Torey Lovullo, Arizona Diamondbacks manager, and Carson Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher, shared a hug and a smile under the bright blue skies that the Cactus league is famous for.
The days of bickering are gone. Baseball is back.
All 30 spring training camps across Arizona and Florida opened the day after players and owners reached an agreement to end a 99 day lockout. The four-week sprint to prepare for the April 7 opening day begins.
Before Friday’s exercise, Josh Rojas, D-backs’ infielder, said that “we’ve been waiting this for a while.” It’s great that we did everything. I tried my best to be ready for the day whenever it happened. It happened quickly.”
Shane Bieber, a Cleveland ace, suited up in Guardians gear. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a Toronto Blue Jays player, began taking grounders while Oliver Marmol (St. Louis Cardinals manager) signed autographs. Spring training for major leaguers finally started.
Some big names were seen at the Goodyear complex that Cleveland shares with Cincinnati Reds.
Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young Award Winner, and All-Star thirdbaseman Jose Ramirez were among those wearing Guardians garb. They also did light workouts after their check-in physicals. After last season, the team officially changed its name to Indians.
Jose Berrios and Bo Bichette were some of the Blue Jays players who joined Guerrero at Dunedin’s Blue Jays camp. Although Sunday is the deadline for players to report, many were keen to start work as soon as possible.
Rojas was one of many Diamondbacks players that reported to camp in Scottsdale. He had been participating in informal workouts on various fields in Arizona, as labor negotiations intensified. Even though the union had set up a temporary base in Mesa (Arizona) at a multipurpose sports facility, it was beginning to clear as players reported to their regular camps.
Rojas stated that “we did a really great job staying prepared.” “There were many places where 15, 20, 30, guys met up and ran their own practices. Groundballs and hitting on the field, live bullpens, at-bats, and live bullpens.
DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees’ star, was part of a multi-team team that worked out in Tampa, Florida. The field is less than one mile from New York City’s complex. Rafael Devers from Boston and J.T. Over the past month, Andrew McCutchen, DidiGregorius, and Realmuto have also participated.
After the session, LeMahieu hugged some other players and shook hands.
He said, “For certain, officially the final unofficial workout.”
Tyler O’Neill and Harrison Bader, both St. Louis outfielders, were in Jupiter, Florida at Roger Dean Stadium, where the Cardinals’ and the Miami Marlins share the stadium. Mets star Max Scherzer was also at the ballpark last week as part of the negotiations teams for a new collective bargaining arrangement.
It’s great to be back, it’s great to be out there, fans, and everything. As Garrett Cooper, Marlins outfielder and first baseman, drove off, he said that “Back is all you can want.”
“I’m happy it all came together, and we’re going for 162 games. It was huge for many people to be able to play the full season in front and with everyone. He said that just to be able to play 162 games is huge for us.”
With temperatures in the 80s and partly sunny skies along Florida’s east coast, everyone seemed to be ready to shift the conversation from the CBA to ERAs or RBIs on this day.
Jon Daniels, president of Texas Rangers, said that fans have gone through quite a lot lately.
Luke Voit, Yankees’ slugger, said: “I didn’t want fans to go away.” They deserve us to be there.”
Shawn Hoskins and Ron Hoskins had traveled from St. Louis, Missouri to Jupiter two weeks before it became clear that Major League Baseball and the union were very close to a settlement. They were unable to see any Grapefruit league play because of the settlement. They will return home on Saturday and the exhibition season will begin next Thursday.
Hoskins stated, “Unfortunately, it is not possible to see a spring-training game here this year.”
Hoskins didn’t lose the trip.
Hoskins wore a replica Yadier Molina white jersey and pushed Shawn, a Down syndrome patient, to the ballpark. A dozen or more fans and autograph seekers waited outside the gates hoping to get a glimpse at major league baseball.
Although they didn’t get to see any major leaguers, Hoskins was able to meet Marmol, who was promoted to manager of the Cardinals after last season.
Marmol reached through the gate and reached for Shawn’s shirt, reaching his arm through the fence.
Shawn stated, “I liked it.”
Bill DeWitt, Cardinals CEO, was disappointed to learn that Hoskins and his child will not be able to attend.
“Sorry, it didn’t work out that way. It’s too bad that they couldn’t stay for a few more days to see the workouts, and so forth. DeWitt stated that it was disappointing that they didn’t begin on time.
Yankees fans gathered at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa to inquire about spring training tickets. The games will begin next week. New shirts bearing “Grapefruit League 22”, were available at the team store. In the restaurant, there were new TVs.
Many players have to work.
As camps opened, more than 100 agents were free without contracts. Trevor Story, Carlos Correa, and Freddie Freeman were just a few of them.
According to The Associated Press, Carlos Rodon, an All-Star lefty, and the NL West champion San Francisco Giants agreed to a $44million, two-year contract. Because the contract was not publicly announced, the person spoke under condition of anonymity.
Rodon, 29, was 13-5 last season with a 2.37 ERA for the AL Central champions.
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