TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Spring training games in Florida set an attendance record this year, drawing more than 1.6 million fans to 18 parks while the New York Yankees led the way with an average crowd of 10,124.
In March, 274 games were played in Florida with crowds averaging 5,855, the Florida Sports Foundation said Thursday. The attendance total of 1,603,393 surpassed the mark from 2005 by nearly 5,000.
The Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Devil Rays set overall attendance records in 2006. Five teams topped 100,000. This was the eighth consecutive year the Yankees drew more than 10,000 fans a game.
NATIONALS RECALL 2: The struggling Washington Nationals optioned outfielder Brandon Watson and backup catcher Wiki Gonzalez to Triple-A New Orleans on Thursday and recalled outfielder Ryan Church and infielder Brendan Harris. The moves came after Washington's 13-4 loss to the New York Mets, the Nationals' fifth consecutive defeat.
BACKE SPRAINS ELBOW: Astros right-hander Brandon Backe will travel home to Houston to have his injured right elbow examined by team doctors. Backe left the Astros' 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants after only two innings Thursday because of a sprained right elbow. Rookie right-hander Taylor Buchholz, who had been scheduled to make his first major league start in Tuesday's series opener before the game was rained out, replaced Backe.
PIRATES PENALIZE GERUT: Jody Gerut was placed on the minor-league restricted list Thursday by the Pittsburgh Pirates after the outfielder decided to have right knee surgery the team doesn't think is necessary. The move means Gerut, who was sent to Triple-A Indianapolis during the Pirates' final spring training cutdown last month, won't be paid his $875,000 salary. He also must pay any travel costs associated with an operation that, according to Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield, is likely to be performed soon.