The Wandering Disciple

Spring is in the air as MLB spring training camps are in full swing throughout Florida and Arizona. While camp takes on a different look this season due to COVID-19 protocols, the goal of preparing for the upcoming season and run for the World Series is still the same. Workouts continue this week and game start next week. Once games begin, limited fans will be permitted within the stadium. Spring Training concludes at the end of March. (Photo: February 20, 2019)

When the Orioles open camp this spring in Sarasota, it will be the tenth year they have called Ed Smith Stadium their Birdland South. The Orioles relocated to Sarasota from Fort Lauderdale in 2000. Prior to that, Ed Smith Stadium was home to the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. The stadium was built in 1989 but underwent a major renovation in 2011. While players have begun to report to camp, the spring opener at Ed Smith will be on February 23 against the Boston Red Sox. (Photo: March 1, 2016)

Spring is in the air and the boys of summer are back out on the field. The crack of the bat fills the air as major league clubs open up spring training in Florida and Arizona. For the next month, players will use the spring sunshine to help tune their skills in advance of the 2020 regular season as each team pushes for the postseason. (Photo: February 27, 2016)

The Boys of Summer are back on the field as minor league spring training games kicked off this week.   The minor leaguers will spend the next couple weeks playing scrimmage games to prepare for their regular season.   Unlike the major leaguers who get all the attention, the minor league players grind it out every day in the shadows of the stadiums as they chase their dreams of playing in the majors.   (Photo: March 13, 2019)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter gives home plate umpire John Hirschbeck a piece of his mind following a controversial call during a spring training game in 2015. Umpires are human and make mistakes but there is nothing better then watching a manager spotlight those mistakes for the crowd to see. A good manager argument is just as much a part of the game as hitting, pitching and fielding. (Photo: March 27, 2015)

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado warms up before a spring training game in 2015.  Drafted by the Orioles as the third overall pick in the 2010 draft, Machado made his major league debut with the Orioles in 2012.  He is one of the premier infielders in the league, earning a spot on the all-star team three times and winning two gold gloves and one platinum gloves.  (Photo: March 11, 2015)

Despite the cold weather sweeping the nation, Florida and Arizona are about to heat up with spring training baseball in a little over 45 days.  The crack of the bat and baseballs snapping the leather of the gloves with fill the air as the boys of summer take to the field and begin preparations for the 2018 season.  (Photo: February 28, 2015)

Miami Marlins pitcher Wei-Yin Chen gets work during a minor league spring training game in 2013 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. As spring training progresses, its not uncommon to see a big league pitcher get work in during a minor league game while the big league club is on the road. This allows the big league pitcher to get his innings in their own camp rather than taking a bus to a visitor's ballpark. (Photo: March 13, 2013)

Hall of Fame hitter Ted Williams once said "The hardest thing to do in baseball is hit a round ball with a round bat squarely." This one quote sums up hitting at all levels of baseball. Hitting a baseball is probably the hardest feat in professional sport. The advantage always lies with the pitcher even before the ball leaves his hand. (Photo: March 14, 2012)

Baltimore Orioles shortstop JJ Hardy ranges out into shallow left to record an out during a Grapefruit League spring training game in 2012.  The popular shortstop has been a member of the Orioles since 2011 and before that he played for the Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins.  Hardy has been named a Gold Glove winner three times as a member of the O's.  (Photo: March 8, 2012)

Sarasota, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays ventured north to Ed Smith Stadium for a Grapefruit League matchup against fellow AL East competitor Baltimore Orioles. Despite having the long ball working for the home team, it was the consistent offense production of the Rays that lead to the 9-6 Rays win. The Rays jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Steven Souza singled home Corey Dickerson to put the Rays on the board. Souza Jr later scored on an RBI single by Curt Casali to give the Rays a 2-0 lead. Both teams exchanged runs in the second. In the top of the inning Dickerson singled home Braxton Lee. Then in the bottom, Orioles catcher Francisco Pena scored on an RBI single by Craig Gentry to make it 3-1. The Rays pushed across a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Lee scored for the second time this afternoon on an RBI single by Nick Franklin. Franklin would later score on a single by Souza Jr to increase the led to 5-1. The Orioles would get back a run in the fi...

Port Charlotte, Florida: The bats were red hot on Sunday afternoon as the Tampa Bay Rays blasted the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 in Grapefruit League action at Charlotte Sports Park. The Rays combined for four homers including two by Casey Gillaspie who hit one from each side of the plate and a moon shot by Jake Bauers. The Rays broke the scoreless tie in the second inning on a two run blast Bauers. The ball landed on the roof of the administrative building in right field with unofficial estimates of 450 feet from home plate. The Blue Jays battled back to tie the game in the fifth. Dwight Smith Jr delivered a two run double to left that scored Rowdy Tellez and Jonathan Diaz to tie the game. The Rays regained the lead in the sixth on a solo homer by Evan Longoria, his first of the spring. The Rays added some insurance in the form of three runs in the seventh. Gillaspie struck his first of two homers to get the scoring started. Later in the inning Ryan Brett singled home Pat L...

Sarasota, Florida:  With the World Baseball Classic just days away, the Baltimore Orioles hosted the defending champion Dominican Republic in exhibition action at Ed Smith Stadium.  The Dominican Republic lineup looked like a team of all-stars as they rolled into Sarasota for Tuesday’s game.  The home team Orioles broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning.  Two runs would score on an RBI single by Hyun Soo Kim to make it 2-0 Orioles. The Dominican Republic countered in the top of the sixth.  They waked the bases loaded and then a free pass to Carlos Santana plated Jose Reyes for their first run of the after.  Later in the inning, Jonathan Villar scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. The Orioles regained the lead in eighth inning.  Audry Perez singled home Sean Coyle to give the Orioles a 3-2. The Dominican Republic countered with a pair of runs in the ninth to take their first lead of the afternoon.  Nelson C...

Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer Michael Mosby drives a pitch down the left field line during a minor league spring training game at the Orioles Minor League Complex at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota, Florida.  (Photo: April 1, 2011)

Alex Colome looks in for the sign from his battery mate during a minor league spring training game against the Orioles.  These backfields are the starting point on the road to the majors for young professional baseball players.  (Photo: March 31, 2011)

Every play in baseball begins with one thing, the pitch.  Delivered from the pitchers hand, the pitch is what gets everything going.  It is this very reason that the pitcher has been designated number one on the scorecard.  (Photo: March 24, 2011)

Orioles minor leaguer Michael Mosby rounds the bases after hitting a home run in a minor league spring training game against the Rays in 2011.  While the major league players are getting work in the main stadium in front of thousands of spectators, the hundreds of minor league players are playing their spring training games on the backfields in front of coaches and staff.  (Photo: March 19, 2011)

They say the hardest thing in sports is to hit a fastball thrown by a professional pitcher.  The was made more evident in a famous quote by Ted Williams, one of the best hitters the game has ever seen.   At 90 miles per hour, a hitter has less than a quarter second to read the pitch and decide to swing.  Combine this with having to determine where in the zone the pitch will be at the precise time you make contact, it is no wonder why the rate of failure at hitting is higher than success.  (Photo: March 17, 2011)

The face of the Rays warms up prior to a spring training game in 2011.  Evan Longoria, the Rays all-star first baseman is one of the most recognizable player on the Tampa Bay Rays.  (Photo: March 5, 2011)

In just a little over a month, the boys of summer return to Florida and Arizona to prep for the 2017 baseball season.  The spring training sites spring to life with the sound of baseball when pitcher and catchers report this year on February 13.  (Photo: March 1, 2011)