Final Thoughts on the Cactus League

These past five days have been a blur. I have experienced so much stuff that it's even hard to write about them and put them into a coherent few paragraphs. Essentially the question is, where do I begin? I guess I'll start by saying that this had to have been one of the most intense, gratifying and enjoyable baseball road trips I have been on. The thrill of driving between parks, eating on-the-go, touring multiple ballparks in a day, and experiencing first-hand the development of some of the most elite professional athletes in the world was incredible. And when I sit down to transpire my thoughts from this trip, I can't help but smile.

The numbers pretty much speak for themselves. 4 days. 7 games. 7 parks. 13 teams. 63 innings of baseball. It was quite the trip.

The whole concept of Spring Training is wonderful. Baseball is the only sport, that I know of, that engages in this type of pre-season competition. Teams from all over the country converging on a single locale to play a set of friendly, non-binding games, simply for the effort of getting better and interacting with the fans is truly an inspirational concept that is becoming lost in professional sports. It was such a novel idea that it almost seemed out of place. Here I was watching All-Stars and players that are paid millions in small, Minor League appropriate parks on cheap tickets. There were times when I was so close to the players I could reach out and touch them

I met a lot of people on this trip that were true baseball fans. Some of these people were doing Cactus League road trips, like myself. People from Iowa, Minnesota, California, Rhode Island, Iliinios and more had all come down to this one place to experience the same rush that I was seeking. It made for a very pleasant environment with which to watch games and swap stories of the road. I had never had this type of interaction before, and it was very remarkable.

Of the seven parks I visited, my favorite had to have been Salt River Fields. This new park really had the feel of a big league park, but you could sense that this still was a Spring Training facility first and foremost. I also really appreciated the homage to the traditions that followed both the Rockies and Diamondbacks organizations as well as the various Native American tribes that had a hand in building the park. The way it was integrated into the surrounding environment and the incorporation of natural elements was spectacular. This park was one of the best I have ever seen at any level of baseball and ranks near the top of the forty parks I have visited.

The other six parks I visited were very suitable and did not have any degrading qualities. The quaint charm and ambience of Surprise, Goodyear, Peoria. The transplant of tradition in Maryvale. The gameday atmosphere of Hohokam. The beauty of Phoenix Municipal. The memories I have at all of these parks will make me smile whenever I think of this road trip.

In seeing thirteen separate teams, I can say, with some accuracy, that I got a good look at some of the talent for this year. From my scouting reports, the Giants and Angels had the most complete teams. The Indians and A's looked a little shaky. The other teams I saw had their moments when they looked solid, but also when they looked pretty awful. The pitching of White Sox ace Mark Buehrle was phenomenal, and the hitting of Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton was astounding. Some of the other stars I saw underperformed, in my opinion. Stars like Milwaukee's Prince Fielder, Oakland's Hideki Matsui and Seattle's Ichiro came up a little short in the games I saw them play.

Arizona is one of the prettiest states I have ever been to. The outcroppings of brown and tan rock mountains, towering Saguaro Cactus and the warmth of Spring in the desert create a paradise-like feel. When I went on my hike in South Mountain Park, I got a first-hand experience in this setting, and it made my adrenaline pump. Unfortunately, all of this is being overrun with choked freeways, smog-laden air and aggressive urban sprawl. There were times when I was actually confused by my surroundings because parts of Phoenix resembled Southern California. Maybe, one of these days, Phoenix will invest more in alternative forms of transportation and development to negate the need to drive everywhere, thus protecting the natural treasures.

If there was one aspect of this trip that made me get down was the solitude. Going to all these games and driving all those miles by myself really got to me. You just don't realize how much you desire companionship on these road trips. Sure, the game keeps me occupied, but I just really would like someone to talk to. I just wish more people would get excited about these adventures and join me. I know that seeing all these games seems a little crazy, but it is one of those "once-in-a-lifetime" events that can be a fun story to tell children and grandchildren.

The next road trip is planned for the Memorial Day weekend May 28-30 as some of my friends have said they would go with me up to Seattle to see the Mariners play the Yankees and Orioles at Safeco. It's a short trip that I have done many times, but, like referenced to in the last paragraph, it will be a lot more enjoyable with other people around. I will be seeing some Ducks games before then, so if anything comes up, I will be sure to write.

Thanks so much for reading and keeping up with me these past few days! It was a treat to come back and write to all of you about the adventures I was having.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)