With Gov. Charlie Crist releasing $7.5 million in state funds for Sarasota to use toward spring-training facilities, it now looks like the city is in the lead to land the Baltimore Orioles as a spring tenant, perhaps as soon as 2010.
With Gov. Charlie Crist releasing $7.5 million in state funds for Sarasota to use toward spring-training facilities, it now looks like the city is in the lead to land the Baltimore Orioles as a spring tenant, perhaps as soon as 2010.
The state money was part of a larger program designed to give communities money to retain MLB teams for spring training. The Orioles had qualified for funding in Fort Lauderdale, and Crist decided to let Sarasota have access to it in order to lure the Orioles.
The Orioles had settled on Sarasota and Fort Myers as potential new spring-training homes some time ago, but timing and finances were issues. The Orioles wanted to see either a new ballpark or a more extensive renovation of Ed Smith Stadium than the city was willing to fund. By contrast, Lee County will have an open ballpark in 2011 when the Boston Red Sox move to a new spring-training facility elsewhere in Lee County.
But a Lee County move is not the best solution. For starters, it would mean the Orioles would need to train somewhere else in 2010, and no one in baseball thinks Fort Lauderdale Stadium is a suitable facility. Moving to Sarasota right away in 2010 would solve many problems for the O's front office.
We think it's a no-brainer: Sarasota is a good and proven spring-training market, and it would give the Orioles the chance to consolidate minor-league operations and establish a Florida State League team, something team officials have talked about in the past.
But no decision has been reached, and Orioles officials say they're still talking with Lee County and Fort Myers. But there's very little to discuss: the Orioles have been offered a standard deal along the lines of what the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins already have. In Sarasota, there's still a lot of room for negotiations.
RELATED STORIES: Orioles close to decision on spring-training future?; Lee County, Sarasota renew rivalry for Orioles spring-training camp
Subscribers to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter see articles before they're posted to the site. You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!