IGT: Marlins at Mets... again 3/7/2012

[Edgy MD]

Geographical motivation suggests the Mets should play all of their games against one of two teams.



They seem to get the Fish a lot more, though. In the old days, it seemed every other game was against the Cards.

MATT HARVEY: Will make his third spring
start today...Harvey worked 2.0 innings
allowing one run with three strikeouts on
February 24 at Houston and then tossed 2.2
innings on March 2 vs. Miami where he
racked up four strikeouts and allowed one
run...

Also scheduled to go: Greg Burke, Brnadon Lyon, Scott Rice, Pedro Feliciano, Collin McHugh, and Josh Edgin.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Nationals and Astros are looking to get off the East Coast. Mets in the meantime have extended their lease at St. Lucie thru 2023.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Nationals and Astros are looking to get off the East Coast. Mets in the meantime have extended their lease at St. Lucie thru 2023.

contingent on the other teams staying actually.

There are occasionally rumors about other teams moving east (As there was with a co-tenant for Tradition Field)

[Guest vtmet]

in retrospect, the move from St Pete to Port St Lucie was a dumb ass move...now all the teams are on the Gulf Coast, central Florida or Arizona...

[Edgy MD]

I've always thought that if teams is going to take a bus trip to Lakeland (for example), they might as well stay there for a few days, check into local diggs, work out on Tiger facilities (which will be available because half the Tiggs are somewhere else), sign for a new crowd of tourists, flirt with a new bunch of locals, and limit the amount of bus travel.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Not entirely foreseeable but yes, a dumb move by a regime that's supposed to be smart in terms of real estate. (Baseball and Mets, we know they're dumb).

[Edgy MD]

Hey, since the 'Pons bought out Doubleday, we're legally obliged to whitewash Nelson and praise any move that was championed by him.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: I've always thought that if teams is going to take a bus trip to Lakeland (for example), they might as well stay there for a few days, check into local diggs, work out on Tiger facilities (which will be available because half the Tiggs are somewhere else), sign for a new crowd of tourists, flirt with a new bunch of locals, and limit the amount of bus travel.

well, not really. 30 or so of the Tigers might be elsewhere, but the other hundreds... Lakeland is nice, and Tiger Town has a big facility though. Exchange the Tigers an offer to workout at Tradition Field which is rather big as well.

It might happen more than you think though. I know the Braves stayed at a Marriott (or just rode the elevator) in Jupiter back in '09. I looked up the schedule and they did have two games in the area. I suspect though, that this would be mostly minor leaguers. The veterans would probably drive themselves and get excused from one game or the other so just do the day trip bit.



What was the reasoning for the PSL move? space? Might still be what they want, it's not like they seem to care about moving back to the west side. Tampa is obviously easier for fans and box office draw, but it's not like that's the point.

[Guest vtmet]

I could care less how much the team is affected by their poor location...I'm just disappointed because I have family in the Tampa; St Pete; Fort Myers area...and other than the Mets playing in Port St Lucie; can't think of a single reason to go to that area of Florida...

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

At the time the Mets made the move the O's were in Miami, the MFYs in Ft. Lauderdale, the Dodgers in Vero Beach etc etc. There were fewer teams in Arizona and on the Gulf Coast.

St Pete was small and old and although a great setting, it lacked modern amenities and the space/$$ to enact them so the Mets pretty much had to go somewhere else. They just chose wrong.

[Edgy MD]

Ceetar wrote: well, not really. 30 or so of the Tigers might be elsewhere, but the other hundreds... Lakeland is nice, and Tiger Town has a big facility though. Exchange the Tigers an offer to workout at Tradition Field which is rather big as well.

Yes, and it would be 30 or so Mets (or whoever) visiting.

[Guest vtmet]

Ceetar wrote: What was the reasoning for the PSL move? space? Might still be what they want, it's not like they seem to care about moving back to the west side. Tampa is obviously easier for fans and box office draw, but it's not like that's the point.

According to Page 6D of the June 5th, 1986 Lakeland Ledger, the motivation was:
The County agreed to pay for the $ 7 Million facility which included 5,000 Seating capacity with 5 practice fields (with one being artificial turf);

Nelson Doubleday stated: "This was simply an offer that we couldn't refuse"

The county had been trying to lure a team there for 2 seasons with negotiations with the Reds and Rangers falling through...The Mets were also interested in having a Florida State League team in St Lucie...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19860605&id=0qlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gPsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1206,2385081

[Guest vtmet]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: At the time the Mets made the move the O's were in Miami, the MFYs in Ft. Lauderdale, the Dodgers in Vero Beach etc etc. There were fewer teams in Arizona and on the Gulf Coast. St Pete was small and old and although a great setting, it lacked modern amenities and the space/$$ to enact them so the Mets pretty much had to go somewhere else. They just chose wrong.

After recently being in St Pete for a Rays/Mets game, I can't picture a 1980's era St Pete....It's pretty nice there now...

[Theoldmole]

Across Florida is really not that far. And in any event, it doesn't matter all that much who they play in spring training.

[Guest vtmet]

Edgy MD wrote: I've always thought that if teams is going to take a bus trip to Lakeland (for example), they might as well stay there for a few days, check into local diggs, work out on Tiger facilities (which will be available because half the Tiggs are somewhere else), sign for a new crowd of tourists, flirt with a new bunch of locals, and limit the amount of bus travel.

exactly...why not play 3 games in Lakeland similar to the way that a road trip works during the season? And maybe make a week long trip to the Gulf Coast?

[Ceetar]

The Florida State League thing is probably way more important than how many times they play meaningless games against the Marlins in Spring Training.

[Ceetar]

Harvey!

[Ceetar]

Duda calls off Quintanilla on a decent run towards the 3b/SS/LF intersection. routine, but it's nice that it looked routine too.

[bmfc1]

TheOldMole wrote: ...in any event, it doesn't matter all that much who they play in spring training.

It does, to some extent, because you don't want to keep playing the teams that you will face the most during the season. It gives the opponent more of a chance to size up pitchers from their divisions. Admittedly, this factor is dissipated somewhat because everyone plays everybody but the Mets will still play the Nationals and Marlins most often.

[Edgy MD]

Well, that's a two-way street. The Mets are getting a good look at the Nats and Marlins too.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: Hey, since the 'Pons bought out Doubleday, we're legally obliged to whitewash Nelson and praise any move that was championed by him.

I can do that. Except for Doubleday's disastrous trojan horse of a move that let effWilpon buy into the franchise in the first place.

[bmfc1]

Keith Olbermann suggests that every team should move to Arizona:
http://keitholbermann.mlblogs.com/2013/03/05/is-spring-training-in-florida-doomed/

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd rather see all 30 teams move to Puerto Rico.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Harvey!

[TransMonk]

There's been a fine line this spring between being appropriately aggressive and being too aggressive on the base paths.

Nice at-bat by Recker on the RBI.

[TransMonk]

Matt Harvey: 4 IP, 0 H, 5 Ks, 46 pitches.

FWIW, Nolasco has been dealing pretty well, too.

[Edgy MD]

Whoah.

[TransMonk]

Duda's looking like doodie.

[bmfc1]

I really want Matt dD to succeed so that was great. However, bad effort by the woman on the folding chair who didn't move to get the ball.

[Ceetar]

nice bomb from den Dekker.

And Pedro Feliciano made quick work of his two lefties. fwiw. (nothing)