Outlining the Spring Training Trip

By Harry Bro

I will be embarking for the fantastic weather and Spring baseball of Florida this coming Friday at 8:00 in the morning, and I'm thrilled.  I've made sure I'm totally equipped for the trip; camera kit, computer, Mother's iPhone, books, clothes, plans for Japanese food.  The coverage hinges especially on the camera, the computer, and the iPhone, and, I suppose, the clothes.  To outline the trip, I leave on Friday as previously mentioned, and return on Sunday.  Sunday will be an early afternoon to late morning departure, and Friday a very early morning departure.  We probably won't be checking bags, and that simplifies the flight.  I'm not very fond of air travel, but it's the only way to efficiently get in and out of Florida before my vacation ends, so it's a necessity.  Wish me a good trip, and let's outline the spring training coverage.

Photographic Coverage
I've checked out a spectacular school camera kit specifically for the trip; it's equipped to handle our two night games with a flash, has two different lenses to hook up, (long zoom and short zoom) has the necessary equipment to charge the camera, has the necessary equipment to get the photos off the memory card and into my computer, and has ample side pocket space for my other journalistic materials (i.e., notebook, writing utensils, something to access the Internet, etc.).  The photos will be posted on the blog or somewhere else on the Internet that will be accessible from the blog by link or widget.  Look out for some good photos, since I've got great photo ops, great things to photograph (baseball again, finally), and I'm a decent photographer.

Blogging Coverage
I'm going to try and do game recaps on the blog, which means I'll pick up a box score either from the ballpark or from the Internet (It's embarrassing, but I don't know how to score a game...).  Also, I'll take notes from the game and find some interesting things that don't show up in the highlights or the box scores to report.  I've got the night games, so I've got plenty of daytime to write up these recaps.  If there's anything else I think is blog-worthy or want to report, it'll probably show up up here.  If I'm obnoxious and brave enough, I might even interview some annoyed fan!!!

Twitter Coverage
Depending on the Internet capabilities of my Mom's iPhone, I will try and do Twitter updates from the game.  That would include score updates, interesting pieces of knowledge I find throughout the ballpark, and other things.  If City of Palms Park and the iPhone support this, you can probably look forward to some Twitter coverage of my two games.  Log on to http://twitter.com/#!/bostonsportsjr to see the tweeting of me and my fellows!

Games, Tickets, and Logistical Information
As you know, my flight out of the dismally dreary Bostonian climate is at 8:00 on Friday morning (rise and shine, even earlier than every school morning, at 6:00 to 5:30) and my flight back into it, a week from Opening Day (AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!), is, I believe, sometime in the early afternoon to late morning.  We do NOT have tickets, because our standing rooms have not arrived.  Just as last year, we will have to purchase scalper tickets, but this time for both games.  The games are, referenced from the Sox website just to be sure, against Toronto on Friday at 7:05 and against the Twins on Saturday at 7:05.  Both games are at City of Palms Park, and both are televised by NESN; the Twins game is also on MLB network.  Check your screens at 7:05 this weekend; scan them grandstands for a ginger with freckles, a weird face, and glasses (new ones, by the way).

Workouts (Help Needed)
This is my second year at Spring Training, but I've yet to attend the workouts with the players.  That's where you meet them and get their autographs, and, if you like baseball, go absolutely insane.  I don't currently know how to get to them, although a book I am reading gave me a general idea.  I will either ask someone at City of Palms Park before the game (we're going early so we can beat the lines) or call Sox customer service, either down here or in Boston.  If anybody knows how to get to them, please help me: I'm counting on a lot of photo shoots, autographs, and thrills from these workouts.  I can be reached at hbreault13@fessenden.org if you know how to get there.

Food and Weather
My Mom and I went last year, so we know a few good eats: a Japanese place in Naples, a Red Sox-themed sports bar that we heard of in Fort Myers, and we're still looking for more.  I'd like tips for that, too, and know that my preference is Asian food if you care to help me (recommendations are very much appreciated).  A potential trip-killer and photography-killer is the weather.  If it's not good, I'm screwed, but the forecasts are spectacular.  Friday has a high of 86, a low of 62, and it's sunny.  There's a 0% chance of precipitation.  Saturday has a high of 88, a low of 63, and it's sunny.  There's a 10% chance of precipitation.  Sunday, the holy day, will feel absolutely godly if you live in New England, as it has a high of 90 and a low of 65, and it's partly cloudy with a 10% chance of precipitation.  Believe me, I'll bring my jacket and sweatshirts for the lows at night.  Oh, weather.com. don't fail me now, because I probably won't bring a raincoat and I hate ponchos!

So, everyone, adios! I am on my way to Florida on Friday, but you can still reach me at hbreault13@fessenden.org the whole time I'm there.  Make sure to keep your eye on www.bostonsportsjunior.blogspot.com for the best Spring Training coverage ever! Keep in mind that there will be coverage that isn't listed here, and the absence of coverage that is.  


I'm not superman, people.

Sources: redsox.com, weather.com