Brevard County Manatees 1 at Tampa Yankees 7 - June 28, 2012

In 1989, the Cincinnati Reds moved their spring training operations from the Tampa area, ending a stretch of 75 consecutive years in which the city had hosted a major league team during the pre-season. It took seven years before Tampa could find a team to fill the void, using the promise of a new spring training stadium to lure the New York Yankees from Fort Lauderdale. The Yankees are baseball's biggest franchise everything they do is over the top, including their very impressive spring training stadium, which is also the summer home of the Florida State League's Tampa Yankees.

George M. Steinbrenner Field

Dubbed Legends Field when it opened in 1996, the stadium was renamed when the famed Yankees owner fell ill in 2008. After his passing in 2010, a bronze statue was added in front of the ballpark in time for the 2011 season.



There are a number of other notable features outside the stadium. First is the patch of grass that contains all of the Yankees retired numbers, a smaller version of Monument Park.



There is also a sculpture made from steel recovered from the World Trade Center, much like what sits in front the Mets' spring training home in Port St. Lucie, although in this case it is an actual reproduction of the Twin Towers.



The ticket windows are behind the staircase with reserved seats costing only $6 and general admission $4, the cheapest seats I have seen on this trip. There are other specials such as Facebook Friday, where those who have liked the team on Facebook get in for $2 and enjoy drink specials until 8 pm.



After going up the stairs you enter the stadium and will find yourself on a spacious concourse. There was only a single concession stand open with nothing special, although at least it was Thirsty Thursday when I was there so I was able to get a $2 beer; again only available until 8:00. Scooter Dogs are only $2, with chicken sandwiches and bratwursts the "specialty" items at $5.50.



There are banners here honouring a few Yankee greats like Ruth, Gehrig, and Berra decorating each walkway into the seating area, as well as pictures of past teams. The Yankees have won 27 World Championships, don't ya know. Well if you didn't, you will now.



The seating bowl is huge, with a capacity of 11,000, or double what is held at Dunedin. There is a concourse that bisects it, with rows below designated with double letters. Note the facade above the seats that evokes the original from the House That Ruth Built. There are several suites behind home plate; in fact, this ballpark was one of the first spring training stadiums to make use of suites.



The Tampa Tribune party deck is beyond the right field fence but this is reserved for groups for the most part and wasn't being used when I was there. With a crowd of about 1,000 spread out, the place is quiet during the game and each individual cheer can be heard by the players. The sun sets behind third bases, giving the field some interesting shadows before the game and during the early innings. The dimensions here are the same as at Old Yankee Stadium.



The mascot is Blue, an alien from the minor planet Pluto, a fitting choice for a minor league team.



What surprised me here given the size of the stadium is that the scoreboard is fairly basic, and there is no speed gun. I always expect the Yankees to spare no expense and it was a bit of a relief to see that there are some areas where they keep things simple.

Overall, Steinbrenner Field is what one would expect from the Yankees. It is oversized, honours their past and all those championships, and is likely a great place during the spring. Fortunately the Tampa team realizes the minors is a different attraction altogether and keeps their prices surprisingly low, making it a good place to check out a game when you are in town.

The Game

This was the fourth time I saw the Yankees on this trip and every time they have scored multiple runs in the first inning, this time courtesy of a 3-run homer from Kyle Roller (8th, 2010).  Eduardo Sosa led off the second with a a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly. Shortly thereafter, Ramon Flores doubled and came around on a J.R. Murphy (2nd, 2009 and the Yankees #9 prospect according to Baseball America) single as Tampa took a quick 5-0 lead. Slade Heathcott (29th overall in 2010 and #10 prospect, below) added a 2-run homer in the 5th to end all doubt.



Starter Caleb Cotham (who has a great name for a New York prospect, given one of the city's nicknames is Gotham) was the beneficiary of this offense, but made it easy on himself by tossing six scoreless innings, scattering 5 hits and striking out 8 without yielding a walk. A very impressive performance from Cotham (5th round in 2009), who was only making his fifth start at this level and bears watching.



The Manatees got a solo shot from Cody Hawn (6th, 2010, derisively referred to as "Goldie" by older fans) in the 7th but Mark Montgomery, who I mentioned in a previous post, retired the side on just nine pitches to end the game, a 7-1 victory for the Yankees.



They say that minor league relievers don't become major league relievers, but I'm betting that is not the case here; look for Montgomery (below) to be in the Yankees pen by 2014.



After a Yankees win, the familiar "New York, New York" refrain is played, just like at the big stadium in the Bronx.

Notes

I have no idea how they measure the game time anymore. This game started at 7:01 and ended at 9:14, yet was listed at 2:17 in the boxscore. I know it's only four minutes difference but in a sport that depends on accurate statistics, it troubles me greatly that there can be such a discrepancy. Can anyone explain?

Next Up

I'm driving to Daytona today to finish up the FSL portion of the road trip as the Blue Jays are visiting the Cubs. Saturday sees a long drive back to Atlanta, where I'm probably going to see the Nationals and Braves as I have a ticket and Stephen Strasburg is scheduled to start for Washington. Check back regularly for updates.

Best,

Sean

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Tampa Yankees 6-6 at Fort Myers Miracle 7 (8)-5 - June 26, 2012

Tropical Storm Debby disrupted the Florida State League schedule when it moved across the west part of the state over the weekend, causing rainouts at a number of stadiums. The upshot for me was that the Fort Myers game that was scheduled for 7:05 on Tuesday night had been changed to a doubleheader that would start two hours earlier. This meant a quick drive from Port St. Lucie was  after the St. Lucie Mets and Daytona Cubs went 12 long innings in the morning game. Traffic was clear for the most part, and I arrived at Hammond Stadium just in time for first pitch.

Hammond Stadium



Opened in 1991, Hammond Stadium immediately became the spring home of the Minnesota Twins as well as the summer domicile of the Fort Myers Miracle. The ballpark is located in the Lee County Sports Complex, a collection of ball diamonds that lies about 2 miles west of I-75, just south of Daniels Parkway, and is Named for William H. Hammond, Jr., who was pivotal in getting the complex built.



Hammond Stadium's outer facade was created to be similar to Churchill Downs. It is a unique look among the ballparks in this league.



Unlike most FSL teams, the Miracle is not owned by the parent club, so they have to find other methods of generating revenue. Thus parking is not free, rather it is $3, with more than enough for the average minor league crowd. Note that each row of parking honours a Twins' great, such as Kirby Puckett and Bert Blyleven. After exiting your care, you might want to approach the stadium along Palm Walk, a pathway which is surrounded by tall palm trees and ends in a water fountain next to the box office.



Tickets are $8.50 for the box seats that lie below the inner concourse, while the general admission benches are $6.50. There is also a drink rail down the right field line that costs $8.50 and seemed quite popular, with a berm just below that was a good place for families to relax.



As you enter the stadium, you will notice a wall dedicated to a few scouts who have made their mark, not just with the Twins but across the game as a whole. Another unique touch that goes a long way to making Hammond quite different than the rest of the ballparks in the league.



Concessions were more varied than usual, with the signature item being a Carolina Dog, a hot dog lathered in pulled pork, baked beans, and coleslaw. It was 2-4-1 Tuesday on the day I went though, so I just got a couple of regular hot dogs instead, which were passable.




Above the concourse you can see a number of banners that show current Twins in their Miracle uniforms. Always cool to see these stars before they became famous.



The Twins are also honoured on the press box, with the retired numbers (below) and pennants pasted there.



As is the case in the FSL, there are few distractions, which is how I prefer it. Hammond Stadium is really an old-style park that relies on the hard work of the management to attract fans. In a league that suffers from being second fiddle to spring training, not to mention terrible summer weather, the Miracle stands out in their attempt to make the game an enjoyable attraction. The team has a number of interesting promotions, for example, the day after I visited was to be "AM in the PM", when fans were encouraged to show up in pyjamas or bathrobes and enjoy pancakes and waffles, despite the 7:00 pm start time. For ideas such as this, the Miracle have won the FSL promotions award four years running. No doubt fans are having a lot of fun here and if you are in Fort Myers, you should stop by and have some fun too.

The Games

Game 1 - Fort Myers 7, Tampa 6 (8)

I didn't bother keeping score here as I spent much of the time walking around the stadium taking pictures. The Yankees stormed to a 5-0 lead in their first two at-bats, but the Miracle tied it with a five-spot in the second, helped by 3 Tampa errors. The Yanks quickly regained the lead with a run in the 3rd and held that until Fort Myers tied it in the 6th. Neither team scored in the 7th and we were headed to extra innings for the second time that day (minor league doubleheaders are 7-inning games).



After Tampa failed to score in their half of the 8th, Miracle left fielder Daniel Rams (2nd round in 2007, above) led off with a single and moved to second on a hit batsmen. After a sacrifice bunt and intentional walk, Levi Michael (30th overall in 2011) singled home Rams and the Miracle had the comeback win in the opener.

Game 2 - Tampa 6, Fort Myers 5

Forty minutes later the second game got underway, with the teams wearing different uniforms. The Yankees were sporting a dark blue number that is very rare in the organization, who never wear anything other than road greys in the majors.



Again Tampa broke out early when Tyson Blaser (above) crushed a 1st-inning, bases-loaded triple that just missed being a grand slam. Ramon Flores added a wind-aided homer in the second but Fort Myers got that back in the 3rd on a Michael RBI single. The Yankees quickly responded in the 4th to regain the four-run lead, but again their defense fell apart, allowing the Miracle to tie the game in the 5th, with two Yankee errors contributing to two unearned runs as Fort Myers batted around.



After a scoreless 6th, it looked like I would be seeing my third extra inning game of the day, but in the top of the 7th, Flores hit another dinger that was helped by the wind (that's him above, looking sheepish as he is about to be congratulated). This run held as all-star Mark Montgomery (11th, 2011) struck out Lance Ray (8th, 2010) with the bases loaded to end the game.



A great evening with two excellent battles not decided until the last pitch. I was somewhat disappointed to not see a third game with bonus baseball as that is a rarity few can brag about, but at the same time it was a relief to get to my hotel as I had an early Wednesday drive to Dunedin for another camp day. More on that shortly.

Notes

The Miracle include Bill Murray and Jimmy Buffett among their minority owners.

Yankee fans should keep the closer, Mark Montgomery, on their radar. In just two seasons in the minors ( 62 IP) he has struck out 103 while walking 25, with an ERA of 1.73 and a WHIP of 1.06. Early days but those numbers have to be encouraging.

Best,

Sean

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Tampa Yankees 7 at Clearwater Threshers 10 - June 14, 2012

After leaving the Mets/Rays game a bit early, I made my way to Clearwater to see another New York team on the road. Well, a New York farm team at least. The Tampa Yankees were visiting the Clearwater Threshers in the last game before the FSL all-star break at beautiful Bright House Field.

Bright House Field



Located in central Clearwater, Bright House Field is the spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies, who are only too happy to remind you of their 2008 World Series championship, as you can see below. Naming rights were bought by a local cable entity who thoughtfully provides wi-fi throughout the park, although visitors need to signup first to enjoy 30 minutes of complimentary access.



Parking is off Old Coachman Road and is $2, the first FSL park to charge for the privilege. In front of the stadium you will see a fountain with a sculpture of Steve Carlton.



Up the stairs are the main ticket windows where you have a few choices: $9.50 for the premium box seats, $7 for the rest of the seating area, or $5 for the berm. As usual, you can get the cheapest and pretty much sit where you want although there are ushers you will check your tickets in the premium area, which is generally the seats blocked by the fence below.



You can walk around the entire concourse, in fact, they state that 3 laps is a mile and you should exercise during the game. I only made one lap but enjoyed the views from different angles.




The berm area is a nice place to relax with a blanket and a few families were enjoying their time there. But you are far away from the action and I'd probably end up falling asleep out there.



Another interesting option is Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion above left field. This is a huge bar and seating area which attracts young adults looking to have a few drinks while watching the game. I attended on Thirsty Thursday when all drinks are 2-for-1, and Frenchy's was packed during the game.



For those who prefer typical ballpark fare, there are a couple of concession stands serving the usual. One is called the Bullpen Grille as it is located out behind the bullpens (which are situated on two levels as at Citizens Bank Park), the other is behind home plate but called the Home Run Grille. However, I would recommend the small cart selling Cuban sandwiches for $6.75. These were huge and far more satisfying than anything else I have had on the trip so far.



As is the case in most of these FSL ballparks, there are no bells and whistles. Concourses are wide as there are far more fans during the spring, and seats are plentiful. There was a small kids area in the left field corner but that was about the only thing remotely out of the ordinary.



I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. Fans were spread out throughout the park, but they still made plenty of noise when the Threshers were at bat. There were also a good number of visiting supporters, not surprising given that the Tampa Yankees play just across the bay. Clearwater may not be on a typical Tampa Bay tourist plan, but if you are in town, check out if the Threshers are in town and if they are, make the trip up to check out a game.



The Game



The big news was that Chase Utley (above) was on a rehab assignment so I expected a fairly big crowd, and there were just over 2,000 fans in attendance. Even then, that was less than the average as the Threshers are the biggest draw in the league, with nearly 2,700 taking in a typical game in 2012. Generally when a big-name major leaguer makes a visit to the farm to get back into shape, people come out in droves, but FSL fans are used to seeing these guys during the spring so there was little buzz for Utley's appearance.



The game itself was interesting in that runs were plated in every inning, yet only the sixth stanza saw both teams score. Austin Wright (8th round, 2011), an up-and-comer in the Phillies organization, started against Shane Greene (15th round in 2009, above) for the Yankees. Wright lasted 4.2 innings giving up 3, while Greene also yielded 3 in his 5 frames.


Carlos Alonzo hit by a pitch

Once the bullpens got involved though, things got ugly, with Cuban defector Rigoberto Arrebato the prime offender as he yielded 5 runs  to the Threshers while getting only one out. That was the difference in the game as Clearwater won 10-7, with Juan Sosa pitching two strong innings for the save.



Anthony Hewitt (24th overall in 2008 below) was the star for the Threshers, belting two homers and four RBIs, while Utley was 0 for 3 with 2 walks.



Notes

Official scoring in this game was questionable. On one play, a grounder was hit to second but Hector Rabago (18th round, 2009) couldn't get the ball out of this glove to make the throw. This was ruled a hit. Then with two out in the top of the ninth, Ramon Flores belted a shot to right-center in what looked to be a sure double. Zach Collier (34th overall, 2008) ran it down but muffed the catch, earning an error for his efforts.

The park is close to the original Hooters, which is located at 2800 Gulf to Bay Blvd. You can see the Hooters advertisement in the scoreboard shot above.

Next Up

In other news, I've got a ticket to Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Miami next week. As such, I'm making changes to the schedule to save a bit of cash. I'll be staying in the Tampa area for this weekend, forgoing the All-Star game in Port Charlotte on Saturday night and watching the Rays and Marlins in a couple of Citrus Series games. Check back Monday for an update.

Best,

Sean

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