Spring ahead

One of my loyal readers unearthed a portion of the Orioles' 2010 spring training schedule on 4sarasota.com. Plenty of dates still need to be filled, but you can check out the rough draft. The Orioles apparently will open at home - and that's Sarasota, in case you've been away for a while - on March 4 against the Tampa Bay Rays. We'll also see the Pirates, Tigers and Phillies (oh my!), so it won't be the same batch of opponents that were forced down our collective throats all these years. In case you were worried about going through Marlins and Cardinals withdrawal, the Orioles will still play those teams. Just not every other day. I don't see any trips to Havana, but that could change if majority owner Peter Angelos gets his wish. I'm already looking for my passport, and a compartment in my suitcase where you can hide a box of cigars. This is more about politics than baseball. It's not like playing another exhibition in Cuba is suddenly going to flood the Orioles' roster with defectors. Aroldis Chapman won't be signing a contract next week simply because of an AP story that caught all of us by surprise yesterday. It's another attempt to improve relations between the U.S. and Cuba, to ease the travel and trade embargo. And it floors me because I never thought we'd be having this discussion again. How many of you attended the game at Camden Yards? Click HERE for a reminder that Gabe Molina used to pitch for the Orioles.