As a sports fan, Valentine’s Day has multiple meanings to me. Most obvious is that it’s a day to celebrate my love for my friends, family and boyfriend. But, for me, that’s not the most important aspect of Valentine’s Day.

As a St. Louis Cardinals fan, Valentine’s Day has meant the beginning of spring training for the past several years. Feb. 14 has been the official reporting day of pitchers and catchers, with many players traveling to Jupiter, Fla., in the days prior to Valentine’s Day. This year, pitchers and catchers officially report Feb. 17, but that doesn’t affect Valentine’s Day’s spring training feeling.

Spring training is the biggest sign that all questions for the team are finally getting answered. Whether it’s a last-minute signing or the promotion of a rookie from one of the farm teams, all the holes will be filled. It also means that people and decisions are going to be put to the test.

Some players may return from injuries to have the best season of their lives, which may cause the teams that passed on them to kick themselves. At the same time, players who signed big contracts this offseason will come to spring training and show the team that they’re worth the money, or make the club regret their move.

And for some players, spring training is the time to get back into shape after a lazy offseason or after an offseason surgery. The buildup-style of spring training is perfect for easing a rested-injury back into the everyday swing of the baseball lifestyle.

Spring training is the time for fans to really get to know their teams. Fans who make the journey to their team’s spring training site get to watch the practices, see players in the team’s farm system and get the first glimpses of rookies. In some stadiums, fans even get to go out on the practice field in the mornings before the teams come to practice, giving them a unique, once-in-a-lifetime view of America’s pastime.

It also give fans a chance to meet the players face-to-face and get their autographs. Players know that their fans make the trips from all over the country to watch them during spring training, and they appreciate it. They will take the time before and after practices to sign as many autographs as they can.

There’s one more thing that spring training does for this baseball fan: It gives hope–hope that the snow will melt and that the air will once again warm up and make way for spring.

And with these hopes comes the longing for the smell of the freshly cut grass, the crack of a bat making contact with a ball, the roar of the crowd and the rest of the sounds and smells that come with baseball and a trip to the stadium.

While it isn’t as obvious, Valentine’s Day commences the start of spring training and, therefore, the beginning of baseball season. While it is a time to be spent with friends, family and everyone that people love having in their lives, it’s also a time to look forward to changing weather and a fresh start for everyone’s favorite baseball team.

They all start at the same place and have a chance of winning the World Series. Spring training is the time for fans to dream.