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There's still a lot to be done before the Orioles christen their newly renovated spring training stadium on Tuesday afternoon, but I thought I'd put up my latest cellphone photo of the project.
Instant update: I just walked by the loading dock and there was a truck there unloading food. Have to admit. It brought a tear to my eye.
Peter Schmuck wants you to know that, contrary to popular belief, he is more than just a bon vivant, raconteur and collector of blousy flowered shirts. He is a semi-respected journalist who has covered virtually every sport -- except luge, of course – and tackled issues that transcend the mere games people play. If that isn’t enough to qualify him to provide witty, wide-ranging commentary on the sports world ... and the rest of the world, for that matter ... he is an avid reader of history, biography and the classics, as well as a charming blowhard who pops off on both sports and politics on WBAL Radio. That means you can expect a little of everything in The Schmuck Stops Here, but the major focus will be keeping you up to the minute on Baltimore’s major sports teams and themes, whether it’s throwing up the Orioles lineup the minute it’s announced or updating you on the latest sprained ankle in Owings Mills. Oh, and by the way, that’s Mr. Schmuck to you. 
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Comments
I spent last Saturday watching workouts and the renovations are outstanding! I visited Ed Smith when the Reds were there and it was a dump. There's a lot to be optimistic about this year and I think O's fans will enjoy starting their baseball year off watching Spring Training in Sarasota. It was a very pleasant experience going down there. 75 and sunny doesn't hurt either....
Posted by: Rich | February 25, 2011 8:24 AM
Who dem sayin Angelos don't spend money?! Look at that fine looking stadium. Championship!!!!
Posted by: Mesotheliangelos | February 25, 2011 9:42 AM
Soon the Orioles will become MLB's version of the Redskins -- the NFL's perennial offseason champs.
Posted by: Jeff | February 25, 2011 9:50 AM
@Jeff,
I think in the NFL that spot is occupied by the Cowboys.
Disclosure: I'm a Ravens fan.
Posted by: Mesotheliangelos | February 25, 2011 9:53 AM
Peter, What kind of food?
Do they serve just normal baseball stadium fare? Or, do they offer a Gulf Coast twist to it?
Can't cover baseball without sampling the food...
Stadium looks great, as have all of the shots of the ST facility. It's good to be an Oriole fan, it's a new era of O's baseball that's dawning.
We ought to start a pool, who will be the first Oriole to stroke one out of the newly renovated park.
I'm going with Riemold...
Posted by: mountainfan | February 25, 2011 10:12 AM
Peter, What kind of food?
Do they serve just normal baseball stadium fare? Or, do they offer a Gulf Coast twist to it?
Can't cover baseball without sampling the food...
Stadium looks great, as have all of the shots of the ST facility. It's good to be an Oriole fan, it's a new era of O's baseball that's dawning.
We ought to start a pool, who will be the first Oriole to stroke one out of the newly renovated park.
I'm going with Riemold...
Posted by: mountainfan | February 25, 2011 10:15 AM
Peter, What kind of food?
Do they serve just normal baseball stadium fare? Or, do they offer a Gulf Coast twist to it?
Can't cover baseball without sampling the food...
Stadium looks great, as have all of the shots of the ST facility. It's good to be an Oriole fan, it's a new era of O's baseball that's dawning.
We ought to start a pool, who will be the first Oriole to stroke one out of the newly renovated park.
I'm going with Riemold...
Posted by: mountainfan | February 25, 2011 10:18 AM
Pete, could you include a picture of the COMPLETED and NEW Ed Smith Stadium instead of showing a picture with a fence around the main entrance?
..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Sure, when it's completed.
Posted by: CNC Orioles Fan | February 25, 2011 10:27 AM
The place looks gorgeous. I may not make it to Sarasota on March 13 like I thought I would, so I may have to go later.
Peter, can I send you my pair of tickets to the Tigers game? Perhaps you can give them to someone who will make the game (Sunday, 13th). It appears that I will either miss ST or have to come the next weekend.
Posted by: Elton | February 25, 2011 11:04 AM
It's odd that when Janet Marie Smith is quoted on this, she guarantees it will be done in time, but every time I see pictures, I just gotta say it sure doesn't look like it. Yet, I trust it will be gorgeous.
Pete, if you had time to take that shot, do you have any others?
Posted by: steve | February 25, 2011 12:01 PM
Wow, what cutting edge journalism,...........a cell phone photo and 5 sentences. You must have to play golf and eat stone crabs again. Do you actually get paid for this kind of work?
...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Yes, and quite well. The last time I looked, my blog was supposed to be a fun addendum to my actual journalistic duties as the sports columnist for the Sun. If this is where you come for "cutting edge" journalism, I'd hate to hear you try to hold up your end of a conversation at a cocktail party.
Posted by: Dennis | February 25, 2011 1:35 PM
Elton,
I'll buy the tix off you if you still have them.
Let me know.
rich20ssu@yahoo.com
Posted by: Rich | February 25, 2011 2:10 PM
Rich, I was comped those tix c/o the O's for 13-game plan. They're yours at no cost if you intend to head down. I'll email you.
Posted by: Elton | February 25, 2011 2:41 PM
Pete,
I'll be down on business and some vacation Mid March. I can't wait to get inside the new park. Fort Lauderdale was depressing and it kind of symbolized how far the franchise had fallen I haven't been to Spring Training in 5 years, but in your opinion were there any worse facilities than Fort Lauderdale?
Posted by: Gil | February 25, 2011 4:26 PM
Every Blog should have a click through that states the following.
Hey you ?? Yes You !!!
We (The crack journalistic staff at the Sun) offer these posts as a way to post "Light" quick hitting items during the day for your possible enjoyment.
We understand that you might want a little more and we offer you the traditional fare such as our print edition or actual journalistic articles that we do not think a blog is suitable for.
No one should be offended by grammatical errors or even spelling but we will try and keep these to a minimum. Everyone makes mistakes and again that type of accuracy is in our more traditional offerings.
People we are trying to stay cutting edge here and we are trying to give you as close to possible a quick hitting view of things fresh as we see them!!
If we (The crack journalistic staff) have to take time out of our busy afternoons of golf course investigation and gastronomical evaluation of local eateries to post in depth accurate to the tee articles our traditional offerings would suffer and you all would be much poorer for it.
So its a blog people. Its not rocket science and/or that Guru on the hill.
Its a BLOG.!!
So play nice and let me get back to swinging my clubs and stuffing my face.
One Of The Crack Journalistic Staff At The Sun
Posted by: Fran Smith | February 25, 2011 4:26 PM
Gil,
To me, FL was the worst by a mile. The worst thing about it for me, wasn't the incredibly behind the times stadium... It wasn't the concessions that many high schools look like gourmet eatery's.....
Rather, it was the jet fuel that came from the adjoining airstrip.... an odor that literally would send patrons to the hospital each season.
Moving the team to better gigs has been AM's one accomplishment, and it was a significant one.
That said, he did have timing in his favor. The O's were in a position to make demands or finally walk. And thankfully, they walked.
Area wise however, I'll take Miami/FL any day of the week. The food, activities, and sites (oh yeah, the sites), make Sarasota seem like an old age home.
Now if only they could put Ed Smith Stadium in South Beach.... well then we'd be talking...
Posted by: wayne | February 25, 2011 4:52 PM
wayne,
I have been to Sarasota many times and the age demographics do reflect where I am headed in 15 years. Fort lauderdale was not only bad for the reasons that you cited, but the playing fields were rutted and there were potholes in the outfield. The facility was awful, rusting and was on the verge of being condemned. I have often thought that some of the injuries experienced by Oriole players were caused by those fields. Six or seven years ago, Eric Bedard was playing long toss with another pitcher in the outfield, stepped in a hole or rut and fell down. When he got up he was flexing his left shoulder. I wouldn't put my 14 to 19 American Legion team on that field. I have forfeited games up here in PA when we were exposed to bad fields, rather than get a player hurt. Angelos doesn't deserve credit for aquiring a new site. He deserves to be shamed for all time for exposing a professional baseball team to those conditions for so long. I'll give AM credit here for pushing PA to move to a major league training facility.
Posted by: Gil | February 25, 2011 5:15 PM
About the food, they sell MD. Crab Cakes, but being from the Eastern Shore of MD. I like the hot dogs better. I live in Venice FL. Now. O's twenty Min. from my house. GO O's!!
Posted by: Andy Schoener | February 25, 2011 6:35 PM
About the food, they sell MD. Crab Cakes, but being from the Eastern Shore of MD. I like the hot dogs better. I live in Venice FL. Now. O's twenty Min. from my house. GO O's!!
Posted by: Andy Schoener | February 25, 2011 6:36 PM
hey, on a side note, did anyone see guitarist bill frisell's baltimore shows this week? was wondering what yoy thought if you did...
Posted by: jim66 | February 25, 2011 7:58 PM
Having been to the South Beach/Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area, isn't it best that we take our young players AWAY from that distraction?
Do they really need to be partying hardy 24/7? I don't think so.
People forget the Yankees left there too and for a reason.
Wonder why no team is even training in Ft. Lauderdale this season? There's your sign.
Even if this facility is not the best in MLB, it couldn't possibly be worse than the last on multiple levels.
I think this is an excellent move for the Orioles and I want to slam Peter Angelos for his 10 year negotiations for a new facility! He practically turned this into a class action asbestos case!
Thank you Andy for restoring some sanity to this organization.
Posted by: ComicsHero | February 26, 2011 1:24 PM