Thursday Roundup: Could Fort Myers Become A One-Team Town?
Posted on May 1st, 2008 – 1:15 PMBy La Velle
Check out this Nick Cafardo piece in today’s Boston Globe.
This should raise an eyebrow among those of you who make the annual trek to spring training.
I think City of Palms Park is nice facility. But I also think that a team shouldn’t have to train in one place then travel a few miles to play spring game. It makes sense for the Red Sox to have a facility like the Twins’, where the main stadium and all the fields are in one place. But it stinks that they can point to the out clause in their lease and threaten to leave if they don’t get what they want.
The economy there, like everywhere, is not in good shape. That’s just one indication, but I wonder how Lee County and the city of Fort Myers can come up with a proposal to keep the Red Sox in town.
Fort Myers used to be Dullsville USA, but it has grown so much in recent years that I think it’s big enough for a third team for spring training. Going down to one team would help the Twins sell out every home game but travel would be an even bigger pain. I hope there’s a solution to this issue.
In case your worried that this somehow has negative Twins implications, don’t be. The Twins recently had their lease with Lee County extended through 2012 The Twins have a great relationship with the county. The sides have mapped out a schedule of improvements to the facility over the next few years.
The Twins are the county’s team. The Red Sox are the city’s team.
Let’s stay with the stadium angle. SI has released (I’m not exactly sure when) a survery of the best ballparks in the league. Predictably, the Dome finished in the bottom third in the overall rankings - and was ranked 29th in atmosphere, better only than Florida.
I don’t have to go into all the negatives about the Dome but I wonder where the Twins will rank two years from now when Insert-Naming-Rights-Here Field is open.
It also got me thinking about my favorite ballparks in the league. I’m biased because I also factor in pressbox amenities and how fast I can get to the clubhouses after the games. But here are my five favorite ballparks.
1. Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. If the Twins could copy it - and put a retractable roof on it - I’d love it. Cozy. Comfortable. And it will look even better after the current renovation is completed.
2. Safeco Field in Seattle. Great views of downtown Seattle and the Puget Sound. Spacious pressbox. I blow off the media dining here for the concessions. And I don’t mind the trains blowing whistles as they roll by the park.
3. Angel Stadium of Anaheim. They nailed the renovation of this former ugly ballpark. Best place to watch a game. Best place to watch fans watching the game. Comfortable pressbox. Nice scoreboard. Tired of Rally Monkey, though.
4. Camden Yards in Baltimore. I’ve been able to cover games here when it has been packed and empty and I think they did a really fine job with this park. The White Sox could have had a similar park, but ol’ Jerry Reinsdorf was in his, `Yankees West,’ mode and nixed it.
5. Yankee Stadium and Fenway Pawk. You have to fight through the crowd at Fenway after games to get to the clubhouses. You have to work a little bit to travel to Yankee Stadium, although it’s not that bad. And you see a puddle of water in the tunnel to the visitor’s dugout at Fenway and wonder how long it’s been there. But, when you get to these places at 2:30 in the afternoon, when the stadiums are relatively empty and there’s no music playing, you swear you can hear the ghosts talking to you.
I have not been to the new parks in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Diego or St. Louis, so I don’t know what I’m missing.
And I meant to write Fenway Pawk. As in pawk your caw by the hawbaugh and buy some chowdah.
One more thing. My latest podcast is now up. The subject is the Twins’ offensive offense.
70 Responses to "Thursday Roundup: Could Fort Myers Become A One-Team Town?"
careful len3 you might hurt joe v’s feelings!
Punto sucks.
Had to get that in.
Hmmmm…I wonder what he means by watch fans by watching the games in L.A.?? This wouldn’t have anything to do with the ladies would it…
Nice stuff, Lavelle; one of my dreams in life is to visit every single ballpark; I’ve only seen a handful, so I have my work cut out for me.
Leave it to the idiots to instantly start the anti-Punto diatribes despite the fact that the blog entry was devoted to subjects unrelated to Punto.
I was going to add that a buddy of mine, who interned at the Strib back in the 90’s (in fact, worked with Sid extensively) has visited about 27 or 28 of the ball parks. What he did was plan a trip to a certain region of the country where he could see four-five games in four-five different ballparks, and he did this several years in a row.
I’ve been to maybe five stadiums other than the Dome, and Kauffman is by far my favorite. Other than the small bathrooms, I would never have known that it is, by today’s standards, a pretty old park.
I can hardly wait until the Twins’ new park opens. I check that webcam every day, baby! I have to tell you man, they have already poured a lot of concrete and there will not be any changes to the stadium’s design at this point. We are getting an open-air stadium. I think this is going to suck in April and October (remember, major league baseball is played at NIGHT for the most part). On the other hand, the new stadium will have a great view of the Minneapolis skyline at night, and the small site means the seats will be right on top of the field. I think the atmosphere of this place is going to be AMAZING.
and the new stadium is being built essentially behind the Target Center, right?
Coors Field is beautiful; and I’ve been to the OLD Big A in Anaheim (pre-renovation), not to mention old County Stadium and Yankees Stadium. My fiance and I are planning on going to Miller Park in September. Has anyone been there?
Miller is a nice cozy park. Better with the roof open. No skyline or landscape views, but it has the sliding mascot and sausage races!
Miller Park is very nice, get the hot roasted candied nuts when you are there, they are to die for. I hope the new twins park will be at least as nice as Miller park. I went to a game at San Fran in the 80’s the Stick was a dump.
Miller Park has a fun atmosphere, and the tailgating lots are awesome. If the roof is open, its a great experience, if the roof is closed…well its still better than the dome.
Todd,
I have been to Miller Park many many times. I go every year to see the Twins take on the Brewers (I am originally from WI but am the only Twins fan in my family).
Miller Park is very nice. I have sat all over the place and not really a bad seat. If your are up higher you may feel indoors even with the roof open, due to the 2 fixed roof panels.
Speaking of ballparks, here is SI’s rankings that they just posted yesterday based on fan surveys.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/specials/fansurvey/2008/index.html
How in the world does Busch Stadium III (a 2-year-old park) rate a 5th in tradition, when the Metrodome, which has hosted 2 WS game 7’s (Jack Morris goes 10 innings!) rates 27th?
Tweety you need to remember these are voted on by the fans. I agree with you though as ugly as the Dome is it’s history should be in the top 10 in my opinion.
Plus tweety Busch Stadium III has hosted a WS much much more recently than the Dome. Probably sticks in peoples’ minds better.
But it should not be 5th-nor should the Dome be 27th.
All this stadium talk made me look at my ticket stubs from three years ago. 4 of the more fun days I have ever had.I was working in New Jersey and we hit Philadelphia on Friday night. Nice Stadium but almost froze. Outstanding cheese steak for only $7.50. Atlanta beat them. Saturday sold out Mets Stadium and Pedro was pitching. Mets won in the bottom of the ninth. First time in NYC and we partied until 2 AM. Saturday Camden Yards (nicest new park (I’ve been to) Baltimore beats the Yankees again a sell out. Monday we took the New Jersey Transit into NYC Yankee Stadium. Yankees win $12.50 for hotdog and a beer. Dates were April 15-18, 2005. I still think the game I saw at Fenway Park was most memorable. June 2, 1995 we sat in the Budweiser box 84 degrees and Clemens pitches after coming off the DL. Sox win in 10 innings.
NOT CHASE FIELD IN PHOENIX??? ITS AWESOME!!
The best field i’ve ever been to is Coors Field. Thats a really nice place
In 2003, my college-age son and I took a road trip attending a game in each of the 30 stadiums in one season. Our combined ratings had Pittsburgh #1, San Francisco #2, Baltimore #3, Seattle #4 (our home team) and the Metrodome #22. Amazingly, since that season, all the teams with stadiums we rated in the bottom third have, or will be getting, new stadiums. Having spent my adolescence watching the Twins at Met Stadium, I will say Twins’ fans are going to love being outdoors again!
Sell outs aren’t an issue. I am a lifelong Twins fan living in Fort Myers. Every game sells out.
I have been to quite a few parks a group of friends and I try and get on the road to see the Twins somewhere outside each year.
I went to the Big A prior to the renovation and yes it was a dump. Samething for the NEW Comisky (SORRY LEN3 but the place is almost as bad as the dome)
Best park for tradition Fenway just over Wrigley. If you have the money in the wallet get to Yankee stadium before it closes.
Best experiences are in KC and Milwaukee both places attract huge Twins fans and have great Tailgate lots.
Best new park is Coors just over Camden. Both beat Miller, MinuteMaid and Texas (was Ameriquest when I went)
I unfortunatley haven’t been to the new Philly park,SEA, SF, SD, STL or Cincy or Pitt.
TK(2),
From the previous thread:
Who holds the longest hitting streak for catcher?
Benito Santiago, Padres, 1987, 34 games
I didn’t see the answer, but I hope I looked it up correctly.
why is everyone in love with kaufmann stadium? is it the waterfalls?
has anyone heard anything about slowey? i was against liriano coming up so soon, and now that he is already down in triple a, i’m looking at our rotation and it is hernandez, baker, bonser, blackburn……
as i trail off, someone should say slowey, but i have no idea where the guy is. i’m looking for an update on the status of the KMS express. the nothing but wins king that will come out and dominate pitchers by placing the ball where only the umpire could possibly consider it a strike. considering i see livian falling apart like a ortiz (so where is humber anyways?) and we still don’t have a fifth, an update on slowey would seem appropriate.
sorry dominate hitters, it’s been a long off day
The parks in California are nice! Been out to San Francisco, that place is just amazing.. Great Great Park. Also been to the new one in San Diego, that’s also great and realy neat that its located just right in downtown. Been to the renovated A stadium in Anaheim, that’s great and the fans there are just crazy for there team.. good good fans though.. Also been to Oakland.. well, lets just say that’s the worst outta the bunch
These are the parks that I have visited and the ranking I would give them:
1) Safeco Field wins for the retractable roof. Minnesota should have never built a new stadium without one. Yes, the Metrodome stinks, but better to have that until we could afford a retractable. If never approved, live with the dome because nothing is worse than what we endure here climate-wise.
2) Milwaukee - same but without the views that LEN# mentioned.
3) Anaheim - truly awesome. great field, great climate, perfect. They don’t have to worry about a roof there.
4) Philadelphia - was there last year. Beautiful new stadium. Always questionable fans there.
5) Chicago White Sox. Great stadium…but the whole dark/black theme makes it gloom/evil,but maybe that’s what they like…. I don’t.
Last November, the taxpayers of Sarasota voted down a bond referendum to fund money to quality for the State’s 15 mil to renovate - not rebuild - renovate, the existing facilities at Ed Smith for the Reds. At the time they were crying they didn’t have the money for police, fire and public works, let alone baseball. So now, suddenly, out of no where, they’re going to get enough money to build a new, state of the art facility on the site of Ed Smith? What happened? Did they hit the lotto?
Add to this the fact that Sara is talking to Baltimore and the Brewers as well, and you get what it really is, someone’s dream.
Assuming the Red Sox did leave, Baltimore would lease the existing facilities at City of Palms before you can say “Play Ball”.
Must be a slow news day, for you guys to be trotting this bunch of malarkey out in the press.
Do you know how ugly Kaufman stadium would look with a retractable roof?
Tom,
Kevin Slowey
HENS HAND SLOWEY A LOSS Kevin Slowey struck out nine in a rehab start for the Red Wings, but Toledo’s relentless offense provided enough runs in a 5-1 win over Rochester Thursday night.
I hope that there are more teams close by because I will be moving near there. This winter was so bad and the weather continues to dark me so bad that I am actually going to move. I can’t wait and oh yeah there is going to be more snow this weekend. My wife will not know which game I will be going to each day after we move to Ft Myers area.
Lavelle, you need to brush up on your New England vernacular. It is pronounced Fenway “Paak” in Massachusetts, and Fenway “Pock” in RI.
I want license plates to be changed from “Land of 10,000 lakes” to “Minnesota worst weather in the country”
Minnesota has the lowest average temperature of any major league team…plus we get a lot of rain and occasional snow during the season. Sure there will be nice days in the summer - ideal for outdoor baseball. However, we will have far too many unbearable days throughout the course of an entire season.
Sure, new stadiums are expensive, but we never learn here… We should have waited until we could afford something that will fit our climate (or until the dome is in shambles - which its not quite yet). A new retractable park may never look quite as nice as Kaufman or Anaheim, but we need something a little more functional here. Milwaukee and Seattle did it right…we failed. The last 4 April/Mays have been horrendous and September can be hit and miss too. Watch, in a few years everyone will say “why didn’t we build the new stadium with the capability to add a roof?”
Dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of.
Fry Dog I couldn’t agree with you more. Worst weather in the country in minnesota. MLB should force the Twins to have a roof. This is not Los Angeles or AZ or Florida. Hey Pohlad I have a bridge I could sell you
History is a very good teacher. We use history to learn from our past mistakes. The Dome was built as an indoor facility because Minnesota has HORIBLE WEATHER. We wanted a place to stay warm and also still be dry. Why we would even want an outdoor stadium is beyond me.
Here’s a thought since the weathers so bad why not shorten the season and start it in May instead of April? Or they could just move the Twins to a warmer climate like Nevada. Having outdoor baseball in Minnesota will give them the same type of advantage that the Vikings used to have playing outdoors. Maybe it’s all part of the wussification of America.
Jimmy Bee…
That’s great news that you are moving. Many of us will be happy to give you a hand out of town. Let us know when so we can plan our party.
Carlos G I would for sure take the help and by the way do you have any boxes and gas $$$. If I move I will still blog but will blog in shorts in January
Pohlad confuses me with the following things
1. He tries to contract the Twins
2. He wants a new stadium built
If anyone can tell me why this seems odd please respond
Contracting the Twins was just a ploy to get Minnesota to build them a new stadium.
BC are you sure? Pohlad was due to make millions on the contraction.
BC of ND
agree with you about the wussification. So it might be cold, windy, and maybe snowing. What about when it’s 90 and the humidiity is through the roof, or lack thereof. That’s not any better. The Dome has spoiled people with the comforts of 72 degree sporting events yeararound for long enough.
Yeah LNP I can’t wait to buy tickets to see the Twins play then get rained out 3 times in a row. Stupid, stupid dome.
Jimmy Bee…
I think you have a great plan… shorts in the winter, hurricane shelters in the summer. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it. While you are commenting on these blogs in 90% humidity and temp in 2010 in your storm shelter, I will be enjoying a cold brew and a brat behind 3rd base in the glorious outdoors of Minnesota in the summertime. Sweet. Enjoy your time down there. Maybe you can find a new blog to entertain others with your hilarious humor down there.
Carlos G I will make sure in January while wearing shorts I will tell you all about how I am going to bike over to the beach. In February I will tell you about how I am getting ready to see the Twins in March and how I will be wearing oh you guessed it Shorts to the Outdoor stadium. During the summer as you are sitting outside in a tornado warning being blown all over penny pincher field I will be blogging and asking you as you are almost being struck by lightning and hail stones are pelting you how is it going. As you get mouth to mouth from running away from wind lightninng and rain please do remember to chew your Brat.
jimmy first of all Pohlad has millions so the money he would have made by contracting the Twins would come no where near how much he or his family is going to make once the new stadium opens. Also there’s no way any major league sport would not want a franchise in Minnesota you would be eliminating a huge market.
Have to say that a retractable roof would have been a good idea for the rainy days.
OK BC don’t get mad. I just thought it was kind of odd and had to ask
LNP or the Snowy days
Nah, I like the snowy days. I love the way the snow builds up on top of your cap as you sit there. By the end of the game, you have 6 inches there. It make me feel tall.
I’m not mad and didn’t meant to come off that way.
As far as the weather up here i can understand why someone who comes from a warmer climate would not be able to adjust to our weather but f you grew up here you would learn to live with it just like the high humidity in Florida. Hell i remember as a kid shoveling snow from the driveway in January just to shoot some hoops.
Carlos G one last thing. I will be surely meeting people down there from Minny and I will surely say to them ” What do you think Carlos G is doing right now at the end of January”
BC I have lived here for 10 years and I just can not adjust to it. My wife is from here and I finally got her to agree to move. We lived in LA and she complained every single day about the smog till she got her way but I had to leave my home. Now Florida is next for me. Should be nice cause I will be able to watch the Twins in ST and outside just like they will be doing here. Also there will be nice people there from Minny and I will make friends with them
jimmy bee…
We should be lucky that this would be the “one last thing” you said. But, alas, I am sure it won’t be.
Carlos G Dont get pelted with tornado hail at the new ball park. Don’t forget to blog me after a flash flood.
Good thing is, I can order a Twins package and see them from wherever. I did this in LA.. I don’t have to leave though till October. Did anyone else hear about the snow this weekend
jimmy bee… see the promise you made of “one last thing” lasted all of one minute. The stuff you have to say on this stadium subject or any subject related to baseball is so trite and juvenile that just proves to everyone that the average IQ of this state will jump several points when you leave.
Have you contributed anything worthwhile to this state during your 10 years here? I know you haven’t contributed anything to these blogs that was worth anyone’s reading time. Carlos G is out. Have a nice trip, jb.
Good ridance I am out too
The idea of putting an open air stadium in minnesota with out a retractable roof is absurd!!
THIS IS MINNESOTA
YOU KNOW WHY MORE PEOPLE DON’T LIVE HERE?
BECAUSE THE WEATHER SUCKS
AND SPORTS ARE NO FUN TO WATCH WHEN THE WEATHER SUCKS
JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE TWINS ORG BEING CHEAP
LEN - You MUST go to Petco Park someday. That’s a city that got it right! It doesn’t feel so much like its own building but a piece of the city. It’s open, spacious and has a fantastic feel. They built it around one old building, and it’s neat to walk through it as part of the concourse. It gives you a sense of history in a new ballpark. There’s public transportation right across the street, so it’s extremely easy and cheap to get to/from.
THE ANSWER MAN!!!!!
ANSWER******
“BECAUSE THE WEATHER SUCKS
AND SPORTS ARE NO FUN TO WATCH WHEN THE WEATHER SUCKS”
QUESTION*****
Why don’t the T-Wolves draw?
The T-Wolves don’t draw because they’ve put a poor product on the floor consistantly!
Even when they were competetive they had players like Spree who no one whats to cheer for.
Furthermore the average ticket price is what? and the players level of intensity is what?
I support the twins because they consistantly put a competitive team on the field!
They have actually brought championships here!
But the fact remains that Pohlad is the richest owner in the majors and still he refused to pay a guy who came through our system and became the best pitcher in the league!
Still Pohlad made tax payers foot the bill for his new stadium!
Still He refuses to bring in a legit free-agent hitter!!$$$$
I can’t wait to go to the new stadium on a nice summers day.
There are you happy
Stop complaining about no roof on the new stadium. In San Fran there is no roof, and it is about 45 degrees for every night game as the breeze blows in off the Bay. You think it’s nice weather, then you turn the corner onto the Embarcadero, and Bam! The wind hits you. No roof there!! Yes, the weather in California is much better than MN most of the time, but how would you like to have to pay for good weather? That’s why you live in MN, to enjoy the seasons. A few rainouts is nothing. And does everybody not remember the constant bitching of people for the cost of the new stadium? Now you suddently think another $150 million is no big deal?
Hammond Stadium is 10x better then City of Palms park IMO. all the fields around Hammond Stadium are all very nice and all close by Unlike what Boston has to deal with down the road.
Safeco is my favorite with Camden Yards 2nd. Alwats nice to head down by the water in Baltimore and then head over to the stadium. Wish i liked crabs.
Jimmy Bee, Fort Myers is awful. There is NOTHING to do there besides go to Dirty Fort Myers beach. I lived in Fort Myers/Cape Coral for 10 years and was more then ready to move out of that area and out of Florida period. People think FLA is so great but it’s not unless you have Millions of dollars. The ONLY thing i miss about that area was Spring Training and that only lasts a month. Not to mention Forclosures in that area are VERY bad. We got out at the best time cause it’s all gone downhill since 2005
Eric, so what you’re saying is a person could buy a foreclosed house for cheap in the Fort Myers area. Just like the rest of the country. Unfortunately, I’m the one holding the bag on the housing situation here in Cali.
Cape Coral/Fort Myers was the Worst in the Country for foreclosures in the US for February.
The new stadium looks goods. I’m courious as you go down 1st and third base lines will the seats angle in toward home plate or just look straight out to the field? What about leg room will it be the typical no leg room? And should I be looking at buying addtional land near the stadium for the expansion of a dome because they will want one with games postponed because of snow,cold rain. What about advanced ticket sales, when this goes down watch them holler.
