On Meeting Idols & Enemies, As Well As Some Rain
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| First Data Field, 2017 |
Monday, March 13, 2017
Miami Marlins vs. New York MetropolitansFirst Data Field
Grapefruit League (Spring Training)
Port St. Lucie, FL
1:05 PM
Outside the Game:
I woke up Monday morning, and in the process of getting ready for the game, I realized that I had the wrong game on the menu for today. I had swapped up the order of my next two games. I had booked two games at the new Palm Beaches ballpark to see both teams, and I had booked two games in Port St. Lucie to go with my family and then fan geek out for the second one. I had thought I was watching back-to-back games in West Palm Beach, but in looking at my ticket before I departed, I realized that it was the second Metropolitans game this day.
Outside of leaving slightly later than I would have liked (as West Palm Beach is much closer), it didn't affect things too much. There was an accident with a truck on fire that I passed on the way up to the stadium that wasn't exactly a great sign, but once I got to the park, I parked in nearly exactly the same place as the first game on Saturday, though this time I was alone and driving my mother's Florida car. I quickly headed off to the training facilities and into the game from there.
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| A damp exit |
After the rain delay, there were not many people left in the parking lot once the game was over, so it was particularly easy to get out. The drive back to the condo was unmarred by any flaming trucks, and I had my regular shower and nap before dinner with my parents. I did laundry and packed up as I planned my accommodations for the next day and bought my tickets, as it looked like I would get all my baseball done in four straight days, even with the rain scare today. I even put in a call to Disney to get some preliminary information, but didn't buy any tickets in case tomorrow went south in West Palm Beach.
I had an early night, hitting the sack before 11 PM, just because I ran out of things to do.
The Stadium & Fans:
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| Home plate to center field, First Data Field |
The stadium hadn't changed much in two days, so not much new on that front. All of my particular personal interactions are described below.
Even for a weekday afternoon Spring Training game against the null-drawing Marlins, there was still a solid crowd in the stands, even if the 7-Line Army was out marching somewhere, because they were not in attendance on the picnic berm for this game.
A couple got (successfully) engaged in a mid-innings break, and all the stupid between-innings contests such as golf chipping and the like were in the house. It did mark the first time I had any rain for a Spring Training game in Florida (or Arizona for that matter, but that's sort of a given). Even though it was relatively short and there were plenty of places to stay dry from the rain, the crowd did thin out quite a bit with the Metropolitans already leading in the late innings.
Not everyone is a die-hard.
At the Game with Oogie:
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| Spring scoring |
This was an eventful little game for me.
My first stop was the training area behind the park that they had finally opened up to the fans several years ago. One of the first people I saw was turn-of-the-90s Metropolitan pitcher Frank Viola, who was a “special pitching instructor” this year for the Metropolitans. He was talking to a family that he apparently knew, but as he walked over to one of the fields, I asked him to sign my program on his picture, which marks the first time I ever hit someone up for an autograph.
There was soon a less-welcome visitor, as son of Satan and walking corpse Fred Wilpon showed up on a golf cart and went on the field to talk to some coaching staff. I found that I was a coward to my conviction, as I did not take the opportunity to physically assault him when I had the chance, and that cowardice shall haunt me to my grave.
As I headed back to enter the stadium before the game, I saw rehabbing Matt Harvey on the back of another golf cart going to another practice field. I followed the cart, and he was taking bunting practice with one of the coaches, presumably as part of rehab, which I watched for a while. I thought he looked okay, but what did I know?
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| Burger and chips |
Once I went into the park, I grabbed a burger and chips at the Ulti-Met (get it?) Grill, and then walked around more for pictures and the like. I came across some lady in a Tebow t-shirt., I forget the exact wording, but it was something about Jesus loving Tebow, so I immediately disliked her. She was going on and on about how great it was that Tebow was in the lineup, and Jesus had foretold it, and it was all I could do not to slug her. But I went two-for-two in that regard.
Better things were afoot, though, as I walking around and could have sworn I just saw Doc Gooden pass me. Upon further review, I did just pass Doc Gooden. He looked very old and tired, and he was wearing a black t-shirt that showed all his World Series rings, but it was definitely him. He was walking around (and eventually sitting) with a family that I would guess had won some contest of seeing a Spring Training game with Dwight Gooden. I followed him a bit, and he was very shy. A couple of people came up to him, and he waved them off and said he wasn't here to sign autographs, and everyone was respectful of that. He and the family ended up sitting just to the left of home plate, across from where I was in the seats to the right of home plate. I occasionally watched him throughout the game. Only a couple of people came up to him, and they only made an announcement on the PA about it once without saying where he was.
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| The Doctor is In. |
Curtis Granderson's charity was also in the park that day, the Grand Kids (get it?). They all had special t-shirts on and were in the left field picnic area. I was sitting surrounded by old couples who bailed when the rain started.
The Game:
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| First pitch, Marlins vs. Metropolitans |
The pitiful Miami Marlins were in town to test the not-all-that-inspiring Metropolitans this fine afternoon. Who would win was anyone's guess, although the Noah "Thor" Syndergaard on the mound, I at least had some hopes.
The Marlins had only a two-out double to show for the top of the first, while New York answered with a one-out homer to right to jump to an early 1-0 lead. Miami got even worse in the second, going quickly in order, while the Metropolitans blasted a homer to right-center to start their half before going in order, boasting a 2-0 lead. Miami was similarly anemic in the third, as their only baserunner was a two-out hit batsman. New York went yard for the third straight inning with a one-out shot to right-center to extend their lead to 3-0.
Miami got their groove back in the top of the third, as a walk, double, and home run quickly tied the game at 3, before they struck out in order for the rest of the inning. The Metropolitans managed to strand a leadoff double in their half. Both sides went in order in the fifth, though New York had a leadoff single that was erased on a double-play. As mass replacements began in the sixth, the Marlins only had a one-out double, but the Metropolitans had a leadoff double brought in by a one-out home run to retake the lead at 5-3.
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| Brief delay |
The rest of the players swapped out for high numbers in the seventh, and Miami went in order. New York turned two singles and a ground-out into another run, extended their lead to 6-3 as it began to pour in sunny Port St. Lucie. After a twenty-minute rain delay, play resumed with both teams going in order in the top of the eighth. Miami gave it their all in the top of the ninth, with a leadoff double that made it to third on a fly-out to right and brought in a ground-out to first. A two-out single brought the tying run to the plate, but it was erased with a strikeout to end the game with a 6-4 Metropolitan victory.
The Scorecard:
Marlins vs. Metropoltians, 03/13/17. Metropolitans "win," 6-4.
I was again using the inadequate Metropolitans $5 Spring Training program scorecard. It proved as cramped as before, with the same inadequacies.
This game, however, was even more by-the-book than the previous one, though with a happier outcome. There were special notes about the rain delay, and since it seems to be of biblical friggin’ importance, also a note about witnessing Mr. Tim Tebow's first hit of Spring Training in the bottom of the fifth (not doubt to the joy of the crazy women in the T-shirt). Also, his replacement in the eighth was an unnamed high-90s player, so he was note recorded by name on the scorecard.
Otherwise, outside of some hits through the overshift, there was nothing noteworthy on the scoring front.
The Accommodations:
I was in the guest room in my parents' condo for the last night in a bit. It was another night of hanging out in my room, so not much there.
2017 Spring Training
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