MLB Spring Training in Preparation for 2023 Season
As the 2023-2024 regular season edges closer and closer, teams are beginning to make their way to either Arizona or Florida for their respective teams’ Spring Training camps. Each of their camps will obviously involve plenty of practicing time with their teams, but they also, starting next Friday, Feb. 24, will involve Spring Training games. The 30 teams are separated into two leagues during this period of time: the Grapefruit League, and the Cactus League. Florida, of course, is the Grapefruit League, and Arizona is the Cactus League. During these exhibition matchups, teams will play with other teams in the state where they are located for this period of time. This spring training season also offers a great opportunity for teams to invite prospects in their farm systems to be with the team and attempt to sort of “try out” for any open roster spots on the team’s 40-man regular-season roster.
For the fans, spring training is not just a time for the teams to play and practice without an audience. In fact, spring training has always drawn-out sizable crowds to warmer climates to watch some early baseball before the regular season and give fans the opportunity to see some players that they may not normally see come the regular season. Fans looking for autographs, pictures with players, etc. also find this period of time as a great opportunity for just that, as the sort of nature of these games is a little less high stakes, and, for lack of a better word, simply relaxed.
The MLB’s spring training has with it quite a rich history, far more than I could write about in this article here. But to hit some high points, most notably on St. Patrick’s Day of 1918, a young pitcher for the Boston Red Sox by the name of Babe Ruth played an emergency game at first base in a spring training game against Pittsburgh. Now, this instance perhaps changed the landscape of baseball forever. This was the first time that Ruth played any position other than pitcher in his career. Ruth would hit two home runs in that game which was played in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His second home run of that game would travel a whopping 573-foot shot that landed across the street from the ballpark in a pond of a local zoo. It’s probably safe to say that the Red Sox started playing Babe Ruth more in the field following that game.
So with all that being said, the season is inching ever so closer, with fans from all across the country clamoring for the return of baseball for the 2023-2024 season.