Spring training is America’s annual transformation from darkness to light, from cold to warm, when millions of baseball fans – both hardcore and casual – descend upon warmer climes to shed their winter blues. For those of us living in colder climes, baseball’s spring training is not a luxury but a necessity, our reward for living instates filled with overcast skies, snow, ice, and rain.
Beer and brats in hand, we arrive in Phoenix every February and March to soak up some sun and catch some baseball. We wait months for that first whiff of freshly mown grass at the ballpark, that first foul ball, that first inevitable sunburn. Who cares whether the starting pitcher is some kid who will likely begin the season in Double-A Arkansas ? As long as the drinks are cold and the dogs are hot, all is right with the world.
This book covers the best of spring training in Arizona, with extensive guides to all the major-league camps, complete with workout times, concessions highlights, seat recommendations and more. Also included: where to stay near the camps (including RV camps), what to do when not at training camp, and other areas of interest to both hardcore fans and casual attendees.
We begin planning our winter getaways months in advance, juggling airline schedules and hotel openings to ensure the maximum number of games. We show up to morning workouts, just to stand by the fence and feel like we’re part of the action. And we take spring-training performances a lot more seriously than do the players and managers.
This book is both for the hardcore baseball fan – who goes to spring training to scout out their favorite team in depth – as well as the more casual fan who heads to spring training more in search of the perfect suntan than in search of this year’s spring phenom. While the hardcores just want to know the shortest route between their hotel and the ballpark, the casual fan knows that the richness of spring training is augmented with visits to local restaurants, shopping areas, and area attractions.
This book covers the 15 Cactus League teams playing out of 10 training camps: Camelback Ranch-Glendale (Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers), Goodyear Ballpark (Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians), Hohokam Stadium (Oakland Athletics), Maryvale Baseball Park (Milwaukee Brewers), Peoria Stadium (San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners), Salt River Fields (Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies), Scottsdale Stadium (San Francisco Giants), Sloan Park (Chicago Cubs), Surprise Stadium (Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers), and Tempe Diablo Stadium (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), as well as Phoenix Municipal Stadium, home of the Arizona State University Sun Devils. Also covered: exhibition games in Las Vegas and San Antonio.
Each chapter features:
- Best seats in each ballpark, whether you want comfort, shade, accessibility or autographs
- Ballpark tips
- Must-sees before and after the games
- Training information, to plan a trip before the games start
- Travel tips: Low fares at nearby airports, alternative routes (beat the traffic!) and freeway shortcuts
- College games: create your own day-night doubleheaders!
- Points of interest for the baseball history fan
- Changes for spring training 2018
This 224-page book has been totally revamped for spring training 2017, with pricing, ballpark offerings and information updated. Do not buy this book if you want 2017 schedules: they're not released. But if you want planning information and tips for making those hotel and condo reservations, this guide will be an indispensable guide.
