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Big League Stew

Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:20 am EDT

A Winter Haven curtain call for the Indians

By 'Duk

No, it didn't carry the same weight as the Dodgers' farewell in Vero Beach, but another era ended this spring as the Cleveland Indians played their final games in Winter Haven, Fla. BLS contributor Nick Friedell was on the scene as the Tribe played their final contest before moving to Arizona in 2009 ... 

The Indians played their last game in Winter Haven on Thursday, and like the final Dodgers game in Vero Beach, I was sad to see them go. The difference is, the Dodgers had been in Vero for 60 years, the Indians had only been in Winter Haven for 16.

The Dodgers have been synonomous with Vero Beach for decades. The Indians don't have the same history in Winter Haven, they ended up there in 1993 because Hurricane Andrew destroyed their facility in Homestead. (The Red Sox played there before them.)

While there were some depressed faces in the crowd at Chain O' Lakes Park, it was nowhere near what I saw at Dodgertown last week. This was best exemplified during the "farewell speeches" before each game. In Vero Beach, Tommy Lasorda gave a heartfelt speech about how much he appreciated the fans support throughout the years, and he knew the Dodgers "were leaving something very, very special." 

In comparison, Bob Feller also thanked the local fans during his farewell speech, but followed that up by saying the team had been there for "13 or 14 years." (This was actually the Indians 16th year in town.) The Hall of Famer finished his speech by saying, "We'll see you in Goodyear, Arizona next spring."

You could actually hear some fans boo his last remark. It wasn't meant to make Feller or the Indians look bad, but the difference seems quite clear. While Lasorda and the Dodgers seemed very saddened to be
leaving Vero, Feller and the Indians seemed to embrace and eagerly welcome the move to a new place. It really is apples and oranges.

(After the jump, watch video of both Feller's and Lasorda's speeches. A big BLS head nod goes to Nick Friedell for the timely dispatch and video skills.) 

Bob Feller — March 27, 2008, Winter Haven, Fla.  

 
Tommy Lasorda — March 17, 2008, Vero Beach, Fla. 

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  1. DbacksBuzz
    1. Posted by DbacksBuzz Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:28 pm EDT

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    I know the feeling...the Indians bailed out of Tucson 15 years ago to head to Florida...and now they're coming back to Arizona...but to Phoenix....arrghhh
  2. heyirma
    2. Posted by heyirma Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

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    Go tribe!
  3. FeArThEeLf
    3. Posted by FeArThEeLf Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    Ohhh wait I think the Indians beat the Yankees in the playoffs last year rikkrichie
  4. James (SAC)
    4. Posted by James (SAC) Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:31 pm EDT

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    The Tribe is the class of the AL. Yanker fans embrace your new status as average AL team for the foreseeable future. Keep spending, keep losing. Say hi to A-Roid for me....
  5. John
    5. Posted by John Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    Since I live in Phoenix now having moved from Solon, my son and I attend many different spring training games out here. After a great game of golf i the morning we wore our Indians shirts to a Rangers - Athletics game. There had to be at least 100 fans with indians stuff on in our section. The indians cannot get here soon enough.
  6. Karl F
    6. Posted by Karl F Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    rikkitity - what's with the all caps? Shorten your stream, Venkman, you're burning my face off.
  7. Karl F
    7. Posted by Karl F Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    Can't blame the Tribe for getting excited about the move. Goodyear = new municipally-funded, state-of-the-art facility just outside Phoenix; Winter Haven = small old municipally-ignored, run down, facility just outside nowhereville.
    As for the Yankees and Indians, they come from different sides of the tracks. New York is Old Man Potter and Cleveland is Harry Bailey. I'll take Jimmy Stewart every time.
  8. pumpsen
    8. Posted by pumpsen Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    hey yankee fan score board in october
  9. Teetop
    9. Posted by Teetop Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT

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    What team beat the Yankees 22-0?
  10. Hoff
    10. Posted by Hoff Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    Yanks wont even come in 2nd in the East this year... 220 mil and counting and you still suck... you better have a good offense cause you'll need to score 12 runs a game to win...
  11. Hoff
    11. Posted by Hoff Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    220 Million on a bunch of has-beens...You have the worst pitching in the league. Are you proud of that? or are you proud of having to buy guys instead of bringing them up through the farm system? Of maybe your proud of saying we are done talking to ARod.. then signing him a week later? Or maybe your pround of having half your team on steroids?? I would be proud of that team too! Have fun going .500 this year (if you get there). Have fun watching the tribe win it all with the best pitching in baseball.
  12. tribefn
    12. Posted by tribefn Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

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    "" THIS FRANCHISE IS FOR THE LOSER STATE OF OHIO.. PLEASE COMMENT ... LIKE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE... IN OUR YANKEE UNIVERSE rikkrichie posted on Friday, Mar 28, 2008 11:10 am EDT""
    Who beat your yankees in the playoffs last year?
  13. Bill W
    13. Posted by Bill W Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    Hey he'll be lucky if his Yankees make it to the playoffs for us to beat again this year. They are gunna have to be way better than they have looked to get past Boston for the division and the wild card is gunna be full of elite and much improved teams, i.e. Seattle, Detroit, so he prolly won't have to worry anyways. And just so you know there too chief, there is no salary cap in baseball. It doesn't matter how good you think you are and even whether you make the playoffs or not, without pitching you are just dead space in a 5-7 game series. You better use all that extra "cap space" to trade for some pitching. How's a $300 mill payroll sound. It kinda sucks tryin to outspend everyone by so much to win and still have a team that blows that bad, huh? Well, get used to it, as long as you have a Steinbrenner in there and Cashman GM'ing, you are gunna keep trading all your young prospects away for over-priced, over the hill has beens that hope they have what it takes to get "themselves" one more series. Every man for themselves. Can't even call em a team. Go Tribe. First the Division, then the League, then the World. '08 baby
  14. Karl F
    14. Posted by Karl F Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    "ONLY LAST YEAR THE ARIZONA INDIANS .... AND WHY NOT LET THEM GET JUICED UP WE HIRED MCNAMEE... TO JUICE THEM PLUS WE STARTED WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF $$$ AS EVERYONE.. BUT I AM MOSTLY PROUD OF WATCHING SORRY TEAMS TRY"
    WTF? Back off the Red Bull, Rickie. And Geography Class called - it wants its capitals back.
  15. Banshee
    15. Posted by Banshee Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    Spring Training facilities serve a preparation purpose for every team in MLB regardless of where they are located or which league they represent. For most of my adult life, the Chain O'lakes Park in Winter Haven
    was Red Sox territory, not Indians. I have a lot of good memories from that period. However, change is the
    only constant in life. The Red Sox are in Ft. Myers, (when they are not in Tokyo or Boston)', and besides, the aim of being in such locations is to get prepared for the upcoming regular season. Once a team leaves
    its own Spring Training facilty, there ain't no nostalgia. Sixteen years? That's NOTHING! Besides, who cares? I certainly know that I don't. I don't believe most of America cares either about Spring training as
    other than the first step to the regular season and the hope eternal that your team is still around in the playoffs when the smoke clears at the end of the season! Good luck to the dreamers, They'll need it!
  16. Rob
    16. Posted by Rob Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:38 pm EDT

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    Go tribe!!!!!! yankees suck! i would like to see them make the playoffs with 3 rookie pitchers. and back off you just know were gonna make the playoffs. and if you do make the wild card we'll kick your @$$ again just like last year. so come out of the box you live in and come to cleveland and watch some real ball players!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  17. Kirk W
    17. Posted by Kirk W Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    rikkrichie=tool Yankee Universe? Do your research Snickers have contacted the Yankees "Not going anywhere for awhile" How did they do post season last year? Who beat them? GO TRIBE !!!!!!!
  18. Stud
    18. Posted by Stud Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:51 pm EDT

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    GO TRIBE !!!!!
    Aug. 31, 2004
    Omar Vizquel got six hits to tie the American League record for a nine-inning game and the Cleveland Indians routed New York 22-0 Tuesday night in the largest loss in the 101-year history of the Yankees.
    Cleveland matched the largest shutout win in the major leagues since 1900, set by Pittsburgh against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 16, 1975.
    Yankees owner George Steinbrenner watched his team fall in record fashion, then refused to answer questions as he left the ballpark. New York captain Derek Jeter left the clubhouse before reporters were allowed in.
  19. redington
    19. Posted by redington Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    I will miss the Tribe in Florida. I have seen at least one Indian spring training game a year in WH or elsewhere in FL over the past 16 years. Sad to think I may not see another live spring training game in FL again. I will see them in AZ , but the trip from Chandler to Goodyear will be like the one from St Pete to WH - ugh. OT - I will also miss seeing spring training at Al Lang field in St Pete - greatest location in the Grapefruit league, but Rays are gone to Port Charlotte too. Effort to build new Rays stadium in that location is typical corporate money grab from the taxpayers, and it stinks because Al Lang is a great spring game location and there is no reason to ditch Tropicana field yet.
  20. Josh
    20. Posted by Josh Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    GO TRIBE! YANKEES STILL BLOW! And so do the Red Sox for also spending a buttload of money on players. You could probably buy half of South America with their payrolls!

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Big League Stew is an MLB blog edited by Kevin Kaduk. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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