A Bucket List Experience

I, like many people I presume, have certain things I would love to do, to experience, in my lifetime.  The ubiquitous "bucket list" term comes to mind.  One of those for me has always been to experience a bit of spring training baseball.  I love baseball, and I have been to multiple minor league and major league games.  I have experienced a minor league championship series.  I have been to a World Series game.  I've been to a minor league all-star game.  I've been to a major league game with a walk-off Home Run.  But I had never been to Florida or Arizona with an opportunity to witness spring training.

Until a couple days ago.

As a present for my upcoming birthday, my parents (the recent snowbirds) flew me down to Florida so I could meet up with my dad, head to Lakeland, and enjoy the environment and surroundings of spring training with the Detroit Tigers and take in a game.

I flew down last Wednesday morning, leaving from South Bend (and temps in the teens) and landing near Orlando (with temps in the mid 80s) (truly, though, the most impactful environmental shock wasn't the temperature, it was how green and alive everything looked; after 4 months of gray and white winter, that stood out the most).  My Dad picked me up at the airport and we headed to Lakeland.  We scouted out the ballpark (lovely Joker Marchant Stadium) and checked into our hotel.  We then just spent the afternoon and evening catching up, and simply enjoying good conversation face to face for the first time since October.  Simply, it was nice.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Always love the view from the plane[/caption]

The next day, we got breakfast at a local hole-in-the-wall (where all the servers wore Tigers' hats!), and then headed over to the stadium at 10am (temps already above 80 :)) to watch that part of Spring Training that, for both my Dad and I, I think) is so interesting - all the warm up drills and batting practice.  This. Was. Neat.  Essentially, after going through some general warm ups and playing catch, the Tigers started going through drills, rotating groups of players.  And the neat part is seeing the orchestration of 4 drills at the same time - outfielders fielding hard hit, low line drives; infielders practicing holding runners on first and second and getting back into fielding position, and also practicing "turning" the double play at second base; players practicing taking base-running jumps on batted balls; and then batting practice.  Within batting practice, the rotation included about 6 players, who rotated every 10 pitches or so.  Just a lot going on, and it was fun to see the players we follow so closely during the season be so loose but engaged in these drills - whether its the superstar like Miguel Cabrera, a middle infielder like Ian Kinsler or Jose Iglesias, a role player like Tyler Collins or an upcoming prospect like Stephen Moya.  Truly, just a lot of fun to sit back and take it all in; definitely worth getting to the park a few hours before the game to see it.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] The Tigers warming up[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Enjoying the sunny weather[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Miguel Cabrera taking batting practice[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Miggy and the "Prime Dog" Fred McGriff[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] The view from the 1st Base side of lovely Joker Marchant Stadium[/caption]

For the game itself, our seats, courtesy of a Stub Hub purchased, were directly behind home plate, about 8 rows up, a little elevated.  Interesting enough, we were seated among many of the Tiger ballplayers family - Kinsler's wife and kids shared our row, new relief pitcher Tom Gorzelanny's wife and kids, along with his Dad, sat in the row in front of us.  A little ways down was backup shortstop's Hernan Perez's wife and very small baby.  Those were the ones we were able to identify; there were several others as well.  It was a neat reminder of the more relaxed, family atmosphere of spring training.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] The view from our seats (1st Pitch)[/caption]

The quick trip ended with a drive back to Orlando, me recovering from exposure to more Sun than what I've been used to for several months, and then a flight back the next morning.  A quick trip, but one I will always remember, and one that I am very grateful I got to share with my Dad, as we have always shared a close bond in our love for the game.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] We love us some baseball![/caption]