2010 Caribbean Series
So, I’m watching a little of the game yesterday between Mexico and the Dominican Republic. It’s a big game in the Series – see this snip from the game recap at MLB.com for more on that:
[Juan] Francisco went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBIs in Escogido’s 7-2 victory against Mexico on Saturday afternoon at Estadio Nueva Esparta to put the Dominican Republic team in the driver’s seat heading into the final day of regulation.
Escogido leads all clubs with a 4-1 record, followed by Puerto Rico (2-2), Mexico (2-3) and Venezuela (1-3). If Puerto Rico wins its next two games and the Dominican Republic loses Sunday, the two teams will square off in a championship tiebreaker Monday. A Venezuela victory against Puerto Rico on Saturday night will give Escogido its first Caribbean Series title since 1990.
Here’s what I don’t get: You always hear about the passion and fervor around the Caribbean Series. But, as I’m watching this game, all I see is empty seats in the stands. Estadio Nueva Esparta reportedly holds 16,100 fans. And, based on what I saw, I would say that it was two-thirds empty for this game – if not more.
Now, maybe, I could see this being a matter of the game being played in Venezuela and it was Mexico versus the Dominican Republic on the field. Nonetheless, this is not the first “Winter League” game that I’ve watched in the last few years where the ballpark looked like a ghost town. What’s up with that?
For the most part attendance isn’t all that great. That’s one of the reasons I’ve been trying to get to the series. Or at the very least take in a winter league game.
I found the location to this year’s series odd, because it isn’t particulary accessible.
You see it in the minors, you see it in spring training, you saw it during the WBC. Unless you have major stars to draw in the casual crowd, attendance will continue to be what it is, and you will only attract the die-hards
I actually saw Karim Garcia playing in one of those games. Not that KG was ever Charles Atlas, but he’s built like Pablo Sandoval now.
77yankees wrote:
I watched Vinny Castillia hit a dropped catch-double and then a homer, and stopped watching. When Vinny Castillia, the 2010 version, is hitting off the pitchers, you know the competition isn’t that great.
Amen.