In the event you'll be able to escape your snowed-in existence this week, you may want to hit up your favorite bookstore.

Tis the season for newest baseball books to hit the shelves - the annual Baseball Prospectus and the new Willie Mays biography are two on my shopping list. But there's also at least one magazine cover that should make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, despite the three feet of white stuff outside.

Roy Halladay on the cover of the Sporting News for their Spring Training preview issue. According to a press release, the magazine should be available "later this week."

But here's a sneak peak at the conversation Halladay, who has already been working out tirelessly in Florida, had with the Sporting News recently:

On whether he believed he was headed to Philadelphia before last July’s trade deadline: “I did. It’s tough because you feel like you owe the team you’re playing for your time and effort and dedication — that’s where your focus should be — but I definitely was looking forward to that opportunity, and that was hard. Once it (didn’t happen), there was a little bit of disappointment. I love Toronto and loved my time there, but I saw the direction that the Phillies were going in and how they were playing at the time, knowing they were going to be in the playoffs. That’s the opportunity I wanted most. It wasn’t changing cities or teammates or anything like that.”

On whether he would have gladly pitched for the Yankees or Red Sox after 11-plus seasons playing for their division rival, Toronto: “Well, it would’ve been different. Any time you’re basically raised in an A.L. East organization that’s not Boston or New York, you grow up hating them. But that’s also a sign of respect because they’ve been good for so long; you don’t hate the players — you hate getting beat by them. Obviously, they’re great markets, and that was appealing for us. Again: Where do we have the best chance of winning? Once we were able to get down to a couple teams, it would’ve been easy to go play for any of them.”

On the label of being the best pitcher never to pitch in the playoffs: “It’s one of those things you want to get over. It’s kind of a hidden compliment, I guess. But I think the longer you play, the more important that part of the game is. When you’re younger, it doesn’t bother you as much because you’re in the big leagues and trying to have your own success. But that changes.”

On his desire to experience the postseason for the first time: “It’s the one driving force. I feel like I’ve been fortunate to accomplish different things that I didn’t necessarily set out to accomplish but was able to do it anyway. And I think through all of that I realized how important winning is to me. It’s not a lot of fun playing in September knowing you’re leaving to go home October 1. That is definitely very hard.”

On his penchant for finishing games he starts (Halladay led all pitchers in the 2000s with 47 complete games): “Finishing games is not necessarily the end goal for me. It’s more based on competing as long as I possibly can, and some days seven innings is pretty good. The complete games just kind of come. That’s obviously a very satisfying feeling to walk off the mound at the end of the game, but just being able to compete as long as I possibly can is what’s most important. I’m not wanting to come out of the game, not looking forward to saying, ‘I made it through my seven.’ I never look for that finish line.”

On his best way to describe Philadelphia fans: “I would say passionate. That’s what it comes down to. Their priorities are what every player’s should be, and that’s championships. There’s not going to be a ton of sympathy. They feel what every fan feels — they just express it better. (Laughs).”

On whether he’s the best pitcher in the National League East, his new division: “I’d never vote for myself. (The Mets’) Johan Santana has always been fun to watch. The way (new teammate) Cole (Hamels) pitched in the playoffs a couple years ago and at times last year, I think he’s up there. Some of the Marlins’ younger guys are scary — Josh Johnson. There’s a lot of talent.”

If you're keeping track, it's exactly one week today that the pitchers and catchers officially report to Bright House Field. Their first workout is Thursday.

Weather permitting, I'll be descending on Clearwater this weekend, and I'll be there for the duration, every day, so be sure to check back early and often for updates from spring training.