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Ha, me too. I've never paid hardly any attention to spring training, not really taking any interest until just before the season started. For one thing, normally every position was already filled before anyone even got to camp, which meant there wasn't any uncertainty about who would make the team let alone get a starting role. Second, most of the guys who were dissapointing the year before had little chance of improving. We could hope that Jose Lopez or Richie Sexson or Chone Figgins would do better, but that's all it was, hope. Now, I'm hanging on every word and have been since the first players showed up in Arizona.
This year there are tons of position battles. In the rotation, three spots are up for grabs with at least 8 people with a real chance of taking one. That alone makes things far more interesting than any other spring training. Add in third base, backup infielder, backup outfielder and the last couple spots of the bullpen, the result is that a third of the roster is undecided.
Then there are the guys who have a legitimate chance of improving on poor performances. Gutierrez for sure is going to be a lot better. If there's ever been anyone you should feel comfortable betting on based only on reports of him getting into better shape in the offseason, it's Guti. Robinson, Wells and Saunders also have reasons to be looking up. In addition there's Hong-Chih Kuo who is a total wild card and could be tremendous.
I don't have a clue how things will shake out, but I'm not really concerned about who exactly will make the opening day roster because I believe the org will go with the best players, and with all the quality options available that means the chosen guys should be awfully good. So while I'd prefer to see players like Paxton or Seager, if the coaches go with Millwood and Guillen it likely means those vets can still be productive. The only guy I really don't want to see is Shawn Camp, but since he'd just be the 5th or 6th reliever it's not a big deal.