Phillies spring training

[phillykid15]

I've never tried Blue Jays practice, but last year, I got pretty much every Blue Jay worth getting at a game. Every single Blue Jay was really nice, including Bautista.

[cyberer]

Hey to all this is a great thread. I will be down the last week in March I'd love to meet up with some SCF people if they are around- I will prolly be graphing solo this year (last year a good buddy of mine that loved to graph was with me so that was a lot of fun but he moved away).

To the guy who asked about Halladay and Sandberg's work habits, I will say the following- I got there 9am and I was LATE by those standards. Halladay definitely gets there around 6 but I don't think you can get him even then because he pulls his car all the way inside behind the main park. The only chance you will have to get him is between 8-10 if you get lucky. Every day a major leaguer givesd a little educational pep talk to the minor leaguers and so you can catch them there. People I saw there got Halladay, Hamels and Utley there by dumb luck. I always arrived too late for that.

As for Ryno, I got him twice while I was there. I got him the first day I was there, as he walked to his car around 4:30 p.m. I also got him before batting practice at a minor league game around noon. He's a pretty sure thing, so I wouldn't waste too much effort planning forit that requires planning.

I'm still a noob at all of this, but I had a pretty epic haul at spring training last year. However I still haven't mastered the finer points of where to be at what times.

About the Blue Jays at Dunedin, I have heard that this stadium is the best around for graphs. I never went, but apparently they have big autograph "wells" that the players stand in and sign. They are about a 15 minute drive from clearwater. I haven't been but it comes highly recommended.

If I may make a personal recommendation, you HAVE to try the Pirates stadium in Bradenton. It is a really old construction stadium, there is no access to the club house from the dugout, and the bullpens are in a little alcove in the outfield which connects to the clubhouse. So the players have to walk past you through this little alcove and they all stop and sign. Additionally, the batting cages are all open to the public eye. It is really indescribably awesome for graphing and for baseball, I can't recommend it enough. I watched Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez take BP last year, and got Evan Longoria at the other side. Last, but not least, if you go out the third base side and walk to the end of the stadium, there is a chain link fence, that is where the bus parks. But since it is local florida, most players drive. I saw Johnny Damon drive in, Longoria drove in, BJ upton, David Price, etc etc etc. They park across the street and WALK RIGHT PAST YOU into the chain link gate. It is really unbelieveable how it is. After the game this area gets really crowded, but I got David Price exiting on the sweet spot of a ROMLB.

Conversely, on the 1st base side, the pirates parking lot is totally accessible as well. I got Pedro Alvarez to stop his car and sign a ball on the sweet spot on the way out. It's about 70-90 minutes from clearwater if memory serves, but it is 100% the BEST graphing stadium I've ever seen.

Anyways, a bit off topic, but I figured I'd try to help out.

I have also graphed at the Yankees Stadium in Tampa, and the Orioles Park in Sarasota, and can offer tips on those as well. Again, all are within about an hour of clearwater.

And the best part? My flight is free because last year my plane got struck by lightning and I got a vouture for the inconvenience AND my lodging is free because my uncle owns a place. GOD I CAN'T WAIT!

[everythingcollect]

I live in florida and have been graphing spring training here for the last 15 years your pretty much right on with those commments on the teams spring training sites. and yes pirates is one of the best places to graph its probably one of the last OLD spring training stadiums/practice fields. Dodgers use to have the best as the bullpen was OPEN they players sat right with the fans pretty much. ill add a tid bit about the orioles if you wait by where the buses pull in you have a good chance of getting some autos as there is a type of chainlink fence that kind of swings open after they unlock it but if players get pulled early and they are not being picked up normally they will go and sit on the bus if your there waiting good chance you can call them over and slip something between the 2 fences or if its cards between the chainlinks ive even rolled up 8x10s 4x6s and 5x7's between chanlinks. on another note for the orioles park if the player is being picked up (hard do know this) only way for them to leave the park is to walk through the public out the front gate. I know this for a fact as last year jeter arod cano and Cameron diaz all walked out (but it sucked as the security had it all roped off so they could make a b line out of there and NOT one signed on the way out. if your going for the orioles there parking lot is pretty cool as its Chainlink and you can see all who is coming out (not durning night games though) theres a line of parking spots right up against the chainlink fence near the street most likely you can stick something through the fence and get a player that way before he gets in his car if you recognize him. Oh Twins complex is also a Great graphing place and is pretty much VERY open players walk right past you during practices (the last 2 weeks of feb) now if they will stop and sign thats another story but for the most part they do. Red Sox are moving into a new stadium this year so it will be a learning experience for everyone. I have heard (as i live down here) that its going to be like a FORTRESS but we shall see i wont belive till i see lol. Hope this info helps

Hey to all this is a great thread. I will be down the last week in March I'd love to meet up with some SCF people if they are around- I will prolly be graphing solo this year (last year a good buddy of mine that loved to graph was with me so that was a lot of fun but he moved away).

To the guy who asked about Halladay and Sandberg's work habits, I will say the following- I got there 9am and I was LATE by those standards. Halladay definitely gets there around 6 but I don't think you can get him even then because he pulls his car all the way inside behind the main park. The only chance you will have to get him is between 8-10 if you get lucky. Every day a major leaguer givesd a little educational pep talk to the minor leaguers and so you can catch them there. People I saw there got Halladay, Hamels and Utley there by dumb luck. I always arrived too late for that.

As for Ryno, I got him twice while I was there. I got him the first day I was there, as he walked to his car around 4:30 p.m. I also got him before batting practice at a minor league game around noon. He's a pretty sure thing, so I wouldn't waste too much effort planning forit that requires planning.

I'm still a noob at all of this, but I had a pretty epic haul at spring training last year. However I still haven't mastered the finer points of where to be at what times.

About the Blue Jays at Dunedin, I have heard that this stadium is the best around for graphs. I never went, but apparently they have big autograph "wells" that the players stand in and sign. They are about a 15 minute drive from clearwater. I haven't been but it comes highly recommended.

If I may make a personal recommendation, you HAVE to try the Pirates stadium in Bradenton. It is a really old construction stadium, there is no access to the club house from the dugout, and the bullpens are in a little alcove in the outfield which connects to the clubhouse. So the players have to walk past you through this little alcove and they all stop and sign. Additionally, the batting cages are all open to the public eye. It is really indescribably awesome for graphing and for baseball, I can't recommend it enough. I watched Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez take BP last year, and got Evan Longoria at the other side. Last, but not least, if you go out the third base side and walk to the end of the stadium, there is a chain link fence, that is where the bus parks. But since it is local florida, most players drive. I saw Johnny Damon drive in, Longoria drove in, BJ upton, David Price, etc etc etc. They park across the street and WALK RIGHT PAST YOU into the chain link gate. It is really unbelieveable how it is. After the game this area gets really crowded, but I got David Price exiting on the sweet spot of a ROMLB.

Conversely, on the 1st base side, the pirates parking lot is totally accessible as well. I got Pedro Alvarez to stop his car and sign a ball on the sweet spot on the way out. It's about 70-90 minutes from clearwater if memory serves, but it is 100% the BEST graphing stadium I've ever seen.

Anyways, a bit off topic, but I figured I'd try to help out.

I have also graphed at the Yankees Stadium in Tampa, and the Orioles Park in Sarasota, and can offer tips on those as well. Again, all are within about an hour of clearwater.

And the best part? My flight is free because last year my plane got struck by lightning and I got a vouture for the inconvenience AND my lodging is free because my uncle owns a place. GOD I CAN'T WAIT!

[goduke2211]

I have tickets to a Phillies vs Yankees game and I will probably be trying to get some Yankee autos? Does anyone have any tips for the away team at Bright House Field or any info on the Yankees signing habits at away games? Thanks in advance