I'm giving everyone fair warning now: even with the 2008 season still 6+ weeks away, I'm going to go ahead and diagnose myself with a devastating case of Caseyitis. It's useless to fight it: Sean Casey is totally my new Baseball Boyfriend. With Craig Biggio retiring from the diamond, someone had to step in and fill that role... and Mr. Casey fits the bill perfectly. Try and tell me he doesn't already look at home in the Red Sox uni:

I've already gushed about him, twice -- and I can foresee a lot more of the same in the future. Sean's OBP and VORP will matter a whole hell of a lot less to me than his OBC (On-Base Chats with opposing players) and NORP (Niceness Over Replacement Player). I predict that I will be incapable of evaluating him with any kind of rationality or logic, will steadfastly ignore any and all faults he might possess, and will be the first in line with the official team store on Yawkey Way finally starts selling #22 player t-shirts. Yes, I already checked - no, they don't have them yet. See what I mean? I'm hopeless.

And it looks like I'm not the only one with a big ol' crush on Sean...

Big Papi literally went airborne with glee at seeing Sean in camp for the first time as a member of the Red Sox. Papi - I can totally relate. And I'm not naming any names, but I think there is someone else joining me in crushing on Mr. Casey. It's futile to resist!

Thank goodness for ABC-7's Noah Pransky, who stepped in this week down in Ft. Myers with a nice, quick little interview with Sean.

photos credit: Associated Press and Boston Globe