Interaction with players and getting autographs are staples of Spring Training. Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Yet another milestone has been reached in 2014. Spring Training games began this week and so far the Arizona Diamondbacks are 2-1. In about two weeks, the D’backs will cease Spring games temporarily and head to Australia where they will get ready for Regular Season 2014 Part One. It’s time once again for us to go around the block and see what others are writing about in regards to our beloved D’backs.
If you are a fantasy baseball fan, head over to our fellow FanSided site fantasybaseballcrackerjacks.com. Michael Dixon ranked the Top 251 overall players and had Paul Goldschmidt at number 3. Miguel Montero checked in at #147 while Aaron Hill (#178), Addison Reed (#196) and Patrick Corbin (#198) also cracked the Top 200. Be sure to also view their Top 25 at every position by clicking here.
Steve Gilbert at mlb.com has a bit up about the D’backs’ approach to signing autographs during Spring Training. There is a schedule that is updated each day that blocks out a period of time to allow the players to interact with fans and provide some signatures. I am not sure if other teams have this; it’s the first time I have heard of a team putting together a schedule. Way back when the New York Yankees trained in Ft. Lauderdale, I used to get autographs from the field, in the parking lot and (maybe) the concession stand.
Through azsnakpit.com, I was able to find the amount of traveling the D’backs will do during the 2014 season. Baseballsavant.com has a map up that shows the Snakes will travel a total of 45,053 miles. That number is slightly ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, their Australian counterparts but about 6,000 miles less than the Seattle Mariners.
In television news, FOX Sports Arizona has announced that it will televise 150 D’backs games. You can see the full schedule via foxsportsarizona.com by clicking here with the network also televising “D-backs Cactus League Weekly” airing every Tuesday evening at 6 PM. Spring Training games can also be seen on March 5th, March 9th and March 11th.
Keep checking back with us for all of your favorite D’back news and opinion. Enjoy the weekend!
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