A Rite of Spring

Yes, it is that time of year again and in just a little over 36 hours I'll be touching down in Phoenix to enjoy five glorious days basking in the Arizona sun and thinking, talking, and writing about all things Cactus League.

The photo above was taken at the Rockies training facility in Tucson last spring but alas this spring we won't be venturing that far south. Our path this time around takes us to Peoria (home of the Padres) on Thursday to watch the Rockies take on the Padres, to Surprise to see the Rockies play the Royals on Friday (and a Suns game in the evening), to Maryvale to take in the Royals and Brewers on their home turf on Saturday, back to Surprise for the Cubs and Royals on Sunday, a swing over to Tempe for the Angels and A's on Monday, and finally a quick stop in Mesa to take in some workouts on Tuesday before heading home. Shoot me an email if you're going to be around at any of those venues, it's always great to kibitz with like-minded fans while taking in the games.

My column next week on Baseball Prospectus will likely detail the happenings in the various camps so stay tuned.