Spring Training Fever
As we near the reporting of pitchers and catchers to spring training, I start to get very excited about my near annual hajj to Ft. Myers. For those Twins fans (or baseball fans in general) who have not been to Ft. Myers, you are missing out on a trip of a lifetime. Whether you are taking a family trip, or going with your drunken, idiot friends (like me) there is something in store for all. The Lee County Sports Complex is widely regarded as the best Spring Training facility in Major League Baseball. I do not know if it is the best or not, but I can tell you first hand that it is leaps and bounds better than the Red Sox training facility, also located in Ft. Myers. The Twins facility offers up close views of players taking infield, hitting in the batting cages, and pitching in the batting cages, all without purchasing a ticket. Also, on off days, you can get a free look at an intrasquad scrimmage or practice. If you are an autograph seeker, there are many easy opportunities to get signatures. At the Red Sox facility, all you can do without a ticket is park far away, and buy overpriced Red Sox merchandise.
There are also plenty of great beaches and restaurants in the area, including great seafood. Ft. Myers Beach provides many miles of white sandy beaches, complete with areas for young people to party (lots of bars), as well as areas for adults and families to relax and play. Sanibel Island is also is a great place to visit, and also contains one of my favorite restaurants of all time, The Timbers Restaurant. I suggest the cruchy grouper. (Just to keep in mind, I love good food at a cheap price and cold beer) All in all, every Twins fan needs to make this trip at least once. Even if the game you see has a starting third baseman whose number is 92, he is not listed in the program, and he is still better than Punto; it is great to sit in the warm sun and watch outdoor baseball during February or March. You will find many great Minnesotans down there, and they are very easy to spot due to their extreme paleness. Plan this trip and you will definitely go back.
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Well, I thought I was excited for my 1st trip down to Ft. Myers this year, but now I can officially say, I’m beyond ecstatic to get down there this year… Leaving March 6th to catch the split squad game vs the Red Sox on the 7th and then the Yankees on the 9th.
I appreciate the suggestions for good food, sun and fun, and also that even watching them “practice” will be a great time!
I can’t wait for March.
The only thing to watch out for is leave yourself plenty of time to drive, as traffic can be slow during rush hours.
Grizz, it looks like you’re angling to get a free trip!
(If they offer more than one, let me know. My trip down there last year was unbelievable. And for those who’ve never been … he’s not lying about anything. Especially the beaches. And meeting good Minnesotans. I’d spent about 3 minutes there before meeting Ron Coomer on the beach.)
Getting to see Nick Punto embarrassed on the field by someone who is actually an escaped resident from a nearby senior citizen retirement home would make my year.
Usually the guy is actually a 20 year old high school drop out drafted in the 10,000th round of the previous draft trying to prove he can play.
And if you compared him to Punto, then yes, he can play.
But since he’s younger than Punto, and doesn’t get a look of panic in his eyes whenever he’s close to a baseball bat, the standards are much higher.
Fort Myers and the spring training experience is great and I would do it again in a second. But for us old farts who have glamorized SP for years, the experience wasn’t what I thought it would be. Maybe I imagined sitting in the dugout with the team, but being there didn’ meet my expectations. Sure, Torri Hunter was within a couple of feet and we got his autograph, sure we talked with NICK PUNTO (great guy, not a great ballplayer) and his family, sure we talked with Joe Vavra, hitting instructor, about life in general, and yes the beaches were nice and filled with great looking young women, but, where was the dinner with the players? where was Jim Kaat? or John Castino? Or even Bambo Rivera? If you like baseball, 80 degree weather in March and nice bodies on the beach, that’s great, but if you just want to have dinner with some old washed-up ballplayer(s), this trip is not for you.
The Twins (or any team for that matter) hold fantasy camps every year. Although much more expensive than spring training, it gives you the oppotunity to interact with retired Twins greats like Kaat and Blyleven. I think it takes place a few weeks before spring training.