Bahamas Baseball
A Miami Marlins Treat
The Kid was swinging a hot bat on my Miami Marlins weekend Treat.
A Miami Marlins Treat. I remember asking a friend who works for the Miami Marlins when they will add a player from the Bahamas to their MLB Roster. Then, smiling, I told him we baseball fans need an excuse to take weekend trips to Miami. Moreover, the flight to Miami is only thirty-five minutes by air. And so, a weekend Birthday & Anniversary trip to Marlins Stadium was in-order for me and my wife.
Friday, April 28th, 2023, Game One Marlins & Cubs:
Landing in Miami two hours before game time was cutting it close, and it was, as we got there in the second inning, and by then, Loan Depot Stadium was electrifying, and the fans were excited. Come to think of it, our last time at a Marlins game was about two years ago, and the energy was the same.
Saturday, April 29th, My birthday. Game two Marlins & Cubs:
Once again, the excitement was in the air, and the baseball fans were alive and jumping. Oh yes, the sights and sounds of being at a live baseball game were in full effect. Moreover, the two players I wrote about earlier did not disappoint. Jazz Chisholm & Luis Arraez; both players had at-bats worth the admission price, going 3 for 4.
Luis Arraez, what a hitter:
I’ve watched many baseball games in my lifetime and seen many good baseball players hit the ball well; however, it is so exciting to watch Luis in the batter’s box. He is really off to a great start 2023 season.
The 2022 American League batting champion is leading Major League with a batting average of .424, and he is swinging a hot bat. I can’t wait to see him live in action again.
Dansby Swanson, I love his game:
Another part of my Miami Marlins’ weekend Treat was that I finally got to watch Dansby Swanson live. Both Dansby & Jazz were signed by The Arizona Diamond Backs in 2015, Jazz Chisholm Jr and Dansby Swanson. Jazz was an international signee on July 5th & Dansby, the 2015 MLB #1 player, was drafted by the DBacks’on July 8th. I always liked the way he played baseball.
Final Full Day of my Trip:
Me & my Wife were looking forward to traveling up to Jupiter, Florida, to watch Ian Lewis and the Jupiter Hammer Heads game. So we set out at 10 am for the Noonday game. However, heavy rains started outside Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, so we aborted the trip. Nevertheless, I was looking forward to catching my first live game of Ian.
As we plan our next Miami Marlins weekend because we love watching the Kid Jazz Chisholm Jr play. What a treat. Hopefully, we can add a trip up to Jupiter, Florida. And this will only depend on Ian Lewis still being up there.
Jeff Francis
Jeffrey was born on April 29th, 1961, in Nassau, Bahamas to Rejoiner Ann Rolle and Jerome James Francis Etienne. Married to Andrea G. Rolle-Francis, they have two daughters; Janae Latoya Francis, a graduate of Allegany College of Maryland, and Jessica Lee Francis a graduate Potomac State College West Virginia University in Kyser West Virginia. Jeffrey was coaching the sport of baseball from 1980 at the age of 18 years old because he loved the sport as a kid. He started listening to the game over the radio out of Miami Florida in the late 60s and in the early 70s started playing the game locally in various local leagues right up to the premier senior league; a league where all of the current Bahamian minor leaguers played. In 1982, Jeffrey had an invite to a three day tryout with the New York Yankees in Hollywood Florida, which was an awesome experience that is lasting a life time memory for him. Jeffrey has been following the Bahamian baseball players in the minor leagues since 1999 with Angelo Burrows, but found greater interest with the signing of Antoan Richardson in 2005. He also writes a year end review on their play on his Facebook page, Baseball Bahamas, and he has a website with the same name. He has a great following and would love to expose the baseball players to a bigger worldwide audience. He has a good relationship with all the players because he personally coached most of them. His favorite MLB Team is the Detroit Tigers from 1969.
