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chronocollector
14 Jan 06, 10:53 PM
Hi my name is Graham......Visiting Disney for the 1st. time with wife & daughter in March.I found this wonderful site when researching for my visit.

Now I don't know diddly squat about Disney & the other parks...But I do know a little about baseball.

I notice there are a number of threads on the subject so I thought I would pass on my "expertise"

(Please note this is only a rough guide for non Americans visiting the Orlando area and wanting to catch a game. It’s not
intended to be a comprehensive overview of all the options)

The game. (Budget for 2.5 - 3 hours)

It's often said it's like rounders....well it is sort of...But like rounders played by some of the best "athletes" you will ever see. The Pitching and fielding is generally awesome.I will always remember the first time I saw a 90mph. fast ball pitched ...and the sound it made when it hit the catchers glove.Home runs hit over 400 feet, fly balls that seem to travel in to the stratosphere.....Well you get the picture!

You will enjoy the game so much more if you know the basic rules...A number of websites give you a comprehensive run down but just to get the basics I would recommend the BBC website:

ww.news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/us_sport/3562135.stm (The system won't allow me to post URLs ????..... so add a "w" to ww where appropriate)

The regular season (Major & Minor league) lasts from beginning April to end Sept.Teams play 81 home games a season and play 5 or 6 days a week so very few games are total sell outs.

Generally a team will host a couple of teams for a series of 3 or 4 games at a time them maybe go on the road for a week or two.


Florida options.

Spring Training (Grapefruit League)

Dates: March 1st - 31st.

visit : ww.flasports.com/page_prosports_springtraining.shtml
This will give the schedules for all the games and ticket information.


Ticket prices range from around $5 - $25. Unlike football - the higher you go the cheaper it gets.Behind home plate and along the 1st. & 3rd. base lines,lower tier are the most expensive. Most of these seats will be taken by hospitality/season ticket holders & regulars.Spring training/Minor league stadiums are relatively small so you are close to the action wherever you sit.

A tip about tickets...You can get reserved seating and pay the going rate or if you think the stadium won't be full you can get a general admission ticket for around half the price of regular tickets.This gets you in the stadium and you can sit in any seat that's avaliable.Like cricket some people wander around during a game,get a beer or hot dog or just stand around... it's not really rigid seating like say football.All tickets can also be bought at the ticket office before the game...Providing it's not a sell out of course!

Atlanta Braves - (Probably the easiest for holidaymakers)

CrackerJack Stadium at Disney World Wide Sports
Ticket Office 407 939 4263

Tickets for games can be purchased in advance from the UK on a C/C using ticketmaster ($3.50 charge) but beware the only option on international purchases is collection from the ticket office on the day of the game about 1-2 hours before with a $2.50 charge (they call it "will call").If you are in USA just ring the ticket office & reserve,or turn up on the day.

I've booked my tickets for Atalanta Braves V Philadelphia Phillies for 22nd. March using ticketmaster...GO PHILLIES!!!


Detriot Tigers at Lakeland (AKA "Tiger Town")
Joker Marchant Stadium
2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33805

Use ticketmaster for advanced, or ticket office on 561 775 1818
Bear in mind both teams will play the same opposition throughout the month.

Minor League Baseball - Also called "AAA" (Triple A ) or "AA" or "A". Season 156 games Apr - Sept.

AAA is the level down from MLB.This is where the stars of tomorrow learn their trade (or sometimes the stars of today get sent to recover from injury or regain some confidence).Virtually all of today’s superstars started in AAA.It's just about unheard of for a player to go straight in to MLB.AA and A are where the real rookies start


There isn't a AAA or AA club in the Orlando area (They stopped playing in disney a few years ago) The only really convenient clubs for holiday makers wanting to catch a game would be.:

Lakeland Tigers (Florida State league "A" ball) Affiliated to the Detroit Tigers.
Joker Marchant Stadium (As above)


Tampa Yankees (Florida State league "A" ball) Affiliated to the N.Y. Yankees...BOOOOOOOOO!!!!
1 Steinbrenner Drive
Tampa, FL 33614
813 875 7753

Major League Baseball (MLB) Season 162 games (81 home) April - Sept.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tropicana Field
One Tropicana Drive
St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Ticket Office 888-326-7297 (You can order on the internet, download & print your ticket at home using a .pdf file)

Tickets $6 - $22 the stadium will be nowhere near full (holds around 41,000) unless the Yankees or Red Socks are in town,so
plan your ticket purchase accordingly.

Graham

Homer'sWife
14 Jan 06, 11:20 PM
Hi Graham....Your first post is amazing - thank you! I have cut and pasted your info for when we return as my hubby is a big baseball fan!It's really useful stuff to have.

You will have a great holiday! Everyone remembers their first time so fondly:wavey:

Toni:wave:

Pedro
15 Jan 06, 10:21 AM
Thanks Graham, fantastic info.
Peter

Pedro
15 Jan 06, 10:29 AM
Graham, do you know details of fixtures at Disney World Wide Sports in August or is it too early just yet?
Peter

chronocollector
15 Jan 06, 12:23 PM
Hi Peter

If your talking baseball, AFAIK there are no proffesional fixtures played in disney,certainly they don't have a proffesional team. The Orlanda Rays ("AA" Devilrays affiliate) played in Crackerjack Stadium up until a cople of years ago.....They moved to Alabama and are now called........The Montgomery Biscuits (Honest!)

As I said the nearest professional club are the Lakeland Tigers - About half way between Orlando and Tampa.

Graham

NurseHelen
15 Jan 06, 01:31 PM
:wave: firstly let me welcome you to the DIBB:wave:

You really know about baseball, I have not watched a game:( When my brother was recently in Florida, he did go but I forget which team he watched :blush: )

When I return one day to Florida, I will see a game :)

Helen :grin:

Suzie&Stuart
15 Jan 06, 01:42 PM
Good thread Graham. We saw Tampa Vs the Yankees last May, Tampa thrashed them 11-4, and then went on to win the series 4-1.

We are likely to go to Daytona Cubs [Chicago Cubs] this year[April], as we want to see how the minor league do it. Seats cost a massive $6, and VIP seats, well you need to re-mortgage for the huge price of $9, inc inseat waiter service.

Didnt know about the Lakeland Tigers until reading your thread, might see what games they have also.

Thanks for the Info

Stuart

chronocollector
15 Jan 06, 02:13 PM
Hi Stuart.

You will love minor league...It's a totally different experience to "the big show".....It really is like "Bull Durham". The funniest thing I saw was when the stadium offcials were begging people to return a foul balls because they were running out......started negotiating freebies just to get them back!!!

Graham

John
15 Jan 06, 10:14 PM
I did a baseball game at tropicana field in June - I'm not into sport but I thought it was a fantastic experience and will go again if I go back.

John

Suzie&Stuart
16 Jan 06, 04:48 AM
Hi Stuart.

You will love minor league...It's a totally different experience to "the big show".....It really is like "Bull Durham". The funniest thing I saw was when the stadium offcials were begging people to return a foul balls because they were running out......started negotiating freebies just to get them back!!!

Graham

Superb, thats the type of atmosphere I like. Its actually Suzie who got me into the baseball thing, she's been into Baseball for years, but the Yankees game at Tampa was also her first "live show".
Having read your previous post, she's like "that'll do for me". Her two most favourite films are "League of their own" and "Field Of Dreams".

....." If you build it....they will come"..........

Stuart