FanNation - The Republic of Sport

After a few days in the sun and visiting the Twins today, to quote grunge legend Chris Cornell "I'm looking California and feeling Minnesota".

The day couldn't have started off in a more inspiring way for me this morning. On my way to Fort Myers from Tampa I was driving along a causeway and happened to see in the perfectly still water a bottle-nose dolphin arching his way through Tampa Bay, not 20 yards off shore. Talk about a way to put a smile on your face.

So here I am in Fort Myers, childhood home to Deion Sanders and the Spring Training headquarters of the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox. It’s an economic and social microcosm of baseball’s big market-small market chasm today.

Go to City of Palms Park where the Red Sox play and you get a regular season, if not playoff, feeling. Anyone wearing a Red Sox uniform is worshipped like a returning conqueror, even though two-thirds of them won’t wear a Sox uniform on Opening Day. There’s such a rabid (and sometimes overzealous) fan base that it (and Legends Field in Tampa) stand out like a sore thumb in the tranquility that is the rest of Spring Training. Tickets sell out almost immediately after they’re offered; so much so that there are even secondary markets for exhibition games featuring the likes of Keith Ginter and Dusty Brown. I’m not saying it’s bad, just different from everywhere else.

Then there’s the Twins complex, where you park in rows named for greats of the past (my car’s somewhere between Puckett Parkway and Blyleven Lane). Like in Minnesota, everyone is smiling and friendly. It’s the epitome of the romanticism of baseball. The fans are close to the action, the stadium isn’t over commercialized and the players are accessible after the games for autographs. And you can usually find a seat (except when the Yankees or Red Sox are on the schedule, of course).

Now for what to expect today: The pitching matchup should guarantee some runs as Jeremy Affeldt, trying to earn a rotation spot, starts for Cincinnati and will be opposed by Glen Perkins who appears to be the odd man out in the Twins rotation unless Francisco Liriano’s return is delayed or another injury strikes.

Juan Castro is starting at shortstop for the visiting Reds, an indication that he’s got the upper hand on Jeff Keppinger as the replacement for Alex Gonzalez. Keppinger is in the lineup at third base, but a veteran of many major league seasons, new Reds manager Dusty Baker, knows how Castro handles short. This was a perfect opportunity to see what Kepinger could do out there but they’re not giving him the reps.

Baker's starting 3/4 dozen include Chris Dickerson (CF), Norris Hopper (DH), Ken Griffey Jr. (RF), Adam Dunn (LF), Keppinger, Scott Hatteberg (1B), Javier Valentin (C), Castro and Andy Phillips (2B). Jay Bruce, who left yesterday's game in Dunedin with a left quad strain didn't make the hour-long drive down I-75. 

On the Twins side, the lineup is looking much like it may on Opening Day, with a few exceptions. How about this for pressure: Carlos Gomez isn’t only the man the Twins essentially traded Johan Santana for; he’s also expected to replace longtime Twins hero Torii Hunter as the team’s center fielder. He’s leading off, followed by the regular heart of the order: Joe Mauer (C), Michael Cuddyer (RF), Justin Morneau (1B), Delmon Young (LF), Mike Lamb (3B).  Randy Ruiz is DH today, although Jason Kubel and Craig Monroe are the favorites in that spot for the season. Ex-Ray Brendan Harris is at second and Alexi Casilla (in for Adam Everett at short) round out the starters.

Check back later for a recap of today’s wonderful, weird and whatever else comes along.