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Spring training is the string of practice and exhibition games that Major League Baseball teams play prior to the start of regular season in order to get themselves prepared for the big event (MLB). Spring training is considered as the wonderful opportunity for the MLB players and teams to brush up their performances and do the required fine-tuning, so that they can be fully prepared for the competitive event. It also allows new players to try out for roster and position spots. Not only the MLB teams and players get an opportunity to prepare themselves, MLB fans also find Spring Training an unique opportunity to learn how prepared their favorite players are for the big event.
Spring training usually concurs during the spring break of many colleges. Hence, the event also draws healthy number of spectators, who love to move to the warmer climates and enjoy the match as well as the weather at the same time.
Duration
Spring training continues for almost two months. It starts from mid February and continues till the first week of April (till the start of the season opening day). It may also happen that some teams are playing their last games of the spring training in the same day when some others are playing their inaugural matches of the MLB season. It’s the pitchers and catchers who report for the training first, as the longer training period helps the pitchers immensely. The position players follow them and join the practice a week or so later.
Spring Training Leagues
Spring training has two leagues, viz. Grapefruit League and Cactus League.
Grapefruit League will have teams that train in Florida, regardless of their affiliations in the regular season league. Similarly, Cactus League will have teams that train in Arizona.
The teams have the options to play colleges, minor league baseball clubs, split-squad games, intro-squad games and even B Games (unofficial Spring Training games).
Spring Training Teams
Following are the teams of spring training:
Grapefruit League:
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Team
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Ground
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Place
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Atlanta Braves
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Champion Stadium
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Lake Buena Vista
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Boston Red Sox
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City of Palms Park
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Fort Myers
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Baltimore Orioles
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Ed Smith Stadium
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Sarasota
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Detroit Tigers
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Joker Marchant Stadium
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Lakeland
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Florida Marlins
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Roger Dean Stadium
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Jupiter
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Houston Astros
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Osceola County Stadium
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Kissimmee
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Minnesota Twins
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Hammond Stadium
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Fort Myers
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New York Mets
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Tradition Field
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Port St. Lucie
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New York Yankees
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George M. Steinbrenner Field
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Tampa
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Philadelphia Phillies
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Bright House Field
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Clearwater
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Pittsburgh Pirates
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McKechnie Field
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Bradenton
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St. Louis Cardinals
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Roger Dean Stadium
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Jupiter
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Tampa Bay Rays
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Charlotte Sports Park
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Port Charlotte
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Toronto Blue Jays
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Dunedin Stadium
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Dunedin
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Washington Nationals
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Space Coast Stadium
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Viera
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Cactus League:
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Team
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Ground
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Place
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Arizona Diamondbacks
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Tucson Electric Park
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Tucson
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Chicago Cubs
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HoHoKam Park
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Mesa
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Chicago White Sox
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Camelback Ranch
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Glendale
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Cincinnati Reds
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Goodyear Ballpark
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Goodyear
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Cleveland Indians
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Goodyear Ballpark
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Goodyear
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Colorado Rockies
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Hi Corbett Field
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Tucson
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Kansas City Royals
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Surprise Stadium
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Surprise
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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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Tempe Diablo Stadium
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Tempe
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Los Angeles Dodgers
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Camelback Ranch
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Glendale
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Milwaukee Brewers
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Maryvale Baseball Park
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Phoenix
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Oakland Athletics
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Phoenix Municipal Stadium
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Phoenix
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San Diego Padres
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Peoria Sports Complex
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Peoria
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San Francisco Giants
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Scottsdale Stadium
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Scottsdale
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Seattle Mariners
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Peoria Sports Complex
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Peoria
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Texas Rangers
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Surprise Stadium
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Surprise
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Extended Spring Training
There is another version of spring training, called “extended spring training”, which is for the ‘unready’ inexperienced or injured players. It includes rehabilitation sessions, workouts and exhibition games.
Minor league players also participate in spring training after a telescoped schedule, which usually lasts from March 1 to 31. After the conclusion of training, most of the players are placed in full-season Triple-A, Double-A or Class A farm team rosters. Those who are found unready due to inexperience or injury, are sent to the extended spring training. Once a player is found to be ready for full-season league, he is sent to the team.
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