“Pitchers and catchers report.” These are the four best words baseball fans have heard in months. What do those words mean to baseball fans? Spring training is here! This is one of my favorite times of the year. Winter is ending, the NHL playoffs are a little over a month away, and I can finally find a baseball game on TV. February 27 was the last day for major leaguers to report to their spring training camps, so spring training is in full swing.
With the slate wiped clean of last year’s season, fans of almost every team are full of optimism for this year. I say fans of almost every team because Phillies, Reds and Rockies fans don’t have much to look forward to this season. And I’m sure Boston Red Sox fans can’t wait for the first pitch of the 2016 season so they can put last year’s disaster behind them.
Chicago Cubs fans might be the fans with the most to look forward to. The acquisitions of Jason Heyward, John Lackey and Ben Zobrist have made the Cubs the team to beat this year. Many sportswriters are predicting them to win the World Series.
For managers and coaches, spring training is the time to see what talent their organization has. At this point, most managers have a good idea what their everyday lineup will look like, but there are some "role player" positions that haven't been decided yet.
For young, hopeful prospects, spring training is a time to show their managers, coaches, etc. what they’ve got, in hopes that they might be on the Opening Day roster. Fourth outfielder, fifth starting rotation, and bullpen jobs are all commonly won, or lost, during spring training.
Major League veterans come to spring training to maintain their skills, even though they’ve been training all offseason (and every vet tells reporters “I’m in the best shape of my life”). It’s a time to get back to the grind of waking up early, getting a workout in, and then hitting the field for practice. There really isn’t any time for practice during the grueling MLB season, so spring training is the time for pitchers to try out new pitches or hitters to change their approach at the plate. For all players, this is a time to build chemistry with their teammates. Whether it’s done by playing ping pong in the clubhouse, sharing a small spring training apartment with buddies on the team, or playing cards during down-time, the relaxed setting of spring training is a perfect time to bond and really become a team.
Spring training can be really entertaining for the fans. If you get to see your favorite team play, you might not recognize a lot of the names on the backs of the jerseys, as there are usually many minor league prospects invited to spring training. But you might get to see a future superstar at his first spring camp. Even if you don’t know all the players, the games are still really fun to go to. They have a relaxed, minor-league feel to them, and many teams have creative promotions to draw fans into the seats. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than sitting in the sun, watching America’s favorite pastime. It’s great to see any team play after waiting four to five months to see baseball action.
The off-the-field and behind-the-scenes stories are part of what makes spring training such a fun time for the players and fans. Since players aren’t competing for a prize during spring camp, they let their guard down a little bit and you can get to know their personalities better. Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes kicked off spring training by arriving to camp on a Sunday in his custom Ford F250. The next day, he parked his Polaris Slingshot in front of the Mets facilities. He drove his Lamborghini Aventador on Wednesday, his Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione on Thursday, his custom Jeep Wrangler on Friday, and his other Polaris Slingshot on Saturday. He didn’t stop there, though. Last Tuesday, he and Noah Syndergaard showed up to camp the old-fashioned way, on horseback. Cespedes also bought a 270-pound grand champion show pig from the St. Lucie County Fair for $7,000. Actions like these allow fans to get to know their team’s players a little better off the field, and they keep spring training fun.
Other hijinks and oddities during spring training’s history include Billy Crystal getting an at-bat with the New York Yankees, Michael Jordan signing a contract with the Chicago White Sox and Will Ferrell playing 10 positions for 10 different teams.
These stories truly capture what spring training is: a time for baseball fans everywhere to rejoice as we get closer to opening day and a time for players to have fun before the regular season begins. It’s a celebration of the sport and a time to get your team ready to play and get fans excited for the games that count. Only 26 more days until opening day!
