Is going to Spring Training this early still fun?

by ambrosia2112 on Feb 14, 2012 12:22 PM PST

My family and I have been trying to get to spring training for the past 3 years and there just never seems to be a good time schedule wise. My Son has mid-winter break this coming week (Feb 17-21st) and we were contemplating driving down to AZ to watch some spring training. He is 5 1/2 and my daughter is almost 4. They are very big mariners fans (Her first game she was 5 weeks old and at Thanksgiving he was thankful for the Mariners) and would appreciate just seeing the players do workouts and what not.

I understand that there will be no games or anything like that. Is it still worth it to go down and watch the Mariners stretch and throw? Are there enough places and opportunities to see the Mariners (or in a pinch, Padres). Are they available for pictures and autographs from time to time, or are they out an practice fields so far away that binoculars are recommended?

We would leave the 19th and come back the 25th. It would be a very long drive but something that I think would be a fun experience for the kids. We have driven to AZ before with our kids and caught some Fall league games, but never with so many time constraints. I know that MLB Spring training is a big deal, and any thoughts and input would be helpful.

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It's kinda fun but somewhat limited

The first thing to know is that watching stuff at the complex is free. Only the games require a ticket.

Both the Mariners and the Padres have eight fields at the complex. The 40-man works out on Field 1, which is right next to the stadium where they play the ST games, the other AAA guys work out on Field 2, and so on down the line until you get to Field 8, which is where the office manager’s kid who was drafted in the last round as a favor gets to play like he’s got a shot at the bigs one day. So cute!

There is also a pitchers’ work area right by Field 1, and so if you want to see the team you recognize hit, throw, stretch, pitch, and work out, you can hang out between Fields 1/2 and the pitching area and you’ll see a ton of stuff. You can also wander down to the other fields – as someone who never really played organized sports as a kid I find the drills they do with the non-stars on those lower fields kinda cool to watch, but that’s just me.

Players seem more willing to sign stuff and hang out for a minute as they go between fields, too, so there should be lots of opportunities for pictures and whatnot.

I’m not sure watching this on multiple days would be interesting, since workouts are just repetition, but again that’s just me – one full day of that would be plenty for me but your kids might like it so much they’d want to go back several days in a row. But it would definitely be a fun trip.

by pdb on Feb 14, 2012 12:31 PM PST reply actions

You will love it!

Just plan on doing other things as well. 2 hours at the workouts can be enough for a lot of fans. Without the games to plan on doing other things like the Zoo or … whatever else there is to do in AZ.

You will be very close to the players as many will walk right past you. If you ask by name when they are not busy a good deal will stop to sign. But don’t be hurt if they do not. This is their place of work and all of them got there by being super dedicated to their routines.

Have fun!

by mark sobba on Feb 17, 2012 7:25 PM PST reply actions