As we wind down another baseball spring training season the time has come to deal with the no character hussy that baseball has become.  Winter Haven is particularly vulnerable as the Cleveland Indians are looking at every exposed leg of another shameless city as it tries to entice them to a new and more glamorous venue. 

Such is what baseball has become --  an unrestrained, no-character whore groveling for more money.   Arizona is pitted against Florida, Winter Haven against Ft. Myers or wherever.  Almost every city that has a team for spring training is looking over it’s shoulder.   Which city or state will open its conduit to the local taxpayers the widest?  Want, want  and want some more.  A bigger stadium, a prettier stadium, more perks and oh, by the way make sure you attend the games a fill the stadium. 

If television says jump, you will say how high.  If the fans talk, the hearing aid is turned off.  You are on the cusp of a strike with the main issue being money.  You think that this is the key and the fans can be treadted like dirt, but they will comeback.  Maybe they will, maybe they will not.  You have faced the issue, loyalty or money.  At every turn you have chosen money over the fans.

 As a lifelong baseball fan, this is painful.  Several years ago I boycotted baseball.   They had a strike and basically said the “heck with the fans.”  This resolve was broken as Mark McGuire started hitting homers at a record rate for my beloved Cardinals.

 But it hit me again when the Yankees decided that Derrick Jeter was worth $180+ million to play shortstop.  Not a complaint against Jeter, but I just decided that if they could afford to pay a ball player $180+ Million, they did not need me.  Mr. Thomas of the White Sox reinforced this.  He was being “dissed” with someone making more money than he… and even thought he freely signed a contract, he sulked.  Thankfully the White Sox said no and Mr. Thomas came back to camp with his tail between his legs saying “It was never about the money!”  When someone says that, it is ALWAYS about the money!

 So Winter Haven will probably soon lose the Indians.  My comment is so what, let them go.  I would ask that we see just if the Indians have any character and they the word “Loyalty”.  Winter Haven helped them out when they had a problem (a hurricane blew away their facility in Homestead).  Over the last few years Winter Haven has supported them.  

So Cleveland Indians, like something better down the road?  My suggestion is; hit the road.  If you are this disloyal, let the next city open the coffers and worry over the years if they are doing enough to quiet those roving eyes. 

I know that this is not the chamber of Commerce position, but it should be.  We do want the Indians here.  We like the idea of the team coming here each Spring.  But we are going to be here, we will support you, we will welcome you into our community, but let see if you want to change from a nice guest and become a good citizen of Winter Haven.  

We would like you to become a good citizen, somebody who plans to stay, work with us to make Winter Haven better for all of the citizens.  So, Indians, you hold the cards.  You can fold them and sulk off to a perceived better sunset.  You can commit to us as we to you.  You can show loyalty, you can show leadership.  Or you can be one that turns his head at the largest dollar amount.

 Sometimes a good feeling and doing the right thing can be much better than a new stadium, more taxpayer money and be treated as a glamorous wandering hussy. 

Which will it be?