just finalized my plans for a spring training quickie. Going with family (extended family who doesn't care about the progression of Alen Hanson, nor do they want to see if Luis Heredia throws as effortlessly as I read about...maybe next year), so I'm limited to two days at McKechnie, though I'm excited to see if the new seats are better than the old (how could they not be? I had to buy a tshirt last year to sit on..the dark green sun-baked plastic seats literally burned the backs of my legs, and endangered...the boys' health, we'll say).
What are your biggest questions as we prepare to head south, and who'll be the biggest surprises? (or is it too early for such a conversation...just-booked travel tends to get me excited about such things). I'm always curious to see what kind of bullpen NH finalizes, seems he comes up with someone every year that (pleasantly) surprises me. I'm also very curious to see what becomes of Jose Tabata....he seems to have lost his place in the organization; I'm wondering if he gets extended playing time as a 'showcase' attempt, or if he's used the rope we've given him to hang himself, and is relegated to AAAA fodder.
Last year's prime moment was watching a leadoff HR by Starling Marte off of Roy Halladay...hoping for a few such moments this year.
I'm in Bradenton Sunday the 17th (green hats anyone) and Monday the 18th...who else is going, and when?