Let’s be honest, this winter was a bummer and I could not wait until pitchers and catchers reported. Shortly after they reported we hit the road and spent the month of March in Florida visiting spring training ballparks. Now the 2014 baseball season is off and running I feel rejuvenated.

www.ballparkprints.com
http://www.ballparkprints.com

 

This panoramic image was taken March 4th, at Champion Stadium the spring training home of the Braves….

As a fan of baseball and believe all workers / employees should always try to get the best salary they can.  Baseball has been very good to Bud Selig as an owner and commissioner his current annual salary is $18.4 million! For more on Bud Selig visit:

http://www.davemanuel.com/net-worth/bud-selig/

Tomorrow is Jeters final spring training game, and Monday is the start of the end of a brilliant baseball career.

I remember going from rookie ball to A, to double A, then to triple A. At every level it seemed like the game was faster. The bigger the situation, the more the game speeds up. That’s all mental. It messes people up.

The Braves ballpark  Champion Stadium part of the ESPN Wide World of Sports of Complex, and Disney is nice looking from the outside, it just does not give off that spring training feel like the other ballparks.

Champion Stadium ESPN Wide World of Sports of Complex 700 S. Victory Way Kissimmee, FL 3474
Champion Stadium
ESPN Wide World of Sports of Complex
700 S. Victory Way
Kissimmee, FL 3474

Once inside and looking out over the outfield it is the absence of advertising on the outfield walls and the oversized scoreboard that draws your attention. Having been to every spring training ballpark except the Mets and Phillies I came away feeling a little disappointed in the venue. If  you are a baseball fan or someone that has never been to spring training  and  visiting Orlando, I suggest visiting the Astros or the Tigers in Lakeland, before seeing a game here.

Champion Stadium ESPN Wide World of Sports of Complex Kissimmee, FL  www.ballparkprints.com
Champion Stadium
ESPN Wide World of Sports of Complex
Kissimmee, FL
http://www.ballparkprints.com

Arrived yesterday in Winter Park Florida checked into The Alfond Inn (new and very nice surprise) dropped off our bags grabbed my camera equipment and dashed-off to the Braves spring training home ballpark. The Braves were playing the Nationals who have new rookie manager Matt Williams. Within the game,  two plays stand out. The Nationals had runners on first and third base with one out, and Matt Williams pulled an old Billy Martin move, sending the runner on first base to have him caught in a rundown and the runner on third base breaks for home, the play worked with the runner scoring. The second play came late in the game , with the score tied 4-4 no outs, and the bases loaded Matt Williams moved one of his outfielders to the infield creating 5-infielders with three fielder on the left side the batter hit a lined out to the left side of the infield, but the next batter crushed one to a vacant right field, clearing the bases with a with a triple,  and the score  was now 7 to 4. I liked that Matt Williams a rookie manager of a team that’s expected to win its division was not afraid to try out some plays. After all,  it is spring training for managers also, experiment a little,  and it is fun for the fans also….

Yankees’ Top Starting Pitchers Impress Girardi

Angels’ Albert Pujols prepared to ‘shut a lot of mouths’ this season

Feldman, pitchers face live hitters for first time

Jose Reyes: ‘I feel like I’m 100 percent and back to normal’

Matt Garza already making impression in clubhouse

D-backs’ young shortstops not fearing competition

Yasiel Puig too heavy in camp?

Spring training headlines gives us fans hope, and sometimes cause to worry…

Rodger Dean Stadium Jupiter FL www.ballparkprints.com
Rodger Dean Stadium Jupiter FL http://www.ballparkprints.com

I was drawn to photography at an early age by baseball through the images on the back pages of the Daily News, The New York Mirror and Ozzie Sweets photography. Today Bleacher Report has this wonderful link to my past, unpublished candid images  from Life  magazines files of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and other New York Yankees spring training 1961…

Enjoy!!!!

Unpublished images Life Magazine New York Yankees Spring Training 1961
Unpublished images Life Magazine New York Yankees Spring Training 1961

 

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/dcsRH?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=new-york-yankees

Along the lines of PNC Park, the Great American Ball Park home to the Cincinnati Reds located on the Ohio River is ballpark I believe overlooked when discussing beautiful ballparks located in cities…

Great American Ballpark
Great American Ballpark http://www.ballparkprints.com
Great American Ball Park Cincinnati  Ohio
Great American Ball Park Cincinnati Ohio http://www.ballparkprints.com

Visit http://www.ballparkprints.com where images of ballparks and classis Ozzie Sweet images are always beging added.