Baseball Spring Training
Spring may officially begin on March 20, but for baseball fans everywhere it begins when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. This Baseball Spring Training Web Guide provides an overview of spring training and shows you where to get coverage of the teams and exhibition games.
Expand All Guide SectionsSpring Training History
Though most professional leagues play preseason exhibition games, only baseball’s spring training garners such widespread interest. Find out what makes spring training so popular, learn some common terms and discover spring training history in this section.
Insights for Spring Training History
- Vero Beach, Florida’s Dodgertown, was the home of Dodgers’ spring training since 1948. However, the team is moving to a new stadium in Glendale, Arizona for 2009.
- Spring Training Online has a chart showing when each team’s pitchers and catchers report, when position players report and when workouts officially begin.
Top Sites for Spring Training History
For overviews on spring training history …
The Other Orlando
hosts the introduction of Alan Byrd’s "Florida Spring Training: Your Guide to Touring the Grapefruit League." In “A Spring Training Primer,” Byrd describes the wonder of spring training and why it attracts so many fans.
Examiner.com
has a glossary of basic spring training terms.
For Cactus League and Grapefruit League history …
Spring Training Watch
gives a brief overview of the Grapefruit League and Cactus League’s history.
Spring Training Magazine
has a collection of articles on the Dodgers, the Yankees, the Cubs and the history of the Cactus League. There are also standings and attendance numbers from past spring training seasons.
The Florida Grapefruit League Association
describes the early history of spring training in Florida.
Spring Training Stats, News and Analysis
Spring training is a time for managers to select their teams, as veterans, new acquisitions and young players compete for roster spots. Find out who’s looking good using the resources in this spring training stats, news and analysis section.
Insights for Spring Training Stats, News and Analysis
- Spring training stats don’t count toward a player’s career stats.
- For more sources, see the Baseball News, Rumors, and Analysis and Baseball Statistics sections of the findingDulcinea Baseball Web Guide.
Top Sites for Spring Training Stats, News and Analysis
ESPN.com
features unparalleled coverage of spring training, with news and commentary from Jayson Stark and Jerry Crasnick.
Baseball Prospectus
is a sabermetric pioneer featuring columns, blogs, podcasts and their own statistics. Some of the site’s content is free; subscription-only content costs $40 a year.
Baseball America
focuses on the future of baseball, covering the game’s best young players. Expect to find a lot of information on how the top prospects are faring in major league camps.
Baseball Analysts
is a blog covering Major League Baseball and the minor leagues with a sabermetric bent. Read the “Around the Minors” column for profiles of the top young guns in each division.
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
