjoy the game.
    
17. Fantasy baseball
    
18. Prospects. No matter how bad your team is, there is always hope somewhere in the minors. I find that comforting.
    
19. Dire Straits "Walk of Life": One of my favorite bands of all-time, just happen to be one of the only bands that does a GOOD song about the game. Baseball season gives me all the reason I need to blast the tune in my car.
    
    
20. Home Runs. Who doesn't like seeing a home run blast?
21. The beer guy, some of the hardest working men and women in baseball. I can't imagine how heavy those coolers must be after a 3 hour game.
22. No-Hitters. They don't happen very often but when they do, they are special. The shots of the teammates sitting as far away from the pitcher as possible. The pressure that lies in every grounder and fly ball. It is definitely one of the most intriguing things to watch, and I just hope that one time in my life I can witness one in person.
    
23. The fact that there are twenty-three different ways to reach first base. Base on balls, intentional base on balls, hit by pitch, dropped third strike, failure to deliver pitch within 20 seconds, Catcher interference, fielder interference, spectator interference, fan obstruction, fair ball hits umpire, fair ball hits runner, fielder obstucts runner, Pinch-runner, fielder's choice, force out at another base, proceding runner put-out allows batter to reach first, sac bunt fails to advance runner, sac fly dropped, runner called out on appeal, error, four illegal pitches, if a game is suspended with a runner on first and that player is traded prior to makeup, another player can take his place, and last but not least a single.
24. Nicknames. Baseball is home to the best nicknames in sports; Examples include Oil Can Boyd, Catfish Hunter, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Charlie Hustle, Mike "The Human Rain Delay" Hargrove, Shane "The Flyin' Hawaiian" Victorino, Ryan "The Riot" Theriot, Lance Berkman aka Fat Elvis aka Big Puma, and Joakim "The Mexicutioner" Soria.
    
25. The Dodgers. I became a fan of them in elementary school. I'm not sure what the reason was, as my dad is a Reds fan and my mother an Angels fan. Maybe it was all those rookie of the years in the early 90's or the fact that they wore blue or because they were always on in Hawaii. I may not know the thought process that made me like the team, but I don't care. There is nothing like rooting for the boys in blue and I am just glad I got the LCG hooked before she could choose another team.

So now that you know most of the reasons why I love baseball, why don't you let us know why you can't wait for opening day?