New Digs in the Desert...

If you live in or around the Midwest of the U.S. on this day, you are in the process of receiving what weather experts are calling the worst snowstorm of the year! It could make you feel like Nanook of the North! So as long as you are sitting by the fire with your mukluks on, you can sit back and enjoy some warm, pre-spring training pics from Goodyear,Arizona without ever leaving the house. If you need a little refresher as to why the team is in Arizona and joining the Cactus League again, check out this note from Cleveland.com.

So after getting the film back from my local Fotomat store.....(there is an obscure reference... they really aren't around anymore)....check out the details if you missed their existence in the parking lot of a mall near you... OK, so I uploaded the photos off the card and have some fun shots of the new facility.

But first, a little description....the first thing you notice is space - and lots of it! There is office space for team officials, plenty of locker room space for the players, meeting rooms, video support, a workout room, and a full medical area. So to kick it off, we will take a peek at the new building that is a part of this complex. Roll the, er, film.....

Next ------- training area.....

Heading West.....

There it is - our destination this past week in Arizona - the new practice facility and ballpark in Goodyear which will start serving as the new winter headquarters of the Cleveland Indians. Not only did we leave the snow for a couple days, but we also had the chance to visit one of the newest sites for baseball in the majors.

And up to date it is....This week, I will be adding a few different slide shows of all the pictures that I took in and around the entire facility. There is no doubt that the players who pass through here will marvel at the 21st century technology - nothing like Winterhaven. And yet, before dashing Florida to bits, the facility there in Central Florida was very quaint and reminiscent of a time gone by...and it certainly had its place and served the players and fans admirably.

But it is the 21st century, and the Indians have truly walked through that door. I heard an interview Kelly Shoppach on Bruce Drennan's "All Bets Are Off" show on SportsTime Ohio. Kelly has been working out at the facility during the winter and he spoke of it in glowing terms. I have a feeling that will be the normal response from other members of the club as well.

You will get your chance to see practice fields, locker rooms, and the new ballpark itself. So c'mon back this week and visit! I can hear bat cracks in the distance already....!

Turning the Calendar......

Greetings to all and Happy New Year! It is indeed 2009 whether we want it to be or not...As thoughts turn to baseball. the Indians soon will begin this year's campaign at their new facility in Goodyear, Arizona. New additions and the prospect for another strong year from seasoned Tribe veterans make this upcoming season look very promising - one that I know we will have a lot of fun covering.

First, we had to move through the holidays. When the partying was over and the new year had begun, I realized that there were things to be done in this new year and the list of resolutions was prepared.... with some thoughts like these in mind....

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions. Joey Adams

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. Author Unknown

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. Bill Vaughan

People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. Author Unknown

You get the idea - but I had put a string on my finger and I could not remember what it was there for - and why do you put a string there anyway? According to http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/ it goes something like this....

For many years, Mothers have chosen this way to help their children to remember something. This is a carry-over from olden days when people tied pieces of cloth around any painful part of their body.
This cloth was tied in one area to keep the "spirit of life" in that area, and so cure it and keep the pain from spreading to other parts of the body. The string on the finger was designed to "keep" the thought there, to be remembered later when it was needed.

Anyway, I had this string on my finger - did I forget an anniversary or birthday? Was I supposed to be somewhere for a meeting? Did I forget not to remember something? And then it hit me - the blog!!!! It's a new year and we have a lot to do!

So hang on - the blog is back starting right now.....through the whole year - rain or shine! Join us "From The Truck" for some behind the scenes TV and baseball fun. This year we open in Texas, are the first team for a regular season game in the new Yankee Stadium, and visit the Central Division of the National League including storied Wrigley Field - it should be a very interesting year...

This week, we head to Arizona for a quick peek at the new training complex and ballpark in Goodyear. Leaving this weather behind will not be so bad as we head to the warmer winter climes of the desert. That story and those pics will be coming at the end of the week after we return....Now its time to tie a string around your finger to remind yourself that pitchers and catchers report in about 24 days...

Enjoy the winter scenes if you have them- and don't forget to feed the critters!!!