'It's like the first day of school. You get that energy. I couldn't even sleep last night thinking about it. That's never going to leave me.' -The new dude in centerfield, Juan Pierre, on the Cubs first full team work out of spring training.

'Hell Yeah!!!' -Me -- after reading that beautiful quote in the paper this morning.

The Cubs had their first full team work out yesterday (Feb 21st.) of the 2006 season, and it's back to business as usual in Mesa, Az. Prior and Wood are battling to get healthy, Dusty Baker is eating toothpicks, and Cubs new and old are bonding over the possibility of bringing a world championship to the North Side of Chicago.

The Cubs are still taking their time and easing along injured stars (such as Wood, Prior and Ramirez), and the goal for Dusty, as always, is to get the team healthy and ready for opening day and the long haul that follows. With the first spring training game just 7 days away, box scores in the morning newspaper will be available soon enough. For now, it's a week of getting to know the new guys, batting practice and drills upon drills; and continuously building excitement and anticipation as the momentum builds toward opening day.

Another quote from Juan Pierre should help get your blood running -- 'I'm always excited about it, and being on a new team, with new goals; the ultimate goal is to win the World Series, and everyone around here knows that. It's no secret. To me, it never gets old, the first day of spring training.'

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Getting excited yet? If not, this should do the job; Cubs general tickets go on sale this Friday. A bracelet system will again be used to determine purchasing position -- Click here for details.

See you out at the old ball park, folks!

mike_m@chitowndailynews.org