PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Paul Taglieri, the Mets' executive director of Minor League facilities, used one word to describe the buzz during a typical day of instructional league this time of year.
"Crickets," he chuckled. "There's been nobody here."
That has changed this week. Where most days of instructional league workouts would attract a couple dozen spectators -- mostly family members of the players, plus maybe a scout or two -- the back fields at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla. -- at least for the past three days -- have been the place to be.