Spring Training IP Advice - Please Help

[Yankees1218]

what stadiums and when?

[Edwards2Evans]

what stadiums and when?

I don't have the list of the teams... All the stadiums are in the Phoenix area. here's the teams I know I'm seeing, there's 3 others, I think one might be the Twins or the Royals:

Mariners
Giants
A's

[Edwards2Evans]

buuuuump.

[xtra-innings]

I'm going to 3 Spring Training games in Arizona and have a few questions.

How many baseballs should I bring?

What type of baseball is good for autographs and cheap?

Any differences between getting auto's during ST and regular season? I've seen some people's IP success during ST and they get like 8-12 a game when it's considered a good day (at least IMO) when you get 3-4 during the reg. season.

Oh, and I'm seeing the Mariners so I'm going for Griffey!

I live in San Diego and have been traveling to AZ for ST for more than 10+ years. If you are able to attend the camps BEFORE the games start, you will have a better chance at landing more sigs, especially of the bigger name players. I went last weekend (02/20 Fri-02/23 Mon) and scored 186 signed items including cards, photos, baseballs, minis, etc.

I visited the Pads/Brewers/Rangers/Royals/Dodgers camps. I got x7 Peavys, x11 Adrian Gonzalez's, x18 Ecksteins, x1 Maddux, x3 Fielders, x3 Brauns, x2 Harts, x1 Brett, x3 Michael Youngs, x4 Andruw Jones, and x1 Lasorda (to name a few). You have less fans to compete with for autos than you do when the ST season begins. The teams practiced from 9a-12p. Many signed before, during, and after practice. At the Pads camp, many stopped as they drove out to sign for the fans.

Don't get me wrong, ST games are great but I learned through the years that you'll get more sigs before they start playing. I would rather deal with 20 fans than several hundred trying to get sigs of the same players. Each year, I have landed multiples of the "big names" at each camp I visit, including Ichiro, Peavy, Brett, Young, etc.

Good luck...

[propete23]

the mariners st is not that great for autos. they dont let you get right out there as I lived near there for many years. The brewers, on the other hand is awesome, u can get right up there and not as many seekers. Prince signed for me last year on a nice bat.

As far as those balls, Im gonna get 5 dozen and see how they do. The real good players, I am using a ROMLB ball

Good luck everyone!!!

[Edwards2Evans]

I live in San Diego and have been traveling to AZ for ST for more than 10+ years. If you are able to attend the camps BEFORE the games start, you will have a better chance at landing more sigs, especially of the bigger name players. I went last weekend (02/20 Fri-02/23 Mon) and scored 186 signed items including cards, photos, baseballs, minis, etc.

I visited the Pads/Brewers/Rangers/Royals/Dodgers camps. I got x7 Peavys, x11 Adrian Gonzalez's, x18 Ecksteins, x1 Maddux, x3 Fielders, x3 Brauns, x2 Harts, x1 Brett, x3 Michael Youngs, x4 Andruw Jones, and x1 Lasorda (to name a few). You have less fans to compete with for autos than you do when the ST season begins. The teams practiced from 9a-12p. Many signed before, during, and after practice. At the Pads camp, many stopped as they drove out to sign for the fans.

Don't get me wrong, ST games are great but I learned through the years that you'll get more sigs before they start playing. I would rather deal with 20 fans than several hundred trying to get sigs of the same players. Each year, I have landed multiples of the "big names" at each camp I visit, including Ichiro, Peavy, Brett, Young, etc.

Good luck...

WHOA! 186 items! Maybe my 1 dozen baseballs isn't enough...

Thanks for the long post, it helped a lot!

the mariners st is not that great for autos. they dont let you get right out there as I lived near there for many years. The brewers, on the other hand is awesome, u can get right up there and not as many seekers. Prince signed for me last year on a nice bat.

As far as those balls, Im gonna get 5 dozen and see how they do. The real good players, I am using a ROMLB ball

Good luck everyone!!!

Thanks for the tips about the stadiums.

[propete23]

I agree with xtra innings. BUT, you can get autos during the practices. That is the best time and will not be competing with many fans. At the games, (and we all know the big names leave about the 5th inning) the kids are about the only ones that get autos. If you would like to get your favs. then get up early, get some coffee, and hit the practice. Unless you take your son or daughter.

Hope this helps...

[Edwards2Evans]

I agree with xtra innings. BUT, you can get autos during the practices. That is the best time and will not be competing with many fans. At the games, (and we all know the big names leave about the 5th inning) the kids are about the only ones that get autos. If you would like to get your favs. then get up early, get some coffee, and hit the practice. Unless you take your son or daughter.

Hope this helps...

I got a pretty small kid coming w/ me, so I'm just going right before the gates open.

[propete23]

many players do not sign right before the game. AND, in some parks, the players leave thru the tunnel in the dugout. Again, at the brewers, they have to leave from a gate down the rf line. They walk right by you if you are sitting in this grassy area or in the seats. Camp out there all game and you will have successes my friend... Plus, they are the CHEAPEST tix in town. Not the best part of town, but I believe it was 5 bucks for grass. I just paid 11 bucks for the Phillies gen. admission. BIG DIFFERENCE. And remember, practice is free. There are tons of players around the practice fields during a game. Many times, a Ryan Howard, or jimmy rollins are in the cage, AA and AAA players are taking some BP, or a pitcher rehabbing is throwing a simulated game with only a coach and a catcher. TAKE advantage my friend...

[Edwards2Evans]

many players do not sign right before the game. AND, in some parks, the players leave thru the tunnel in the dugout. Again, at the brewers, they have to leave from a gate down the rf line. They walk right by you if you are sitting in this grassy area or in the seats. Camp out there all game and you will have successes my friend... Plus, they are the CHEAPEST tix in town. Not the best part of town, but I believe it was 5 bucks for grass. I just paid 11 bucks for the Phillies gen. admission. BIG DIFFERENCE. And remember, practice is free. There are tons of players around the practice fields during a game. Many times, a Ryan Howard, or jimmy rollins are in the cage, AA and AAA players are taking some BP, or a pitcher rehabbing is throwing a simulated game with only a coach and a catcher. TAKE advantage my friend...

Thanks for all the advice propete. We have the better-end seats so I'll go down to the tunnel at the end of the game.