Padres Spring Training Is A Life-Changing Experience

by matthewverygood on Mar 24, 2011 8:27 PM PDT

I started going to Spring Training last year with a big group of fans. It actually was my first trip ever out to Arizona for preseason baseball and I can't believe I had never done it before. We even got written about last year. This year's trip was just as fun. Join me for some pictures.

Yeah, that's right. Yoda joined.

The first game on Friday the 18th was against the Angels at their complex in Tempe. It was a nice facility but a bit of a drive from Peoria. The Angels beat us 7-6. Also, surprisingly, the Angels fans were kinda douchey. I didn't expect that out of them. Below is a pic of Kyle Blanks' first Cactus League AB of the spring. Our seats were crazy good.

After some grubbing at one of the finer establishments in all of Surprise, AZ (Buffalo Wild Wings) and a good night's sleep, it was time to head to the famed Peoria Sports Complex for a Saturday match-up against the Cubs. For such a thoroughly important exhibition game that didn't count for anything at all, it was necessary to bring out the big gun.

That's a tribal tattoo sleeve I bought at Albertson's. Laugh all you want. We won that game 14-4 thanks to a homer by Maybin and a grand slam by Headley. The tattoo sleeve is the new lucky charm. Here it is in action in the outfield berm. Sexy, right?

It was a great trip and I didn't even scratch the surface. There's plenty more that I didn't touch on: the overall positivity, camaraderie, and friendliness of everyone (save for those Angels fans), the ability to see both major and minor league games, getting a ball autographed by your favorite player with ease, and the lost art of parking lot tailgating at a baseball game.

I'm already looking forward to doing it again in 2012. Who's with me?

This FanPost was written by a member of the Gaslamp Ball community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gaslamp Ball managers or SB Nation.

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Went to both those games on my first spring training trip too

Definitely an awesome time. My favorite part was watching the BP from all the minor leaguers, you read about them all day long but very rarely get to see them play.

On a side note, saw a fellow GLBer at the Cubs game but it was too late to introduce myself. Saw the retired number shirt from far away but the black shirt threw me off. By the time I realized it was legit, GLBer was past me, plus game starting in 5 minutes, oh well.

Agree on the Angels fans, Cubs fans looked like saints compared to the Angels fans. Didn’t realize it but they have a pretty stacked lineup.

Mat Latos is the real deal...Go Lakers, Pads, and Bolts

by mrbarneydangles on Mar 25, 2011 7:50 AM PDT reply actions

Perhaps Angels fans are trending douchier over time?

I watched a Padres-Angels game in Tempe a few years back, and despite being one of only a few Padres fans in my section, the fans around me were all friendly.

"Who do you think wiil the replacement for Jerry Jr. Cabarra or Frederson"

by Natrone Means Business on Mar 25, 2011 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions

I go to Angels games in Tempe just about every year

Never got a douchey vibe. I did notice this year that they are best looking fans on average of any of the Spring Training facilities. IMO.

The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!

Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't

by Wonko on Mar 25, 2011 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't know I guess they weren't douchey

Just extra loud which I guess is a good thing for them and a bad thing for us. No one said anything that ticked me off, just wasn’t expecting the loudness at a spring training game.

I thought the Cubs fans were going to be loud but that wasn’t the case at all. Maybe because they got beat.

Mat Latos is the real deal...Go Lakers, Pads, and Bolts

by mrbarneydangles on Mar 25, 2011 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions

On a side note

I was sitting about two rows back from Rex Hudler on Fri. He was letting people try on his WS ring and was super nice to all the fans that came up. He was talking with everyone, giving this Giants fan a hard time, and taking pictures with everyone who asked. He kept yelling at the Angels third base coach and was getting the crowd to chant his name.

Mat Latos is the real deal...Go Lakers, Pads, and Bolts

by mrbarneydangles on Mar 25, 2011 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions