Ups-And-Downs

As NESN, the Red Sox network, this morning presents gravel-to-gravel coverage of the pitchers and catchers' workouts (and will air repeats at 1:30, 4 and 11 PM), Fish fans can bask in the knowledge that the Marlins have decided they will not be doing that, nor will they be telecasting any spring games this year.

You can get mad, or you can visualize the Marlins as the Red Sox of olden days, destined for bigger things. As the above article remembers, "Curt Gowdy must be rolling in his grave. Same with anyone who was around the Red Sox in the 1950s and early 1960s. Those were the days of fewer than 10,000 fans showing up for the home opener. The days when you could roll out of your dorm room in the third inning, walk to Fenway, and get into the bleachers for a buck. There were no Monster Seats, no lotteries, no waiting lists for ticket purchases. The idea of a spring training game being sold out was preposterous."

"Now the Red Sox are more popular than Hannah Montana. They are more popular than free food. Their Nation has gone global and the Sox are going to televise spring training workouts."

Now ain't the future, but it may be, one of these days.