The Wandering Disciple

Port Charlotte, Florida: Each year at the conclusion of the minor league baseball season, a group of prospects assemble throughout camps in Florida and Arizona for the fall instructional league.  This three week camp gives rising stars an additional opportunity to improve their game in front of the watchful eyes of their clubs player development staff.  While much of the camp is dedicated to skills development, these players get an opportunity to showcase their skill in a few exhibition game. Thursday afternoon, the Rays hosted the Red Sox for an exhibition game.  While these games are regulation nine inning contests, the emphasis is placed on working on fundamentals rather than winning or losing.  Each team will play a handful of games before camp breaks and players head into the off-season. You can catch the boys of summer playing a little fall ball for a few more days before camp ends. Check out your favorite teams website to see a list of players in camp as...

Before a baseball player can make the big time, they have to pay their dues on the backfields of ballparks in Florida and Arizona.  Each spring while the big league clubs play in front of thousands of screaming fans, hopeful big leaguers get their work in with the hopes of one day fulfilling their dreams of making the majors.  Pictured here is the Red Sox Xander Bogaerts taking swings in extended spring training in 2011, two years before he would make his MLB debut with Boston in August of 2013.  (Photo: May 30, 2011)

Sarasota, Florida: It was a soggy, rainy day as the Orioles hosted the Red Sox during the Fall Instructional League. The game time was moved up to avoid a rain-out but it didn't keep the rain away as the teams competed under the light for a day game. Click on the photo for photos from the Orioles/Red Sox game .

Sarasota, Florida: The Baltimore Orioles edged the Boston Red Sox 6-5 in a spring training exhibition game on Friday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium. The Orioles jumped out to an early two run lead in the first inning when Adam Jones delivered a two-run homer to give the O's a 2-0 lead.  Then in the top of the second, the Red Sox countered with two runs of their own. Jason Repko singled home a run with a line drive to second. Then Lars Anderson later scored on a passed ball to tie the game 2-2. The Orioles regained the lead in the third on a home run by Nike Markakis. The two run shot gave the Orioles a 4-2 lead. The Orioles added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Robert Andino doubled home Mark Reynolds to extend the lead to 5-2. Both clubs exchanged runs in the sixth inning. It was Tony Thomas scoring on an RBI single by Mauro Gomez in the top of the inning. Then in the bottom half, Andino drove home his second run of the night with an RBI single to ...