The Wandering Disciple

Jeff Keppinger throws pop ups during a kid's clinic during Spring Training 2009. The annual clinic was a way for the Reds to reach out to the community and inspire the next generation of kids to follow their dreams of playing baseball.  The Cincinnati Reds held spring training in Sarasota from 1998 through 2009. Ed Smith Stadium was their spring home and during each season they hosted a Kid's Clinic in which current players and coaches spent an afternoon working with local kids. The Reds would later move to Goodyear, Arizona and today the stadium is the spring home of the Baltimore Orioles.  Taken: February 21, 2009 at Ed Smith Stadium (Sarasota, FL)

The worn out look of the old Ed Smith Stadium back in 2007 when it was the Florida operations for the Cincinnati Reds.  The stadium hosted the Cincinnati Reds for spring training, the Sarasota Reds of the Florida State League and the Gulf Coast Reds of the Gulf Coast League until they moved operations to Arizona.  The stadium then underwent a major face lift before becoming the Florida home for the Baltimore Orioles.  (Photo: January 31, 2007)

Ken Griffey Jr chats with umpire John Hirschbeck during a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium in 2008. In just a couple of weeks, the ballparks in Florida and Arizona will come alive as major league spring training opens up for the 2015 season. (Photo: March 16, 2008)

Cincinnati Reds minor league outfielder Drew Stubbs works with kids during the 2009 Reds Kids Clinic at Ed Smith Stadium.  The kids clinic took place annually during spring training when professional baseball players would take time out of their schedule to work with the kids at different skills stations.  The program was discontinued when the Reds moved their spring training operations to Arizona.  (Photo: February 21, 2009)

Sarasota, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 in spring training action at Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday. The Rays took the lead in the first inning. Jason Bartlett was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. Carl Crawford then singled to right moving Bartlett to second. But Bartlett was lost from the bases after he was doubled off second on a line drive by Evan Longoria. Crawford then moved into scoring position after stealing second. Carlos Pena drove home Crawford with an RBI double to right. Pena later scored on a double by Pat Burrell, giving the Rays a 2-0 lead. Cincinnati reached the scoreboard in the second inning. Craig Tatum got things going with a single to left. Paul Janish later drove him home with an RBI triple to right, cutting the lead in half 2-1. Tampa Bay added an insurance run in the fourth inning. Willy Aybar went deep with a solo home run to give the Rays the 3-1 margin of victory. Scott Kazmir earned his first win of the spring and...

Port Charlotte, Florida: Professional baseball has returned to Charlotte County with the inaugural spring training game for the Tampa Bay Rays. The memories of 2008 filled the stadium as the American League Championship trophy was on display in the team store, the championship flag was raised in left field and the roster was stocked full of the players that made the championship run possible. But unfortunately the Rays fell to the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 in the opening day of spring training. Cincinnati broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Ramon Hernandez, Jacque Jones and Willy Taveras singled to load the bases for the Reds. Then Jerry Hairston Jr. cleared the bases with a grand slam. Adam Rosales then reached base on an error to put another runner aboard. Darnell McDonald drove Rosales home with a single to center, giving Cincinnati a 5-0 lead. The Reds posted two more runs in the ninth inning. Daryle Ward singled to center with two outs to get things started. Then Adam ...

Sarasota, Florida: The Reds minor league squad took on a squad from the Twins for a fall exhibition game under sunny skies at Ed Smith Stadium for the final game of the fall instructional league. The Fall Instructional League follows the completion of the regular league season and consists of highly regarded prospects in the lower levels of minor league baseball. The players compete in a series of games and workouts to help refine their game and advance their careers. Just like minor league spring training and extended spring training, the purpose of the instructional league is to enhance a player’s game. No stats or scores are officially recorded; the focus is strictly on player development and not competition. Click on the photo above for pictures from the Reds/Twin gallery.

Sarasota, Florida: Almost 7,000 fans packed Ed Smith Stadium on a sunny Sunday afternoon to watch the Cincinnati Reds face the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training exhibition game. Those fans enjoyed a great pitching duel between the Reds Edinson Volquez and the Phillies Brett Myers, but when the game was over, it was the Phillies holding on to a 6-2 victory. Both Volquez and Myers clinged to a shut-out through five innings of play. It wasn’t until bottom of the sixth inning when the scoreless tie would be broken. That’s when the Reds stuck for two runs to take the lead. Ken Griffey Jr drove home Juan Castro and Alvin Colina to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. The Phillies struck in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of the Reds bullpen, rocking both Gary Majewski and Todd Coffey. The Phillies used two hits and four walks to score three runs and take the lead 3-2. The Phillies added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning to ensure their victory. Brett Myers picked ...

Cincinnati, Ohio: The Cincinnati Reds are a major league baseball team from Cincinnati, Ohio and are a member of the central division of the National League. The Reds are five time world champions and won the National League pennant nine times in their history. They are the oldest team in professional baseball. They began play in 1866 as the Cincinnati Red Stocking and were originally an amateur team and gained professional status in 1869. The Red Stockings went 130 games in a row without a loss from 1869 to 1870 with the 1869 season being an undefeated season at 57-0. In 1870, the team relocated to Boston and became the Boston Red Stockings. The city of Cincinnati returned to professional with a new Red Stockings team in 1876. However the team was banned from the league in 1880 for serving beer to fans and renting their ballpark out on Sundays. The Red Stocking resurfaced again in 1882, this time in the American Association where they won the league title their first season. They pla...

Sarasota, Florida: About fifty area kids attended the annual Kids Clinic held by the Cincinnati Reds at Ed Smith Stadium. The annual clinic occurs each year during spring training and allows the kids the opportunity to learn some points from their big league idols. The kids broke into groups and then took the field with the Reds players. Alvin Colina and Craig Tatum worked the catchers clinic, Alexander Smit worked with the pitchers, Andy Green and Paul Janish worked the infield clinic and Jeff Keppinger and Ryan Freel worked the outfield clinic. While the kids rotated to each clinic, the parents sat in the stands and got tip from minor league manager Rick Sweet. After the clinics were over, the kids hit the dugout to share stories and then met with the Reds mascot who helped raffle off autographed baseballs from the Reds players. The free kids event has taken place yearly since the Reds have been training here in Sarasota.

Sarasota, Florida: For over twenty years, Ed Smith Stadium has played host to every level of baseball from high school to professional as well as hosted concerts, circuses and even political rallies. The tradition of baseball nearly came to an end, but a last minute vote by local government saved the tradition and brought with it a multi-million dollar renovation to the ballpark. Today the facility is the spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles. Built in 1989, Ed Smith Stadium features seating for 7,500 people. The stadium has been the spring training home to the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds and most recently the Baltimore Orioles. During the summer and fall, the stadium has hosted a minor league baseball team as well as high school and amateur tournaments. When baseball is not in season, the stadium offers its grounds for the Sarasota Blue Festival, Circus Sarasota and during the 2009 elections was the site of Barack Obama’s Sarasota rally. 1989-1997: Chicago White Sox (m...