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?