MLB Tickets Now

What To Expect During Spring Training

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

As Spring training ends for another year and the players get ready for the regular season, we again wonder what the whole point of it was? Each year we get excited about the prospect of baseball starting up again, and then get bored with the whole concept of watching exhibition games that don’t mean anything. The thing is, Spring Training is not really for the fans. Oh sure, we pay to see the games, and we get excited for the fact that baseball means an end to the cold weather (in theory), but in truth, Spring Training is more about the players getting ready to play ball and the teams taking a look at new prospects, then the fans getting anything truly “exciting”.

As a fan, you expect Spring Training to give you the first look at not only new prospects, but also players who were traded to different teams. It allows you to see how a player fits into an established team, and getting an inkling of whether your team will be contenders this year. Of course, the fact that the Yankees and Red Sox always seem to have sub .500 records in Spring Training also means that winning and losing games aren’t everything either.

Who Are The Teams In Contention This Year

admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The thing about baseball is when you are talking about World Series Contenders, you have a tendency to talk about the same teams over and over again. Starting in the American League, you have the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees fighting over the East Crown, once again. The Red Sox got some got the best free agents in the off season and are looking to overtake the Yankees once again. The Rays lost their big bats, which means that it may be a long year for them. The Central should once again be a dogfight between the White Sox and the Twins, though the Tigers have an outside shot at taking the title. And while the Angels didn’t get who they wanted in the off-season, look for them to compete with the Rangers and the A’s for the wide open West title.

Over in the National League, the East will see Philadelphia as the favorite with quite possibly the best pitching rotation of all time; though don’t sleep on Atlanta or Florida. The Central may be the hottest race in all of baseball with the Cubs, Cardinals, Reds and a much improved Brewers team all looking to take the title. And then there is the National League West. Always exciting, expect another dog fight between the Dodgers, Padres and defending World Series Champion Giants.

The New Rookies of Major League Baseball

admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

This season’s MLB rookie class was really something to watch. Each gave an amazing effort and outstanding performance, truly setting the bar high for future rookies to come. I would like to give credit to the lower levels of the Major League Baseball organization and the developments they have made. Because of their progress, these rookies are coming into the league well equipped, more prepared, and with better knowledge and understanding of the game. They are showing more maturity, both on and off the field, putting up spectacular numbers, and carrying themselves like seasoned veterans. A couple of them were even considered for MVP honors. While all the rookies are indeed rising stars and there are no clear cut favorites, there were a couple who stood out. Buster Posey,http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id457763, catcher for the San Francisco Giants, won Rookie of the Year for the National League. The first Giant to win since 1975, he had 18 homeruns and 67 RBIs, making them World Series champions. American League Rookie of the Year winner Neftali Feliz,http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id491703, deserves recognition as well. The closing pitcher for the Texas Rangers helped them reach their first World Series ever, and set a rookie record of 40 saves! So the question is stick to be answered, who will fall into the Sophomore Slump?

Off-season Fan-djustments

www.mlbticketsnow.com — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The off-season is a reminder that we can’t attend every baseball game, no matter how much a fan might want to be at the ballpark. And for fans of baseball, not so much just one specific team, it’s only physically possible to attend one game per day (save for perhaps a doubleheader or Cubs/Whitesox, Yankees/Mets split). As a result, while managers and GM’s spend the off-season gearing up for spring, fans can make adjustments as well in order to make sure they watch as efficiently as possible in the upcoming season. Spending less money, seeing more games (both in person and at home), doing a fan’s part in willing his or her team towards October glory, it all starts in the months leading up to opening day. So what can you do to make a bigger commitment to baseball in 2011?Season Tickets The holy grail of professional sports fandom, season ticket holders are kingpins, even among aficionados. Arguably the only fans in the stadium with a legitimate right to gripe when the franchise falters, season ticket holders, like players, make a commitment to the team for the full-season. Not to mention, even when out of town, friends and clients will always appreciate an occasional ticket source.Direct TV MLB Extra Innings Great for both fans of a specific team who no longer live within driving distance of the home stadium and general baseball fans who enjoy games regardless of who’s playing. The Extra Innings Package shows up to 80 out of market MLB games a week and is bundled with the MLB Network for additional coverage, opinion and analysis.MLB.tv For technologically savvy sports fans, MLB.tv offers a similar service to Extra Innings, but with games streaming live over the internet as opposed to specific channels. Video is available in varying quality according to price, with options of 400K, 800K and 1.2K. Though MLB is subject to local blackout restrictions, the service does provide gameday audio that is free from such limitations.

Spring Training Preview

www.mlbticketsnow.com — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Though we may be mired in the frigid grip of winter, spring is always just around the corner, a source of optimism and hope for baseball fans across the globe as we attempt to look past these bleak baseball-less months. The beginning of March marks the beginning of baseball season, with legions of fans making the trip to their favorite teams spring training site. The Grapefruit League hosts 15 teams with all games played within the state of Florida. The Cactus League also hosts 15 clubs, taking advantage of the warm Arizona desert. Not all competitions are exclusively professional; for example, many big league teams will match up against local college talent in exhibitions, such as Atlanta Braves vs. Georgia Tech, Boston Red Sox vs. Boston College, etc. Furthermore, even in games with two major league teams listed, many clubs utilize split squads, enabling for simultaneous games and allowing for more total playing time. Though spring training statistics do not count towards regulation play, March numbers can go a long way towards building a players confidence entering the season. Not to mention, many rookies earn their spot in the lineup, rotation or bullpen, as spring training position battles are a rite of passage for most aspiring ballplayers. So, where can you see your favorite team play this March? Below is a full listing of participating organizations by league and their spring baseball headquarters.Grapefruit League Florida: Atlanta Braves: Champion Stadium, Lake Buena Vista at Walt Disney World Boston Red Sox: City of Palms Park, Fort Myers Baltimore Orioles: Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota Detroit Tigers: Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland Florida Marlins: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter Houston Astros: Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee Minnesota Twins: Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers New York Mets: Digital Domain Park, Port St. Lucie New York Yankees: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa Philadelphia Phillies: Bright House Field, Clearwater Pittsburgh Pirates: McKechnie Field, Bradenton St. Louis Cardinals: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter Tampa Bay Rays: Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte Toronto Blue Jays: Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin Washington Nationals: Space Coast Stadium, VieraCactus League Arizona: Arizona Diamondbacks: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale Chicago Cubs: HoHoKam Park, Mesa Chicago White Sox: Camelback Ranch, Glendale Cincinnati Reds: Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear Cleveland Indians: Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear Colorado Rockies: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale Kansas City Royals: Surprise Stadium, Surprise Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe Los Angeles Dodgers: Camelback Ranch, Glendale Milwaukee Brewers: Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix Oakland Athletics: Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Phoenix San Diego Padres: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria San Francisco Giants: Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale Seattle Mariners: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria Texas Rangers: Surprise Stadium, Surprise

Red Hot New Rivalry (Reds Cardinals, Sept 3 5)

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:25:29 +0000

Highlight September 3^rd through 5^th on your calendar, no matter whether your rose-colored glasses skew towards the Redbirds of St. Louis or the Big Red Machine in Cincinnati. Baseball’s hottest new rivalry, Reds vs. Cardinals, will write its final regular season chapter over Labor Day weekend, with both teams still in contention for the top spot in the National League Central. Since a franchise high point the in the late 80′s and early 90′s, the Reds have been mired in decades of mediocrity, however with the team’s resurgence towards the top of the standings this season, the two divisional foes have reignited the flame.Cincinnati second baseman, Brandon Phillips, poured proverbial gasoline on the fire when he recounted his personal sentiments towards St. Louis, telling reporters, “I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is expletive and moan about everything, all of them, they’re all little expletives, all of ‘em. I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear I hate the Cardinals.”In case the central theme, message or motif eluded you, Brandon Phillips is not a Cardinals fan. The Reds most vocal player saw the repercussions of his hatred flare up into retributive action the last time these two teams met, turning into a bench-clearing brawl. When Phillips took to the plate, he issued a tap of the bat to catcher Yadier Molina’s shin plate, a common sign of friendship among big leaguers, however it was met with contempt from the Cardinals’ catcher. Words escalated and a full on melee ensued, resulting in player and manager suspensions in both dugouts. The Cardinals ended up sweeping the series to retake first place in the Central from the Reds, though the race should be tight as the season enters its final stretch.

Trading Players and Places in the NL East (Braves Phillies, Sept 20 22)

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:20:02 +0000

After running a streak of 14 straight NL East pennants over the course of the 90′s and early 2000′s, the Atlanta Braves have not seen the playoffs since they fell short to the Houston Astros in the 2005 NLDS. Now, in longtime manager Bobby Cox’s final season as Braves’ skipper, the team is once again in position to make a post-season push. Forming their most likely opposition are the Philadelphia Phillies, who have walked away with their own divisional pennants in back to back seasons now. The battle for the NL East looks to come down to one final high intensity series scheduled to begin on September 20^th, spanning three games. Both the Braves and Phillies positioned themselves for late season runs as they moved to add the necessary pieces before the trade deadline approached.The Phillies made arguably the biggest splash in this season’s trade market, acquiring starting pitcher Roy Oswalt from the Astros for their less proven starting commodity J.A. Happ, along with a host of prospects. Oswalt marks a consistent trend of big Philadelphia pitching moves as they have struck to acquire Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in recent seasons. The Braves, on the other hand, shipped out shortstop Yunel Escobar to the Blue Jays, getting veteran shortstop Alex Gonzalez in return, in addition to two raw minor leaguers. The Braves hope Gonzalez will provide defensive consistency and an offensive boost, as Escobar, an otherwise highly regarded player, struggled through much of the season. In a deadline deal, the Braves also acquired Rick Ankiel from the Kansas City Royals. Ankiel should contribute as a rotation player in both left field and center, adding a little pop to the back end of the batting order. Atlanta followed up with a waiver wire deal to acquire Derek Lee from the Cubs, in an effort to replace the corner-infield bat lost to the Chipper Jones injury.The Braves took 2 of 3 in the two teams most recent meeting, though new lineups and roster additions could change the face of the rivalry when the two teams take the field one final time in 2010.

Traditional Turmoil atop the AL East (Red Sox Yankees, Sept 24 26)

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:49:08 +0000

The Yankees and Red Sox will renew their acquaintance for one more 3 game series in 2010, in the regular season’s penultimate set of games. As usual, playoff implications should once again be on the line when the two teams take the field at Yankee Stadium on September 24, 25 and 26. The Yankees currently lead the AL East, facing intense competition from both the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays currently trail the Yanks by just one game, with the Red Sox sitting in 3^rd place, well within striking distance. The three AL East leaders are put in a unique situation by the lack of parity found throughout the rest of the American League. Were any of the three to relocate the Central or Western divisions, they would either find themselves as division leaders or mired in merely a two team race, with the Texas Rangers standing as the sole team in the AL with a comparable record.The Rays have posed formidable competition in recent seasons, but prior to 2008 Tampa Bay had never experienced a winning season in their 10 seasons of franchise history. The Red Sox and Yankees on the other hand, provide the most talked about, watched, written about and intensely scrutinized rivalry in all of Major League Baseball, if not professional sports. The two teams first met on April 26^th, 1901, back when the Yankees franchise was based in Baltimore (they would relocate to New York in 1903 and adopt the Yankees as their official moniker in 1913). The Yankees have an edge in the cumulative series, with a record of 1,124 Wins, 938 Losses and 14 ties against the Red Sox, winning at a .545 clip. The teams have met three times in postseason play, with the Yankees taking 11 of 19 games. However most recently, in 2004, to the delight of Red Sox nation, Boston emerged victorious in one of the most memorable series to date. Down 3 games to 0 in the ALCS, the Red Sox rattled off 4 straight wins to advance to the World Series, where they would later dispose of the Cardinals in just 4 games.

How Will the West Be Won? (Giants Padres, Sept 9 12)

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:41:58 +0000

When the Padres and Giants square off in a 4-game series beginning September 9^th, unexpected implications will be on the line. Only a season ago, the San Diego Padres finished the regular season a full 20 games back in the National League West. To the see Fathers atop the standings at this late juncture is a surprise to many, perhaps even San Diego fans themselves. Just a year after trading away Jake Peavy, their ace over the past few seasons, a wide selection of analysts and writers across the country expected the Padres to take a step backwards in 2010, though so far the San Diego ship appears to be sailing along, full steam ahead. Their closest competition for divisional supremacy comes out of San Francisco where the Giants are in the midst of an impressive turn around in their own right. While the Giants faired slightly better than the Padres over the course of the 2009 season, sporting a winning percentage of .543 and finishing just 7 games back of the pennant and 4 out of Wild Card berth, San Francisco fans haven’t enjoyed post season play since they won the West in 2003. In 2008, the two teams finished 4^th and 5^thwithin the 5 team division.San Diego is paced in almost every hitting category by first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who in spite of the clubs struggles in recent seasons, has established himself as a consistent middle of order bat. Mat Latos has provided the Padres with a surprising lift off the mound in only his second year of exposure to The Show, pacing the Padres in Wins, ERA and strikeouts. San Francisco’s offense has been powered by an unexpected resurgence from 33-year old veteran Aubrey Huff, who leads the Giants in average, home runs, RBIs and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). The Giants have been the recipients of the same steadily dominant play out of Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, once again among the league’s best young arms. It should be noted that both the Dodgers and Rockies are still very alive in the NL West race, though a few games out, well within conceivable striking distance.

A Lap Around the AL Central Carousel (Twins White Sox, Sept 14 16)

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:34:44 +0000

A new year should once again mean a new name atop the ever changing carousel better known as the American League Central. With the Detroit Tigers winning the pennant in 2007, the White Sox following suit in 2008 and the Twins taking home the crown last season, great competition has defined the division at the expense of consistency. The 2010 season will most likely see one of the previous two division winners once again lay claim to the automatic playoff berth afforded to the AL Central winner. The Twins and White sox will match up on September 14^th in the first game of a 3-game series. The competition should heat up, as it’s likely only one of the two teams will realize their playoff aspirations, with a three-set of better record teams currently competing for the AL East’s top spot.The White Sox have made more headlines this season, though it has been more indicative of manager Ozzie Guillen’s off-field commentary than the ball club’s on-field performance. The White Sox have been an inconsistent bunch, though they remain in good position. Second-year player Gordon Beckham has spent the entire season lost in a sophomore slump, while ace Jake Peavy suffered a season ending injury after a good-not-great start to the year. A rejuvenated Paul Konerko and a back from the dead Alex Rios have carried the White Sox offense thus far, with John Danks leading the way for the White Sox’s pitching staff. Minnesota, on the other hand, has fallen back on their traditional heroes to knock in their runs. Catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau are up to their usual antics, providing productive statistics from the Twins heart of the order, while left fielder Delmon Young may have finally taken the next step towards heighted echelon of Major League outfielders in his 4^th full season of service. Out of the bullpen, Jon Rauch has provided stability in the closer role, a position that came into question when Joe Nathan went down with a season-ending injury in March.