Spring Training Sites

[ekendall]

Im thinking about making the trip down to florida for spring training and was wondering if anyone had any tips for autographs on what its like in Dunedin, Clearwater or Bradenton. I would be going right after pitchers report so im hoping the crowds wont be that big. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[cyberer]

For both Florida and Arizona, I have found this site's stadium profiles to be VERY accurate about graphing inside the stadium

http://www.springtrainingconnection.com/

Since you are going down before games start, I don't know what sites there are to help you. Also, I have never done the early practices, so I can't help you. Every time I've been down to AZ or FL it's been after games started.

[cyberer]

Actually, I've been to Dunedin, Clearwater and Bradenton. I can probably help you out a bit if you need it. The biggest thing is that Bradenton the side fields are about 1 miles away from the stadium itself, so don't show up there and be confused.

[walker066]

I went to Bradenton in 2007 (right after the games started) and found it to be graph friendly. Pittsburgh was 1st base side, but I only got a few because I wanted the Rays autographs. I sat there along the 3rd baseline and got just about the whole team including Longoria on SS. Don't know what team you will see, but it should be easy.

My parents went to Dunedin in 2012 and saw the Red Sox (my favorite team) and said if they tried to get autographs, it would have been a piece of cake on the visitors side.

I also went to Fort Myers (Red Sox) 3 hours before the game and got nothing, Lakeland (Tigers) and cleaned up, Sarasota (Reds now O's) and did well.

Good luck. I wanted to go this year, but other commitments this year.

[awz50]

You are definitely going at the right time. The crowds wont be that big at all, as long as your not going to see the Yankees or someone.

[cyberer]

I know the common mantra is "pre-game february practices are better than games," but I've gone the past 3 years to ST in march and gotten every name I set out to get, and many, many more, just by going to games and same-day practices in march before games.

It's all about knowing where to be and who is doing what. If you are going for anyone good the crowds at February practice will be just as big, if not bigger, since that's when all the dealers go down anyway.