Beckett21

You can never plan early enough..... J 11/07/2003 1:38 PM ET Marlins announce spring sked Pro Player Stadium -- The Florida Marlins announced today their 2004 Spring Training schedule, which consists of 34 games, 20 at Roger Dean Stadium, 17 home dates and two exhibition contest. The home schedule features three games against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets, two with the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Dodgers, and single games with the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros. The Marlins will play three times in Jupiter as the visiting team against the St. Louis Cardinals. Florida opens its 12th Spring Training season and second season at Roger Dean Stadium on Wednesday, March 3 with an exhibition game against the University of Miami at 3:05 pm. The team will officially open its Grapefruit League season the following day against the Baltimore Orioles at 1:05 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale. All home games will begin at 1:05 p.m. except the Wednesday, March 10 7:05 p.m. contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the 12:05 p.m. New York Mets game on Saturday, April 3. The Marlins will close out Spring Training 2004 on Sunday, April 4 in Albuquerque, N.M. with a 3:05 p.m. exhibition game against the team's Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes. Individual game tickets for Spring Training will go on sale on Saturday, January 17 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Roger Dean Stadium ticket office and through Ticketmaster outlets. Individual game ticket prices are as follows: Field Box Seats: $21.00 ($22.00 Weekends), Loge Box Seats: $19.00 ($20.00 Weekends) and Bleacher Seats: $7.00. Roger Dean Stadium will also offer Berm Seats for $7.00 (available day of game only) and Standing Room Only tickets for $5.00 (available day of game only on sellouts). For more information, please contact the Roger Dean Stadium ticket office at 561.775.1818 or Ticketmaster in Palm Beach County (561.966.3309), Broward County (954.523.3309) or Dade County (305.358.5885). Spring Training season tickets at Roger Dean Stadium are now available for all Marlins fans. A Field Box season ticket will cost $304.00, a Loge Box seat will cost $272.00 with a Bleacher seat for $96.00. Season parking passes are available for $45.00. The Marlins and Roger Dean Stadium are also offering the 5+ mini plan. The plan allows fans to purchase tickets to five or more games at a discount before individual game tickets go on sale. The complete 2004 Marlins Spring Training schedule follows: 2004 SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE Wednesday March 3 University of Miami JUPITER 3:05 PM Thursday March 4 Baltimore Orioles Fort Lauderdale 1:05 PM Friday March 5 Baltimore Orioles JUPITER 1:05 PM Saturday March 6 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 PM Sunday March 7 Baltimore Orioles JUPITER 1:05 PM Monday March 8 Montreal Expos JUPITER 1:05 PM Tuesday March 9 New York Mets Port St. Lucie 1:10 PM Wednesday March 10 Baltimore Orioles (SS) Fort Lauderdale 1:05 PM Wednesday March 10 Los Angeles Dodgers (SS) JUPITER 7:05 PM Thursday March 11 Minnesota Twins JUPITER 1:05 PM Friday March 12 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 PM Saturday March 13 St. Louis Cardinals JUPITER 1:05 PM Sunday March 14 Boston Red Sox Fort Myers 1:05 PM Monday March 15 Montreal Expos Viera 1:05 PM Tuesday March 16 Baltimore Orioles JUPITER 1:05 PM Wednesday March 17 Minnesota Twins (SS) Fort Myers 1:05 PM Wednesday March 17 Los Angeles Dodgers (SS) Vero Beach 7:05 PM Thursday March 18 OFF DAY Friday March 19 St. Louis Cardinals JUPITER 1:05 PM Saturday March 20 Montreal Expos Viera 1:05 PM Sunday March 21 New York Mets JUPITER 1:05 PM Monday March 22 Houston Astros JUPITER 1:05 PM Tuesday March 23 Los Angeles Dodgers JUPITER 1:05 PM Wednesday March 24 St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter 1:05 PM Thursday March 25 New York Mets JUPITER 1:05 PM Friday March 26 New York Mets Port St. Lucie 1:10 PM Saturday March 27 Baltimore Orioles Fort Lauderdale 7:05 PM Sunday March 28 Boston Red Sox JUPITER 1:05 PM Monday March 29 Los Angeles Dodgers Vero Beach 1:05 PM Tuesday March 30 Montreal Expos JUPITER 1:05 PM Wednesday March 31 Houston Astros Kissimmee 1:05 PM Thursday April 1 St. Louis Cardinals JUPITER 1:05 PM Friday April 2 New York Mets Port St. Lucie 7:10 PM Saturday April 3 New York Mets JUPITER 12:05 PM Sunday April 4 Albuquerque Isotopes Albuquerque, NM 3:05 PM

Here is a recent article a family member sent me from Spring. For all you non Southerners... In Texas opening day for deer hunting is like a National Holiday!!! Josh Beckett named World Series MVP By Allan Owen, Contributing Writer November 05, 2003 Josh Beckett is a native of our community, born here on May 15, 1980. Now the entire world knows his name and that he hails from Spring, Texas. At 23 years of age, he is next in line to join the group of fabulous Texas flame throwers that have dominated the major leagues. He follows Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood, to name just a few. Beckett gained much fame in the youth baseball programs and as the UIL Class 5A pitcher of the year while at Spring High School from 1997-1999. He was known for his dominant fast ball and curve ball that kept the hitters off balance. A skill he exhibited against the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees this past October in the National League Championship Series and World Series. Beckett was named the 2003 World Series Most Valuable Player for his performance in this year's fall classic as a star pitcher of the Florida Marlins. He pitched two classic games in the World Series, including a complete shut out in Game 6, to defeat the Yankees 2-0, clinching the World Series for the Marlins. He completed 16 and 1/3 innings allowing only two earned runs and eight hits and struck out 19 batters in leading the Marlins to their second championship in their short ten year history. In the National League Championship series against the Cubs, Beckett threw 19 innings and after his first inning, he allowed only one run and five hits, striking out 18 batters to help Florida win the NL pennant. The young phenom was drafted second in the major league baseball draft in 1999 right out of high school by the Marlins. Beckett was named the USA Today high school pitcher of the year in 1999. Baseball America tabbed him the number one high school prospect in the country. He had a 23-2 record, 333 strikeouts, 51 walks, and an ERA of 0.42 in 164 innings during his final two years as a prep star. After signing with Florida in the fall of 1999, Beckett spent his first season in 2000 at Kane County (Class A) and appeared in 13 games with an ERA of 2.13, striking out 61 in 51 innings. The second season started at Brevard County, moving up to Portland, and then his MLB debut with Florida in September 2001 against Chicago, allowing one hit in 6 innings earning the win. He was named the minor league pitcher of the year in 2001 with a 14-1 record and an ERA of 1.54 in 26 games. In 2002, Josh encountered three different stints on the disabled list with a recurring finger blister. He appeared in 23 games compiling a 6-7 record and 173 strikeouts in 106 innings pitched. This season, he was 9-8 in 23 games with a 3.04 ERA and 152 strike outs in 142 innings. This post season Beckett came of age with six appearances totaling 42 innings, yielding 10 earned runs, 21 hits, striking out 47 batters and having an ERA of 2.11 as he led the Marlins to the championship and earned the most valuable player award for his performance to his team. The Marlins played in Houston earlier in the season and he gave me the opportunity to talk with him as he shared a few of his thoughts and ideas that had changed since his high school playing days for the Spring Lions. "I wasn't quite prepared coming out of high school," said a much more mature and confident Beckett in the Marlins clubhouse as a visitor to Minute Maid Park. "I have learned to keep my body in good shape and conditioning is a part of my daily life and routine." Beckett credits his parents, John and Lynn, and his pitching coach, Randy Ewing, at Class A (Brevard) along with his high school coach Kenny Humphreys with helping him the most. His manager and coaches on the Marlins all agree that Beckett is very special and they are glad to be a part of his development at the major league level. Josh makes his home in Spring in the off season and has his own apartment in the Miami area during the long baseball season. He enjoys hunting and fishing and is currently hunting in south Texas. "Josh is the complete package, both mentally and physically, and he is still growing in his development," stated former Spring baseball coach Humphreys (now the Assistant Athletic Director of Spring ISD). " We saw the completeness at a young age and Josh has much more to obtain...he was completely handling the stars of the Giants, Cubs, and Yankees in the post season, ... he is still so young with less than two full years in the big leagues. The sky is the limit on his potential." Another Marlins pitcher, ace set up man Chad Fox, is also from Spring. He played at Westfield High School under Coach David Laisch and at Tarleton State University. He joined the Marlins in August to strengthen their bullpen for the stretch drive. He was very effective, appearing in 21 games in August and September to help the Marlins make the playoffs. He threw 25 innings and struck out 27 batters. He had an ERA of 2.13 in the final two months of the season. During the playoffs, he appeared in 9 games, throwing 11 innings and striking out 9 hitters against the Giants, Cubs, and Yankees. He has previously played in the majors with the Braves, Brewers, and Red Sox.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Happy for you!!! :thumbup I went to the Panther game last night... There was a nice tribute to the Marlins. I live in PBC and really don't care where they build the new staduim but when he(husband) ran late last night and we didn't get there until game time I wanted to kill him. :banghead I gave up girl's night out to go to the stupid Hockey game only because he said that they were having a Marlins celebration.... Next time I am driving myself!!! LOL He is a Pitt fan anyway. (looser)!!! lol J

OK!!! Here is the deal.... I just spoke with someone in group sales at SEF. It will be a meet and greet with Pudge. It doesn't sound like a traditional signing.... The only charge is entrance to the park. When TOMORROW NIGHT (FRIDAY) Time: 7:00pm!!! The web address is Santasenchantedforest.com Admission is reasonable. A fun night out and you could be lucky enough to get an autograph before he is gone.... Santa's Enchanted Forest is open Nov6th- Jan 11th. Everynight from 5-midnight. Location Tropical Park...

What I know about Santa's Enchanted Forest Location: Tropical Park 7900 S.W.40th Street It is open November 6th from 5pm til Midnight. The website they have listed is wrong but the # is (305) 559-9689 Good Luck

IT is 100% that there will be Marlin players signing at Santa's Enchanted Forrest... However they are not mentioning any names to get more people out to see who it is actually going to be. It was advertised on the T.V. this morning as well. Happy signing. Do you know if they are charging at S.E.F.???

ad I wish that everyone would stop crying about where the new stadium will be built. Going to the World Series is like going to church on Christmas..... It is a sad fact that money can get you into a game like that with great seats when you haven't attended a game all year!!! A decision needs to made now on where a new stadium will be built. This team is Hot now and someone needs to step up to the plate and finalize the deal before they are offered a deal they can't refuse. We will all be stuck crying in South Florida when our team gets shipped out of traveling distance for all of us....