The MLB in Florida Just Needs Some Time To Grow Up

In his latest column in the Tampa Bay Times, John Romano tackles the debated question of whether baseball really belongs in the sunshine state. The Tampa Bay Rays, along with the Miami Marlins have lived on the lower spectrum of attendance records in the MLB for, well longer than they should. Baseball just may never be very popular in Florida. Romano made a good statement about how it did take Florida an especially long time to nail down an MLB team.

“There are reasons teams relocated or expanded to Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee (twice), Minnesota, Montreal, Seattle (twice), Texas, Toronto and half of California before giving Florida its very own dugout.”

But what is the source of the problem here? Why don’t people want to go to baseball games in Florida? Everything has been done to make it comfortable. Both teams have air conditioned stadiums, so it is not like fans have to bake in the sun. The Marlins even have a brand new, state of the art stadium with a retractable roof. So when the weather is not sweltering, fans can enjoy the open air.

Yet this has not seemed to make a difference.

Are people watching it on TV at least? Yes and no, the Marlins who are not having the best season are not attracting eyes to the TV, understandable. However,the Rays are doing fantastic on TV after extending their state wide reach, that and being an interesting club to watch on a nightly basis. Robert Trigaux pointed this out in his article in the Tampa Bay Times about the Rays new Welcome Home marketing strategy.

“The Rays, whose games used to be seen sparingly in television markets outside Tampa Bay, are now viewable statewide about 150 times per season. That reach makes the Rays the most-watched pro sports team in the state.”

One argument that my friend Cody Hudson brings up time and time again and which I agree wholeheartedly with is that baseball has not been allowed to grow up in Florida. It takes a few generations for a team, of any sport, to really latch onto a community. The Marlins have been around since only 1993 and the Rays came into the spotlight in 1998. It may take another generation of fans to catch on the baseball craze in Florida.

When those clubs first started the MLB was a much more popular sport than it has been for the Millennial generation. The problems with steroids, had a huge impact on the game’s legitimacy. Yet there is still hope for baseball in Florida, but it’s going to take some family's rallying behind the sport and supporting their local teams, just like it has been all about since it’s creation.

The MLB is only about 18 years old in Florida, it’s no longer cute or new, it’s a growing adolescent. It needs some guidance and maybe a strong kick in the ass, but let’s at least give it a chance and support the sport while it’s still growing.

Questionable self defense tactics against unarmed individuals.

Before I sat down to write this post, I walked to the convenient store down the street to buy myself some milk, a bag of chips and a pack of cigarettes. Much like another young man did a few weeks earlier. The difference being he went to buy some Skittles and an iced tea and I made it safely back to my home, the other young man did not.

On February 26th Trayvon Martin, 17, walked back home from a nearby convenient store wearing his, what is now iconic hoodie, and was shot dead by a local neighborhood watch caption George Zimmerman, 28. According to the Sanford Florida police report Zimmerman was armed with a handgun and police found him standing over Martin with a bloody nose and a wound in the back of his head. Martin was found with a Skittles and an bottle of iced tea, he was unarmed.

 Zimmerman claimed self defense. Protected by the state of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" he was questioned and then released. Witnesses have came forward claiming that Zimmerman was attacked by Martin which matched his story.

Later investigation uncovered questionable police conduct which caused Sanford Police Chief Billy Lee to temporarily resign.

The story has rocked the nation. Protests have been made all over the country by hoodied citizens asking for justice for Martin. Rev. Al Sharpton has become one of the causes biggest advocates calling the case a tragedy and doing whatever is in his power to find justice for Martin.

This is a very problematic goal to say the least. The sheer lack of evidence in Martin's favor is a tough brick-wall to knock down. There are very few things he might have going for him. One, the 9-11 dispatcher told Zimmerman to stay in his car and wait for police. Two, a phone call that Martin made to a friend saying that he was being followed and was scared. Aside from that, there is little evidance to dispute Zimmerman's claims.

This is not the first time that the "Stand Your Ground" law has been used to protect "Justifiable Homicide". Research done by the Tampa Bay Times and other Florida newspapers found that the law has recently been used at an increasing rate. It is important to relise that this law has been a problem for quite some time now.

The overwhelming question is not whether Zimmerman killed Martin in self defense or simply gunned him down. The question is if Martin did attack Zimmerman, unarmed, did he deserve to be shot in the chest because of it?

This case is hard to grasp onto, both sides have compelling arguments however neither have real hard evidence to back their stories up with. The fact is the two men met, one walked away, one went to the morgue in a body bag.

Should Zimmerman face a manslaughter charger? probably. Will he? likely not. The case is unraveling on both sides. More witnesses are coming out to support Zimmerman and more activists are compelled to stand up for the rights of Martin everyday. It's unclear if Zimmerman was attacked by Martin, why he shot him and if he would still be alive if he did not.

The more compelling question is would both be alive right now, maybe with some scrapes and bruises, had Zimmerman not got out of his car and discharge his weapon that night.