JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Even after watching his team rout the Boston Red Sox, Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was in a mood to reminisce about better days.

 

Loria made his first visit to spring training Wednesday, and his timing was good because Florida beat Boston 12-1. But despite the Marlins' 5-1 exhibition record, these are bleak days for the franchise.

 

Poor attendance and a stalemate in Loria's bid for a new ballpark in South Florida prompted him to order drastic payroll cutbacks during the offseason while team officials explored possible relocation.

 

Loria acknowledged that there has been "little progress'' lately toward a new stadium, which the Marlins have sought for more than a decade. The situation left him recalling the championship parade in downtown Miami after his team won the 2003 World Series championship.

 

"I was thinking about the last four years and saying to myself, it would be nice if all those fans who were part of that parade route had said something to their elected officials about wanting to keep baseball here,'' Loria said. "I really believe this thing would have been done by now.''

 

Instead, the Marlins are considering San Antonio and other cities as a possible home after their lease expires next year. Loria has repeatedly said that the Marlins' preference is to remain in South Florida, but that they will not remain in Dolphins Stadium beyond 2010.

 

Loria declined to guess where the team is mostly likely to play after that.

 

"I genuinely don't know,'' he said. "We do have to find a solution for this. We're looking at our options right now.''

 

Despite the dismantling of a veteran club coming off three consecutive winning seasons, Loria said opening day next month won't be a sad occasion for him.

 

"I'm very excited about what I saw today,'' he said. "These kids have been showing a lot of heart. There's a tremendous amount of talent here. I don't think people see that yet, but they will.

 

"It's going to be an interesting year. Let's let them play and let's learn about what we have.''

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/base...ins.loria.0378/

OMG LORIA BLAMES THE FANS AGAIN!!111!! I HATE THAT GUY!!!

 

 

I'll just start the ball rolling.....

well he is right...other than the people on this board, most of florida wants nothing to do with baseball...it really is a shame but the fans need to contact everyone, know anyone in the news paper business, get a petition in the paper to do vote out any representative who doesnt support a ball park...the fear of not being re elected is the only thing that gets politicians off their ass...not even 2 planes flying into the world trade center could get our president off his...i would be down there doin what i could if i didnt live in massachusetts...come on loria...hang in there and dont expect the stadium for free or sell to someone who will get this deal done