Bye Bye Sarasota

[XUOHTX]

Goodyear Arizona approved the funding to bring the Reds to Arizona in 2010. I for one and very disapointed to see Sarasota let the us go. I grew up going to Sarasota every year and I have a lot of great memories going to Spring Training games there. This was a terrible move for Sarasota but I think a good move for Cincy.

[Billy]

Goodyear Arizona approved the funding to bring the Reds to Arizona in 2010. I for one and very disapointed to see Sarasota let the us go. I grew up going to Sarasota every year and I have a lot of great memories going to Spring Training games there. This was a terrible move for Sarasota but I think a good move for Cincy.

I think everyone's going to end up in Arizona, eventually. Less rainouts, shorter bus trips and travel for everyone, a more concentrated population base, more players live there in the offseason. It just makes sense.

[XUOHTX]

I don't know...as long as Steinbrenner is in charge, I'm not sure the Yanks will ever leave Florida.

[cutterX]

I took the family to spring training this year for the first time and the kids loved it. Caught two games, one in Sarasota and one in Clearwater and I have to say it was a great experience. The players are more approachable, the stadium staff more friendly and Javy Valentin even flipped a ball to my 9 yr old son after a 3rd out K.
I am sorry to see them head to AZ, I think it does a disservice to Avg Joe Fan who could make a car ride to FLA but maybe can't afford a plane to AZ. Once I found out the Castellini family owned a resort in AZ I knew it was a done deal. Spring Training in FLA has a lot of history that will be missed.

[xu95]

So now the conspiracy theories start about the Reds spring training sites. I honestly could give two crapolas about where the Reds play their spring training games, but I think they gave Sarasota a more than fair shot to keep the team.

xu95

[AdamtheFlyer]

They even offered to put up $10 mil of their own money to Sarasota for the proposed project. Sarasota simply does not want to pay for renevations for spring training.

And why would they? Those few weeks of games are a tiny blip in that town's bottom line. That area is not hard up for cash, and the citizens don't care. Go somewhere that wants you. The fans will follow eventually.