By Alec Arroyo
Spring is here, and that means baseball is back.
After a nauseating winter surrounding the Manny Machado and Bryce Harper free agency sweepstakes and the ongoing tension between the MLB and the MLB Players Association, it is nice to once again see grown men tossing baseballs.
The animosity between the MLBPA and the owners is at an all-time high because of the time it took for two of the game’s best — Manny Machado and Bryce Harper — to find new homes. But now with Machado going to San Diego, and Bryce Harper signing with Philadelphia, other free agents should start to find jobs.
From Feb. 14 until opening day on March 28, teams are practicing and playing games at their spring training facilities — located in either Florida or Arizona — to prepare for the upcoming season.
Spring training games are already underway. Teams are gathering in Florida for the Grapefruit League and Arizona for the Cactus League, with their new team members preparing for the marathon that is the regular season.
These games can be tough to watch, since guys are ramping up for the regular season: The major leaguers normally play for the first few innings — sometimes at half speed — before minor leaguers come in to finish the full nine innings. Unless you are fully invested in a team’s minor league talent, there’s no reason to watch the latter half of a game.
But it’s still baseball, damn it.
Living in Florida gives extra reason to be excited. In the Grapefruit League, 15 teams have spring training facilities in the state — five of which are in the greater Tampa Bay and Orlando area — giving fans a chance to see teams and players they don’t normally see.
Think about how cool it is to go to Spectrum Field in Clearwater and watch newly signed Bryce Harper and the Phillies play the Astros, or watch a Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
The stadiums, which are often close to one another, offer a special sporting experience. You can catch the first few innings of a Blue Jays game at 1:05 p.m. at Dunedin Stadium and then travel 10 minutes down the road to Clearwater to catch the second half of the Phillies game — all before dinner time.
Some people think baseball is boring, and I understand that. But there’s something to be said about attending a game. Sitting in the stands with a group of friends and drinking an ice-cold beer while scarfing down a ballpark hot dog is an awesome experience.
The break in action makes baseball a perfect sport to spectate because it gives people a chance to socialize and roam around the park, taking in the sights and enjoying the carnival games that test how fast you can throw a baseball.
Fans of the sport get excited around this time — and rightfully so — because baseball signifies the change from the cold, gloomy weather of winter to the beautiful sunshine and warm weather from spring.
America’s pastime is back, folks. Enjoy it.
