He Looks Up, You Can Put It On The Board.......YES!

"There's new grass on the field. Oh, put me in coach, I'm ready to play" - John Fogerty 'Centerfield'

Continuing on with my baseball mindset (because, it's right around the corner), I came across an interesting little article on ESPN, http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=3230603&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1 , about the eccentrict Spring Training ballparks.

This immediatly brought me to memories as a kid of going and seeing the White Sox and Texas Rangers in Sarasota, FL (now home to the Cincinnati Reds in what I think is Ed Smith Stadium). Growing up, it was often a treat to go visit my grandparents in Port Charlotte, FL (roughly 2 hours south of Tampa Bay), during Spring/Easter Break.

I remember everything from their house, having only been there roughly a dozen times or so in my life. The lamps with seashells in them, the pool, the little river behind their neighbors' houses that housed the local gators of the area all the way to the baseball games.

It wasn't until a few years ago when Kristin and myself went down to visit my Grandma (who had severe Ovarion Cancer) that I realized how much those baseball games mattered to me. See, it was normally my folks, brother and sister, and my grandparents (7 of us total, for those of you who wanted to know), who'd trek out to Sarasota (about a 45 min. drive due to horrible old Florida drivers) to watch boys and men try to make their dreams come true. This is back when they were both healthy and happy, both still living.

This time around, Kristin and I were on our way to see her in the hospital when we happened across the City of Palms Park, home of the then defending World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox, in Fort Meyers/Cape Coral, FL. It ain't the Green Monster, but hell, I wouldn't mind seeing the Red Sox play in Spring Training for all of $30 for two tickets, a beer, and a couple of dogs.

But, I was quickly transported back to reality when I realized where we were going. We got to the hospital and I briefly mentioned that we saw the Red Sox ball park on the way here. Naturally, she asked if they were playing, to which I responded with a "yeah, I think so." Well, that was followed up by a look of disgust and I knew that she wanted us to go to the game, rather than see her in the hospital. She told me that we should've gone to the game (I pick up on things well).

I played it off as though it was no big deal (because, let's face it, it's the Red Sox and they aren't a big deal....now the White Sox, I may've stopped off for), they'll play again, and I can see them some other time. I knew, quickly, that baseball would be in my life longer than she would. It was early spring of '06, and she passed in the late summer of '07.

If you ever get the opportunity to go see the Red Sox in Florida or visit with friends and family, pass up the Sox, they'll still be there (until they move to Arizona) next time.