SCOTTSDALE — The games don’t count towards official stats, but the memories made last a lifetime.
This is a main theme for both fans and players at Spring Training each March in the Cactus League in Arizona, and the Grapefruit League in Florida.
Memories can be had from a player eager to try and make a team for the first time, or a veteran player trying to latch on to a team for one final stretch, or a roster staple trying a new pitch or new approach at the plate. Young fans are all over anxious to try and get an autograph or picture with their favorite player, getting an up close vantage point that one may not get at a regular season game.
Other lifelong baseball fans like myself thrive just wanting to be surrounded by baseball in the warm weather, and maybe seeing the up and coming prospects for their favorite team. Or in my case this year, maybe you see former players you grew up watching now helping current players become the best versions of themselves on the field they can.
This is Spring Training baseball, and for a fourth time I got to experience all of this in Arizona for six days — five games, two practices and one rainstorm last week.
Although it was my fourth time, it was my first time going as adult, on my own dime. I didn’t realize it going in, but there’s a special feeling when you can revisit where you once went as a kid with butterflies, but now knowing you’ve made it in life and can now pay for your own trip with your significant other.
I have been a lifelong Oakland Athletics fan, and my girlfriend a San Francisco Giants fan, and with all the offseason controversy with the A’s possibly moving to Las Vegas and this being their last season in Oakland, it was a nice refresher of how everyone can come together simply as baseball fans all within an hour radius.
We began the trip by sitting on the lawn in Scottsdale for the Giants and Reds, surrounded by children on spring break and their families. It brought me back to where I once was when I first went in 2006 at 13 years old, and my last trip in 2012 at age 19.
It turned into a quick night after a long day traveling the day before, and a quick reminder of how tired that Arizona sun makes you.
On day two, we woke up early and went on a tour of the Arizona Diamondbacks home field, Chase Field. What a unique ballpark, as we got to see the vantage point from all over, go onto the field behind home plate, into the press box, into the interview rooms, and into the dugout. Touring parks has become a vacation tradition for us, and something I encourage all to do.
After our tour we headed straight to what we agreed was our favorite park, the newest park built in the Cactus League, Sloan Park — the home of the Chicago Cubs. We arrived to the park early, got a traditional Chicago dog, walked the ballpark pregame, got a commemorative first game paper that is now framed and hung on my wall, and watched the players warm up. After the pitchers and catchers were done warming up, A’s bullpen catcher Dustin Hughes tossed us our first baseball we received of the trip.
This was the start of a collection we brought home.
The first of two barbecue spots for dinner, and then bed time before the anxiously awaited excitement for A’s vs. Giants on Friday. Little did we know, the excitement wouldn’t come from the game. We arrived pregame and played catch in the parking lot with a slight sprinkle coming down, but the forecast showed it would clear up come game time. Well, the forecast was wrong.
We got inside shortly before game time, it was still a light drizzle and occasional thunder, but as Giants’ leadoff hitter Lamonte Wade Jr. hit a screaming line drive to right center, lightning struck down simultaneously, and sheets of rain followed. It was seemingly out of a movie. As we walked out sopping wet and our shoes feeling a swamp, we made the best of it and got barbecue once again, then caught up with a childhood friend the rest of the evening. Memories.
Saturday came, and there was not a cloud in sight. Back to the Arizona sun we came for. You would have never known the parking lot was flooding on our way out. We woke up early once again and watched the Giants’ practice through the fences. Former Giants’ third baseman Matt Williams (who played from 1987-1996) was working with infielders, along with other coaches. Growing up as a first baseman, I loved watching coaches work with the first baseman scooping the ball and on critiquing technique. As we were leaving, we see two balls get tossed over the fence, stamped with “practice”. We ran over with excitement, claiming balls two and three of the trip.
We then headed to see the Giants and White Sox, a game for which we got last-second tickets. My girlfriend got her first foul ball ever in 32 years, and her excitement was more than any I could have got from getting one myself. She got the ball signed by the player who hit it, Maui Ahuna, as well as former Giants’ coach Ron Wotus. Wotus said he’d sign one autograph, because he needed to get on the bus because it was cocktail time. Love it, and both were so friendly.
My girlfriend insisted we go to A’s practice on Sunday, which despite being tired, I agreed to. Luckily, the access to players, coaches and the fields was amazing. I met former A’s legends Ricky Henderson and Dallas Braden, as well as others such as Stephen Piscotty and top prospect Tyler Soderstrom.
For our final game we saw the A’s and Diamondbacks, and for an hour we stood along the fence taking photos with players, including who many now claim is my doppelgänger, A’s shortstop Nick Allen.
We finished the game with some popcorn and bratwursts with peppers and onions. Ballpark food, at the ballpark, knowing the grind of work was upon us.
The trip was capped on the final night, when after having a nice dinner together, my girlfriend and I ran into the Colorado Rockies mini golfing. The Rockies had rented 18 of the 36 holes at the course for 90 minutes, proceeded to get drinks at the on-site bar, and then go from hole to hole taking part in what appeared to be a hole-in-one competition. Rockies’ center fielder Charlie Blackmon was the first one I spotted. The 6-foot-3, 37-year-old Blackmon — nicknamed “Chuck Nazty” — has sported a long brown mullet and long brown beard throughout his 13 years with Colorado and was easily recognizable.
I then spotted Rockies’ manager Bud Black walking by with a huge smile on his face. Next, my girlfriend had her eyes set to see if former Giant Kris Bryant was in attendance. We found him when the team was having their hole-in-one competition, and as a life long fan I geeked out and took a break from golfing just to watch and enjoy myself.
With most players and coaches with drinks in hand (or both hands in some cases), it was fun to see the players be human as well, and just enjoying their time together. This is what baseball is about — enjoying time together, enjoying the sun and watching six months of a game that so many have grown to love.
