2016 - SEASON 10

Welcome to 2016! A new year with some new adventures planned for what will be my 10th season of Baseball Road Trips. I've spent the past few weeks getting a rough schedule together for what I hope will be an incredible and record-breaking season. 2015 will sure be a tough act to follow, but I'm confident that the season I have planned will be the best of all the seasons! I hope everyone is buckled up and ready for jumping on trains, riding bikes, hiking mountains, eating hot dogs, drinking beer, and seeing some great baseball.

As we hit mid-January, the snow is in the mountains and it is chilly at night, but it means that I will be making a return trip to Palm Springs for some California Winter League action. Now that I know the League is there and what it's about, I'm planning on making two separate trips down to Palm Springs before the month is out. The way the schedule works out means I can actually hit up three games a day before the afternoon, meaning I get some great action on the ball field in the morning with the potential for an afternoon bike ride. The average temperature in Palm Springs during this time of year is the mid-70's, so I'm looking forward to breaking out my shorts and t-shirt for a couple days in winter. I'm sorry that I'll be rubbing it in to my friends and followers soaked with rain or buried in snow!

After my jaunt to Palm Springs, I'll take about two weeks off from the game. The first week of the College season begins on the 19th of February as I get things moving with a visit back to the Riverside Sports Complex. For two straight Friday nights, I'll see UC Riverside play host to a couple big-time programs with Kansas State and then Washington. As it turns out, these may be the only two UCR Games I go to this year because of scheduling conflicts. However, two games against some top-notch programs certainly will be a fun experience.

When it comes to the travel for the College season, I have four straight weekends of Road Trips. The first is to see my alma mater Oregon Ducks play at San Diego State. Next, I'll go back down to Long Beach to see Long Beach State play host to Arizona State. Third is a trip back to the Dodger Stadium Classic from Chavez Ravine to see the doubleheader of Oklahoma/Mississippi State and UCLA/USC. Finally, I'll make it out to Malibu to see Pepperdine play host to the Ivy League Columbia Lions.

These four Sundays in a row will feature a lot of side activities beyond the game. I'll do a bike ride through Downtown San Diego on the first weekend; a bike ride down to Long Beach with bodyboarding at Seal Beach the second weekend; a bike ride up to Dodger Stadium on the third weekend; and, a hike through the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and bodyboarding at Malibu State Beach on the fourth weekend. These will, obviously, be an all-day affairs, and I can't wait to experience them with all of you.

A two-week layoff will prepare me for my first professional games of the year as I make my yearly visit to Phoenix for Spring Training. While I'm shooting to hit two Minor League Backfield games, I'm also going to make a visit to Salt River Fields to see the Rockies play host to the Mariners. However, as I'm going towards the end of Spring Training at the beginning of April, I will be making my first trip ever to Chase Field in Phoenix to see the Diamondbacks play the defending world champion Kansas City Royals in an exhibition game. It will be my 17th Major League and 62nd overall ballpark I will have gone to.

Spring Training really is the kickoff as it is full-board professional action from then until the beginning of October. I've got 33 66ers, 11 Angels, 4 Dodgers, and 3 Padres games lined up for the 2016 season.

I'm foregoing the season tickets this year for a number of reasons. First, I have taken up a part-time job keeping score at the 66ers games for an outfit called Baseball Info Solutions out of Pennsylvania. They are going to buy my tickets for the games that I go to, and considering how I keep score at all the games I go to anyways, it made sense not to get season tickets. Second, when it comes to the Angels, the season tickets just aren't practical from a standpoint of price. Look, I can get tickets off StubHub for my Sunday afternoon games for $8-10 a piece for the nosebleeds. The season ticket package, when you average out the price per game, it comes out to be $15. Heck, every dollar earned can go to Road Trips to other places.

I have extended Road Trips planned for return trips to Irvine and Fullerton to see the the college teams there, which I'll couple with a beach trip to Newport and an Angels game. Over Memorial Day, I'll take the Amtrak up to Santa Barbara to see UCSB play and hang out for a weekend there. June will have me back to Palm Springs for a hike up San Jacinto and a Power game. July will have me fly back to Oregon for the 4th of July weekend and make a return visit to PK Park to see my old team, the Emeralds play. Also, in July, I'm planning on driving up to Las Vegas to see the 51s play at Cashman Field and do the whole Vegas thing. Finally, in September, my wonderful girlfriend and I will be making a trip up to the Bay Area to see some friends, do San Francisco, and finally see my Angels play the A's at the Coliseum.

For later in the season, it's still up in the air for the Arizona Fall League, College Fall Ball, and Mexico, but I will definitely let all of you know.

As you can see, it will be a long, maybe a little crazy, season ahead. I'm so excited to get going on this 10th Season, and I am 100% confident that it will be a season for the ages.

As always, I will be constantly updating this blog, posting on all Social Media platforms, and taking lots of pictures. So, come along with me on this ride of excitement as we hit the road for the 2016 season!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)