2014: Life as a MLB Season Ticket Holder: Cactus League Spring Training

Hello from, a not so sunny, Phoenix Arizona! This week on 2014 Oakland Athletics: Life as a Major League Baseball Season Ticket Holder I am coming to you straight from Cactus League Spring Training, as opposed to Grapefruit League Spring Training.

Image courtesy of Jen Rainwater

Here’s a short history lesson before I get to my experience so far this year in Arizona. Spring Training has been around since the 1890′s but it was not organized into leagues until the 1940′s as the league expanded and more teams joined in pre-season training. It originated in Florida and all but six ball clubs have held their spring training camps there at one time or another. The Cleveland Indians were the first team to move to Arizona in the 1940′s. Their owner convinced the New York Giants to move their spring training there and thus the Grapefruit (FL) and the Cactus Leagues (AZ) were born.

My boys, the A’s, train in what is usually a very sunny and warm Phoenix. This year I’m going to go with “uh, yeah, not so much.” When we, my mom and I, arrived here on Saturday afternoon it was pouring rain with thunder and lightening. We had to miss the first two games we had planned to attend. The plan was to make it a double header day, fly into Phoenix stop by Phoenix Municipal Stadium to see the A’s play the Texas Rangers and then head over to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, home of both the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The stadium there is beautiful and I have a friend who currently plays for the DBacks. This is a definite perk to being a STH. Often times you become friendly with the players. If you are around the ballpark enough they recognize you and remember you, knowing that you are there to support them through the good times and the bad. Then over the years you become friends. Sometimes even if they are traded you stay in touch. This doesn’t always happen of course but it’s not uncommon.

Read More on Sports Unbiased - Your Alternative Source For Sports!

Russell Wilson will Suit Up Monday for the Texas Rangers

AP/Getty Images

Super Bowl Champion quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks will be working out with the Texas Rangers come Monday. Wilson was taken by the Rangers in this year’s Rule Five Draft during the winter meetings in December. Rumors have been circulating since the Super Bowl about whether or not Wilson would make an appearance at the Rangers’ spring training camp in Surprise, AZ.

It was first reported that Wilson would attend spring training as a moral booster for the team, to keep the camp in a “winning atmosphere.” Since that first report Wilson’s agent has gone back and forth on what the Seahawks quarterback would decide to do regarding his second sport. Wilson’s intentions were made clear as he tweeted on February 20, 2014,

“@DangeRussWilson Hey @Ranger fans…See you at “Surprise” Arizona on March 3! #SpringTraining.”

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2014 Oakland Athletics: Life of a MLB Season Ticket Holder: Spring Training Preparation

This week on  2014 Oakland Athletics: Life of a MLB Season Ticket Holder, I am getting ready to head out to Phoenix, Arizona to see my A's play a little baseball. I feel like Spring Training is something every baseball fan should experience, especially if you are dedicated enough to be a STH.

This is one of my favorite times of year: getting to a mini baseball fix to tide me over until Opening Day as well as some shopping, mani/pedi's, and getting my hair done. It's all about rejuvenating for the upcoming season. Oh and this year will include an extra shopping trip for socks, of course! But there are a lot of other things I have learned over the years that might be helpful for fans new to the Spring Training experience!

(Image courtesy of Barbara Rainwater)

As for clothes to bring, I always wear shorts or a skirt to the games. I would, though, caution you to bring at least one or two outfits and shoes for bad weather. Just last year we arrived right after a huge snow storm (in Arizona in February, who knew?). Another year we were at a game vs the Texas Rangers, it rained and was cold. However most of the time it is just gorgeous, perfect baseball weather. As they say though, don't put all your eggs in one basket. I learned that one the hard way. Sure it all sounds girly: clothes, shoes, mani/pedis, but we are really there to watch the games

I have not missed going to Spring Training since the year 2000. It has become a tradition for my mom and me. We choose to fly to Phoenix. I have some friends who carpool and drive. Do whatever works for you. You can usually get cheap deals on Southwest and on such a short flight, the service and leg space are just fine!

Since our first trip, my mom and I have stayed at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotels Phoenix. It is extremely convenient for us. It is only about a five minute drive to Phoenix Municipal Stadium where the A's play. They also offer a free shuttle. (I recommend taking the shuttle on days when the team is playing a rival like the San Francisco Giants. It is much easier to avoid the extra crowds that day, plus you never know what kind of interesting characters you will meet on the shuttle.)

Comfort is one of the reasons we stay at the DoubleTree. Our first few years a lot of the players stayed there, so we thought it would be cool; but, not many of them stay there anymore. A few do but it isn't like in 2003 when we were in the hot tub with Miguel Tejada or swimming in the pool with Kim and Kennedy Hudson. Then there was the time I was cornered in the bar in 2004 by Ricardo Rincon, I knew he knew me because he'd thrown me quite a few baseballs at games with his phone number on it. I never called, but when we met at the bar he really wouldn't take no thank you to his dinner invitation. Here's what I did. I said "Thank you very much Ricardo but I am here with my best friend, Christopher and my mother so they would have to be able to come with us to dinner." I was quite surprised that his answer was "yes." It turned out that we had a really lovely time eating authentic Mexican food and dancing all night. Thankfully, it was all very innocent, and he turned out to be a very interesting, nice guy. Even now some of the minor league players with invites to training camp happen to stay there, so you never really know who you may run into or even become friends with. It all depends on the year!

To Read the Rest of My Story Go to Sports Unbiased - Your Alternative Source For Sports!

Is Fernando Rodney the Last Hope for the Orioles, Mets? Who Will Win Out?

**IF YOU ARE READING THIS ON YOUR MOBILE & CANNOT SEE IT - TRY SWITCHING TO "VIEW ON WEB" OR "WEB VIEW" & YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT!** (Sorry about that)

With pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training in just weeks, there are still teams in need of key players and the free agent pool is getting smaller by the day. The Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets have this problem and both need to fill the same key role. They need a late-inning reliever, preferably an experienced closer.

Grant Balfour

The Orioles traded their closer Jim Johnson to Oakland then proceeded to blow off a what seemed like done-deal with former Oakland closer Grant Balfour due to medical concerns about his wrist and knee. The Mets, who have basically ignored their bullpen needs this off-season, seemed to have suddenly remembered that their closer, Bobby Parnell, is coming off of neck surgery and may be a liability in the closer role. With just a group of youngsters to back up Parnell, it seems they need a

Fernando Rodney

plan “B” as well.

For more and to find out how Fernando Rodney fits in this situation go to Sports Unbiased! - Your Site for all Sports, News, Polls and Predictions!

Verlander Out Six Weeks After Core Surgery

Detroit Tiger’s star right-hander Justin Verlander injured a core muscle while working out in early December.  The injury required surgery which was successfully performed Thursday in Philadelphia by Dr. Bill Meyers. Dr. Meyers also performed a similar surgery on Verlander’s teammate Miguel Cabrera back in October of last year.

According to the Tigers Verlander is going to need six weeks of rehabilitation. He will miss most, but according to the Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski not all, of Spring Training and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2014 season. In a statement recently released by the Tigers Dombrowski said,

“We fully anticipate Justin to participate in spring training and be in a position to compete at the beginning of the 2014 season.”

With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to Spring Training in close to a month this seems like a very optimistic outlook but Verlander is known for his diligent off-season conditioning program.  And Tigers manager Brad Ausmus believes this will help him in his recovery. He told the Free Press last week that he was not very concerned,

“Despite the fact this is a little bit of a setback physically, his previous workouts will probably allow him to catch up to speed much quicker.”

Verlander has been a workhorse for the Tigers since his major league debut in 2005 and has been their Opening Day starter for the past six years. Even if Verlander isn’t ready by Opening Day the Tigers still have a very good rotation behind him. Even after trading Doug Fister to the Washington Nationals this winter the Tigers still have 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2013 AL ERA leader Anibal Sanchez and young Rick Porcello, who while only turning 25 this year, already has 149 big league starts and a propensity for eliciting ground balls from batters.

Even Verlander himself believes he will be ready to start the season tweeting Thursday,

“Thanks for the support regarding my surgery today. It went well and now my only focus is to get ready for 2014! #determined” 

To learn more check out MLB Nation - delivering the latest news, insights, and analysis from around the league.

Countdown to Baseball Season 2014: Let's Go Oakland!

For the Oakland Athletics:

Spring Training: Feb. 14, 2014
(other clubs report Feb. 12 and some later)

Regular Season: March 31, 2014
(Earliest Home Opener in Oakland History)

Let's Win Our 3rd Straight Division Title!

(and beyond!)

Go A's in 2014!

**Today marks the midpoint between the last out of the World Series and the first game of Spring Training! (via@danielday)**

History of OakAsSocksGrl & #OaklandSockSwag till now!

You might wonder why I go by @OaklandAsSocksGrl right? Well obviously I wear a lot of A's inspired knee socks! There's a pretty decent chance you've seen me ~ a crazy brunette running around the Coli in even crazier socks! But really it all started years ago. I'm a girl with OCD and one day I decided that "white socks are only for the gym" but all other socks had to have "pictures or designs on them." Sure it's a bit strange but hey! It has made sock shopping a lot more fun! I have ones with princesses, hello kitty, flames, skulls, polkadots, thigh high #Throx (http://www.throx.com/) - you name it and I probably have it!

The real deal start last baseball season in 2012! There was a give away of yellow socks for kids. Yes, I "borrowed" my friend's son in order to get these but I love them and it has been well worth it! So I started wearing them every few games in the second half of the season last year!

For Christmas as a tradition my mom always gets herself, my sister in law and me crazy matching socks! For Christmas 2012 they were argyle A's socks! I was over the moon about these! I now had two pair that I could wear!!

At Spring Training the socks kinda took on a life of their own! I wore both pairs on alternating days (washing them at the hotel of course!!) and people - random other smokers (yes I smoke, it's bad I know!), the staff and the vendors all started referring to me as the "Socks Girl" and remembering me each day. Even guys like Bob Welch, the A's team photographer Michael Zagaris and Billy Beane took notice! Billy said I should take it and run with it. Being that he is THE Billy Beane who am I to go against his advice?! That'd be crazy!!

Upon returning home I started not only this blog (I still have a ton of unpublished drafts but they will be up shortly at least I hope so!) but a second Twitter Account @OakAsSocksGrl and began posting pics and promoting them on Facebook, Instagram and Google+! Honestly, I have become A LOT more Social Media savvy and internet savvy! I have been able to make new MANY new friends at the games, gain followers, start somewhat of a trend (one group of girls I saw on BART actually called it the "#SocksMovement!" Whoa!) and was even contacted by the Oakland Athletics and asked to throw out the Ceremonial First Pitch at the A's game! A dream come true for any Die Hard A's Fan!! (my first post on this blog is an account of that experience! http://oakassocksgrl.blogspot.com/2013/05/first-post-first-pitch.html) It has even inspired me to begin working on a book idea that I have had for the past decade but never started because it seemed like such a pipe dream that would never come to fruition  until now!

A Twitter follower of mine, Jamey who is now a close friend, came up with the hashtag #OaklandSockSwag which is my signature hashtag!! And I became the Oakland A's Socks Girl! Since then I have gotten and used other hashtag suggestions such as #OaklandKoozieSwag, #OaklandShoeSwag, #CC (for Celebrity Chick but I don't really consider myself to be a celebrity), #IHellaLoveOakland and #CCDiva. But my mainstay is and always will be #OaklandSockSwag so big shout out to my good friend, Jamey VanDyke!

I even had a meme or two made for me! This is the funniest because I never even noticed the dude on the right there! LOL!

At games I've gotten compliments, had people run up to me introducing themselves, shouting my real name and my Twitter alias, made a TON of really A-mAzing new friends and have an even bigger A's fAnily! (yes, fAnily, I spelled it correctly!) Twitter and Facebook friends can easily become REAL LIFE FRIENDS! I was tweeting these two, Mitch and David, who came and found me sitting in the RF Bleachers one afternoon! More than likely though you will find me behind the A's bullpen in Sect. 128 Row 2 Seat 8! That's my second home!

I also noticed (and purchased a few pair myself) that the Coliseum began selling knee high socks for both women and men! Which I thought was kinda random at first but apparently they're now in demand! I don't take credit for this fact but it's certainly cool to have people wearing them and tweeting/facebooking me pictures of them!! I've even found other pairs online, at sporting goods stores and at places like Target that are not officially A's gear but are still green and gold!

And I see and meet more and more people who are wearing them to the games and even out on the town!
Kinda cool that people are not only wearing their #OaklandSockSwag but they are liking it and Tweeting about it! I was a bit surprised!

Just this past homestand (Yankees and Mariners) alone I was strolling around the Coli and the Coli parking lot, sipping on some beers and I kept running into people with socks and some with crazy #OaklandShoeSwag and #OaklandKoozieSwag as well!

There are even men getting into the action!! I've seen them at the Coli and had pics both Tweeted and Snap Chatted to me by guys who rock their #OaklandSockSwag!! In fact the last pic was just posted on my Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JenRainH20) today by a friend and Twitter follower named Nic! Thanks bro!

Well that is the story of how #OaklandSockSwag came about! And explains part of the reason why you are seeing more and more Oakland A's Green and Gold socks in the world! I can't take all the credit but it's a fun "#SocksMovement" that's starting! What happens next is anybody's guess!

Oh and this is the #OaklandShoeSwag I intend to have made! You can design your own at http://www.converse.com/?CSID=62308_kwid/#/home Have fun kids! Gotta love fun, funky socks and shoes! And as always, LET'S GO OAKLAND!!!!!