Winter Haven trip report '07

Sure it took me 20 years, but this week I finally made it to Cleveland Indians Spring Training!

Accompanied by my fiance Kourtney and good friend Mark, who happens to be a dreadful Red Sox fan, I attended Wednesday's game in Winter Haven against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Let me first say, several strange feelings while attending a Spring Training baseball game.

First off, as you enter the small town of Winter Haven, Fla., you see Cleveland Indians banners hanging from street light posts around town. Can't quite describe how odd a sight that is in some obscure Florida town some 1000 miles from downtown Cleveland.

We were ushered into the parking lot by about three of Winter Haven's finest in what looked more like a high school football game traffic than anything to do with professional baseball.

As we entered Chain Of Lakes Park, we are greated by a sign announcing Tribe legend Bob Feller is signing autographs during the first hour of the game. I decided to pass on the idea as the line was at least 25 people deep and Indians starter C.C. Sabathia was making the last of his warm-up pitches.

We were making our way to our seats as the game began and before we even sat down, Toronto leadoff hitter Reed Johnson sent a rocket off Sabathia's arm, ending the afternoon for the man who is slated to start Opening Day.

Now here is the greatest thing I can say about Spring Training. Chain Of Lakes Park is a smaller, more intimate venue than what the Akron Aeros play in. It is the equivelant of watching a band like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers play in one of the the smaller bars in the Flats.

Our seats were six rows behind the Toronto dugout. From that amazing vantage point, I could notice several of the Blue Jays players are extremely well-built. Both Reed Johnson and catcher Gregg Zaun have forearms that would make Popeye jealous. I'm not one to throw around steroid accusations, I'm just saying.

A funny moment came in the bottom of the first inning. After Grady Sizemore lined out to center to lead off, Jason Michaels made his way to the plate. I began to passionately scoff at Michaels game and curse him as a subpar left fielder that doesn't really do anything very well. Merely seconds after the conclusion of my diatribe, Michaels launched a Gustavo Chacin delivery 15 feet over the left field wall for a towering homerun.

Seconds after the ball landed over the wall, Mark replied with "You were saying?"...Ouch.

So here are some quick notes I took away from the game, which ended in a 3-2 Tribe victory on a clutch RBI single by Mike Rouse, who has apparently made the final roster as a utility player.

1. After Sabathia left, Tom Mastny was forced to hurriedly warm up and enter the game in an emergency situation. He struggled a bit early but settled down and pitched pretty well. After him the rest of the Tribe hurlers, including Aaron Fultz, Rafael Betancourt and Joe Borowski were lights out.

2. I'm still not crazy about Ryan Garko. He just looks out of shape and slow to me. Maybe its just me.

3. The Indians made SEVERAL base running blunders, including botching THREE hit and runs leading to baserunners awkwardly being gunned down as they jogged helplessly towards second base. Lets hope this stuff stays in Florida.

4. I absolutely LOVE the Trot Nixon signing. You just have to see how he carries himself on the field. The guy is a true professional and knows what it takes to win. Plus, he still has a few good years left in the tank.

5. With Trot Nixon and Dave Dellucci entering the fray, I think this is the year we see Casey Blake drop off the map. He didn't look good in either of his four at bats Wednesday and I don't think anybody can make a case for him being one of the Tribe's four best outfielders.

Well I have departed Florida, just a few days before the Indians, and have begun to mentally prepare the the start of the regular season. I already have tickets for Opening Day next Friday, so check back next weekend for my thoughts and observations on that.

Quickly on the "other teams"

A. The Cavs seem to be sleepwalking again, but trouble is on the horizen if they lose to Chicago Saturday. It could mean the difference between earning a second seed or settling for the fifth in next month's playoffs.

B. I can't even discuss this AP report about the Browns alleged interest in soon-to-be 37-year-old quarterback Trent Green. Why in God's green earth the Browns, entering year three of what could be a decades worth of the latest rebuilding project, would be interested in a washed up Green who suffered a severe concussion last season is beyond my comprehension. If they are trying to get me on the Brady Quinn bandwagon, another story like this one might just do the trick!

Browns signings and more...

- First of, LOVE the Eric Steinbach signing. Anytime you can replace one of the five below-average offensive linemen the Browns start with an above-average lineman; I'm all for it. Of course they tried the same strategy last year and it worked out about as well as the government's plan to lower gas prices - I'm still paying more than $2.50 a gallon at the pump and have started as many games for the Browns as LeCharles Bentley.

- I realize options were slim, but the news of the re-signing of "Hostess" Hank Fraley was disheartening to say the least. Anybody who has attended a game and seen how unflattering a football uniform looks on that man will not soon forget the alarming sight. He has passionate love handles with a gut more suited for flipping brats at a tailgate party than actually playing in the game on Sundays.

- The Cavs are doing their "beat the bad teams, come up short against the good teams" routine again. I just don't see anything in this team that makes me believe they are anything but another second-round exit this year. There is really no point in watching them play Detroit, Miami or Washington or any of the top four Western Conference teams on the road, unless you are some kind of a sick masochist or something.

- Spring Training baseball is pretty stupid. It is amazing how players differ on Spring vs. regular season performances. Some guys like Paul Byrd will toss goose eggs all through March, then surrender more earned runs in his first two starts of the regular season. Other guys are more consistent. Rafael Betancourt is a good example, although the home runs he surrenders in the Spring don't seem to travel as far over the fence as the regular season taters.

Some pitchers work on their change-up during spring, Betancourt works on getting his neck muscles limber for another long summer of watching opposing hitters smack his 89-MPH "heaters" as if the pitch insulted their mothers.

Having said all that, I will be attending a day of Tribe Spring Training in a couple weeks. Look for an update with pics when I return home.