Spring training
Spring training is the
In modern training, teams that train in Florida will play other Florida-training teams in their exhibition games, regardless of regular-season league affiliations. Likewise, Arizona-training teams will play other Arizona teams. These have been nicknamed the Grapefruit League and Cactus League, respectively, after plants typical of the respective states.
Spring training typically starts in early February and continues until just before Opening Day of the regular season, which falls in the last week of March or the first week of April. In some years, teams not scheduled to play on Opening Day will play spring training games that day. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period. A few days later, position players arrive and team practice begins. Exhibition games usually begin in late February.
History
The
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Spring training by major league teams in sites other than their regular season game sites first became popular in the 1890s and by 1910 was in wide use.
Famously, on St. Patrick's Day, 1918, a successful young pitcher for the Red Sox named Babe Ruth was forced to play an emergency game at first base in a spring training game against Pittsburgh. This game possibly changed the course of baseball history, as it was the first time Ruth had ever played any position other than pitcher. Ruth responded by hitting two home runs that day in Hot Springs, with the second being a 573-foot shot that landed across the street from Whittington Park in a pond of the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo. The Red Sox took notice and soon Ruth was playing the field more often.[7][8][9] Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Famers, including Ruth, Anson, Cy Young, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Walter Johnson, Rogers Hornsby, Mel Ott, Dizzy Dean, Jimmie Foxx, and Stan Musial, trained in Hot Springs.[10] The First Boys of Spring is a 2015 documentary about Hot Springs Spring Training. The film was narrated by actor Billy Bob Thornton, an area native, and produced by filmmaker Larry Foley.[11][12][13] The documentary began airing nationally on the MLB Network in February 2016.[14]
Early training sites include the
Founding of the Grapefruit League
The
Founding of the Cactus League
According to the autobiography of former Cleveland Indians owner
Veeck sold the Brewers in 1945 and temporarily retired to a ranch in
Arizona had eight teams in the Cactus League in 1989, with the other eighteen in Florida.[22] By 2018, the split was even, with 15 teams training in each location.
Other spring training sites
While Florida and Arizona now host all Major League Baseball teams for spring training, this has not always been the case. Especially in the early 20th century, baseball clubs did not build facilities dedicated to spring training and would use local facilities in various cities, sometimes changing spring training sites on an annual basis. The Cleveland Indians, for example, held spring trainings in seven different cities – including New Orleans, Dallas, and Macon, Georgia – between 1902 and 1922. This was not uncommon at the time.[23]
The New York Giants likely built the first "permanent" spring training facility in Marlin, Texas. The Giants trained in Marlin from 1908 to 1918 and built Emerson Park and adjacent parks for spring training activities. The city of Marlin deeded the land to the ballclub.[24][25][26]
During World War II, most teams held an abbreviated spring training within easy reach of their cities. In order to conserve rail transport during the war, 1943's Spring Training was limited to an area east of the
After World War II, some teams trained outside of the United States. The
Before and shortly after big league baseball reached the West Coast, a number of teams trained in the state of California or along the state line. The Chicago Cubs trained on
International spring training
The concept of spring training is not limited to North America; the
In 2015, 2016 and 2019, MLB has hosted spring training games in Mexico. In 2015, the
Spring training locations
Generally, teams train in either Florida or Arizona based on their geographic location in North America, with eastern teams playing in Florida and western teams training in Arizona; the exceptions being the Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and the two Chicago-based teams all training in Arizona; and the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals training in Florida. The last West Coast team to train in Florida was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who moved to Arizona in 2009.
Spring training teams can play colleges, minor league baseball clubs, intra-squad games (members of the same team play against each other), split-squad games (games when one team is scheduled for two games in one day, so the team splits into two squads and each squad plays in one of the games), and B Games (unofficial spring training games where statistics and standings are not counted).[31] In years when the World Baseball Classic occurs, the national teams in the tournament prepare by playing major league teams. The players union will sometimes operate its own training facility if many free agents are unsigned by the start of spring training.[32]
Grapefruit League
The origin of the name "Grapefruit League" has several versions. One popular myth was that
Grapefruit League teams primarily play against the others located on the same coast, rarely traveling to the other side of Florida for spring training games. The Astros, Cardinals, Marlins, Mets, and Nationals—all of whom play on the Atlantic Coast—play the majority of their games against each other, only playing three or four games against opponents located on the Gulf Coast.[37]
Following is the list of spring training locations by team in the Grapefruit League in Florida:[38]
Team | Ballpark | Capacity | City |
---|---|---|---|
Atlanta Braves | CoolToday Park | 8,000 | North Port |
Baltimore Orioles | Ed Smith Stadium | 8,500 | Sarasota |
Boston Red Sox | JetBlue Park | 10,823 | Fort Myers |
Detroit Tigers | Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium | 8,500 | Lakeland |
Houston Astros | The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches |
7,858 | West Palm Beach |
Miami Marlins | Roger Dean Stadium | 6,871 | Jupiter |
Minnesota Twins | Hammond Stadium | 9,300 | Fort Myers |
New York Mets | Clover Park | 7,160 | Port St. Lucie |
New York Yankees | George M. Steinbrenner Field | 11,026 | Tampa |
Philadelphia Phillies | BayCare Ballpark | 8,500 | Clearwater |
Pittsburgh Pirates | LECOM Park | 8,500 | Bradenton |
St. Louis Cardinals | Roger Dean Stadium | 6,871 | Jupiter |
Tampa Bay Rays | Charlotte Sports Park | 7,670 | Port Charlotte |
Toronto Blue Jays | TD Ballpark | 8,500 | Dunedin |
Washington Nationals | The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches |
7,858 | West Palm Beach |
Cactus League
Unlike the Grapefruit League, teams in the Cactus League often share stadiums; of the 15 teams who train in Arizona, only the Cubs, Angels, Brewers, Giants, and Athletics have their own home stadiums. The Cactus League teams are all within the Phoenix metropolitan area (as of 2014 when the Diamondbacks and Rockies left Tucson for their new shared facility, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick[39]).
The newest stadium built for MLB spring training is Sloan Park, the spring training home for the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona, which opened in February 2014. The oldest stadium in Cactus League spring training is Tempe Diablo Stadium, built in 1969.
According to the
Attendance set a new record at 2011 Cactus League games with 1.59 million attending games at the various stadiums in the Phoenix metro area. Much of the attendance surge is attributed to the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick venue that accounted for 22 percent of the Cactus League attendance.[41]
Following is the list of spring training locations by team in the Cactus League in Arizona:[38]
Team | Ballpark | Capacity | City |
---|---|---|---|
Arizona Diamondbacks | Salt River Fields at Talking Stick | 11,000 | Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
|
Chicago Cubs | Sloan Park | 15,000 | Mesa |
Chicago White Sox | Camelback Ranch | 13,000 | Glendale |
Cincinnati Reds | Goodyear Ballpark | 10,311 | Goodyear |
Cleveland Guardians | |||
Colorado Rockies | Salt River Fields at Talking Stick | 11,000 | Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
|
Kansas City Royals | Surprise Stadium | 10,500 | Surprise |
Los Angeles Angels | Tempe Diablo Stadium | 9,558 | Tempe |
Los Angeles Dodgers | Camelback Ranch | 13,000 | Glendale |
Milwaukee Brewers | American Family Fields of Phoenix | 10,000 | Phoenix |
Oakland Athletics | Hohokam Stadium | 10,500 | Mesa |
San Diego Padres | Peoria Sports Complex | 12,339 | Peoria |
San Francisco Giants | Scottsdale Stadium | 12,000 | Scottsdale |
Seattle Mariners | Peoria Sports Complex | 12,339 | Peoria |
Texas Rangers | Surprise Stadium | 10,500 | Surprise |
Statistics
Statistics are recorded during spring training games, but they are not combined with the listed statistics for regular season games, and unusual performances which would have broken records if accomplished during the regular season are considered to be unofficial.
For example, on March 14, 2000, the Red Sox used six pitchers to achieve a 5–0 perfect game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. A perfect game is considered a crowning accomplishment during the regular season or postseason, but in spring training it attracts little notice. Starting pitcher Pedro Martínez, who lost a perfect game in extra innings in 1995 while pitching for the former Montreal Expos, was talking to reporters at the conclusion of the game, rather than watching the final pitches. Reliever Rod Beck, who finished the game, did not realize the nature of his accomplishment until informed by catcher Joe Siddall. Many fans also left before the game's conclusion.[42]
Although spring training statistics are unofficial, teams frequently use players' spring training performances as a way of assigning starting roles and roster spots on the club.
Extended spring training
Notes
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-983917-9. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-19-974370-4. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ cjrw.com, CJRW-. "History Buffs". Hot Springs National Park Arkansas.
- ^ a b "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
- ^ "Ban Johnson Park-Whittington Park/Majestic Park/Fogel Field — Hot Springs Arkansas — Major League Spring Training grounds". digitalballparks.com.
- ^ "Untold Stories « Hot Springs Arkansas Historic Baseball Trail". hotspringsbaseballtrail.com.
- ^ "From a Fan: Rare Photos of Babe Ruth in Hot Springs Babe Ruth Central". www.baberuthcentral.com.
- ^ Budd Bailey (October 27, 2014). "Road Trips!".
- ^ "Bill Jenkinson". Bill Jenkinson.
- ^ "Historic Baseball Trail Documenting Hot Springs as Birthplace of Spring Baseball Will Open on March 29; 45 Percent of Hall of Fame, Other Legendary Players Included". Yahoo Finance. March 26, 2012.
- ^ "Boys of Spring — Arkansas Life".
- ^ "My Site". thefirstboysofspring.weebly.com.
- ^ "Larry Foley".
- ^ "MLB Network to air 'First Boys of Spring' doc". Major League Baseball.
- ^ The Arizona Republic: "Cactus League: Then and Now." Source: Rodney Johnson, the Society for American Baseball Research. March 6, 2011.
- ^ Philadelphia Inquirer, March 1889; SABR Spring Training Database, http://sabr.org/content/spring-training-database (restricted access), Retrieved January 25, 2012.
- ^ Johnson, Rodney (2012). "From Dust to Diamonds: The Evolution of the Cactus League". CactusLeague.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ Arsenault, Raymond. "Spring Training Baseball in Florida – Our Roots Run Deep". Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- ISBN 0-671-67540-0. pgs. 171–172.
- ^ "Buckhorn Baths: A unique Mesa landmark". archive.azcentral.com.
- ^ "Larry Doby" Retrieved 2010-03-20.
- ^ Clarke, Ric (March 9, 1989). "Florida lobbies for Cactus League teams". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Cox News Service. p. D5.
- ^ Hoynes, Paul (February 17, 2015). "Cleveland Indians spring training through the years in photos: From New Orleans to Goodyear". cleveland.com. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ "Spring Training, 1912 Style in Marlin, Texas!". February 29, 2020.
- ^ Johnson, Charles (February 14, 2013). "Marlin, Texas (pop. 4,000)".
- ^ "Sherrington: Giants manager John McGraw loved what Marlin offered as spring-training site, even if his players didn't". Dallas News. March 9, 2014.
- ISBN 0-394-50253-1.
- ^ Echevarría, Roberto González (1988). "The '47 Dodgers on Havana: Baseball at a Crossroads". Spring Training. Vanguard Publications. Retrieved January 10, 2007.
- ^ "MLB to return to Mexico for three series in 2019". MLB.com. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ Hayes, Dan. "'That's a big moment': Twins stars light it up as MLB..." The Athletic. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
- ^ "Thomas debuts in B game". Retrieved March 8, 2008.
- ^ Associated Press (February 8, 2018). "Players Union Will Host Spring Training Camp for Free Agents". The New York Times. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ Gardner, Dakota (March 13, 2014). "The amazing story of 'Uncle Robbie' Robinson's plane-assisted grapefruit catch". mlb.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Wilbert Robinson". National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- ^ Semchuck, Alex. "Wilbert Robinson". Society for American Baseball Research.
- ^ "No More Grapefruit for Manager Robinson". The Daytona Daily News. Daytona Beach, Florida. March 17, 1915. p. 4. Retrieved February 17, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Washington Nationals March 2021 Schedule". MLB. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ a b "Spring Training Official Website". MLB. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ jess (February 19, 2019). "Visitors' guide to 2020 Cactus League spring training in Arizona". How Dare She. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ "Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies break in new park". archive.azcentral.com.
- ^ The Arizona Republic. "A successful spring: New venue helps Cactus League set attendance mark." Peter Corbett. March 30, 2011.
- ^ "Martinez, 5 relievers pitch perfect game", Jimmy Golen, the Associated Press, published March 15, 2000, Retrieved February 22, 2007.
Further reading
- Milani, Jerry (October 19, 2011). "Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail Features Hall Of Famers". Baseball Digest. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- Sanchez, Jesse (January 10, 2010). "Cactus League expands from humble roots". MLB. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
External links
- Spring Training on MLB.com official website
- Grapefruit League official website
- Cactus League official website
- Cactus League History and Exhibition
- Cactus League Schedules, Stadium Info and Travel Info From Arizona Tourism