Everyone has their own bucket list. There is one thing that should be on the list: attending MLB spring training once.
There are many reasons why you should attend spring training. The first reason is simple: you are going to be leaving the cold New England air behind.
It does not matter whether you journey to Florida to see the Grapefruit League or to Arizona to see the Cactus League in action.
The second reason why you should go is for the fan experience. Going to a spring training day game, you can still have the evenings for whatever you want. However, if you want to have the best experience, go to your favorite team’s complex in the early morning.
Kathy Willens / AP Photo:
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Andres Blanco bobbles the throw as Braves’ Tyler Greene slides safely into second on a seventh-inning stolen base in a spring exhibition baseball game in Clearwater, Florida, Monday, March 10, 2014.
There is always something going on. If you arrive in the early morning, you can walk around at the practice fields at some locations. You also might catch the workouts of some of the players. In addition, you can catch the minor league workouts, or even the scrimmages between club’s minor league teams. Nothing is better than to soak up the sun and watch some good baseball in warm weather. Yes, it is watching minor leaguers; however, some of those players will be the guys you see in the future with the big club.
If you get really lucky and you catch an MLB practice or workout, you might even be able to mingle with the players and talk about baseball. It might even turn into just a casual conversation about life.
Spring training is also the perfect time for the autograph that you have always wanted from your favorite player. It is the perfect time to get a picture with your favorite player as most of the players will be willing to chat.
After spending the morning at the practice fields, there is nothing better than getting into the stadium early. Getting in early will allow you to watch batting practice and even try to catch a home run ball in batting practice. If you’re lucky, you could get some autographs before the game as well. In addition, it is good to give every stadium a walk- through since they are very small compared to an actual MLB stadium. Teams during spring training play at their Single A affiliates home. By walking through you can sometimes find activities to do. In some places, you might be able to win a prize, or even tickets for an upcoming game if your trip allows you to.
However, the best reason to attend spring training is because of the cost of the tickets. If you buy them at the right time and from the ball club you can get a good deal. For some teams you can sit behind home plate for a spring training game for $20 to $30, or even less.
At JetBlue Park, the home of Red Sox for spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., you can sit on the Green Monster for $37. The cost to sit behind home plate is $48. You cannot beat those prices.
If you wanted to attend a game in the regular season, you could be dropping over 60 bucks to sit in the bleachers at Fenway. If you wanted a really good seat it could cost you hundreds of dollars for a ticket on Stubhub for a seat behind home plate or the Monster Seats.
Spring training is an outstanding opportunity to see your favorite team and some good baseball. Also, you will get to see prospects and future stars of the game play. Many of the regular players do sit out during spring training. They might also have limited playing time during parts of the spring. From experience, spring training is an outstanding experience and it is something that you should attend once in your life—maybe even every year if you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity.
Brian Clemmenson can be contacted at bclemmenson@keene-equinox.com