RED SOX SPRING TRAINING DAY 3, TWINS SPRING TRAINING DAY 1

FLORIDA WEEK 2 (PART 3): RED SOX SPRING TRAINING DAY 3, 

TWINS SPRING TRAINING DAY 1

RED SOX

Today, the wife came to the ball park with me. The weather was 70 so not too hot for her. As always, I took a B-line to the field were Travis Shaw practices, and today he was there. We arrived around 10:00 am, this way the wife would not get tired and want to leave before the practice was over and unable to try and get autographs. I also did a walk around to see what other prospects were out. I saw three players I was interested in. Two were the same a yesterday, Bryce Brentz, Sean Coyle and the other was Garin Cecchini. After Travis Shaw BP, he headed to another field were he took grounder at third base. Looks like he will play some third on days the starting third baseman has a day off just like last year. His role will look something like Keven Youkilis was, play first and third. After practice was completed, Bryce Brentz headed off the field. He is still on the DL and I assume he is limited to not running. I was able to get him to sign the picture I took of him yesterday. All the other players did sprint drills from the foul line to deep center filed and back. As Travis Shaw was walking off the field, it felt like he walked straight to us. I asked him if he remembers me and he did saying, "you went to Kent". I congratulated him on getting married in the off season and told him that my wife and I will be celebrating our 20th this year. He was impressed. I finally got the chance to let him know in person that he is my favorite player. He replied in saying, "thank you". He also let me take a picture with him and shake his hand as he left. I walked away with a signed Red Sox mini helmet and four 2012 Topps Heritage Minors cards signed. I now have 221 items in my Travis Shaw collection. Next week there is six home games and practice will be closed. However, three are night games, so I will go to one and get the picture with him signed. Or the following week when there is only one day home game. The last field was running long, so we still had time to get the last two prospects I was looking for. Both Coyle and Cecchini was walking off the field at the same time. I went to Cecchini to get an autograph on a MLB baseball and take a picture. While the wife got Coyle to sign the picture I took of him yesterday. All-in-all a good day for autographs, I got eight and all from the systems top prospects. The pitchers left before I could get Matt Barnes. He is the last one I want to get. There are four more that are in MLB camp or WBC. They are not on the 40 man roster, so they should be the first to be sent down when the MLB camp rosters are lowered. I'm looking for Chris Carpenter (another Kent State player), Jackie Bradley Jr; systems number two prospect (I was able to get him to sign a MLB baseball at a AA game in Akron last year), Brandon Jacobs and the system number one prospect Xander Bogaets (playing in the WBC for the Netherlands). I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I do follow baseball and when these players are on the same team as Travis Shaw I see them in the box scores and listen to games over internet radio you pick up on the top players. Besides, I did not want to come to spring training and not know who tomorrow's super stars are and miss the chance to get easy autographs with all the players on one field.

                                                         Travis Shaw before BP

                                           Four Travis Shaw 2012 Topps Heritage Minors cards signed  

                                            Travis Shaw signed Red Sox mini helmet

                                         Another picture with my favorite player

                                                      Garin Cecchini photo

                                             Garin Cecchini signed MLB Baseball

                                                   Sean Coyle signed photo

                                                     Bryce Brentz signed photo

TWINS

I did not know that Twins Spring Training was this close to the Red Sox until I looked at Florida spring training booklet at the State line Welcome Center or I would have done some research on their minor league system too. After we left the Red Sox we ate lunch and on the way back to our RV we stopped by the Twins stadium. I knew there was not going to be any players on the field, but at least I get to walk around and get to see where all the fields are located. The gates to the stadium was open and did not have to pay for a self tour (Red Sox charge $5 a person). We walked around took some pictures and visited the gift shop. The prices are better at the Twins team shop then at the Red Sox team shop. I got a 2013 Twins Spring Training mini bat for $8 and no tax ($20 for Red Sox Spring Training mini bat... did not buy one.. too much). I will have to do some research this weekend on the Twins minor leaguers and go to a few practices next week. They have four road games so there will be no parking fee.