The Marlins were "infuriated" that the Red Sox had sent out their "B" lineup in Grapefruit League play Thursday, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun-Sentinel:
The sliver of Red Sox nation comprising much of the 6,427 spectators at Roger Dean Stadium hoped to see some semblance of the 2013 World Series Champions. Instead, they got mostly organizational filler in Red Sox batting practice jerseys with numbers befitting an offensive line."
The Marlins – the worst team in baseball last season – charged spectators a "super premium" ticket price for the contest, in which fans paid $12 more for field box seats, $11 more for loge and $10 more for bleachers than they would for a typical weekday game.
MLB has a policy in which teams must send at least four positional players who were regulars with the club in the previous season to Spring Training road games. The only two players in the Red Sox lineup Thursday who accumulated any semblance of playing time in the Major Leagues last year were center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (95 at-bats) and catcher Ryan Lavarnway (269 at-bats).
The Marlins brass felt as if the 6,427 fans who paid the increased ticket prices at their Spring Training home, Roger Dean Stadium, were ripped off, and deserving of a refund. Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington issued an apology to the club Friday.
Well, Red Sox principal owner John Henry wasn't in the apologizing mood Saturday. He instead tweeted out a stinging jab at Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, and the joke of an organization he's been running in Florida over the last 12 years:
@John_W_Henry They should apologize for their regular season lineup.
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/03/08/red-sox-principal-owner-john-henry-tweets-that-the-marlins-should-apologize-to-their-fans/
[ Edited by NinerFanMT on Mar 10, 2014 at 4:12 PM ]
