Goodyear Going On

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Ahhhh back in the Valley of the Sun for Spring Training! I think out of all my yearly routines for Baseball Road Trips, this may very well be the best. A weekend doing nothing but riding bikes, drinking Dutch Bros. Coffee and craft beer, and seeing baseball is pretty much the best. My first evening here was fantastic, and I'm gearing up for another wild 48-hours of action.

I left work promptly at 12noon yesterday, gassed up the car, and hit the road east on the 10 freeway to Phoenix. The drive through the desert takes about 4 hours, and it is pretty boring, to say the least. This being the third time I have driven it, the desert scenery just didn't cut for me and it took all my self-control not to fall asleep. This is a perfect example of why having someone go with you on Baseball Road Trips is so great. Having someone to talk to and laugh with on those long drives makes the innocuous activity of driving much more bearable.

You can tell that I have been to Goodyear Ballpark twice before. I didn't need GPS, I knew exactly where the Dutch Bros was, and I wasn't rushed at all. I even had time to enjoy my coffee, talk with my mom on the phone, listen to the end of the Duck Basketball game, and park my car in the parking lot of a Safeway and bike to the game. I was very comfortable with how I went about doing this, and I firmly believe it comes about because of my experience. 

The first game of this Baseball Road Trip was the Indians and Angels. When I got to Goodyear, I was immediately reminded of how the essence of Spring Training has been lost. The place was packed, bratty kids abounded, drunk parents presided, and the atmosphere was more Minor League than anything. Sure, the majority of the fans, including myself, were rooting for the Angels, but Spring Training isn't about that. It's about breaking out of that shell created by a long winter, soak up the sun, and watch players get ready for the season. It should scream "low-key", but it's not. While I certainly had fun at the game and I'm glad I went, I'm desiring more peace and serenity at the park.

The Angels took the Indians out behind the woodshed. Bolstered by a three-RBI performance from Chris Ianetta, the Angels rushed out to a big lead early and never looked back winning 11-5. I was glad to see the starters stay in the game until about the sixth inning, and it was exciting to see them play with a lot of intensity. The Angels hit four triples in the fourth inning, which is something I had never seen before. And they weren't stand up triples either, they were leg-em-out triples. 

My hotel is in Tempe, so I had about a half-hour drive from Goodyear back here. I called my dad along the way, but when I got to the hotel, I pretty much crashed on the bed and went to bed. It was a long day, and I needed rest before embarking on today's festivities. 

I've woken up early and Im'm sitting at the Dutch Bros down the street drinking a coffee. I'm wholly on my bike today as I'll wrap up here, grab some bagels someplace, and ride down to Tempe Diablo for morning workouts. I'll hang out there until around 1130 or so, grab some Subway, head back to the backfields and see my hometown Inland Empire 66ers play the Brevard County Manatees. After the game, I'll jump back on the bike and hit up a couple of the craft breweries here in Tempe before turning in. 

It'll be a busy day today, but it's going to be awesome!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)