spring training question

by trgordon723 on Jan 8, 2008 1:32 PM CST

I just finalized my plans to go to spring training this year. I have been many times before, but I was really wanting to go watch some minor league workouts in the mornings at the Rangers complex. I was wondering, do the Rangers pass out a roster so you can tell who the minor league players are, or do you have to know the players face to figure out who they are? I know all the names from this website but couldn't pick very many out of a crowd if I had to. Thanks for the help!

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Ranger Minor Leaguers Are A Big Secret

Most of the other teams in issue the minor leaguers jerseys with numbers and names - but the Rangers do not. In fact, many times the numbers minor leaguers wear change a couple of times during spring training. I guess the organization doesn't want anyone to know who is who.

Seriously, they don't have names on their jerseys, they do change numbers - it's hard to figure out who is who. There is no list, and the one year there was one - all the numbers had changed by the time I got it.

During the morning workouts you just have to guess, but in during the afternoon games - there are generally pitchers either standing around or sitting in the stands - and if you ask them politely (don't bother them while they are trying to chart pitches) about a specific player (at bat or in the field) they will tell you. Just don't ask them to name everyone - most of the time they don't even know everyone.

Hope that helps.

EMC

by EMC on Jan 8, 2008 2:53 PM CST reply actions

Thanks

Disappointing news...but thanks anyway.

by trgordon723 on Jan 8, 2008 3:24 PM CST reply actions

What financials are involved in your trip?

I have to take some vacation time around then and was thinking about driving out there from Dallas, but I wasn't sure if it would be too costly.

by chief on Jan 8, 2008 5:04 PM CST reply actions

not too bad

I'm flying out of Austin on Southwest, I have two free tickets from rapid rewards or whatever. I got a hotel room at a hampton inn in surprise for around 160 a night. The bad part is not until the second part of the trip. I'm driving up to Las Vegas for a few days and am struggling to find a hotel under 5oo a night.

by trgordon723 on Jan 8, 2008 11:58 PM CST up reply actions

Spring Training

The trip to Surprise is less time consuming and much less expensive than Port Charlotte.

If you aren't flying out of DFW - air fares are very reasonable - and the fares from DFW to Phoenix have decreased (since Southwest does fly to Phonenix from Love Field - but it takes forever) - my fare from DFW airport this year is less than $300.00

The other good news is that there are more places to stay and dine in Surprise than there were a couple of years ago. The lesser expensive hotels are the Days Inn on Bell Rd., there's a Motel 6 on Grand Ave too. I've stayed at the Days Inn several times - it's a nice place. Used to be you had to fight the traffic on Bell Rd. (which is beyond miserable most of the time) to get anywhere for lunch/dinner - but they've really built up the area around the Rangers Spring Training facility - there are plenty restaurants and that saves tons of time and aggravation.

My suggestion: make your reservations early - the hotels fill up fast.

The other item worth noting is that Indians are moving their Spring Training facilities to Goodyear AZ in 2009 - which is fairly close the Rangers/Royals - and next season the Dodgers are moving to Glendale AZ - near the ugly Cardinals football stadium that is will also be close by (about the same distance as the Mariners/Padres facility in Peoria on the other end of Bell Rd) - so hotels, rental cars and ariline tickets will be in even more demand.

EMC

by EMC on Jan 9, 2008 12:19 PM CST up reply actions