Spring Training - 2012

This is the 3rd time i've flown to Arizona for Spring Training Baseball. Here are the pictures from my first 2 trips:

• Spring Training - 2011

• Spring Training - 2010

Here's a map showing everywhere we were planning to go.

John flew down on Thurday to watch the Cubs game with Adam. Karrie and i flew down Friday night.

When i signed up for the car rental it ended up being cheaper to get the Ford Mustang with the 1 day free rental coupon we had. Then when we got to the car rental desk we got to choose between that or the Dodge Challenger.

It was only a V-6 but it was a very smooth ride.


Day 2:
Game 1: Salt River Fields - LA Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies

(click to enlarge the panorama pictures)

This was the new Colorado Rockies stadium in Scottsdale. It was really nice and you got to see all of the players warming up in the batting cages.

Jason Giambi, on the far right of the picture, was on the team last year. I remember he hit a homerun in the game i saw, it cleared the wall by about 3 inches. This year he had a white beard and acted like more of a hitting coach.

Like last year, there was a car show in the parking lot outside the stadium. There weren't as many cars though this year.

Adam and John pointing toward home plate.

Here are some panoramic pictures of the stadium.



Game 2: Camelback Ranch - Kansas City Royals vs. San Diego Padres

Adam, John and I.

Cameron Maybin, the former Detroit Tigers number 1 prospect, was on the Padres. It was a good thing we got rid of him when we did, and got Miguel Cabrera in the process.

Players signing autograph's.



Day 3:
Game 3 (1pm): Peoria Sports Complex - Colorado Rockies vs. Seattle Mariners
Sunday was cold and rainy so instead of going to the game, we went and watched Michigan State play in the NCAA tournament.

Then afterwords Karrie and i drove around Scottsdale to look at the million dollar houses in gated neighborhoods. We saw lots of Orange and Lemon trees and finally stopped near an alley to pick some. There are tons of orange trees that grow there. I was the driver and on lookout duty.

It turned out that they weren't quite ripe. They looked fine but weren't that flavorful.

The view of the mountains with the rain clouds behind them.