Friday, March 25, 2011

Why Spring Training is Overrated

(This post originally appeared on Bus Leagues Baseball.com)

This may be the least busleaguesbaseball thing I have ever written, but please bare with me.

Although some might think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, I think Spring Training is quite overrated. First, even though the Major Leaguers barely play half the game, ballparks charge major league prices. Forty dollars to see the New York Yankees? In a seat that costs six to see the Tampa Yankees? Ridiculous.

Then there is the parking situation. Minor league parks in Florida aren’t used to having full houses. Their smaller parking lots get full quick. Spring training fans usually have to find a spare lot in front of a neighboring house to park in front of. And those usually cost between 5 and 20 dollars. During the minor league season, some teams don’t even charge for parking.

The third reason I think Spring Training is overrated is because for the price of seeing three innings of major leaguers and a smattering of minor league future stars, has beens, or never will bes, residents in the Tampa area can see games that count at Tropicana Field. Cheap seat tickets at the Trop cost anywhere between 12 and 20 dollars, depending on the opponent. Although that's usually a lower level seat in the Grapefruit League, again, the decision is between an exhibition or a meaningful game.

Fourth, did you know there are “premium” Spring Training games? Ballparks charge more to see three innings of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays starters and their respective minor leaguers than three innings of anyone else in Grapefruit League. Seriously?

I remember 20 years ago when my Dad used to drive me down to Port St. Lucie to see the Mets on the day of the game. We would buy two tickets, at usually less than 10 dollars each, and sit in the bleachers. We saw the Mets take on the Yankees, the Dodgers, and the Red Sox. I doubt that is possible anymore.

Spring Training has become big business for stadiums and communities alike. But for baseball fans in the Tampa area, although it means another baseball season is soon upon us, it is just another tourist trap to be avoided.

Maybe I'm an unromantic putz, who takes for granted the divine mysticism of spring baseball. Maybe I take Spring Training for granted, being that I have lived so close to it for so long. But I’ll wait until the Florida State League starts and attend games at the same parks for a quarter of the price. Or I’ll head to the Trop, where I don’t have to worry about sunburn, parking in someone’s front yard, and the players actually play the whole game.