Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal recently completed a little experiment, comparing the Florida (Grapefruit League) Spring Training experience with that of the Arizona (Cactus League) Spring Training experience. Costa attempted to see eight Cactus League games in the same time it took his WSJ colleague Stu Woo to drive from one Grapefruit League site to another. Costa was prompted by the recent influx of teams to the greater downtown Phoenix area.
Costa noted, “Fifteen teams–half of Major League Baseball–hold their spring training in the Cactus League, all within a 25-mile radius of downtown Phoenix. As recently as 2008, only nine teams were here. But since then, three teams have moved north from Tucson and another three have migrated from Florida. The shift has made greater Phoenix the epicenter of baseball in March, leaving Florida teams increasingly isolated.”
Additionally, Evan Drellich of Ultimate Astros blog reported on Jan 6th of this year that the Astros’ attempts to secure a new spring training home in Florida have hit roadblocks and they have serious interest in moving to the Cactus League as well. “With their proposed site for a new spring training stadium in Florida in limbo, the Astros are “absolutely” going to again look into a move to Arizona, the team’s general counsel told the Chronicle on Monday,” Drellich reported.
Contrary to the Cactus League experience , teams in the Grapefruit League often face long, arduous road trips, traveling by bus over 200 miles to play a game, and are usually devoid of their respective premiere players. I realize the average Joe isn’t shedding any tears for pro ball players. But realistically, why would any player, given the option, choose to travel four hours in order to get two spring training at bats? David Wright can get more work in staying back at Tradition Field than he could traveling halfway across the state. That leaves the fans that make the long road trips to various facilities disappointed. And let’s not forget about the ever-looming prospect of rain, which is a daily occurrence in Florida, but a complete afterthought in Arizona. All things considered, the Grapefruit League makes for a poor experience for players and fans alike.
In the end Brian Costa was able to see parts of six spring training games in Arizona in the same time it took for his colleague to drive from Lakeland, Fl. to Port St. Lucie, Fl. It will only be a matter of time before the remaining Grapefruit League teams decide that this kind of Spring is for the birds.
(Photo credit: Noah Murray/ The Star Ledger)
