My last spring training game

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 13, 2007 7:41 PM EDT Comment 21 comments

Man, the week flew by!

Today was my last day at spring training. I wish I was leaving with a win, but at least they fought back today.

The biggest surprise this week was how much playing time they've given Aubrey. Are they hoping to trade him? Rouse has also gotten a lot of playing time, but the results have been mixed. Fultz had a good day today. He didn't impress in his previous two outings. What happened to C.C. today? Wow, two home runs in 4 innings. Victor had three bases stolen on him. Ouch.

I forgot to mention Jamie Moyer's unusual activity at the Phillies/Tigers game Sunday. Moyer was the Phillie's starting pitcher. Rod Barajas was the catcher. In the third or fourth inning, all of a sudden Jamie stopped and just stared at Barajas for about 20 seconds. Finally Barajas ran out to talk to him and I guess they got it straightened out. Not long after that Moyer turned and stared at his left fielder, Dobbs, for about 5-10 seconds. Dobbs didn't move and finally Jamie turned back around and pitched. Does anyone know if Moyer does this regularly? It felt to me like a put down of his teammates.

Back to Winter Haven. The minor leaguers here at camp got new uniforms. They are blue, like the major league uniforms, and they have their names on the back. Great! Now if they would just do the same for the 40-man roster players/invitees who only have numbers on their back.

While I was hanging around the minor league diamonds this morning, I happened to meet the grandparents of Jensen Lewis. They have a winter home in Florida and try to visit him frequently while he's at spring training. I think they were pleased that I knew who Jensen was and had seen him pitch last year. He's a close friend of Jeremy Sowers (both played at Vanderbilt) and is rooming with him here. They were great fun to talk to. They waved to me as our paths crossed. Later I saw Jensen standing with them.

Evidently a lot of the "fans" I see hanging around the minor league diamonds are actually family members of the players (duh!). I wish I had known that. Player's families usually have some interesting stories to tell.

Every year I come down to Winter Haven I get more savy about about how things work here. I'm not happy with the Indians move to Arizona in 2009. I can easily drive to Winter Haven in a day and it's affordable, but I'm sure I'll never be able to go to Arizona.

Spring training is a great way to start the baseball season. Where else can you watch ospreys fly around with snakes hanging from their talons during a baseball game? If anyone else is coming down this month I'll be happy to share information (though tomorrow I'll be driving home).

I have more pictures ready to post at http://picasaweb.google.com/TrakkerToo/07SpringTraining

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Re: My last spring training game

I too am bummed about the Tribe's move to Arizona. I have attended 8-12 Indians games each spring the last few years and it won't be the same not seeing them.

by SpringTrainingFun on Mar 13, 2007 8:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

Do you live in the area? I know there are a lot of retirees from N. Ohio in the Winter Haven area. There must have been a lot of pressure on the city to build a new facility. I'm curious how much pressure was put on the city.

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 13, 2007 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

I live in Sarasota. As you mentioned prior I sensed that the locals in W. Haven are more than a bit peeved at the Indians for leaving. Their attitudes this spring haven't been as warm and cordial as in the past.

I think the Indians were more disappointed with their other facilities (locker rooms, secondary playfields, storage facilities, etc.) rather than the stadium itself.

That said, the Cincinnati Reds are demanding a new stadium from the city of Sarasota right now. The Reds say they'll leave if they don't get what they want.

I've followed the story pretty closely and the Reds put a set limit on what they'll contribute, the state has done the same, leaving the city to deal with any cost overruns. And we all know that on a project like that cost overruns never occur. Riiigggghhhhtttt....

Sarasota and all of SW Florida is in the midst of a real estate implosion with higher property taxes, higher insurance premiums, coupled with decreasing property values. So I see both sides of the coin, so to speak.

by SpringTrainingFun on Mar 14, 2007 8:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

Look at the upside though. I will be able to take in all these spring games with a 5 hour drive. The inkslinger deserves a Tribe break too. :)

IndianInkSlinger

by sdtribefan on Mar 14, 2007 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

Great! I will turn my keyboard over to you in 2009. No doubt there are a bunch of happy ex-Ohioans all over Arizona and S. California who are happy about the move.

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 15, 2007 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

I am genuinely sorry that you'll be losing this -- truly. But in fairness, it isn't just Arizona-area fans that will benefit, but also many fans who travel to Spring Training. The Goodyear site is going to make it vastly more convenient for fans to travel to multiple games at multiple sites.

It also will benefit the team directly in the form of attractiveness to free agents. The offseason is a short four months, and those months are the main time players get to spend with their families. I would not underestimate how attractive it will be to some players to spend one more month relatively close to home.

Guys like Sabathia, for example. Don't you think he's figured out that any years he adds to his contract, he'll be training close to home?

by Jay on Mar 15, 2007 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

Good point about Sabathia, and other players who live much closer to AZ than FL.

And I agree that the teams who train in Arizona are much closer to each other than in FL. But I didn't find the travel to the other team's parks in FL to be onerous. Many train in the Tampa area, an hour away. Bradenton was about 90 minutes away and Kissimmee was less than an hour drive. In fact one of the attractions of spring training is visiting other cities in Florida.

But I also see the economics of the move. A new ST facility will cost the Indians significantly less in Arizona, leaving more money for player contracts. That increases the chances for a championship team, which is what I want more than going to spring training. As disappointments go, this is pretty minor.

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 15, 2007 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

I went to Spring Training in Tucson from Los Angeles in 1975 and in 1984. I drove once and flew once. If you were staying in Tucson the Tribe was the only game in town. Now, there are so many teams within the area of Phoenix, and many with up-to-date facilities. I am looking forward to spring training in 2009.

by LAIndianfan on Mar 15, 2007 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the reports, LeftyCatcher!

Hello LeftyCatcher, thanks for the reports - greatly appreciated! :-)

That's great that you were able to meet Jensen Lewis' grandparents - that had to be a thrill! It has to be interesting to hear about players from family members - they likely mention things that you don't hear about in the main media, which gives you further insight into a player's background, how he thinks, what he's like off the field, his likes and dislikes, etc.

Again, thanks for the reports and have a safe trip back!

Go Tribe! :-)

by indiansfan on Mar 13, 2007 9:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Thanks for the reports, LeftyCatcher!

That's great that you were able to meet Jensen Lewis' grandparents - that had to be a thrill!

Geez, it's not like he met Scott Lewis' grandparents.

by Jay on Mar 14, 2007 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Thanks for the reports, LeftyCatcher!

Well put.

ken from alexandria

by ken from alexandria on Mar 14, 2007 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Thanks for the reports, LeftyCatcher!

Or Louis Winthorpe III's grandparents. ("Trading Places")

by mickeyf on Mar 14, 2007 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Thanks for the reports, LeftyCatcher!

Okay, okay, it may not seem like much, but the Lewises are obviously a close family. I met Jensen's uncle too, and from them I got an idea what he was like growing up and what it's like to be a somewhat talented prospect vying with so many others for a chance to make it to the majors.

Talking to family members you find out things about players you will never read in sports pages or blogs. Things that shouldn't be shared publicly.

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 15, 2007 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

I'll add my thanks to the crowd. These were great reports.

by Ryan on Mar 13, 2007 9:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

Fun report! Makes we want to get down there next spring for sure, even though Arizona is quite a place.

by JulioBernazard on Mar 14, 2007 10:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

Those pictures are really, really great. I don't know if you have a great zoom or what but were I ever that close to C.C. I don't know how I would react. Just manically start trying to high-five him probably.

by afh4 on Mar 14, 2007 12:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

As tall as CC is, your high five is probably CC's low five! :-) (I have no idea how tall you really are... but it just made a great visual to me.)

by mickeyf on Mar 14, 2007 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: My last spring training game

To make a long story short, a few days before leaving for Florida I realized I needed a new camera. I really wanted a digital SLR, but it meant lugging heavy lenses - plus the cost was beyond my means.

Then by accident I came across a point-and-shoot camera (Canon S3-IS) with a 12X lens (36 - 432mm!) and optical image stabilizer (to counter the shake when using the zoom). I took a chance and bought it, and it exceeded all my expectations. It turned out to be the perfect camera for games where you can get reasonably close to the field, like minor league games and spring training.

You're right about C.C. The whole time I watched him warm up I wanted to pinch myself, "Is this really happening, or am I dreaming?" I may print one of his pictures and send it to him and see if he'll autograph it.

Hah, I'm still dreaming!

by LeftyCatcher on Mar 15, 2007 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs