California Winter League

View Larger Map

Baseball in January? Why, certainly! A luxury afforded to me by living in Southern California means that I can start Baseball Road Trips earlier than most anybody else. Case in point is my first trip of the year tomorrow to the resort city of Palm Springs to see some California Winter League action. My short, one-day, trip will encompass a doubleheader at Palm Springs Stadium and a bike ride around town. While the trip may be short, I'll definitely pack a lot in to the experience.

If you remember, my trip to Palm Springs last August was very enjoyable. It was on that trip that I saw a banner for the California Winter League over the main seating section of the stadium. My interest was piqued and I did a little research on the internet, and, lo and behold, I saw that they started in January. I began planning a trip out there and the day has finally come.

From what I can tell, the California Winter League is a showcase for talent seeking professional contracts. The league has partnered with a number of Independent leagues across the country, and their website boasts about all the players that have received professional contracts. In a sense, it may be a level of ball between college and professional levels. I'm really interested to see this in person and find out for sure.

My day will start relatively early as I'll be out the door around 830. I'll drive straight to Palm Springs Stadium for a doubleheader. The first game will be British Columbia and Oregon, the second will be Canada and Washington. I have no idea how these teams are organized, or what not. After the game, I'll jump on my bike and do a little ride around town. I'll probably stick fairly close to the ride I did last August, but I just want to milk every last bit of what is supposed to be an 80-degree day in Palm Springs.

Baseball Extravaganza 2015 is here. The time has come to dust off those winter blues and enjoy the greatest game in the world. While the layoff for me hasn't been as long as some years, my anticipation is as high as ever.

I'll be on social media for the entire day. Twitter will certainly be buzzing with updates from the road. I'm so excited to have all of you come along on this journey, and I'm thankful for all your interest!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)