Spring Training Tips

[marzomarz]

I'm taking my 3 young sons to Spring Training for the first time this year. They are all-in on baseball and play nearly every day. They read everything they can get their hands on when it comes to baseball.

They would go crazy if they were given some GU items during Spring Training. Really anything would make them flip: broken bats, batting gloves, used-gum, etc.

any thoughts on how best I might approach this. They are gunning for autographs, but I thought if I could position them right they would never forget it.

[xpress34]

Cactus League - AZ

or

Grapefruit League - FL

I go o AZ every year for my annual 'sabbatical', but have never been to FL ST.

- Smitty

[coxfan]

For autographs in Florida (based on my three trips there):

1) You need baseballs and patience. Some players will sign by receiving balls rolled to them across dugout roofs, well before games and sometimes afterward.

2) Catchers and base coaches are usually good signers.

3) Some teams (eg Braves) are good signers. Some others (eg Yankees and cards) are not as good. Much depends on the attitude of management: eg Larussa ignored requests, so most of his players also did so. But Freddie Gonzalez was a great signer as a coach.

4) Local residents at the park can give you the best tips.

5) BP balls are not hard to get. But don't mix up the major-leaguers with the minor-league areas, as they may practice separately. Even Major-leaguers may respond to requests for practice balls, depending on their personality.

6) Some clubs have an autograph day at the beginning of spring training. Use contact numbers on their website to try to find when this is.

[jake33]

actually know the players names is a huge help, and also asking the msot obscure players helps as well.

[prichmond]

We had good luck with auto's by going to the park early. 10 am. some players will sign then. crowds are generally small, only ten or 15 people. also stay after the game at the players exit. this may mean a hour or so after before they start coming out. Give up on getting any big stars to sign unless you bring an attractive woman with you.

[OaklandAsFan]

That is such a myth and a detrimental attitude towards the hobby. I don't bring an attractive woman with me when I graph and i'm in my mid 30's and overweight.

I score graphs from big name players to small name players it really doesn't matter, its just a situation where you need to be polite and right place right time.

I haven't done FL ST in probably close to 20 years but I live in AZ so needless to say I've got some experience in that situation. IN AZ players get pulled starting around the 5th inning, there is usually an entrance to the visitors clubhouse somewhere that you can stand around (just look for a group of guys holding binders by a door and you have found it) the starters will be dressed and long gone if you wait until after the game to get graphs.

It would help if we knew if you were doing AZ or FL for ST and we can go from there.

THere are some parks in AZ that are awesome for getting graphs and some that are so so and I can offer tips on most of them (I generally don't do too much traveling to the west side so my experience dealing with Reds,Indians,Dodgers,White Sox is very limited but I can tell you about Rangers,Royals, Mariners and Padres because when I first moved to AZ I did travel up there often) I can definitely help you with Brewers, Cubs, Angels, A's,Cubs, Dbacks,Rockies

[xpress34]

That is such a myth and a detrimental attitude towards the hobby. I don't bring an attractive woman with me when I graph and i'm in my mid 30's and overweight.

I score graphs from big name players to small name players it really doesn't matter, its just a situation where you need to be polite and right place right time.

I haven't done FL ST in probably close to 20 years but I live in AZ so needless to say I've got some experience in that situation. IN AZ players get pulled starting around the 5th inning, there is usually an entrance to the visitors clubhouse somewhere that you can stand around (just look for a group of guys holding binders by a door and you have found it) the starters will be dressed and long gone if you wait until after the game to get graphs.

It would help if we knew if you were doing AZ or FL for ST and we can go from there.

THere are some parks in AZ that are awesome for getting graphs and some that are so so and I can offer tips on most of them (I generally don't do too much traveling to the west side so my experience dealing with Reds,Indians,Dodgers,White Sox is very limited but I can tell you about Rangers,Royals, Mariners and Padres because when I first moved to AZ I did travel up there often) I can definitely help you with Brewers, Cubs, Angels, A's,Cubs, Dbacks,Rockies

+1

I'm 48, a little on the heavy side, but your attitude is everything.

If a guy says no, don't become the guy that starts bitching about what else do they have to do. If they say yes, say thank you and thank them for the time.

If you know something interesting about them (their home town, a comon friend, etc) it also helps.

Be HONEST. If you've gotten a guy and he asks if he got you already, don't lie. Case in point - last year at Rangers... Hambone asks the guy in front of me 'didn't I get you already' and the guy says no. Hambone knew he was lying and skipped him over the rest of the day. Later that morning, after getting my jerseys done I went back with AS Ball and WS Ball. Josh looks at me and before he had a chance to ask, I told him that he had done my jerseys and the balls are each unique (2010 WS 2010 AS) and that I was there from CO and would probably have a few more things for him during the days I was there. he smiled, said 'alright' and signed everything I had.

Some guys are hardcore - one per person. You just have to feel them out and see how it goes.

All the best -

Smitty

[jppopma]

Your son's should be able to get some pretty good autographs. Alot of players will sign for the kids and pass over the guy with a box of balls, 3 bats, a binder of photos, and a laptop hardwired to Ebay. Can you blame them?

[coxfan]

Players sometimes give warmup balls or g-u batting gloves to kids as they pass by. Early in spring training, more minor-leaguers may appear in games with the big-league guys. Later in March, the regular lineups usually go the first five or so innings, and then are replaced by top prospects.

I've never seen a signer discriminate in favor of attractive women. But I have seen egotistical women push to front, pretend to flirt with players, and then brag that their "charm" rather than their pushiness had prevailed. They can cause others to misperceive what really occurred.

[lehmsbobby]

A's fan, I'm heading down for two A's games next week. What are the best spots for autos for each team? Never been to Oakland Municipal