As for Thome, he looks a lot different at $1.5 million than at $4-$5 million. It’ll be intersting to see what he ultimately receives. As someone older than him, each year seems to make a difference when you get to that 40 mark. I can’t forget hoping the Twins would take his Minneapolis mattress on road trips! Gardenhire did a good job managing his limitations but there were definitely times he wasn’t available due to his back.

I’d love to see what might happen with this line-up if the Twins added a right-handed power hitter (one who could field a position if necessary would be a great bonus). It would be fun to see Thome get #600 in a Twins uni but I have to wonder if he’s not a luxury they can’t afford — not so much from a $$$ standpoint as from a roster spot standpoint.

The early March airfares are cheaper, I agree. Not sure what it is about the exact dates of the 13th-20th. I’m also flying out of Cedar Rapids or Moline, rather than a “real” airport, so I’m accustomed to prices being a bit higher than major city fares. Usually, I can get down there (often in to St. Petersburg, rather than Ft Myers) for about $200, but I also know airfares in general are rising.

After having gone down there for the last several years, I’ve come up with a number of things to consider in planning a trip. I’m working on a post right now to help people plan a trip to ST and I hope to post it this week… so keep checking back!