Goodbye, Florida! Sox almost home

When you think about it, it's really kind of funny.

A couple months ago we were dying to get baseball back in Florida. See our guys on the field. See baseball.

Now, about seven weeks later, we're sick of Florida. We want Boston now, baby. Get them out of that nice weather and stick 'em in Boston so we can start playing some real games and seeing some starters out there. Sorry, Chip Ambres. You were fun to watch, but I'm kind of sick of you at this point.

Today is that day, though, to say goodbye to Florida. The Sox play the Twins today and then are on the first plane out. The Sox will play the Mets at Citi Field the next two days before traveling back to Boston for Opening Day on Monday. OPENING DAY!

I'm excited. Here's today's lineup, which looks like it will be the lineup for Opening Day as well:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Mike Lowell, 3B
8. Jed Lowrie, SS
9. Jason Varitek, C
-- Brad Penny, SP

Minus Brad Penny, of course. Penny is slated to start April 12th.

In Extra Bases, Adam Kilgore has a few funny tidbits from earlier today in the Sox clubhouse:

While he was cramming some cleats into a bag this morning, Jed Lowrie turned to Dustin Pedroia and proudly showed a pair Eastons with his name and number stitched into the side. "Oh, [expletive]!" Pedroia said. "Jed Lowrie model specials!"

As he stuffed bats in a black bag, Pedroia waxed about his days at Arizona State using a metal bat. Fielders "feared for their lives," when Pedroia was at the plate with his DeMarini long handle, he said. "Third basemen were playing shallow left. Ask Jacoby. I almost ripped his [expletive] arm off."

A few lockers down, Ellsbury, Pedroia's rival at Oregon State, laughed and said the Beavers never lost to the Sun Devils when their time overlapped. He gave a what-are-you-going-to-do-with-this-guy shrug.

Consider this a game thread or a "hell yeah! Opening Day is almost here!" thread.