The Best Kept Secret of Spring Training

Yes, spring training games are a lot of fun. You, the fan, is closer to the action than during the regular season, and there's more of a goofiness from the players which can show their true personalities than they reveal during the regular seson. For the true baseball fan, there's nothing like spring training, but for the truly knowledgeable fan there's nothing like the Minor League fields during spring training.

The majors have their superstars and standout young players, but the minor league fields are filled with the rest of the organization's talented players. For little more than the cost of a ticket to a spring game, any fan can purchase a ticket at the Braves Wild World of Sports complex and gain access to the fields behind the main field.

As you walk through the ticket gate keep the stadium on your left and continue to walk back behind the outfield. You'll encounter a second field directly behind the main Braves spring field, and while there may some minor leaguers there, keep on walking around that field, keeping it on your left, and you'll come to a troika of fields where the players of tomorrow learn their craft.

Each field has stands where you can sit and watch the drills or the minor league games once they begin the third week of March. Here on the back fields there are very few barriers between you and the players. They walk among the fans as they move from field to field.
Fans can walk right up to the fenced-in dugouts where players backs lean against the divider. Anyone can wander over to the batting cages and watch the players take BP, and even strike up conversations with those players who are waiting for their turn in the cage.

For the truly knowledgeable baseball fan, there's nothing like the minor league fields during spring training. If you're a fan of autographs then this is also where you should be. Most of these kids are more than happy to sign a ball or a bat or even a stack of baseball cards. A lifetime's worth of autographs can be obtained in just a few short hours, and you can get the autographs of these players before they become household names.

If you've got tickets to a Braves spring game at Disney, then you've also got free access to the Minor League fields. For 1:05 pm spring game start times plan to arrive at the park at 9am or 10am, and wander on back to the Minor League fields and watch the players of tomorrow for a few hours before heading back to watch the big league club play.

Once you experience that part of baseball, you'll not only have a better appreciation for the game, you'll return to the Minor League fields year after year.