FORT MYERS, Fla. – As a kid growing up in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan., there was a mythical quality to the idea of spring training baseball, especially a location straight out of paradise known as Fort Myers, Fla. When my beloved Kansas City Royals were born in 1969, they would congregate every year at a spot in Fort Myers known as Terry Park.
To me, it all sounded more magical than Disney World. I couldn’t wait to read the newspaper every day, to find out about the prospects, my favorite players and how they were coming together for a fresh, new franchise that created an innovative farm system and produced a divisional champ by 1976.
The first pictures back from spring training were the same every year – and they were terrific. We could see a pitcher throwing to a catcher. We’d see the manager hanging around the batting cage. And we could see the players, in uniform, stretching out and going through their odd range of motion exercises – as a team. The backdrop always featured bright rays of sunshine or exotic palm trees.
None of it resembled summertime baseball at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium – or later, Royals Stadium. That’s why it seemed imaginary, unattainable and full of promise.
The Royals don’t train here any more. They left in 1988 for a place called Baseball City, not far from Disney World in Central Florida. They didn’t stay there long. Now, they are Cactus League members and play in Surprise Stadium in Arizona, not far from Phoenix.
The Red Sox, my adopted New England team (I have a strong dislike for the Yankees; people tell me not to use the word hate), moved to Fort Myers in 1993. As fate would have it, my in-laws took refuge from Syracuse, N.Y., and migrated to North Ft. Myers just a few years after my wife, Nancy, and I were married.
But until Friday, I had never witnessed a Grapefruit League game. Since becoming a sportswriter, the majority of my winters have been occupied by college basketball games – with no days off, rare Florida trips and no time for baseball games until after the Final Four.
On Friday, the myth became reality. The 2014 baseball season started for me with the Red Sox hosting the Minnesota Twins at jetBlue Park. I finally had my day in the sun, complete with a perfect (Jet) blue sky, and the 2013 World Series champion Red Sox. Temperatures were in the upper 60’s at Fenway South. Chilly, as the natives would say. But for all New Englanders, who have battled through the hell of January and February in 2014, it was a blast of warmth and a precursor to spring for the rest of us.
The Twins won 8-2, but who cares? The score didn’t matter. Mike Napoli went 2-for-2 for the Red Sox. Boston prospect Bryce Brentz hit a home run to center field in the sixth inning. If Brentz goes on to be a major league star, I can say I was there. If not, I will tell the truth: I didn’t see the homer. Nancy and I were strolling around the park, buying some Red Sox gear for gifts and for us and then indulging in a little Italian gelato.
It was impressive that Anthony Ranaudo’s debut against Major League hitters went well. He is the No. 6 prospect for the Sox (whoever does those rankings) and he retired all six Twins he faced. He had four strikeouts and got the job done in 24 pitches – 19 of them strikes. That might be worth remembering.
As we pulled into the beautiful training complex, I’ve got to admit my heart was racing and I felt some kid-like enthusiasm. This is the third season for the Red Sox at jetBlue Park and everyone is excited about it – with good reason. The stadium is new, clean, sleek and modern. There are 10,000 seats that are comfortable and close to the action. Parking is offered on a grassy field, just a short walk from the stadium.
They’ve taken 106 acres and converted them into baseball paradise, just like the one I always imagined. The stadium is surrounded by six workout fields, including one named for Lou Gorman, and one for Johnny Pesky. There’s a statue of Ted Williams that honors his commitment and attention to the Jimmy Fund. There’s a giant sundial made from a jetBlue tailfin.
Party tents down the right field line are there to provide sort of a Yawkey Way South, with live entertainment and food offerings from local restaurants and eateries. It’s lively and fun, a great place to gather before the game and I would imagine a great refuge during a rain delay.
The visual attraction inside is all the green, including the replica Green Monster in left field. The bullpens are located in the same spot as Fenway. And you will recognized the foul/fair poles resembling their namesakes in Boston – Pesky’s Pole and Fisk’s pole. It’s a delightful atmosphere that reminds you of home but there’s no snow, no ice and no wind chill in February and March.
The Red Sox starting lineup included Jonny Gomes, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Napoli, Xander Bogaerts, Will Middlebrooks, David Ross and Jackie Bradley, Jr. The starters took a couple of at-bats and then were replaced. But for a spring training game, that was a nice lineup and allowed a flashback to my last time at Fenway – Game 2 of the 2013 World Series in October.
We got there early enough to walk around and check out the scene. My longtime buddy from the UConn basketball beat, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, left us a pair of tickets at will call. Pete left the Red Sox clubhouse to chat with us down by the Twins dugout for a few minutes before the game. He has done a great job covering the Red Sox for the Globe and it was great to get caught up with him. Not sure how he does it. It doesn’t seem that long ago that the duck boats were parading through downtown Boston.
The irony of seeing Pete on Friday wasn’t lost on me. The only other spring training game I ever attended was in the Cactus League in 1999 when the UConn Huskies won the West Regional in Phoenix on the way to the national championship. Pete and I took the time to attend a game between the Angels and Rangers. We saw Troy Glaus hit a monster home run. Glaus had played 48 games with the Angels in 1998 but that was the first time I saw him in person. I couldn’t help but think he might have a future. He hit 29 homers that season for Anaheim and 47 in 2000. In a 13-year Major League career, Glaus hit 320 home runs.
I’m not sure Brentz is headed for that type of future. But, remember, I didn’t see his home run – unless, of course, he does become a star. Ranaudo, the 39th overall selection in the 2010 draft, a 6-foot-7 giant on the mound out of LSU might be the guy I remember most from this game. The Red Sox spent $2.5 million on a signing bonus for Ranaudo, so maybe that’s the way it should be.
Friday, the highlight was seeing those three World Series trophies the Red Sox have won since 2004, not to mention the player introductions of Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, and Big Papi. That will leave you feeling warmer than the Florida sunshine.
Back in 1969, I’m pretty sure my spring training dreams were in black and white. Friday, the reality was in full color with all the sights and sounds of baseball that give you that renewed hope of spring.
There will be more snow to shovel when we get back to Connecticut. The cold will be a true slap in the face.
But baseball fans can rejoice. Summer is almost here. And it was well worth the wait for my first spring training game in Fort Myers, Florida. A dream come true, with just a hint of grapefruit.
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