Spring Training Report

So I had the chance to attend spring training for the first time ever this past week. It was an interesting experience, one that I would have written about earlier when I was actually in Florida if it wasn't for the fact that I could not find more than two bars of wireless Internet at my future in laws house and dial up is not an option for me. But I digress of course, so on to the story of my trip to Spring training.

So first off, there is nothing better than the parking on City of Palms park. When I go to a game in Boston a lot of times I end up taking the T which is just tiring or I end up parking under the Best Buy for $25 which I always seem to pay for especially when Ben is with me. In Florida it was only 7 dollars and it was in a field directly across from the stadium. Within a two minute walk I was in the stadium standing the in the pro shop spending $25 dollars for my very own official unused baseball which would come in handy later.

Our seats were $36 dollars a piece in the dugout box. These maybe the best seats that you can get in the place. First of all, whenever I sit in a seat at Fenway I immediately feel claustrophobic, these seats were padded folding chairs that gave me my own arm rests, it was great. Throughout the whole game the players as they ran out on the field were a mere 5 feet away from me as the picture shows. Our seats were actually better than Johnny Pesky's whose autograph I now have. And as Jed Lowrie the Sox future shortstop once they get rid of piece of crap that is Julio Lugo came off the field in the third inning he threw me a game used ball.

Now onto the game itself. I got to see Wakefield pitch four innings. He was his typical himself, not dominant just ok, gave up a couple runs, allowed people on base almost every inning. Paps came in for the next two and was truly dominent, granted the Mets didnt exactly bring there A lineup but he was still pitching well. Manny Delcarman came in next, I realized as I watched him that he will be an excellent compliment to Okajima this year and will allow them to have two true setup options. Finally Dan Kolb came into finish up the game, he was awful but will probably make the bullpen as like the last options.

As for the position players. Lowell, Manny, Youk, JD Drew, and the Dearly departed Doug all played for the regulars. We also got to see Brandon Moss, Jed Lowrie, and Joe Thurston start the game. Manny actually hit for the first time all Spring, Lowell went deep, Drew looked good as well. I am excited for the season to begin more than I have in previous years and I think the sun of Florida helped fuel that excitement.