Cactus Ball: 3 Days of Spring Training in Arizona

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

An oversized man with a propeller cap and striped suspenders hawking peanuts and cold beer. Kids with giant mitts calling out for a ball. And the iconic crack of the bat as your favorite player launches a home run over the wall. For baseball fans, there’s nothing quite like taking in a game in person, and the warmer months of the year revolve around the standings as teams jockey in hopes of clinching the playoffs come fall. Win or lose, die hard fans are in it for the love of the game and the experience.

As winter drags along, and no matter what Punxsutawney Phil said last week, baseball season is still over 7 weeks away, and the weather doesn’t exactly leave me wishing to be outside at the stadium anyway. But then I think I can hear the late Dave Niehaus quietly whispering in my ear, “Pitchers and catchers have their first spring workout just one week from today!”

Jet Set for the Desert

About this time last year, my father and I decided to beat the winter blues and booked a trip to Arizona for a few days to experience Mariners Spring Training. At the end of February, we flew direct from Everett to Phoenix on Alaska Airlines; Paine Field tends to be a bit more pricey than SeaTac, but it’s hard to beat the laid back feel, ease of check-in and security and the absence of crowds (grabbing a hot sandwich from Beecher’s Cheese is a must also). Several airlines are currently running winter sales, so check out some of the great flight deals to Phoenix (Alaska currently has flights out of SeaTac starting at $79 for Saver fare or $124 for Main fare).

The blanket of clouds below thinned out as we passed over Nevada, and soon we were treated to glimpses of the Grand Canyon out the left window. Beginning our descent, the snow-capped Four Peaks stood proudly in the distance, and we could next identify the Superstition Mountains east of Apache Junction. Getting lower to the ground, one stadium complex after another rolled along below us. At Sloan Park, Spring home of the Chicago Cubs, fans were sprawled across the outfield lawn seating as a game was in progress.

Take Me Out with the Crowd

Herein lies one of the greatest aspects of Spring Training in the Phoenix area. Not only can you see your favorite team play, you can also watch multiple other teams play, with the Cactus League featuring 10 stadiums with 15 MLB teams across the greater Phoenix area. We chose to spend our three games all at Peoria Sports Complex, shared home of the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres. Depending on the game, tickets can start as low as $24, and there’s hardly a bad seat in the house.

The stadium seating and experience is more comparable to a minor league game than the major leagues. We chose different areas to sit in each game: Game 1 directly behind the first base dugout, the second game in the front row just past third base, and the final game in the second level along the right field line. All are great choices, but being directly behind the low rail by third base is an incredible experience; the game moves at hyperspeed from this vantage point (not to mention it is a great place to shag foul balls or snag one from a passing player).

Up Close & Personal

The other feature that makes Spring Training so unique is the ability to watch and interact with the players up close. When the teams have work-out days at their home complex, fans are allowed to watch from designated areas, and have opportunities for autographs and photos. The Peoria complex has multiple large practice fields for each team, with fan-accessible walkways between many of them. In this no-charge area, you can stand right up against the chain-link backstop as your favorite players take batting practice or work on their pitching technique. We arrived just a few minutes after opening, and followed some of the other fans as they congregated where players were likely to pass by as they emerged from the indoor warm-up facility. Though we weren’t close enough or quick enough to snag autographs from the group of position players as they passed, multiple players slowly milled along the crowd signing balls, hats, cards and programs and talking to fans. Mariner greats like Ichiro were on hand, but he made a quick jog out to the field before he could be mobbed by adoring fans.

The pitchers emerged next, and we hustled to another walkway before the crowd got too thick. As they passed by, I was able to get autographs from over a dozen pitchers, ranging from minor leaguers and walk-ons, up to All-Stars like Luis Castillo, who kindly spent a large amount of time ensuring every fan who wanted his autograph could receive one. Several of the up-and-coming pitchers took extra time to interact with fans. A lady next to me was having players autograph her socks, and one of the pitchers turned the experience around by asking her to sign his socks!

As the players all got to practicing, we wandered from field to field, snapping photos of some of our favorite current and former players, and chatting with other fans along the way. Staying attentive, I spotted both commentator Rick Rizzs and general manager Jerry Dipoto wandering through the crowd, who each obliged when I asked for a photo with them. Recently-drafted catcher Harry Ford also milled about, and a few up-to-date fans noticed him and were able to talk with him awhile.

More Than Just a Game

Outside of ball games, we had mornings and evenings available to find other activities and for meals; the Phoenix area has no shortage of outdoor recreation options and places to eat. After our flight arrived the first afternoon, we had dinner at Salt Tacos y Tequila – Norterra, featuring a slate of Mexican favorites. I recommend one of the massive burritos, available with 5 different meat options or veggies, or the Chicken Tinga Bowl. We also arrived just barely in time to order a classic margarita off the happy hour menu.

The first morning we hiked in the Sonoran Preserve, a 9600-acre complex offering 36 miles of trails. We started at the Apache Wash trailhead and made a 2.65-mile counterclockwise loop utilizing the Sidewinder, Apache Vista, Apache Wash and Ocotillo trails, featuring a diverse array of desert flora, from Saguaro and Cholla cactus to California Poppies and Desert Lupine in bloom.

Post-hike, we popped into the In-n-Out Burger Peoria location just before game time for a Double Double – Animal Style (the Mariners players have been known to make their own trip up for a burger in a “borrowed” sports complex golf cart).

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After the game, we grabbed a burger and a pint at the Glendale outpost of Throne Brewing Company. Fried Pickles were a great starter, and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich was a delicious accompaniment. For beer, I recommend the Raspberry Wheat or the War Hammer Imperial Stout.

Later that evening we took in an incredible sunset and watched Gambel’s Quail scurry about at Thunderbird Conservation Park. Located in the Hedgpeth Hills of Glendale, the park is 1185 acres of preserved desert environment, with about 15 miles of multi-use trails. The park is home to dozens of mammals, birds and reptiles, including jackrabbits, bobcats, desert tortoise, owls and roadrunners.

For our second morning, we stopped at the North Mountain Visitor Center, with a small museum showcasing the native desert ecosystem (admission is free, donations appreciated). The full preserve offers over 100 miles of hiking in the valleys and mountains. Native species include 560 plant varieties, such as creosote bush and mesquite trees, 261 species of birds, 58 varieties of reptiles and multiple mammals including coyotes and javelinas, according to their website. We hiked a little over 2 miles through the mixed desert before heading to the stadium.

The game was called after several innings due to rain, and we were reasonably damp by the time we got back to the car. With soup and hearty fare sounding like a nice option to cozy up to, we went to a highly-rated Irish pub, but ended up with one of the saddest pub experiences I’ve ever had! I won’t go into detail (and won’t name the pub), but the service was sub-par, the soup tasted like it was from a can, and the drink options were severely limited. Spirits dampened, we had a quiet evening back at the hotel before a simple dinner at a local grill.

On our third day, we reverted back to the tried-and-true standby of In-n-Out between the morning workout/autograph session and the game, which featured a return of the sunshine and some warmth for our final few hours at the ballpark, before catching a sunset flight home.

Quick Notes

Ticket pricing for the games is dynamic, with games against the more popular teams costing more. Prices also seem to increase as seats are filled, so grab your tickets early, or look for games with greater availability.
During Spring Training, hotel and rental car prices are a bit higher than normal due to high demand, so be prepared to pay an extra 10-20% for your stay. For rental cars, the new train from the airport makes picking up and dropping off your car extra convenient.
Weather can vary in late February to early March. Our stay featured high temps in the low 60s, with two days of sun and one day of showers.
Parking is free at Peoria Sports Complex, check with other stadiums for any parking fees. Fans can bring in a clear bag, and factory-sealed water or empty bottles, including Hydroflask or Yeti styles. Be sure to check the full list of what is permitted at each stadium.
Spring Training is a great place to buy previous year team merch at a discount, but current year items are often at premium pricing.

For media and publication inquiries: eric@corneroffirstandadventure.com