Miami's Fantasy Auction set for Mets series opener

MIAMI -- On Monday night, Fox Sports Florida viewers will have an opportunity to get a piece of the big league experience.

The 7:10 p.m. ET telecast of the Marlins' home game against the Mets will feature the eight annual Fox Sports Florida Fantasy Auction.

During the game, broadcasters Rich Waltz, Tommy Hutton and Craig Minervini will also host the auction, which is presented by the Clevelander. They will be out at the popular club, located just beyond the left-field wall at Marlins Park.

The event is in partnership with the Marlins Foundation, and a number of guests will be on hand. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Miami Marlins Education initiatives.

Bidding on packages and items begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, ending 15 minutes after the last out of the game. Each package has a starting bid of $500, with $100 increments.

Bid items include a three-night stay at the Clevelander on South Beach for the Marlins' series with the Nationals (Sept. 6-8), and a trip to New York to see the Marlins take on the Mets (Sept. 13-15).

Another attraction package is a Royal Caribbean Cruise.

For the avid Miami fan, there is a package available being called a Miami Bucket List. The ultimate experience includes tickets to Marlins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat and Florida Panthers games, as well as tickets to a NASCAR race at Homestead Speedway, plus two tickets to the 2014 Discover Orange Bowl. The winner of the bid also gets a Ryan Tannehill autographed football.

A number of other sports-related packages also are up for bidding.

Since relocating to Marlins Park in 2012, the Marlins Education Fund has contributed more than $425,000 to education programs throughout South Florida.