FORT MYERS — The Twins broke their spring training attendance record again this year, drawing 7,808 fans per game, bettering the mark of 7,620 set last year.

They definitely have a good thing going here. They sold out 14 of 16 games at Hammond Stadium, and the place was mostly full for the other two games.

It’s a sign of baseball’s popularity, and this area is booming population-wise. But you can drive to Sarasota, Dunedin, Bradenton, Jupiter and Fort Lauderdale (to name a few) and find plenty of good seats available, so these folks must be doing something right.

(Only recommendation I have for next year is to lower the volume on the PA system a few notches, soften the tone and let the baseball sell itself. Also, a note to the commissioner’s office: Look at the lineups the visiting teams used here. They are supposed to bring four regulars, but several Twins opponents ignored that edict.)

Anyway, there’s nothing like baseball in the hot sun. I left the press box and watched a couple innings from stands today, just to soak it all in. I fly home tonight, and I can’t wait to see my wife, but I’ll miss this place, and I know my roommate La Velle will, too.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 28th, 2008 at 3:51 pm and is filed under Twins thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.