Cut Backs! No More Instructional Games

The Other Side of Sports TOO

By Yours Truly “Eddie Michels”

Hey fans any of you catch it Saturday night the 9th the Fall Stars game from Arizona an All Star game as prospects from all 30 major league teams played as about the last big baseball game of 2024.

Yes fans, that is so especially for those fans who used to enjoy watching games in Florida during what was call the Instructional League.

You see fan’s the games got moved to Arizona and in Florida all there now is instruction with no games being played.

According to a source or two of mine some players show up in the morning and receive instruction from coaches while the team’s other half do it in the afternoon, no games eh? Hey those games were free to the fans.

Since that COVID thing a few years back MLB has cut back on just about everything in its player development from cutting down training time to eliminating entire leagues, just to save a buck eh?

Now let us move to the ESPN site at Disney World being returned to action as the Tampa Bay Rays new home field.

With a seating capacity of about 7,500 and room for about 2,000 lawn chairs the stadium at the Wide World of Sports site should be able to handle a crowd of Ray’s fans. But one question to this, can I-4 handle the traffic from St. Pete?

As a closing though here with four practice fields at this site and other baseball amenities maybe the Rays should move their entire operation to the Orlando area. Hey, wouldn’t it be cheaper.

For your information fans, back a few years ago when I scored Gulf Coast League (GCL) games at the Wide World of Sports Complex I got to see the whole complex inside and out. So just maybe the Rays should move all their operations there as it appears that can’t afford what they presently.

Well fans in closing this issue November 8th were the 26th anniversary of an instructional league game I umpired in 1998 and still have not been paid for.

You see I went to the Carpenter Complex, the Phillies fields to interview Ed Wade the GM and Terry Francona the manager of the Phillies.

When I arrived out the complex door came farm director Lee Elia who ask, “Eddie can you do the game.” I answered, “Yes but I need a jock with a cup.”

Well fans I did the game, the first three innings that is, but to this day I have yet to be paid for my services. Gee I wondering how much the Phillies own me including interest eh?

PS-And there is more to this!