What is Spring Training Baseball? Why is it Important?

Before every regular season, a Spring Season is held. Players of different teams play in Spring Training Baseball to get trained before the regular season. In the Spring Season players are tested that are they skilled enough to play on opening day. Some players get injured during the spring season they don’t get to play well and as a consequence, their team’s chances of winning are lowered. Across the country, there are sixteen spring training events every year.

How Many Leagues are in Spring Training?

Like in regular baseball season different leagues are made spring seasons also have leagues that further have teams. How many leagues are in Spring Training? There are two leagues in spring training and each league has 15 teams. The team from Florida is named Grapefruit League while the team from Arizona is known to be the Cactus League. These leagues cover all the official baseball teams.

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Team in the Cactus League

Let’s have a look at the teams in the Cactus league.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Cleveland Guardians
5. Colorado Rockies
6. Kansas City Royals
7. Chicago Cubs
8. Chicago White Sox
9. Milwaukee Brewers
10. San Francisco Giants
11. Seattle Mariners
12. Texas Rangers
13. San Diego Padres
14. Oakland Athletics
15. Arizona Diamond Backs

Teams in the Grape Fruit League

Let’s have a look at the teams in the Grape Fruit League.

1. Baltimore Orioles
2. Minnesota Twins
3. New York Mets
4. Houston Astros
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Detroit Tigers
7. New York Yankees
8. Philadelphia Phillies
9. Pittsburgh Pirates
10. Miami Marlins
11. Tampa Bay Rays
12. Toronto Blue Jays
13. Washington Nationals
14. St. Louis Cardinals
15. Boston Red Sox

Why Does Spring Training Occur in Arizona and Florida?

Spring Training is usually held before the regular season in February and March. During this time of the year, it is usually winter. Why does spring training occur in Arizona and Florida? Arizona and Florida are a bit warmer places than other parts of America. These two states are most suitable for the baseball leagues to play. Secondly! The ballparks of Arizona and Florida are located in the center which leads baseball fans to visit their favorite leagues in these ballparks.

It is a convenient way to play because most of the teams share the same ballpark. It also gets so easier for the teams to travel to these states because different teams are present at the same place. This lessens their stress because the players get to catch up constantly with the media and the games.

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When Does Spring Training Start?

Spring Training is held in Spring before the regular game. As soon as the spring training starts the players come towards the field to stretch and do basic exercises. When does Spring Training Start? Spring Training starts in the middle of February and ends in March. There are multiple spring seasons games played in a year.

Do the Baseball Games Count in Spring Training?

Spring Training is meant to be just for training for the players but do the baseball games count in Spring Season? No, the teams who win in the spring seasons don’t get to have any benefit as a result of their wins. The same is the case with the losing teams. Spring games have nothing to do with the wins and losses. The stats of the spring season are meant just for the spring season they are not added to the official stat of a player. However, if an individual player gets a roster spot if he performed well during a whole training session. Hence, there are a lot of chances that speculations of the spring don’t decide the future of a player.

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Spring Trainings is Great for Fans to Interact With Players

Baseball fans enjoy Spring seasons a lot and in history, it is recorded that fans tend to go in Spring Seasons most likely than in regular seasons. It is because spring training is great for fans to interact with players. After all, players are most likely very easy going during the whole game. Players tend to meet and interact with their fans more often because they are not worried about the stats. They sign autographs, take photos and roam around before training.

Prices Tend to be Less Than the Regular Season

As spring seasons are not serious games it is exciting for the players to know that they can see their favorite players playing via a cheap ticket. Prices tend to be less than during the regular season because this is just training for the team. Baseball fans come to these ballparks at cheaper prices to see their favorite baseball players. It is interesting to know that one ticket for a regular-season game is equivalent to multiple tickets for spring training.

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Pitchers Use Spring Training to Build Up their Arm Strength

There are many pitchers in baseball like Matt Moore, Tyler Cloyd, and Ervin Santana who tend to play in spring seasons and became the best starters since 2013. Pitchers use spring training to build up their arm strength to perform well in the regular season. They try to make themselves fit enough to perform in the opening of the regular season. They gradually take training by starting from one throw in each inning to three or more. In this way, they tend to increase their arm strength with time.

Helps Hitters Get Their Timing Down on Pitches

During Spring Training the players get to work on different mechanics against pitching. Spring season helps hitters get their timing down on pitches.

Allow Teammates to Meet and Get to Know Each Other

The most interesting part of spring training is the time and stress-free atmosphere that the players get to experience. They get enough time that allows teammates to meet and get to know each other. The veterans and new bees tend to break the ice during the training. Games are not stressful for the players.

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Young Plays Can Win a Roster Spot

Spring training benefits the young minor league players because the young plays can win a roster spot. Rosters get more spotlight in the spring season than they get in the regular season. They get to have more players. Unfortunately, all roster players don’t get to join MLB afterward only 26 players get the chance to join MLB.

 Spring training is an important event for Minor League players to prove themselves if their performance is impressive in training then they get a chance to perform in MLB. However, each team has its own rule to add the rosters some teams don’t have many openings and others have different criteria to choose from.

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Older Players Can Win Roster Spots

Many baseball fans think that Spring Training is the chance for young players to get registered however, some older players can also win roster spots. Although it is really difficult for these players to get roster spots and prove themselves valuable for their respective teams. These baseball players can also be the ones who couldn’t play well because of injuries.

What Happens to Players Who Don’t Make the Team?

As explained earlier some of the players don’t get to be added to MLB. So, what happens to players who don’t make the team? These players are released afterward in an abysmal outing. There are several other ways how these players are treated afterward.

• Some of these players are sent to 40 man rosters and are invited afterward in September to play in the regular season.
• Other players end up in Minor Leagues for further training.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line on What is Spring Training Baseball?

Spring Training might be just training for many players but it means a lot to some older as well as some minor league players. Many baseball players tend to polish their skills including arm strength, pitching, and hitting. Baseball fans find it exciting whenever spring training occurs because this is the only time in the year when baseball players are so chilled out and they spend time with their fans and their teammates as well.

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