ReportWire

Tag: cactus league

  • Colorado Rockies 2026 spring training guide

    [ad_1]

    With a rebuilt front office and manager Warren Schaeffer entering his first full season at the helm, the Rockies enter spring training intent on rebounding from a 119-loss season that was the worst in franchise history and the third-most losses in the majors in a single season since 1901.

    [ad_2]

    Patrick Saunders

    Source link

  • Rockies spring training recap: Bullpen puts up second straight scoreless outing in Colorado’s third straight win

    Rockies spring training recap: Bullpen puts up second straight scoreless outing in Colorado’s third straight win

    [ad_1]

    Rockies 4, Royals 2

    Tuesday at Salt River Fields

    On the mound: Right-hander Cal Quantrill scuffled in his second start this spring, allowing two runs on seven hits, one walk and zero strikeouts over four innings. He has a 4.50 ERA in six innings of Cactus League action. The bullpen put up its second straight scoreless outing, with LHP Evan Justice, RHP John Curtiss, RHP Tyler Kinley, RHP Justin Lawrence and RHP Geoff Hartlieb each going one inning. Justice (5 2/3 IP) and Kinley (5 IP) have yet to allow a run this spring.

    At the plate: Infielder Brendan Rodgers (2 for 3, double) and center fielder Brenton Doyle (1 for 3) each had productive days. Rogers is now hitting .385 (10 for 26) and Doyle .370 (10 for 27) this spring. Coco Montes smashed a two-run homer, his first of the spring, in the bottom of the second, and fellow non-roster invitee Bradley Zimmer recorded a hit in his lone at-bat to move to .429 (12-for-28) in 13 spring games. The Rockies have a .281 team batting average (second-best in all of baseball) and 11-6-1 record in Cactus League play.

    Prospect watch: Right-hander reliever Riley Pint, who has still only pitched one-third of an inning in the majors, had a solid camp but was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque Tuesday, along with infielder Julio Carreras, infielder/outfielder Hunter Goodman and right-hander Gavin Hollowell. Also, catcher Braxton Fulford and outfielder Jordan Beck were reassigned to minor league camp. The Rockies have 42 active players remaining in major league camp, 12 non-roster players.

    Up Next: Rockies at D-backs, 1:10 p.m. Wednesday

    Rockies probable pitchers: RHP Tanner Gordon, LHP Carson Palmquist, RHP Jaden Hill, RHP Matt Koch, LHP Ty Blach.

    [ad_2]

    Matt Schubert

    Source link

  • Rockies spring training recap: Prospect Yanquiel Fernandez shows off power, Jaden Hill throws 99.2 mph fastball

    Rockies spring training recap: Prospect Yanquiel Fernandez shows off power, Jaden Hill throws 99.2 mph fastball

    [ad_1]

    Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 2
    Saturday at Salt River Fields

    On the mound: Right-hander Noah Davis, competing for a spot in the back of the rotation, pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out three. Davis threw 40 pitches (with 23 strikes) while mixing in all five of his pitches. He said that his game plan going into his first Cactus League start was to work on all of his pitches — sinker, curve, cutter, slider and curveball. Manager Bud Black said he wants to see more pitch efficiency from Davis.  … Lefty prospect Joe Rock had a rough two innings, yielding five runs (four earned) on four hits, with one walk, one strikeout and a wild pitch that allowed a run to score. He’s pegged as a starter in the minors to begin the season.

    At the plate: Outfield prospect Yanquiel Fernandez, who boasts intriguing power, hit a 419-foot solo homer to right in the sixth inning off of lefty Andrew Saalfrank. Fernandez nearly hit another homer in the ninth but just got under the ball and lifted it to the right-field warning track.

    Injury update: Starting third baseman Ryan McMahon made a nice play by diving and throwing out a runner at second base in the third inning, but stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes after tweaking his lower back. He stayed in the game, however, and got another at-bat. “It was just a small spasm and I waited for it to calm down,” McMahon said. “It’s fine now.”

    Prospect watch: Right-hander Jaden Hill, who’s been converted from a starter to a reliever, threw a perfect seventh inning, striking out two. Hill’s hottest fastball was clocked at 99.2 mph.

    Rockies 5, A’s 1
    Saturday at Hohokam Stadium

    Peter Lambert (20) of the Colorado Rockies works against the the Oakland A’s during Colorado’s 5-1 Spring Training win at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    On the mound: Right-hander Peter Lambert, the favorite to win the fifth spot in the rotation, pitched two scoreless innings, allowing no hits while walking two. … All told, seven Colorado pitchers combined to limit Oakland to three hits and two walks while striking out six.

    At the plate: Michael Toglia, trying to stake his claim in the crowded position battle at first base/right field, hit a solo homer off Osvaldo Bido in the fourth. … Outfield prospect Jimmy Herron had two hits and drove in two runs.

    Jimmy Herron dives towards second against the the Oakland A's during Colorado's 5-1 Spring Training win at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Jimmy Herron dives towards second against the the Oakland A’s during Colorado’s 5-1 Spring Training win at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    Prospect watch: Infielder Aaron Schunk, who’s pegged to begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque, hit 1-for-1 and scored a run.

    Up next: Rockies at Brewers, 1:10 p.m. Sunday

    Rockies probable pitchers: RHP Karl Kauffman, RHP Anthony Molina, RHP Justin Lawrence, RHP Chance Adams, RHP Riley Pint, RHP Matt Koch.

    [ad_2]

    Patrick Saunders

    Source link

  • Cactus League returns with World Series foes, big-league tourist dollars

    Cactus League returns with World Series foes, big-league tourist dollars

    [ad_1]

    The most expensive player in sports history. Both of last year’s pennant winners. Sunny Arizona weather and ballpark dogs.

    Spring training is returning to the Valley. Two of the 15 teams you can catch across town are the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, who squared off in last year’s MLB World Series.

    Arizona’s spring preseason, known as the Cactus League, runs from Thursday to March 26 at 10 ballparks across the Phoenix metropolitan area. The 2024 Cactus League schedule can be found at CactusLeague.com.

    The chance to catch the pros preparing for the season in Arizona’s beautiful winter weather brings a major crowd to the Valley. Last year, Cactus League games drew more than 1.5 million fans, according to Cactus League spokesperson Andrew Bagnato. That’s about 7,246 per game.

    The league is a staggering boon for the state’s economy, the Valley’s cities and local businesses. Last year, spring training generated $418.5 million for Arizona’s gross domestic product, according to a study by Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. The study also found that the Cactus League generated $36.6 million in tax revenue for the state and $8.2 million for local governments.

    Bridget Binsbacher, executive director of the Cactus League, told Phoenix New Times that she’s been watching the evolution of Arizona’s spring training since 1994, when the Peoria Sports Complex opened.

    “It has become an industry all its own. It’s absolutely the equivalent of a mega-sporting event,” Binsbacher said. “The thing that makes it unique is that it happens every year, it lasts four weeks and plays out across the entire Valley.”

    Binsbacher said spring training was “one of the top drivers of tourism” in the state. Three out of five attendees are from out of state, and 22% of fans reported they would visit another part of Arizona during their trip to catch the spring action.

    Cactus League play in 2023 was the first normal preseason since 2019. Spring training was canceled in 2020 thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, which also impacted the 2021 season. In 2022, a labor dispute between MLB and its players union postponed Cactus League play until mid-March, making the preseason only 18 days long.

    “We went through a lot, definitely,” Binsbacher said. “Last season was a rebirth for spring training in the Valley. Now we’re looking to build on that in 2024. We’re expecting a great season, especially not having any modifications or restrictions.”

    click to enlarge

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. celebrates in the clubhouse on Oct. 24 after the Arizona Diamondbacks won the National League Championship Series in Game 7.

    Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

    Watch D-Backs, Rangers clash in spring training

    Binsbacher and other Cactus League leaders noted that in the past, interest and ticket sales increased when World Series teams took to the desert diamond.

    “We’re definitely expecting a surge in attendance for the Rangers and the Diamondbacks coming off the World Series,” she said.

    The Diamondbacks play at Salt River Fields on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale, and the Rangers train at Surprise Stadium.

    Dave Dunne, general manager of Salt River Fields, told New Times that compared with mid-February of last year, Diamondbacks ticket sales are up 20%. Ticket sales are particularly high for the Feb. 28 game when the D-backs host the Rangers.

    “With the Diamondbacks being the defending National League champs, it looks like we’re gonna have a really solid year in ticket sales,” Dunne said. “There’s just so much interest in that team. The younger players have really caught on with the fans.”

    Offseason moves by the Diamondbacks also are getting fans excited about spring training.

    The D-backs finished the regular season at 84-78 last year, barely making the playoffs before going on an improbable run to the World Series. They were bested by the Texas Rangers in the Fall Classic, however, winning only one game.

    The two teams will square off three times during spring training: once at Salt River Fields and twice at Surprise Stadium.

    click to enlarge

    Tempe Diablo Stadium is the oldest and the smallest ballpark in the Cactus League but also one of the most scenic.

    Blake Benard

    How to catch Shohei Ohtani in Cactus League play

    Both Binsbacher and Dunne offered advice for fans looking to attend Cactus League games.

    According to Binsbacher, the first two weeks are not quite as well-attended, which makes tickets for those games more affordable. “It’s a great opportunity for local residents to get great tickets before out-of-state visitors hit the Valley,” Binsbacher said.

    She also noted that there is elevated excitement around Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers phenom who was signed in the offseason to a 10-year, $700 million contract, the largest in professional sports history.

    “We want to remind fans that if they want to see Ohtani and the Dodgers or the Padres, they need to do that before March 13, because that’s when they head to South Korea,” Binsbacher said.

    Dunne also advised fans to buy tickets directly from the stadium to avoid paying the fees tacked on in resale markets. “You buy them for the direct price, and it’s a lot better than buying them for a secondary market price,” Dunne said.

    Ticket prices vary by team, stadium and seat. As of Feb. 16, Rangers home tickets are on sale for about $8 to $60. D-backs home tickets range from about $24 to $100.

    [ad_2]

    TJ L’Heureux

    Source link

  • Spring training 2024 in Phoenix: Your field guide to the Cactus League

    Spring training 2024 in Phoenix: Your field guide to the Cactus League

    [ad_1]

    Have you noticed traffic getting worse throughout the Valley already? Maybe you’ve seen some of the older snowbirds begin to leave and a new crowd of visitors take over the Phoenix area’s streets, highways, restaurants, malls and bars. If you have, then you likely don’t even have to check your calendar to see what time of the year it is.

    You already know that Cactus League spring training is coming.

    With 15 Major League Baseball organizations taking over 10 different stadiums, spring training is one of the busiest times in metro Phoenix. It’s a chance for much of the country to escape frigid February and March temperatures and get an early look at the baseball teams they’ll cheer on for the rest of the year. It’s also an opportunity for the Valley to show off everything it has to offer to a crowd that otherwise might never see it.

    Areas including Old Town Scottsdale and Glendale’s Westgate Entertainment District will be crawling with fans, and hotels from Talking Stick Resort to Goodyear will likely be full for the better part of March. Businesses will be counting on the extra baseball-related income to last them through the slower summer months, and uninterested Valley residents will be cursing the amount of traffic on the 101 — and all the drunk tourists at their favorite clubs and dive bars.

    Make the best of it, and ask all of your now-crowded preferred spots if they’ve got any deals going on for the preseason.

    Whether you’re in it for America’s favorite pastime of baseball or America’s favorite hobby of drinking excessively, we put together a guide with everything you need to know about the Cactus League.

    When and Where: Cactus League games begin on Feb. 22 — practices are already underway — and end on March 26. They take place at stadiums all over the Valley. Both a schedule of all the games and a map of the stadiums are available through the Cactus League website.

    Price: Prices vary by stadium and section, but lawn seats (which are perfect if you don’t actually plan on watching the game) typically cost between $12 and $20. If you can find a game that has them available, seats behind home plate can set you back as much as $90, and there are numerous options for suites and packages, if you’re looking to spend a lot more. Your best bet is to visit the Cactus League website for tickets, which are categorized by team, or check resell sites if they’re sold out.

    Teams: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.

    Age Limits: Spring training games are family-friendly affairs. Sure, there are beer garden-like areas at many stadiums. But bottom line: You’re just at a baseball game. Kids often have luck getting autographs and seeing their favorite players up close, so bring your Little League star.

    Getting There: Leave early and prepare to pay for parking. Scout nearby parking ahead of time and use it to your advantage. If you’re going to Uber or Lyft, expect a surge around the start and end of game times. Your best bet for ridesharing is to go early, grab lunch (or dinner) near the park, walk in, and then grab a beer or seven after the game while the surges die out. Don’t forget that, depending on the stadium you’re visiting, the Valley Metro Light Rail can be your friend, too.

    Parking: Most stadiums have plenty of parking available, but it’ll be a pain to get in and out, and probably cost you some dough, just like any other sporting event. If you can, park in a nearby neighborhood and walk a few blocks. It’ll likely be faster than the time it takes getting out of the lot. But be courteous – and aware of signage.

    Weather: It’s Arizona in February and March. Which means if you’re going to a late game, you might want a jacket. But during the day, you’ll probably need sunscreen and, let’s face it, a tank top. Check the weather on whatever you’re using to read this.

    Bring: Sunglasses, sunscreen, hats and other sunburn-preventing devices to day games. Maybe a Sharpie and a ball or something for players to autograph if you’re into that kind of thing. It’s a baseball game – you’ve probably at least seen part of one on TV. Side note: This is also the one time it’s slightly acceptable for an adult to bring a baseball glove to a game.

    Don’t Bring: Any of the dozens of things most stadiums outlaw. Check stadium websites for specific lists, but obviously things like weapons, drugs and giant coolers should be left in the car. 

    [ad_2]

    Phoenix New Times Writers

    Source link