2011 Spring Training Thread

[lehmsbobby]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

I'm in the same boat RRexpress. Last year went down for two weekends.


First day of the trip- got to batboy for the Giants and got a game used John Bowker bat, got to see Posey and others from the inside and chat with the players.

Next weekend- three bats, one shattered rusty ryal, one nobody from the angels, but its always my favorite trip of the year.

Unfortunately with SAT's only am taking one trip down this year, to see the Giants first 3 games since the World Series! should be a mad house

[RRexpressfan94]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

i may be going to phoenix with my dad during the week of 3/14. being 16 and appear to look more like a kid then some guys, may have some luck getting some players to give me some GU stuff

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

If you're going for baseballs, keep in mind that, while all MLB teams allow baseballs legally caught in BP to be kept, it can go either way on minor league diamonds. When in Tucson the White Sox were nothing but wonderful to me...one day, I was by myself, and had to give about half my catches back...NO because the Sox farmhands wanted hem back, but because there was only room for 20 or so in my bag, and I nabbed 36 of 'em!

On the other hand, I hawked a diamond the Astros minor leaguers were hitting on in Kissimmee about 15 years ago, and, after nabbing my seventh, a minor league coach (Jack Billingham) actually came out to where I was, demaned the 7 baseballs back, and chided me that I was "trespassing" and he could "have me arrested". The next time I went there, more fans joined me and we all got to keep our catches. The difference? The second time there was a game shceduled at the MLB stadium, and such was not the case the first time when Billingham confronted me (which probably explained the "trespassing" comment.

Dave Miedema

Jack Billingham and I graduated from Winter Park High School (he's about 25 years older). I went to High School with his daughter. She carried in her wallet a photo of her and Johnny Bench that was printed in the Cincinnati Enquirer in the 70s. My mother taught Jack Billingham's grandson in the 5th grade, a few years ago.
I have many found memories of Osceola Stadium at Spring Training in the mid 80s.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

If you're going for baseballs, keep in mind that, while all MLB teams allow baseballs legally caught in BP to be kept, it can go either way on minor league diamonds. When in Tucson the White Sox were nothing but wonderful to me...one day, I was by myself, and had to give about half my catches back...NO because the Sox farmhands wanted hem back, but because there was only room for 20 or so in my bag, and I nabbed 36 of 'em!

On the other hand, I hawked a diamond the Astros minor leaguers were hitting on in Kissimmee about 15 years ago, and, after nabbing my seventh, a minor league coach (Jack Billingham) actually came out to where I was, demaned the 7 baseballs back, and chided me that I was "trespassing" and he could "have me arrested". The next time I went there, more fans joined me and we all got to keep our catches. The difference? The second time there was a game shceduled at the MLB stadium, and such was not the case the first time when Billingham confronted me (which probably explained the "trespassing" comment.

Dave Miedema

[BMH]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

Landed in Phoenix today, nice flight in...had a medical emergency on the plane so they kicked it up a notch and let go straight in, knocked half an hour off the flight. Start with the Reds tomorrow and hit the Cubs Sunday. Seeing the rest of the teams until the 28th then get to go back home. Weather isn't as warm as I was hoping. I should have brought my mountain bike.

[lehmsbobby]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

1 week till departure!

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

Went to Goodyear and Salt River Fields. All players that came out signed.
Love the Reds new Spring Training uniforms. Dbacks players all signed.
Good day for autographs.

You are pretty much guaranteed to get Dbacks graphs if you visit them at Salt River. Kirk Gibson has made it a team rule to spend 15 minutes after each practice signing for the fans. He actually started this when he took over as manager, he knew the fan base needed something to show appreciation and required players to sign after bp every day.

[rays54]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

Went to Goodyear and Salt River Fields. All players that came out signed.
Love the Reds new Spring Training uniforms. Dbacks players all signed.
Good day for autographs.

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread



I have a couple of tickets for sale at Dbacks ST games this year if anyone is interested. The pic above is the view from the seat.

1 ticket available for each game

3/2- Dbacks vs Mariners
3/4 Dbacks vs Padres
3/5 Dbacks vs Rangers
3/13 Dbacks vs Cubs


I also have one seat for sale for 3/19 A's vs the White Sox at Phoenix Muni.

Each ticket would be $30, 25 face value for the ticket plus $5 for the parking pass.

The A's ticket would be $27, $22 for the ticket face value and $5 for parking and this is in a handicap accessible seat behind the A's dugout.

LMK if you're interested.

Thanks

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

you should be hitting parks between 9-10 for BP. They will arrive at the game about an hour before 1st pitch so the players who are scheduled to play that day will hop on the bus (or their cars) somewhere around 11

[hrocket]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

but with the dual facility places they each have their own practice fields and that is what they use to take BP. For instance if the Rangers were playing in Surprise on a certain day you could still go watch the Royals BP on their fields (though player access is horrible on the Royals side of that complex so why bother really)

If most games are at 1pm, what time would the BP take place before they get on the bus for the game at other fields?

For example, if the Dodgers are playing at Surprise, what time would they be doing BP and what time would they get on the bus, and what time would they arrive at Surprise?

Thanks OakandAsFan for the help

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

but with the dual facility places they each have their own practice fields and that is what they use to take BP. For instance if the Rangers were playing in Surprise on a certain day you could still go watch the Royals BP on their fields (though player access is horrible on the Royals side of that complex so why bother really)

[xpress34]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

if you guys are not interested in actually watching the games and only scoring graphs the teams take BP on their home fields before heading to the game. so if, for example, you wanted to get the Giants but they were playing vs Oakland that day go watch BP up in Scottsdale (which would be free to get into and have 1/10 the people there to deal with)

That's true at single facility parks, but not like Surpise, Camel Back Ranch, etc that have two teams sharing the facility as the other team is usually playing a home game.

- Smitty

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

if you guys are not interested in actually watching the games and only scoring graphs the teams take BP on their home fields before heading to the game. so if, for example, you wanted to get the Giants but they were playing vs Oakland that day go watch BP up in Scottsdale (which would be free to get into and have 1/10 the people there to deal with)

[hrocket]

Re: 2011 Spring Training Thread

I went last year for the 1st time, it was great. I noticed that some of the parks had small practice fields outside the main park. Has anyone ever graphed those parks, are they easy to get to?

For example, Camelback Ranch has a bunch of baseball fields around the main park, has anyone graphed those?

What's the best time to get there in the morning?