At JetBlue
So, yes, I have popped my spring training cherry. Jett and I saw the Red Sox play the Orioles at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers last Sunday. It was a beautiful day and a good game. Mike Napoli (who gave me his autograph a week ago) his a home run and Dustin Pedroia (my other autographer) singled. The good guys won, if anyone cares.
Lineups
There were some suprises. The biggest surprise to me, as a spring training virgin, was the lineup. I really expected the game to be like an NFL preseason game – the regulars might appear briefly, but mostly it would be a venue for trying out the new talent. Well, the starting lineup was pretty darn close to what I would expect to see in a regular game and, with the exception of the pitcher, who went only two innings, the starters played over half the game.
The other big surprise was the appearance of Mike Yastrzemski – Carl’s grandson – in his first game against his granddad’s old team. I got a good photo of his first at-bat – a ground out to shortstop.
I also enjoyed the park. JetBlue was built to mimic Fenway, complete with a Green Monster. It also mimics Fenway’s concession prices. The beer was $6 ($8 for a “craft” beer). A bag of peanuts was $4. I settled for a hot dog, peanuts and lemonade. Total: $12.
They even got Sweet Caroline right.
And the weather was perfect: sunny and 84. But that’s just how March is in Fort Myers.
Green Monster
Yastrzemski’s first at-bat