End Of An Era In Winter Haven

Posted Mar 27, 2008 by Aaron Knox

Updated Mar 27, 2008 at 10:11 AM

The final Indians spring training game at Winter Haven takes place today at Chain of Lakes Park. After 16 years, the Tribe is pulling up stakes and moving back to Arizona in 2009.

For 42 years, either the Red Sox (1966-92) or the Indians (1993-2008) called this their spring home. It’s pretty interesting that the Rays will close down two venerable ballparks on consecutive days, with the final scheduled game at Al Lang taking place Friday against the Reds. Manager Joe Maddon, who hasn’t spent much time in Winter Haven, could appreciate the history nonetheless.

“This is why people came to Florida for so many years,” Maddon said. “At the time, it was actually considered state of the art. When you look at that and it’s all going to go to sleep, it’s kind of sad. Because the city of Winter Haven, which I’m not really familiar with, but you know the people have embraced this for so many years. And it’s been such a big part of their lives. It really has. And that’s kind of the sad part about it. It’s like the passing of a good, old friend.”

There is a game to play, and here are the lineups:
Tampa Bay
Iwamura, 2B
Crawford, LF
Pena, 1B
Upton, CF
Gomes, RF
Navarro, C
Guzman, DH
Johnson, 3B
Bartlett, SS

Sonnanstine, P

Cleveland:
Sizemore, CF
Michaels, LF
Hafner, DH
Peralta, SS
Shoppach, C
Carroll, 2B
Marte, 3B
Gonzalez, 1B
Tyner, RF

Cliff Lee, P

A few notes from the morning session with Pino:

*3B Willy Aybar will test his sore hamstring in a minor league spring game this morning, with head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield looking on. Aybar is scheduled to lead off every other inning, but will not play the field today. Maddon re-iterated his belief that Aybar will be ready to go on Opening Day in Baltimore on Monday.

*Elliot Johnson is starting at 3B today after getting a look at SS on Wednesday. He’s locked into a roster spot, apparently, with Ben Zobrist still nursing the broken finger on his left hand.

*Maddon acknowledged that the final roster spot is down to a competition between relievers Grant Balfour and Scott Dohmann. Both are scheduled to pitch today.

*Old friend Jason Tyner gets the start in right today for the Tribe, but he’s still a non-roster player and will be re-assigned to the minor league camp soon. There’s a chance he’ll stick through the weekend, while the Indians play a couple of exhibition games against the Braves in Atlanta.