This week we were in Arizona visiting family. Jeremy was on spring break from teaching, and Bob's birthday and mine were within a few days of each other's (Jeremy's is next Saturday).
The Phoenix metro area hosts MLB's spring training "Cactus League." (The"Grapefruit League" is in Florida.) In one of baseball's many quirks, the month of March is devoted to getting ready for the regular season that starts in April. Pplayers during spring training games may play for their teams during the regular season, but they may be sent back down to the minor leagues--there's another baseball quirk, the farm team system--if they don't make the cut.
All of this amounts to a one month trial period, and a chance for fans to see some more games. I'd known this most of my life, but never seen a spring training game.
Spring training is in warm locations for the obvious reason that the weather for much of the country in March is still cold, or at least unpredictable. Example: It was 70 degrees in Evanston last Monday, and snow is coming tomorrow. But Florida and Arizona can pretty much guarantee warm climes.
Last Tuesday we ventured out to Goodyear, AZ for a game between the Reds and Indians. I'd selected this game, a nod to our Ohio roots. Although This was my first ever spring training game, I generally catch a few major league games each season (and love listening to as many games on radio as I can).
Goodyear Ballpark seats 10,000, making it comparable to the International League's Huntington Park in Columbus, OH. In many ways this felt more like a minor league game than a major, given our closeness to the players (we were mere rows from them and could have moved closer). During the major league regular season, you are much further away from the action. Here the players can see the crowd when deciding where to throw scuffed balls. Very cool. I'd go back.
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