Hi, Laporte Report subscribers.

Here's a new blog entry from Leoville:

http://www.leoville.com/mt/archives/000317.shtml#000317

The sweetest words in the English language are "catchers and
pitchers report."

Even sweeter, I'm on my way to Scottsdale with my seven year-
old son for Spring Training. OK it's not really for Spring Training,
but I am doing a talk and book signing at the Scottsdale Arts
Festival on Sunday, so I decided to go down a day early to watch
a Giants game (I hope I can get tickets - they're sold out!).

I used to work at the Giants flagship radio station, KNBR in San
Francisco. In fact, I was the president of the station's Giants fan
club when the Giants won the pennant in the earthquake year,
1989. The station did shows from Scottsdale's Pink Pony
restaurant every Spring, but I was always stuck at home. In fact,
I've never been to Spring Training. I can't wait!

Henry's pretty darn excited, too. He's looking forward to the
game, but he's more interested in whether the hotel has a pool
and video games in the room. His idea of a perfect vacation is
room service and Super Mario Brothers.

He is more interested in baseball these days since we
discovered he can really wallop the ball. I've been pitching tennis
balls to him to prep for his coach pitch league which starts next
month and the kid is a natural. Figures. I guess athletic ability
skips generations. My dad was a pretty fair ball-player in college,
and I have no skills at all. But I do love the game and can't wait to
share a warm spring day in Arizona with my boy.