This is a short and easy explanation of what spring training is! That way you know what’s going on or gain a better understanding of it.
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Table of Contents
What is Spring Training?
Spring Training is a period before the regular season when teams gather to prepare, practice, and play against other teams.
Where is it Held?
Arizona and Florida
- Spring Training is typically played in Florida and Arizona due to the warmer climate.
- Players who are just getting back in shape, so to speak have a better opportunity to not only do that, but they don’t have to worry about snowstorms getting in their way.
- The weather in Arizona and Florida is very consistent
- Fans during this time are also more inclined to travel to the warm areas to escape the cold weather for a bit.
How Long Does it Last?
- Spring Training lasts six weeks, usually from mid-February to late March. Sometimes, it may go until early April, but it’s completely dependent on the regular season schedule. So, while it’s consistent, be aware that every season will be different.
- The last game is held just before the regular season. Sometimes, a week or two before the opening game.
How Important is it? and What Happens?
Spring training is crucial to baseball and how the season goes.
Spring Training helps the players to:
- Get back into shape by doing workouts and drills
- Play practice sessions
- Evaluate the players and prospective players
- Make roster decisions for the regular season
- Fine-tune the strategies from past seasons and new ones they’re thinking of introducing for the upcoming season.
Aside from the benefits to the team and organization, it also provides a way to create hype for the season and the teams before the beginning of the season. One could consider it like the opening act of a concert, getting you ready for the main show, except the headliner is also the opening act.
Do They Play Other Teams?
Absolutely! Unlike the regular season, where the teams are broken down more into divisions, they’re broken into the Grapefruit League in Florida and the Cactus League in Arizona.
The Grapefruit League Consists of the following teams:
- Atlanta Braves
- Baltimore Orioles
- Boston Red Sox
- Detroit Tigers
- Houston Astros
- Miami Marlins
- Minnesota Twins
- New York Mets
- New York Yankees
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Louis Cardinals
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Washington Nationals
The Cactus League consists of the following teams:
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox
- Cincinnati Reds
- Cleveland Guardians
- Colorado Rockies
- Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Angels
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Oakland Athletics
- San Diego Padres
- San Francisco Giants
- Seattle Mariners
- Texas Rangers
These games provide an excellent opportunity to help the returning players and test out potential new players in a competitive and professional setting that doesn’t carry the same weight as the regular season.
Can You Watch It?
Yes! You can watch your favorite team from the Grapefruit League, spread throughout Florida, and the Cactus League, spread throughout Arizona, in person.
Grapefruit League Teams and where they practice in Florida:
- Atlanta Braves: North Port
- Baltimore Orioles: Sarasota
- Boston Red Sox: Fort Myers
- Detroit Tigers: Lakeland
- Houston Astros: West Palm Beach
- Miami Marlins: Jupiter
- Minnesota Twins: Fort Myers
- New York Mets: Fort Myers
- New York Yankees: Tampa
- Philadelphia Phillies: Clearwater
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Bradenton
- Louis Cardinals: Jupiter
- Tampa Bay Rays: Port Charlotte
- Toronto Blue Jays: Dunedin
- Washington Nationals: West Palm Beach
Cactus League Teams and where they practice in Arizona:
- Arizona Diamondbacks: Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community
- Chicago Cubs: Mesa
- Chicago White Sox: Phoenix
- Cincinnati Reds: Goodyear
- Cleveland Guardians: Goodyear
- Colorado Rockies: Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community
- Kansas City Royals: Surprise
- Los Angeles Angels: Tempe
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Phoenix
- Milwaukee Brewers: Phoenix
- Oakland Athletics: Mesa
- San Diego Padres: Peoria
- San Francisco Giants: Scottsdale
- Seattle Mariners: Peoria
- Texas Rangers: Surprise
Fun facts:
- Some teams host their spring training at the same stadium or in stadiums almost right next to each other.
- All the stadiums they play at are drivable, so you don’t need to fly anywhere!
Game tickets are found on the teams’ website or a ticket company. It’s completely dependent on the stadium. If you visit the team’s website, you’ll be able to find the best way to buy tickets, primarily as it also depends on whether or not it’s a home or away game.
There is no guarantee, but some spring training games are available on TV. Depending on the situation, they may be free to watch, but you may need a subscription. Don’t forget that they may offer a 7-day free trial, so check before buying a subscription that there’s no free trial available.
Hopefully this helped you gain a better understanding of what Spring Training is! There will be more baseball articles coming up, about the sport and what to wear to a game so if you’re interested in more of that, join our email list!
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