Idols of the Spring

<p> Baseball players and fans alike feel that spring is a magical time of year. For the players spring training is a rebirth with high expectations for the upcoming season. For fans it is a chance to see their favorite players return to the diamond as well as to hear about the up-and-coming players. This work is a compilation of interviews with 23 players an umpire and a trainer: Chipper Jones Walt Weiss Glenn Hubbard J.D. Drew Jim Kaat Craig Counsell Ryan Dempster Harold Baines Andre Dawson Mike Hargrove Will Clark Gary Sheffield Davey Johnson Shawn Green Mike Bordick Tim Bishop (trainer) Al Clark (umpire) Brady Anderson Dave Cash Al Jackson Robin Ventura Rondell White Monte Irvin Rick Ankiel and Red Schoendienst. Each interviewee shares his own personal spring training experiences and thoughts on why spring training is such a special time of year for the players and fans.</p>