My 2016 Grapefruit Spring Training graphing experience

**walker066** · 03-13-2016, 10:44 PM

Just got back after a 10 day vacation/spring training in Florida. Great weather as it did not rain, although at times got hot in the high 80's low 90's. This was my 2nd FL Spring Training, the other was in 2007. My stories aren't as good as cyberer as he always does great! Out of a 10, I'd say this experience was a 6. I decided early on that I was going for stars, MLB starters with all-star potential or top prospects I can't get at my minor league ballpark. I'm only going to show some of the autos and you will see why haha. Hopefully you enjoy the read.

Thursday, March 4th- Rays @ Red Sox:

Being a huge Red Sox fan this was the game I looked forward too. My wife and I got there about 8:45am to see how the practice field looked. When we arrived, there was about 5 other graphers waiting near the opening to the fields. I learned Keith Foulke has just signed, so I missed him. Then about a half hour goes by and I'm walking around the practice fields with some of the other graphers when I decide to go wait by the opening to the fields. Out pops Carl Yastrzemski with a handler and one of the graphers asks for his auto and he says "I'm walking," so the guy walks with him talking up a story about how he met him before etc. You can see Yaz getting pissed and not signing so everyone left him alone except that one guy. Well Yaz and his handler start walking on to one of the practice field and is on the warning track when he motions to the guy to come over. The guys comes back with a signed baseball. Damn!

So about an hour goes by and Yaz is walking the warning tracks of the fields. Then more and more graphers are starting to show up and walk around the practice fields. So I decide to head back toward the gate opening. Well just as I'm getting to the opening and literally by myself (my wife was sitting on a bench near by) I see Yaz walking off the warning track with his handler. So I asked him, "Mr. Yastrzemski would you please signed my baseball." He goes "I might sign a few over by that fence." So I walk with him for about 20 yards thinking just please sign. He tells the guy at the fence "Line them up in a single file line." I was first and he signed my ROMLB. He ended up signing for 30 people.

After the signature I was like this is already a good day. So I continue to walk around when I decide to head towards the practice fields where the major league players might practice. As I'm getting over there, most of the pitchers run to one field and some of the bench players run to another field. No player was stopping to sign. So I see David Price with the pitchers and decide that might be my best chance. I watch the pitchers field grounders for about 15 minutes. As they get done, most sprint away from the fans. Then a younger child asks David Price to sign his glove and he does. So I get close to him and was about the 5th person to get him. He signed for about 15-20 people.

After that I thought to myself this spring training has started out great. I walk back to my wife and decided to get in line for the game. I was first in line as there weren't many fans yet. As the gates open, I go to the 3rd base side and literally wait 2 hours and got nobody else. Varitek didn't stop nor any other players. Mookie Betts signed a few before gametime down the line from me, but I got him before in the minors.

So the game starts and I'm on the 3rd base side near where the teams come out. Well Chris Archer is done after a couple innings and someone asks him and he said get me after the game. So after the game, they rope off the exit to the Rays bus. Archer left early. Luckily Kevin Kiermaier came out so I got a ROMLB signed.

Sunday, March 6th- Marlins @ Tigers:

My wife and I got there early and went to the 1st base side to wait in line. I purchased tickets on the aisle 4 rows from the field where all the players come out. I had done this in 2007 and got some good players. I get to the 1st row and saw Miggy signing near the dugout with hoards of people and Kinsler signing near where I'm sitting. As I try for Kinsler, he goes into the clubhouse. Miggy walks by and everyone calls his name and he mocked us. At this point, there was mobs of people trying to get autographs, I knew I was not going to have a great day. I stay in my spot on the 1st row and McCann, Romine, and Ausmas sign for people, but I declined to get them on a ROMLB. Luckily for me I had teenage girls taking selfies and pictures with these players. One of them got her shoe signed by Miggy and she was bragging about it.

Then the Marlins are taking batting practice and Dee Gordon lays his bat about 10 feet in front of me. I'm thinking everyone around me wants Tigers so I'll get Dee. Well as he is leaving, he stops well before me and signs and then picks his bat up and walks to the clubhouse and signed a couple more. Sweet, I was in the wrong spot. Then the PA announcer comes on and says no more autographs and go to your seats. I look and it's noon. I'm like ™™™ it's a 1:05 game. So I go back to my seat and scout out what I'm going to do. The usher comes over and asks my wife if I knew the rules. I'm like what rules. He says you can't stand there (pointing to the 1st row). I'm like not even a ticket in this section????? He goes no. I said it was allowed in 2007 and he says I've been here 11 years and it's never happened ( I was able to do it in 2007 as I got Vernon Wells and C Granderson). He says you can throw your ball from your seat. I think what a waste of a day. I yelled for Barry Bonds to sign, but he took a picture and signed some Tigers hat while he was walking lol. Verlander stopped and signed a few, but I couldn't get to him. My wife and I left after the starters left and I debate about going to the buses. Since I was pissed off about earlier and I promised to take her shopping, we left. NO AUTOS!

Monday, March 7th- Astros @ Yankees:

My main agenda for the day was to get some Astros ( I got Correa twice at the Single-A all star game in 2014). I wake up and look at the lineup and they sent Marisnick, Valbuena and a bunch of minor leaguers. I'm like ™™™! So my wife and I leave to get there about 45 minutes before the gates open and luckily for us, traffic was horrible. We get there and I see the Yankees on the practice field, but knowing it was almost over, I head towards the Astros dugout. After a short period of time, I head over to the Yankees dugout. Well you can't get there if you don't have a ticket, ™™™, so I go back to the Astros dugout. I was talking to a Yankees fan who got Matsui at the practice field and he also said Arod was signing earlier in the day. I ended up getting Marisnick and two top prospects in Alex Bregman and AJ Reed on ROMLB. Not what I was expecting on the day, but at least I got something.

Wednesday, March 9th- Red Sox @ Pirates:

I get there early to get in line (my wife had gone back home at this point, but my parents were coming to the game). I looked at the lineups and the Red Sox didn't send much, but I decided to get a couple I haven't gotten before. They open the gates and I get next to the Red Sox dugout right in front was Sandoval. The guy in front of me, gets him before I got there and apparently he signed a few more before that. Damn. So Rusney Castillo comes by and I ask him to sign and he says I have to hit but he'd be back. I ended up calling over Travis Shaw (he is a masher that should be starting over Hanley) who signs for people. Then I call over Rusney again and he signed as well. I then decide to go over to the Pirates side to no avail. Then I see Moncada starting to warm up and head to the 3rd base line (I already got him from someone here, so if anyone wants this ROMLB I can trade or sell. LMK). Luckily for me, I was his last signature before he kissed his girlfriend (or one of them lol).

After the game I went back over to the Pirates side and got one of their top prospects, Josh Bell. An ok day as many players didn't play including McCutchen.

Friday, March 11th- Red Sox @ Blue Jays:

I didn't have a ticket, so I get there before the gates open. Apparently they sold out and my only option was a $75 scalped ticket. I had saw the lineup before and I decided it wasn't worth it. Apparently, Tulo, Jose, had signed that game even through they didn't play. Luckily for me.

Saturday, March 12th- Blue Jays @ Phillies:

This was my last day in FL and I made my parents get there 2.5 hours early when the gates opened. I see the lineup and the Blue Jays are playing their starters, sweeeet. I get there and stand next to the tunnel where they come out. Well they practiced at home, so no batting practice. So the players start to come out 25 minutes before the game and NOBODY stops to sign! The ushers kick us out and I go to my seat on the 3rd baseside where I had noticed a ton of Phillies players signing. I get to my seat and my mom says "Schmidt and Nola signed for everyone." Great, nadda for me on my last day.

All in all, if it wasn't for Yaz and Price the 1st day, it would have been a terrible trip, but to get Yaz was exciting.

What I learned this year:
1. It's getting very, very hard to graph in FL if you don't have the opportunity to get to practices or multiple home games.
2. Most of the veterans and starters won't travel with the teams anymore. In 2007, I saw a ton of stars travel between the cities, so I guess this is something newer.
3. Home team batting practice for most teams end before the fans are allowed in, so most stars sign for those few who have season tickets.
4. Stadiums and ushers are getting less friendly for autographs.
5. Traffic can be an issue depending what direction you are going in.

Hopefully you enjoyed the read.

**mberger718** · 03-14-2016, 12:39 PM

It definitely gets tougher every year. Ironically, the Yankees have actually gotten easier, as you can wait by the fences by the practice fields and hope that the players come over after working out. I've seen lots of guys sign multiple times that have not signed much in the past. Also, for the first half of the games, teams that travel over an hour usually leave their better guys at home, especially if they have a split-squad game.

Detroit is definitely tough, as is inside the Yankees stadium, unless you have tickets in the lower sections. I used to travel all over the state now I say with the local teams so I don't have a long drive home after a bad day.

Also check out the golf tournmanents (see my post on the Valspar Championship from last Monday, March 7th).

Glad you got some good ones on your trip, and I'm sure at least your week was better than working!

Mike

**walker066** · 03-14-2016, 09:38 PM

Thanks Mike. Yeah the first two were great, so I started off hot. I do this for fun, so while I would have liked to get some others, maybe it will happen next time.