For day three of our baseball adventure, we headed west in Ft. Myers to Lee Health Sports Complex which was spring training home to the Minnesota Twins and year-round to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. After parking in front of the stadium, we proceeded to a small group of security guys as I needed to find out their bag policy for the game that afternoon.  I had used my clear bag at the two Boston games, even though the Red Sox still had a relaxed policy of a small purse and sealed bottle of water allowed.  It was a good thing I checked at the Twins complex as I found myself in a return trip to the car.  No bags were allowed – not even a clear one.  After re-organizing, it was amazing what all I could fit in four jean pockets and under my baseball cap!  I had to laugh as sometimes Rick would pawn off his program, purchased merchandise, rain gear, ballpark peanuts and glasses to my clear bag.  Not that day!  Our ponchos stayed in the car.  

The batting cages were adjacent to the stadium.  Several fans were peering through the chain link as one batter hit balls being thrown by a coach.  I recognized my former Red Sox fantasy baseball catcher immediately.   I turned to the man next to me.  “Is that Christian Vázquez?” I inquired.  “Yeah, but he doesn’t do any autographs or pictures.”  The fan was right!  Despite the clamors for Vázquez, he ignored everyone and eventually left the cage.  “See?  That’s what happens when you win a World Series!” the fan called out.   No one else came out so we headed to the Practice Fields. 

We spotted a group of players doing stretching on a field to the left of the walkway.  Straight ahead was the area where pitchers warmed up before heading to the practice fields on the right.  We started towards the pitching area and were met by a sign on the fence “Authorized Personnel Only.”  Instead, I went back to where they were stretching and leaned on a fence by the water cooler.  I hadn’t been there long when a gal named Asja Morello, the Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Mighty Mussels and a guy with a clipboard came over to refill bottles.  I chatted with the guy briefly about my friend, pitcher Michele Vassalotti.  I shared how the Twins tried to get him in a trade last June when he was in High-A Wisconsin, but the Brewers parted with Tanner Floyd instead.  Despite very good performances in the World Baseball Classic and European Championships last year and most recently with the Cardenales who went to the Venezuelan Championship, surprisingly he remains unsigned by any US team.  The Cardenales’ only win in the finals went to Vassalotti.  The guy with the clipboard planned to share the update at their next meeting. 

A few minutes later, a player came over.   “Hi!  What level are you?”  I asked.   “I’m AA Wichita,” he replied as he filled his bottle.   “Nice.  I work for an A club – the Carolina Mudcats.”  It turned out that one of his friends he grew up with in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, played for the Mudcats a couple of seasons ago.  I knew immediately who the friend was – Joe Gray Jr!  His dad, Joe Gray Sr. and I used to share high 5s every time his son launched a homerun at our games! Also attending our games was Justin Finn,  Joe’s financial advisor out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The player smiled.  “Justin is my guy too!  I’m Regi Grace, Jr.”  Another small world moment but the talk ended.  It was time for Regi to get back to stretching.  I laughed as I started back to the stadium when I spotted several fans walking by the “Authorized Personnel Only” sign and proceeding into the restricted area.  Not me!

I met up with Rick at the security checkpoint.  As I approached the magnetometer, I emptied my pockets of anything that might compromise my walkthrough.  When I collected my cell phone, Canon pocket camera, ID/wallet on a metal belt loop clip and car keys on another belt loop clip, I whispered to the same security guard from our initial arrival. “It sure would have taken less time to screen my clear plastic bag” and winked at him.   As in the previous two days, I saw a scout I knew from Mudcats visits.  This game it was Cory Melvin, former scout with the Brewers and now with the Yankees.  I also met Jose Almonte who scouted for the Marlins.

The former World Champion Atlanta Braves were the visiting team and got off to an exciting start in the top of the inning.  The third batter, Braves Matt Olson, launched a 418 foot home run which scored Michael Harris II who was on base.  The Twins answered with their own arsenal; three homeruns, two in the fourth inning by Ryan Jeffers and Will Castro followed by one in the fifth, compliments of former Guardians Carlos Santana.   Rick moaned what could have been if Santana had stayed with his team.  We also saw one of Vassalotti’s teammates from Team Italy, Braves David Fletcher. He had an infield single and a stolen base. Final of the game was the Twins edging the Braves 4-3.  After the game, we took the walkway above the bullpens around the ballpark.  Beyond center field, the walkway overlooked a small pond with an ominous sign about feeding and harassing alligators!

For our last night in Ft. Myers, Rick chose Two Meatballs in the Kitchen for dining. The place was packed since some restaurants in the area were closed Mondays and it was very noisy.  There was no doubt that they served Italian food as the place reeked of garlic.  We both had a house salad of Romaine, mixed greens, olives, cucumbers, croutons, carrots, celery, tomato with a house Italian dressing.  I decided on Luigi’s Favorite Pasta.  It was baked rigatoni, a meatball, ricotta, and Bolognese sauce, topped with mozzarella.  The plate was much larger than a dinner plate and atop the rigatoni was a single gigantic meatball resting on the pasta and sauce.  The meatball was almost the size of my knife blade!  Rick had the Linguine with Clams sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil.  Our dessert was the other half of last night’s carrot cake.  I could feel the pounds growing on me and vowed to be more disciplined the next day! 
To be continued