The weather is starting to warm up. Trees and flowers are starting to bloom and the long-dormant grass is starting to turn green. All of these signs of spring can mean only one thing: It’s time to play ball.

For the many fans of baseball and softball here in Suffolk, this is undoubtedly your favorite time of the year. Our local teams have been playing now for several weeks, and major league baseball is now under way. But if you truly love ball, and we mean really love it, the best games are not on your television but being played on fields across Suffolk.

The ball players who comprise the local teams in the baseball and softball leagues and at the high schools are on the field for the purest of reasons — to play for pure love of the game. The coaches do it because it keeps them connected to a game they love. Community members show up to man the grills and concession stands because they remember how much community ball meant to them as kids.

Almost every edition, we publish the results of games as well as the schedule of games for the upcoming days. Looking for something to do that’s sure to bring a smile to your face? Scan the schedule for games being played on a field near you. Show up 30 minutes early so you can grab a good seat and catch up with friends and neighbors. Get a hot dog (or two) from the concession stand, sit back and enjoy one of the greatest games on earth. Take it from us, you’ll be glad you did.