SoFlaFish

Foladar, you could always stay at a hotel west of Palm Beach. Try Clewiston in Hendry County. Belle Glade or Pahokee in Palm Beach County may also be a possible place. 712030[/snapback] :confused Yup, if that's the case he can stay in Port St. Lucie, or maybe even Vero Beach!?!?! Then again, the crack dens in Pahokee and Belle Glade are fairly cheap and they may throw in a hooker or two! Why have someone drive 2 1/2 hours to stay over one hour from the facility. Have you ever considered looking at a map of Florida? There is a little thing on the bottom called a scale, that you use to measure distance. Use it sometime, it's quite helpful!

Anyone near Jupiter or West Palm? I've got a few questions and/or favors. 711291[/snapback] I'm in Western Lake Worth (about 30 minutes from the stadium). Perhaps you should look for hotels either farther south (like along I-95 in Lantana or near Palm Beach International Airport). There is a Holiday Inn near my house at the Turnpike exit at Lake Worth Road, as well as a Hampton Inn on Gateway in Boynton Beach, a Holiday Inn Express at Boynton Beach Blvd. and I-95, there are three hotels at Hypoluxo Road and I-95. Check those up. However, it's March in Palm Beach County, you are NOT going to find a hotel room in this area for under $90.00 a night!

What do you think are the 3 most important things about being Catholic? 1. Belief in the Holy Trinity of God, the Son, and the Spirit as one. 2. Faith and works will lead to spiritual salvation. 3. Being a part of the one holy catholic and apostolic church church that derives its origin from Christ himself (and not some wacko who thinks he can read and interpret the Bible better than anyone else can). How do you feel about fundamentalist Christians saying you're going to hell? (includes most Protestant groups, especially baptists) I could care less. If you want to make a fundamentalist's blood boil and head explode, just explain to them that the Catholic Church is the one and true apostolic church and that they derive their faith from some minister that decided to launch a crusade. I've been told I'm not even a Christian and that I worship the Pope and statues. I've heard it all, but truly believe that no man can judge another. Do you consider yourself a cultural Catholic or a spiritual Catholic? Both. However, my spiritual Catholicism is derived more from ontology: Ontology is not a subjective science as Kant describes it (Ub. d. Fortschr. d. Met., 98) nor "an inferential Psychology", as Hamilton regards it (Metaphysics, Lect. VII); nor yet a knowledge of the absolute (theology); nor of some ultimate reality whether conceived as matter or as spirit, which Monists suppose to underlie and produce individual real beings and their manifestations. Ontology is a fundamental interpretation of the ultimate constituents of the world of experience. All these constituents -- individuals with their attributes -- have factors or aspects in common. The atom and the molecule of matter, the plant, the animal, man, and God agree in this that each is a being, has a characteristic essence, an individual unity, truth, goodness, is a substance and (God excepted) has accidents, and is or may be a cause. All these common attributes demand definition and explanation -- definition not of their mere names, but analysis of the real object which the mind abstracts and reflectively considers. Ontology is therefore the fundamental science since it studies the basal constituents and the principles presupposed by the special sciences. All the other parts of philosophy, cosmology, psychology, theodicy, ethics, even logic, rest on the foundation laid by ontology. The physical sciences -- physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics likewise, presuppose the same foundations. Nevertheless ontology is dependent in the order of analysis, though not in the order of synthesis, on these departments of knowledge; it starts from their data and uses their information in clarifying their presuppositions and principles. Ontology is accused of dealing with the merely abstract. But all science is of the abstract, the universal, not of the concrete and individual. The physical sciences abstract the various phenomena from their individual subjects; the mathematical sciences abstract the quantity -- number and dimensions -- from its setting. Ontology finally abstracts what is left -- the essence, existence, substance, causalty, etc. It is idle to say that of these ultimate abstractions we can have no distinct knowledge. The very negation of their knowableness shows that the mind has some knowledge of that which it attempts to deny. Ontology simply endeavours to make that rudimentary knowledge more distinct and complete. There is a thoroughly developed ontology in every course of Catholic philosophy; and to its ontology that philosophy owes its definiteness and stability, while the lack of an ontology in other systems explains their vagueness and instability.

central blvd north or south? 708989[/snapback] Central Blvd. south, you should be able to figure that out since PGA Blvd is south of Abacoa.

central blvd north or south? 708989[/snapback] Central Blvd. south, you should be able to figure that out since PGA Blvd is south of Abacoa.

We also left later, the area that had the bad traffic was I-95 going South. We spent more than an hour within Palm Beach before even reaching Broward :plain 708793[/snapback] Here's another Roger Dean Stadium tip, don't take I-95! If you head out towards the Cardinals side and hit Central Blvd., that'll take you straight to PGA Blvd., and you'll be right by the Turnpike exit on PGA Blvd. I was in and out of there and back home in Lake Worth in under 45 minutes.

We also left later, the area that had the bad traffic was I-95 going South. We spent more than an hour within Palm Beach before even reaching Broward :plain 708793[/snapback] Here's another Roger Dean Stadium tip, don't take I-95! If you head out towards the Cardinals side and hit Central Blvd., that'll take you straight to PGA Blvd., and you'll be right by the Turnpike exit on PGA Blvd. I was in and out of there and back home in Lake Worth in under 45 minutes.

Too funny, you captured me getting Carlos Delgado's autograph with my 1yr old son (who was sitting on my knee against the bullpen wall). That's me at the end of the "white arrow" Looking at that "red" hair, I think may have spotted you guys and may have recognized you from your profiles and prior pictures online. Actually, traffic was not bad at all leaving the game, but then again, I stuck around the visitors clubhouse and Marlins clubhouse until around 4:30.

Too funny, you captured me getting Carlos Delgado's autograph with my 1yr old son (who was sitting on my knee against the bullpen wall). That's me at the end of the "white arrow" Looking at that "red" hair, I think may have spotted you guys and may have recognized you from your profiles and prior pictures online. Actually, traffic was not bad at all leaving the game, but then again, I stuck around the visitors clubhouse and Marlins clubhouse until around 4:30.

Wow, you guys were close by. I was there with my 1yr old son who fell asleep on me in the fourth inning and didn't wake up until we walked out of the stadium in the bottom of the eighth to go over to the Nationals clubhouse. Actually Pierre Arsenault made a crack at my son when he saw him on my shoulder asleep with my Marlins cap on. He comes over to me and says, "That's what we should be doing, sleeping." He then patted the "trainer guy" (the dude with the longish hair and Billy Goat scruff) and said, "Check out that kid!" Got some good autographs today between me and my son: Carlos Delgado, Miguel Cabrera, Juan Pierre, Chad Bentz, Andre Dawson, and Josh Beckett after the game.

Wow, you guys were close by. I was there with my 1yr old son who fell asleep on me in the fourth inning and didn't wake up until we walked out of the stadium in the bottom of the eighth to go over to the Nationals clubhouse. Actually Pierre Arsenault made a crack at my son when he saw him on my shoulder asleep with my Marlins cap on. He comes over to me and says, "That's what we should be doing, sleeping." He then patted the "trainer guy" (the dude with the longish hair and Billy Goat scruff) and said, "Check out that kid!" Got some good autographs today between me and my son: Carlos Delgado, Miguel Cabrera, Juan Pierre, Chad Bentz, Andre Dawson, and Josh Beckett after the game.

Roger Dean Stadium 101: 1. Gates open at 11:00 a.m., pretty much as Marlins BP is ending. 2. The Marlins side is the 3rd base side, and the bullpen is in left field. 3. Best time for autographs is before the game starts as the visitors BP is ending, since Marlins players will be coming out of the clubhouse and heading to the dugout. 4. The bullpen area is very open and relievers pretty much sit with the fans that are in the first row accessible seating. 5. When players finish their playing time (around the 6th inning) some will sign along the bullpen wall in left field. 6. After the game, some people stand by the gates to the entrance of the clubhouse/player's parking lot to get autographs. I've been going to Roger Dean Stadium now for five years (Hammerhead games before the Marlins moved there in 2003). It's one of the best places in the Grapefruit League (better than Viera anyday, but still not as great and cozy as McKechnie Field in Bradenton).

This is by far the most popular ST game every year. Of course this year ticket sales were more frantic. It's amazing how many Red Sox fans live in South Florida. 706817[/snapback] The majority of the tickets sold for this game are from retirees that live in New England and are down here for the winter. I've been in line for ticket sales at Roger Dean Stadium before (when ST tickets first go on sale and there is a stadium open house) and the majority of old people in line are New Englanders buying tickets to this game.

Repeat after me: IT'S SPRING FRIGGIN TRAINING IT'S SPRING FRIGGIN TRAINING IT'S SPRING FRIGGIN TRAINING IT'S SPRING FRIGGIN TRAINING This is the time of the year you tinker with things and just get back into the rhythm of the game. Plus, nobody takes the games seriously unless you're wearing a uniform with a number between 60 and 99!

Date: March 12, 2005 & March 20, 2005 Stadium: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL Against: 3/12 vs. WSH; 3/20 vs. HOU Section: Bleachers to start, but I'll probably be by the press box around the 3rd inning. Row: One of the games I'm in Row 1 of the bleachers, but will be moving as the game progresses. I've never sat in one seat during an entire Spring game in the 15 years I've been going to Spring games! Seat: Made of aluminium, they get quite hot at midday! Personal Description: I'll be there with my 1yr old son for the WSH game; and with my 4yr old daughter for the HOU game!

Just two weeks ago, my daughter and I managed to get the following on a baseball: A.J. Burnett, Dontrelle Willis, Ismael Valdez, Al Leiter, Todd Jones, Guillermo Mota, Antonio Alfonseca, John Reidling, Jim Mecir, Matt Perisho, Tim Spooneybarger, Paul LoDuca, Mike DiFelice, and Jack McKeon Of course, my prized possession is my 2003 ball with the following signatures: Derreck Lee, Luis Castillo, Alex Gonzalez, Mike Lowell, Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Redmond, Juan Encarnacion, Jeff Conine, Mike Mordechai, Lenny Harris, Ramon Castro, Brian Banks, A.J. Burnett, Dontrelle Willis, Josh Beckett, Michael Tejera, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny, Andy Fox, Justin Wayne, Todd Hollandsworth, Braden Looper, Armando Almanza, Tim Spooneybarger, Kevin Olsen, Blaine Neal, Vladimir Nunez. PLUS: Jeffrey Loria, David Samson, Admin Beinfest, Jeff Torborg, and Jack McKeon. (basically the only regulars from that team that I didn't get were Juan Pierre, Miguel Cabrera, and Mark Redman).

Sounds like he is becoming more desperate in his attempt to turn public opinion against the stadium deal. He went on and on for a year about how the Marlins didn't have the money to make this deal happen. Now there is a solid financing plan in place and momemtum building in political circles. It's becoming more and more evident that all of his "insider" information is nothing more than BS. 695131[/snapback] I'm sorry, but on that point Hank Goldberg is right, the Marlins don't have the money to make this deal happen. Read all the agreements and reports carefully and you'll see that the Marlins aren't putting any money up front in cash. They're merely submitting in "rent payments" as their contribution. That's not money, that's a "mortgage payment". It's not as if the Marlins are fronting $160M, they're making $160M in mortgage payments over the term of the stadium "lease." Those are two different things.

Talking about Scripps? Anyway, I can't reveal the identity of my family member! I think that goes along the line of exploitation or something... 694669[/snapback] Yup. Gotcha on the "family" thing. As I said, I don't know what his position is since we don't talk about that stuff. Maybe sometime while we're shooting the breeze in his office, I'll ask him. I don't think he'll oppose it, though. Plus, my State Senator is also a good buddy of mine (gave enough to his campaign!). I may ask him also.

The myfloridahouse.com portal lets you find your representative and send them a letter/e-mail as nice as this. It even dates, heads, and addresses it for you. Then it sends you a confirmation e-mail. 694636[/snapback] A member of my family is a House Rep. in Ft. Lauderdale--I'll be having some heated conversations with them during the next family get-together. 694642[/snapback] Which one is that? I work with the Senate Minority Leader (a little research will lead you to who that is). I don't know his stand, being that we are extremely pre-occupied with another "little" land matter we've got brewing in PB County.

What time do they usually sign the autographs/take pictures? Is it better to do that when they are headed toward the clubhouse or when they are going to their cars? Sorry so many questions.. I just want to be prepared so I know what I am doing Friday 692011[/snapback] If you want autographs, you'll get them as their drills are ending (usually between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m.) or as they leave the clubhouse and head for their cars. There is a gated area outside of the clubhouse and just beyond the left field entrance of Roger Dean Stadium where you can wait for them. If you want pictures, you can either get them as they are in-between drills (but they may not let you pose with them) or also outside of the clubhouse. Once they're in their cars, they usually won't stop (actually Ismael Valdez was very nice to my daughter today and stopped his car to sign her baseball because I asked him nicely in Spanish). Be prepared to walk alot because these places are a good distance apart. The key is to be courteous. I have never had a problem, but then again, it's usually my daughter that is asking for autographs and pictures, so no player can resist her adorable face!

You can get pictures taken with the players, but probably not during the drills because they are going from field to field. Sometimes you can get one or two that will oblige. I got some pictures from today, but today wasn't a "picture day" since my daughter was Hellbent on getting autographs: This is a picture of Beckett giving my daughter a "high-five." However, he was messing with me since he saw me setting up for the shot, so he "rushed" over and got really close. You can see Alfonseca coming in the background. As he passed me Pulpo patted me on the shoulder laughing! Here's Jack McKeon posing with my daughter. Believe it or not, we were the only ones there. He had just finished an interview with Joe Rose and was just wandering around Field No. 2. My daughter asked for a picture and he was happy to do it. This one I call "Bleacher Creature." That's my daughter on the bleachers I've been talking about. Again, you can see the fields in the back, and there is another field right in front of this one. This last one is my daughter and son watching pitchers taking BP. You can see from the picture just how empty it was there today. That's Al Leiter taking cracks at the ball.

I was thinking the same HollyBerry. If it got too crowded, I wondered if they were going to send everyone home? Also SoFlaFish, Thank you so much for the info! All this goes on in the backfields right? Do you just walk on through? Thanks!!! 691778[/snapback] Again, here's the primer on going to the workouts: NOBODY GETS SENT HOME! It is open to the public and they are encouraged to be there. There are plenty of Roger Dean Stadium security staff and City of Jupiter Police around that order can be maintained and nobody will be sent home. The entrance to the practice area is on Stadium Drive, just south of Frederick Small Road. It is a sidewalk that leads from the road down to the fields. Just park on Stadium Drive and walk right in. YES, you are not sneaking in, you are INVITED!!! (I've been doing this for four years!). Then you can walk between the four fields (they are all around a "clubhouse" where the bathrooms are). There is a cart selling food and drink for everyone. Between fields 1 and 3 there is a long path that leads to the Marlins Clubhouse, and that's where you'll get most autographs AFTER THE WORKOUTS ARE OVER!!! The players all rotate between the four fields. When they go from field to field they need to walk with all the public. Here you can briefly talk to them but DO NOT ASK FOR AUTOGRAPHS. Trust me, it's all open to the public. There is an Abacoa trolley that takes you between the Marlins practice fields and the Cardinals practice fields, so trust me you are allowed to be there. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends (since you'll get a lot of kids there on weekends). I was there today and there was at least 75% less people there today than on Saturday. My daughter got autographs of all the pitchers (Willis, Burnett, Valdez, Leiter, Mecir, Spooney, Mota, Alfonseca, Jones, Perisho, and Riedling) both catchers (LoDuca and DiFelice), and McKeon. It'll probably be a madhouse on Saturday with all position players in town, but still not too crowded. More people go to the Cardinals side than go to the Marlins side. Remember, most of the folks there are retired snowbirds from the Northeast and Midwest, so the Cardinals are more popular than the Marlins.

So what?!?!? The last two National League Champions have trained at Roger Dean Stadium, perhaps now even the third straight NL Champ this year!

Is there a time that's best to go out there? Also, are they out there in weekends? 691520[/snapback] The drills usually start between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and go through 'til 12:00 or 1:00 p.m. If you want to see the drills, it's best to get there at around 10:00 a.m. If you want autographs, then come later because they WILL NOT sign during drills. Usually you can get them to sign as they finish and head back to the clubhouse, or when they leave the clubhouse and head to their cars in the Marlins parking lot (that's usually around 2:00 to 3:30).

SoFLAFish, Did you have any kind of special passes to get that close to them or can anybody go out there and watch them? 690535[/snapback] No, I don't have any passes, the Marlins facility is very open and fan friendly. I usually just wander up to the entrance of the practice fields and stand on the warning track chatting with the photographers and security. I don't ask anything from the players and the staff is usually very cool with that. I also think the players sense that, too. I just stand there with my kids and they observe everything without bugging anybody. That's when players just walk up to my daughter and talk to her. They also see that she doesn't ask them for anything, so I don't waste their time. You wouldn't believe how friendly a reception I've gotten from the likes of Beckett, Alfonseca, Burnett, LoDuca, McKeon, and other players in the past as well. The older players are especially friendly to my daughter since they have kids of their own. Here are some more of my pictures from Saturday. I'm going back tomorrow with my kids (my daughter really wants autographs this time): My daughter standing on the edge of the warning track during baserunning drills (taught by McKeon and Cox) Paul LoDuca talking to David Samson during pitching drills. My son doing his best Tony Pena impression during pitching/fielding drills.