Chicago Cubs Fans Take A Bite of The Grapefruit League

Apr 22nd, 2011 Nick Messe

There's no doubt that major league baseball is an exciting sport, one that can command a fan's attention for many months each and every passing year. With practically a game every day of the week, it all adds up to non-stop action.

It all starts in the spring of the year. Travelers who migrate to warmer climes will often be pleasantly surprised to catch a big league team playing at a small, intimate park near their favorite vacation spot.

There's nothing better than seeing great baseball while soaking up the March sunshine. If you are a Chicago Cub fan who usually follows your team to their Cactus League spring training haven in Hohokam Park, try sampling the Grapefruit League in 2010.

The Florida Grapefruit League boasts a total of seventeen stadiums that are the spring home to eleven Major League teams. For folks from the more northern United States and Canada it can be a heavenly experience as they exchange biting winter storms for bleachers, beer and hot dogs.

Get out your map and pick a central location to serve as your home base, sort of a "mission control". From there you can fan out in all directions, sampling a team a day if you desire, with stadiums all within a couple of hours drive.

Canadians can catch the excitement when the Toronto Blue Jays play the Red Sox or New York Yankees at Dunedin Stadium. Nearby there's the Bright House Networks Field, newly opened in 2004, where the Philadelphia Phillies serve up great baseball and fans can chow down on Philly Cheese steaks.

Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte had a major face lift, opening anew in 2009 for the champion Tampa Bay Rays. Next on the list, a little bit north, is Steinbrenner Field where the New York Yankees flex their muscles. You'll shake your head when you step inside because it looks and feels just like the stadium in New York.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates can enjoy watching their team at McKechnie Field which had a complete renovation in 1993. The Cincinnati Reds' spring training was at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota in 2009, but if you want to catch them in 2010, you'll have to head to Goodyear Stadium in Arizona where they will share space with the Cleveland Indians.

Fort Myers hosts the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium, which was severely damaged by the hurricane in 2004. It has been re-built and looks just like the entrance to Churchill Downs. Sorry though, there are no horses racing around the infield, just lots of great baseball. Nearby is the baseball history museum at Terry Park Stadium.

The Boston Red Sox also play in Fort Myers, at The City of Palms Park. The name suggests a pleasant park, and so it is. Most of the infield seats are shaded from the sizzling Florida sun, protecting the pale skin of northern snowbirds who have come to watch their beloved Sox.

Come to Joker Marchant Stadium near Lakeland to watch the Pittsburgh Tigers. The crowds here are light, so there are great seats at reasonable prices. Next on this odessey is Chain of Lakes Park where the Cleveland Indians work out. It's a classic built in the sixties that will give you that old time baseball feeling.

If you're bringing the family and making Disney World your home base, be sure to visit Osceola County Stadium in Kissimee where the Houston Astros play. Right next door to Disney World is Champion Stadium, home of the Braves. It's a beauty with great seat location between the bases.

On Florida's east coast you'll discover the Space Coast Stadium. The Washington Nationals began training here in 2007. A bit further south, is Holman Stadium, known as Dodgertown. It is small, laid back and personal, with easy access for Los Angles Dodgers autograph hounds.

Loyal New York Mets fans can enjoy a spring game at Tradition Field. Next, on your journey, is Roger Dean Stadium, which hosts the Florida Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though you'll be there in March, be sure to bring a big hat and lots of sunscreen.

Furthest south in this migration is Fort Lauderdale Stadium, home of the Baltimore Orioles. Rumor has it that these birds may fly to Arizona soon, so catch them while you can.

About the Author:

SitClose.com provides Cubs fans with Chicago Cubs tickets, entertainment and corporate events. Nick Messe is the founder and president of Lead Frog LLC which provides elite private business consulting services.

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