In Ft. Lauderdale, Wells Dusenbury notes the Marlins on Monday night "set a new low" with an announced attendance of just 5,297 for a 6-3 loss to the Reds. It was the "least attended game of the season" at a MLB ballpark. It was also the third time the team has "drawn less than 6,000 fans" to Marlins Park this season. The game "narrowly avoided setting an ownership low for attendance." Last season, 5,265 people attended the Marlins' July 11 contest versus the Brewers (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 8/28).
ALL THE RIGHT MOVES? In Boston, Justin Pelletier notes all Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has done in his tenure with the team is "build a World Series Champion following three consecutive division titles." But with this year's Red Sox team six games back from the AL Wild Card, the season has been "disappointing." However, to "consider the season a failure," to consider Dombrowski’s tenure with the Red Sox "disappointing, is harsh" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/28).
LASTING LEGACY: In Tampa, John Romano wrote late former Rays Owner Vince Naimoli, who passed away on Sunday, "deserved a hero’s trip around the bases in his retirement." He "should have had a reserved booth in every sports bar in Tampa Bay." But he was "pushed out" in '05, and from then on his name was "turned into a punchline." Romano: "It was an unfair coda for a self-made man" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/27).
