Jaunted

The Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers played their spring games in Florida for many moons, but jumped ship last year and are making their 2009 debut in the Arizona desert. The team was so loved in Florida that their home in Vero Beach, Florida was affectionately referred to as Dodgertown. However, all good things come to an end, and they’ve christened a pretty classy 13,000-seat home at Camelback Ranch in Glendale. Their new home was built in only 14 months, so they must have been desperate to escape from Florida.

However, the stadium is still working out its kinks. The parking lots aren’t paved, and traffic is a major issue—so get there early for the morning practice and stay put. Once through the gates you’ll enjoy the huge party deck and other features that can only be found in the league’s largest stadium. The only downside is that they share the place with the Chicago White Sox. Our advice is to pony up for the Guys Pack—4 hot dogs, 4 beers, and 4 tickets—all for $65. This weekend brings the Mariners into town for the afternoon game. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm that Dodger Dogs are served out here in cactus land.

The Cleveland Indians

Not to be outdone by the White Sox and Dodgers, the Indians have their own new place to show off this year in Goodyear. The town sits on the western edge of the greater Phoenix area, so there are a lot of new residents ready for some baseball. Hopefully they’ll show up, since there’s almost 10,000 seats to fill up out here. There’s a Wiffle Ball field in right field, so you have a place to drop the kids before hitting up the party deck.

All the morning workouts will be held at a facility south of the main park so plan your batting practice schedule accordingly. This weekend you’ll be able to check out the Brewers on Friday night and the Royals on Saturday afternoon. Enjoy the comradery between all the Indian fans this year, because next year the Cincinnati Reds are moving in too and sharing the stadium.

The San Francisco Giants

Not everyone gets a shiny new stadium this year, some teams like the Giants have stayed put at the same place and built up some home equity over the years. In fact, things have been going so well for the team that they haven’t switched up locations since 1984. Even then, they just moved from Phoenix to their current home in Scottsdale. Their stadium was designed by HOK Sport—the firm famous for the wave of retro-inspired designs in the big league parks—so a good time is almost guaranteed.

Scottsdale Stadium features a nice southwestern look, holds plenty of fans (it doubles as an AAA park), and is situated in the middle of downtown. That means you’re close to some great shopping, hiking, and golfing—just in case you get a little bored taking in all the games. Tickets for this weekend’s game against the Colorado Rockies start at $13 for a spot in the grass. Just remember to leave that Bonds jersey at home; it probably is a sore subject among fans.

Related Stories:
·Los Angeles Dodgers [Official Site]
·Cleveland Indians [Official Site]
·San Francisco Giants [Official Site]
·Spring Training Online [Official Site]
·Baseball Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: andy jou]