Dunedin Blue Jays 11 at Daytona Cubs 10 - June 29, 2012

The Daytona Cubs are the only team in the Florida State League who don't play in a stadium that is also used during spring training. So I was really looking forward to seeing a typical minor league ballpark to finish off the Florida portion of the trip and complete the entire league at the same time. It turned out to be one of the best experiences I have enjoyed on a sports road trip.

Jackie Robinson Ballpark

In 1946, Jackie Robinson was to play in his first spring training with the Montreal Royals after signing a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Royals' parent club. The two teams were scheduled to face off in an exhibition game that would be the first integrated game in the majors in the modern era. (Little known fact: there were two black ballplayers in major league baseball with the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884.) Cities such as Jacksonville and Deland chose to close their ballparks rather than allow the game to take place. Fortunately, Daytona Beach was a more progressive town and allowed the game to occur on March 17th at their City Island Ballpark. Sixty-six years later and that same ballpark still stands, now renamed Jackie Robinson Ballpark in honour of the man who broke baseball's colour barrier.



Built in 1914, the park has undergone numerous renovations in the intervening century, but still retains the aura of a bygone era. The ticket window outside the Magnolia St entrance (below) is the first sign of this. The other entrance is on Orange St and it is here that you will find the Jackie Robinson statue. Note that the free parking lot behind the stadium leads to the Magnolia St entrance and you should walk around to the other side if you want to get a look at the statue before going in.



The stadium was renamed to Jackie Robinson Ballpark in 1989 and since then, a number of additions have made this more than just a sports venue, but a historical lesson as well. On the wall behind the Cubs' clubhouse are several panels describing Robinson's life and the struggles he faced in trying to break the colour barrier.



As well, there are panels along the Riverwalk that talk about other "Barrier Breakers", such as Willie O'Ree who was the first black player in the NHL. At the Picnic Porch in right field is another display, this time related to the Jim Crow laws that were in force in the 1940s. It is no coincidence that this is set here as the Picnic Porch area was once the Jim Crow section where black fans were forced to sit. Take the time to walk around and read all of these, they are well-written and informative. I should also note that much of this is open to the public between 9 and 5 during the day, so even if the Cubs are not in town, you can stop by for a visit.



After you have refreshed your history knowledge, it is time to refresh yourself by enjoying the plaza next to the Riverwalk. I found the food selections here to be the best in the league and affordably priced. Large (32 oz) beers are just $5.75 and there were plenty of options both at the concession stand and a grill on the third base side, where a freshly-cooked cheeseburger was only $4.25. There are several picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy your pre-game feast next to the river. You will also notice banners of famous players who plied their trade here, including Stan Musial and Kerry Wood. As well, there is a "Road to the Show" wall that lists every Daytona Cub who has made the majors, including the year(s) he spent in Daytona as well as the date of his first MLB game. Most obviously made their debut with Chicago, but a few were traded, such as Eric Hinske, who won Rookie of the Year with Toronto in 2002.



Inside the seating bowl is where you realize that this is really an old-time ballpark. A low-hanging roof covers the entire grandstand, where all seats are $7, except those in the first row which go for $12. There are even obstructed view seats as the poles supporting the roof are near the front of each section. As you might be able to see below, the entire section here is protected by netting.



Despite being covered, the setting sun does strike the grandstand before the game, making it a pleasant place to watch the players warmup.

The bleachers along third base are uncovered, but even there the netting above the dugout obstructs the view. Given that this ballpark is nearly 100 years old though and that home plate is quite close to the seating area, the netting is a necessity to protect fans. You can avoid this by sitting at the top few rows here.

The scoreboard is manually operated by two people throughout the game. It may appear to be old, but was actually added in the most recent renovation. Even the ball/strike/out counters are done manually and sometimes the count is partially blocked by one of the gentleman working out there, at least from the angle I was sitting at.

Overall, this is the best ballpark in the league. Sure the others are newer and bigger, but if you want the true minor league experience in the Florida State League, you only need visit Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach.



The Game

Dunedin was in town so I wore my Blue Jays jersey, the only one I saw in the lively crowd of over 3,000. The Jays jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first when Jake Marisnick (3rd, 2009) led off with a homer (just like he did in Dunedin) and Marcus Knecht (3rd, 2010) followed with a 2-run shot. Jesse Hernandez started for Dunedin and retired the first six hitters he faced, but fell apart in the third and fourth inningss, giving up 9 hits and 7 runs before being relieved by Alan Farina (3rd, 2007). Farina was equally inept, yielding a threespot in his inning of work. In other words, it was 10-3 Daytona after five frames.



These young Jays have a powerful team that just won the first-half title so I still had hope. Sure enough, Cubs starter Frank Del Valle (above) tired in the sixth, walking Knecht and giving up a single to Kevin Ahrens (16th overall, 2007) before leaving. Ryan Searle came in and walked Jack Murphy (31st, 2009, now promoted to New Hampshire) to load the bases. DH Oliver Dominguez followed with a monster grand slam to cut the margin to just 3. Searle remained in the game despite being clearly fatigued, as the Daytona bullpen was overtired and had no other options, due to a promotion earlier in the day. This worked in the Jays favour as Jon Talley (13th, 2007) simply crushed one in the 7th to make it 10-8.

Scott Weismann (46th, 2011) worked a scoreless the 8th for the Cubs while Dunedin relievers Englebrook and Dustin Antolin (11th, 2008) had kept Daytona off the board through the same inning, sending us to the top of the ninth with the Cubs still up two.

Weismann remained in and Marisnick led off with a single to bring the tying run to the plate. After a couple of out, Talley was the Jays' last chance. Down to his last strike, he lined a single to left to bring up Knecht. Two quick strikes and again it was do or die time. Knecht connected (see what I did there?) with a hanging curve and sent it deep into the night, a 3-run shot that gave Dunedin the lead and stunned the remaining fans, who had likely thought the game over long ago.



Dunedin closer Danny Barnes (35th, 2010) was brought in for the save and got Rebel Ridling (25th, 2008) looking, except the umpire missed the call, much to the disbelief of the Jays' dugout. Given a second chance, Ridling doubled and was pinch run for by Dustin Harrington (34th, 2010). A sacrifice bunt moved Harrington to third and Ronald Torreyes walked. Chad Noble (37th, 2010) came up and flew to shallow right. Surprisingly, manager Brian Harper sent Harrington and Jonathan Jones (29th, 2010) throw was on the money. Murphy held on as Harrington bowled into him and the game was over! Blue Jays win 11-10. Amazing! There is no way the runner would have been sent in the majors, but given the defense in the minors, it makes sense to force the issue and Jones responded with a great throw.

One of the best minor league games I have seen, mainly because Dunedin was involved. It is gratifying when you are wearing the jersey of the visiting team and they storm back from seven runs down to win, even at this level. The local fans were gracious in defeat as they knew they had seen a great contest. A perfect way to end my three weeks in Florida.

Notes

It was Military Appreciation Night which is why the Cubs were wearing those camouflage jerseys you see in the picture above. Before the game some new Marines were sworn in, and then the guest of honour, Sgt. Slaughter appeared. Yes, a pro wrestler was there and he made sure the crowd cheered on the military in attendance. He also did sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and signed autographs all night long.



Jackie Robinson wore #9 in that first game before switching to the now universally retired #42, and this fact is noted on a sign in the outfield. Richie Zisk's #22 is also retired on a pole beyond right field.



One somewhat intoxicated fan, noticing my Blue Jays jersey, asked me where "Duneldlin" is. I told him it was a town in the Tampla Blay area.

Best,

Sean

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Daytona Cubs 3 at St. Lucie Mets 4 (12) - June 26, 2012

The town of Port St. Lucie is a great destination for sports travellers. It is the home of the PGA Museum of Golf and of course, the New York Mets' spring training location. Like many of the Grapefruit League stadiums, Digital Domain Park doubles as a Florida State League venue, hosting the St. Lucie Mets, who have been the High Class-A affiliate of their New York namesakes for 25 seasons.

Digital Domain Park



Opened in 1988 and originally named Thomas J. White Stadium after the local politician who worked to bring the Mets' spring training to the area, Digitial Domain Park took its current name in 2010. The stadium is located just east of exit 121 on I-95 in what is mostly a commercial and industrial area. As a fairly large ballpark for this level, it really stands out as you approach along Peacock Boulevard.



Parking is free and plentiful. The box office is located on the Thomas J. White Plaza, which was dedicated in 2004 when the stadium changed its name to Tradition Field. Before entering, take the time to check out the sculpture made from steel from the World Trade Center that stands out front. From behind, it is rather nondescript; it is only when you go to the front and read the plaque that you realize the importance of the piece.



Tickets are $6 for general admission or you can fork over an extra couple of bucks to sit in the first three rows. Once inside, you walk up a ramp with photos of Mets' historical moments and famous players. At the top, I found the concourse to be relatively narrow, not a problem during the summer but I would expect it to be an issue with over 7,000 fans in the spring.



Concessions are somewhat interesting here, you can see the Fried Oreos stand in the photo above; I did not want to try these though. What caught my eye at the main stand was the knish for $3. I've never had a knish before, and although I knew them to be some sort of potato concoction, I didn't know exactly what to expect. So I ordered one. The lady behind the counter said "They didn't make any today I think, let me check". She disappeared for a minute and then came running back with a knish in her hand, smiling like she had won the lottery. "They did make one, just one, you are so lucky!", she exclaimed. I couldn't bear to tell her that I actually don't like potatoes and was just trying the knish as I was tired of hot dogs. As it turned out, it was pretty good and likely healthier than the other options.



The seating bowl is bisected by a concourse with 24 rows of blue seats all around. There is also a large roof above the press box that provides shade on those hot days and made a huge difference at the afternoon game I attended. Below the press box are a couple of party decks and some suites, but these were not in use while I was there.



I should mention that it was camp day, which meant a 10:30 am start and a crowd of 1,686, with about 1,600 of those kids. As such, much of the venue was closed off, including the tiki bar along the third base concourse and the Party Zone down the right field line.



The scoreboard is great, with full lineups before the game and player results and pitch counts during. Even better, the guy keeping track of the pitch counts was accurate all day long, a welcome change from Roger Dean Stadium where the numbers were essentially random.



Overall, Digital Domain Park was very enjoyable. Doubtless this was helped by the young and energetic crowd and the Fun Patrol who kept them entertained, with the most interesting promotion being the Water Balloon Toss where the "catcher" had to use his pants instead of his hands. For those of us more interested in the game, that turned out to be a very memorable one as well.



The Game

This was the first of three games for me on the day, with the other two taking place in Fort Myers at 5 pm. It is just under 3 hours between the two cities, so I was hoping for a quick contest here to allow me some leeway in the cross-state drive.



Tyler Pill (4th round in 2011, above) started for the Mets and was very accommodating, pitching 6.2 scoreless innings. His opponent was P.J Francescon (40th, 2010) who was nearly as efficient, giving up a run on two 5th-inning doubles. With the first six stanzas taking just 90 minutes, it looked like I wouldn't have any trouble making it to Fort Myers on time. When St. Lucie added another run in the 7th on an Alonzo Harris (39th, 2007) RBI single, I started to relax. Stupid move.



Pill had been replaced by Jack Leathersich (5th, 2011) who gave up 2 runs in the 8th, the second scoring from second base on an infield single by Rebel Riddling (25th round in 2008, above) when the Mets defense got caught napping. Oh-oh. Game tied late. Please no extra innings!



Things looked up as Daytona scored a run in the 9th when Arismendy Alcantara (above with a broken bat) tripled home pinch-runner Dustin Harrington (34th, 2010). As long as the Mets didn't score exactly one run in their last chance, I would be fine. Of course, Harris led off with a double and was singled home by Rylan Sandoval, who was stranded. Yep, extra innings. The game was still around 2.5 hours old, so I decided to stay for a while as I hate leaving games early, especially if the result is yet to be determined.

Neither team scored in the 10th but the Mets threatened in the 11th when Travis Taijeron (18th,  2011) led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk. Harris singled hard to right and Taijeron was unwisely sent home, only to be out by a mile as the game passed the three-hour mark. I figured there was about 20 minutes to spare that would still allow me to make it to Fort Myers by 5:00, which meant one last inning. After Daytona was retired in order, the Mets rallied when Taijeron was hit and moved to second on a two-out single. Again Harris was in place to be the hero and again he singled (below), but this time the outfielder bobbled the ball and Taijeron scored without a throw, leading the Mets to an exciting 4-3 win. I was ecstatic that I could see the end of the game and fairly bounded to my car to head east.



Notes

Props to the campers who stayed for the whole 12 innings. Most left after 7 or 8 but one group waited for the result.

I made the drive to Fort Myers in about 2.5 hours, arriving 5 minutes before first pitch. More on that in the next post.

Best,

Sean

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Daytona Cubs at Brevard County Manatees - June 12, 2012

The Florida State League is one of two affiliated minor leagues with all teams in the same state (the California League is the other). Moreover, all but one of the stadiums in this league is used during spring training making them attractions in their own right. With ballparks so close together, a road trip is very easy to plan. So when I saw that the Blue Jays would be playing in the Marlins' new stadium this summer, I decided to add all 12 ballparks of the FSL to the road trip. Since I was driving down from Jacksonville (the only Florida town with a minor league team outside the FSL), I decided to start my journey in Brevard County, home of the Manatees.

Space Coast Stadium



Brevard County is on the east coast of Florida and includes Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center, hence the nickname Space Coast, which is applied to the stadium as well. Built in 1994 in a successful attempt to become the newly-formed Florida Marlins' spring training facility, the ballpark became the spring home of the Montreal Expos when Jeffrey Loria sold the team. When the Expos moved to Washington, Space Coast Stadium was repainted in Nationals' colors and is now one of the more visited ballparks in the Grapefruit League with the likes of Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg plying their trade in March.



The ballpark is located in Viera, one of many towns in the area. More famous spots include Cocoa Beach and Melbourne, so there is a substantial population from which to draw fans. However, with spring training the main attraction for one month a year, the minor leagues get short shrift once their season begins, which means that the stadium is essentially empty when the Manatees take the field. Tickets here are $7 and you can sit anywhere as long as the seat doesn't have a yellow sticker indicating that it is reserved for a season ticket holder.



Parking is also free and can be a bit confusing for a newcomer. Take gate 5 along Stadium Parkway and drive around the practice fields to park at the back. As you walk to the stadium, you will notice a miniature space shuttle and a statue of Casey of "Casey at the Bat" fame. There is a small pond here as well and the scenic beauty is worth a few minutes of wandering.



Inside the park is a large concourse with one concession stand that offers typical fare at average prices. Avoid this and instead make your way to the small drinks stand where Sal the bartender will happily pour you a draft beer for $2. This price is only good up until first pitch, after which it will cost you $7 to imbibe, so naturally Sal is a busy man in the hour before the game. Even then, he will be happy to talk to you about anything under the sun, as will many of his patrons. Definitely stop by here to add some local colour to your visit.



The seating bowl is huge and offers great sightlines from anywhere, particularly the lower rows behind the dugout. In the upper rows you can sit under a roof should it start to rain and these seats give you a nice view of the surrounding area. Foul ball hunters will love the bench seats down the lines.



There are signs saying no umbrellas but you can safely ignore them for these games. Even the Manatees' bullpen had one!



Keep in mind that the stadium is used to handling 5,000 or more fans during the spring, so when 800 show up for a minor league game, much of the stadium is shut down and things are much more relaxed than they would be when the big leaguers are in town. Fans here are wonderful, cheering and chatting with each other, simply enjoying the evening.



There is little else to note here, which is how I like it. The clock above the outfield wall also shows the temperature, Jackie Robinson's 42 is on the outfield fence, and kids can run from centerfield after the bottom of the 5th inning.



Although nearly 20 years old, Space Coast Stadium appears brand new, likely due to a large number of improvements that have been recently implemented. It is a great place to see up-and-coming baseball stars and for me, a welcome return to the Florida State League.



The Game




Despite being the spring training home of Washington, Brevard County is the High Class A affiliate of Milwaukee. The Daytona Cubs were visiting (no points for guessing who their parent club is). This was a rather messy affair with 3 errors, 4 hit batsmen, 2 wild pitches and a balk for good measure. Both teams scored a pair in the second but Daytona kept their offense going, adding another in the third before breaking things open in the fourth.



In that frame, Chad Noble (37th round, 2010) led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from Arismendy Alcantara. Ronald Torreyes then reached when Manatees' first baseman Mike Walker (14th, 2010) dropped a throw from short. Nelson Perez and Greg Rohan (21st, 2009) followed with singles that plated another run before Rubi Silva added another on the second sac fly of the inning. John Andreoli (27th, 2011) singled home Rohan and Daytona was up 7-2.

Brevard County added one in the 8th when Shea Vucinich (20th, 2010) doubled and Joey Paciorek (15th round in 2007 and son of Jim, that's him below in an earlier AB) was hit by a pitch. Michael Reed (5th, 2011) singled in a run but that was all they could muster.



Perez restored the 5-run margin with a leadoff homer in the 9th (below) to garner player of the game honours and make the final 8-3 Cubs. The game took 2:45 and with the 6:35 start time, allowed me to get back to the hotel in time for the second half of the opening game of the NBA Finals.



Notes

There was a brief shower that was foretold by a front line passing over the field. Baseball in Florida is quite interesting for weather watchers as well.



I'm including the round and year for those players who were drafted; players without a designation are non-drafted free agents.

Next Up

I'm driving about 90 minutes west to Lakeland to see the Flying Tigers host Dunedin tonight. Go Jays!

Best,

Sean

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