Some of us suffer harder than others through our long winter with short days, extra grayness and the absence of the sound of a crack of the bat hitting a baseball.
So when the longing and wait gets too unbearable, there’s only one thing to do: don’t wait for a new baseball season to come to you — go to it!
And, that’s exactly what hundreds of northern California baseball fans do this time of year. They head to the Arizona desert and Major League Spring Training.
Besides the S.F. Giants and the Oakland A’s, 13 other teams make camp in the greater Phoenix area, playing games from mid-February to the end of March.
If you haven’t made your trip plans yet, you better hurry. Most of the World Champion Giants home games in Scottsdale are already sold out. Prime weekend lodging options are also closing.
It’s called the Cactus League and there’s lots more to a spring training trip than just baseball. There’s the desert climate and vivid landscape surrounding Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale and Glendale. There’s a lot of night life choices and great dining and shopping.
Lots of trips include a day or two of golf and the Phoenix Suns of the NBA might be in town for a basketball game as well.
But baseball is what you should keep your eye on. The Cactus League ballparks are all smaller and “intimate” compared to the Big League stadiums.
The Giants play in the Scottsdale Stadium on the edge of Old Town Scottsdale. The ballpark only seats 10,000 people, with 2,000 more lawn seats beyond the outfield fences. Tickets, when available, average less than $25 a game. (It’s best to buy your tickets well in advance on your favorite team’s website.)
At spring training, fans can actually meet and talk to their baseball heroes. If you know which bars or restaurants to hit, you can share a bar stool with a baseball player as well.
Some of the practice sessions and batting practice is as entertaining as the games. From now until the end of March there are games scheduled every day at the 10 ballparks. Some of the games are called “split squad” games, where a team will split its roster in half and play two games against two different teams on the same day.
All the teams’ rosters are full of the better-known veterans, but it’s also a treat to see some of the younger players competing for a Big League roster spot this year or in the future.
Besides big names like Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, the Giants coaches are watching rookies like outfielder Gary Brown and relief pitcher Heath Hembree. The Giants coaches and front office people are hoping to find the next “Buster Posey” or rookie phenom.
Spring training fans can also bump into their favorite Giants’ broadcasters. Jon Miller, Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow and Dave Fleming broadcast the games from the desert back home to KNBR radio.
This year’s S.F. Giants are now gearing up for a defense of their 2012 World Series Championship. In a very rare case for modern baseball where players make tens of millions each year and free agents change teams over the winter, the Giants are returning virtually the same players and lineup from last year.
The same is true for the Oakland A’s who play their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Younger, but equally as exciting, the A’s were the surprise of all the Major League last year, winning their division over the much richer clubs like the Los Angeles Angels.
Other teams that play in the Cactus League include the Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies.
All of the teams and the players are full of optimism and big expectations. Until Opening Day back up north, no team has a losing record yet. Everyone starts out in first place. Teams don’t practice in the desert with a goal of finishing in second place come next October. Only two teams make it to the World Series, but they all start out with dreams of red, white and blue bunting, prime time national TV and a November parade in their home city.
The S.F. Giants return north on March 28 for the Bay Bridge pre-season series against the Oakland A’s. Their regular season home opening at AT&T Ballpark is Friday, April 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
If you go:
From Sonoma County, Phoenix, AZ. is a 880-mile trip each way. If you drive, the high desert east of Bakersfield and through Mojave can be sprinkled with colorful blooms in late spring. There’s plenty of RV accommodations all around the greater Phoenix area.
Commercial flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport range in price from $375 up for a round-trip. Most flights are not direct, with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. Good luck.
If you stay:
Prime time lodging can be very expensive, reaching $300 a night. There are few bargains. On the S.F. Giants official website, all the Spring Training Tour packages are completely sold out.
Try the outer areas around Tempe, Mesa or near the airport. Public ground transportation is limited except for some municipal trolleys, like the free one in Old Town Scottsdale.
If you eat & drink:
All the big chains are in the area, but what’s the fun in that? Baseball fans and players fill up places like Don & Chariles and the Pink Pony in Scottsdale. The Blue Moose is a short walk from Scottsdale Stadium and overflows with orange and black even on St. Patty’s Day. On game day, it’s best to arrive pretty early in you want a seat indoors or on the patio.
Near the A’s ballpark you can find a big selection of BBQ restaurants and brew pubs. Not far is the historic Stockyards Restaurant and 1899 Saloon. Another favorite is Alice Cooper’stown, owned by the aged rock star.
If you golf:
Desert golf is a special treat where golfers usually will find perfect playing conditions. There’s a sprinkling of public courses, but prime time tee times are a challenge to book. Many PGA pro golfers spend winter in the Phoenix area. Some of their favorite courses like TPC Scottsdale and Grayhawk are very special golf tracks.
