Spring Training Baseball Arizona

What's better kicking back at your favorite stadium during baseball season? How about taking in some spring training games? Lots of people think of Florida when they think about baseball teams working out in the spring to train for the rigors of summer ball. However, spring training baseball Arizona, known as the "Cactus League," offers up some of the hottest teams in America, and you can see them up close and personal in smaller, intimate stadiums.

Does your favorite team play in the Cactus League? Well, here's a list of the teams that play spring training baseball in Arizona:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Colorado Rockies
Kansas City Royals
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers
Oakland Athletics
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers

The teams play for the entire month of March, in seven different cities throughout the Phoenix and Tucson areas. Usually, spring training baseball Arizona takes place every day, so if planning a trip, you're almost certain to catch a game or two, even if it's not between your favorite teams. Sometimes, they play a couple of dates at the end of February and the beginning of April, too.

A Little League History

The Cactus League first formed in 1946, when the Cleveland Indians went to Tucson and the New York Giants went to Phoenix to work out for a month before the baseball season opened. This first spring training baseball Arizona detoured from Florida because the Indians signed Larry Doby, the American League's first black player, and Cleveland's owner, Bill Veeck thought Arizona would be more open to a mixed race team. The Chicago Cubs came in 1951, and ever since then, the spring training roster has grown to 13 teams who play games every day throughout the month of March.

Smaller Stadiums with Smaller Prices

The weather in Phoenix and Tucson in March is warm and perfect for early spring baseball, and the teams play close enough to each other that it's an easy drive from one stadium to the next. Best of all, these are small, intimate baseball stadiums; where fans can get much closer to all the baseball action, and that's why so many people are heading for spring training baseball in Arizona. Tickets are cheaper too, and you still get to see the big players hit one out of the ballpark; only you're more apt to catch that homer in one of these smaller stadiums.

Spring training baseball Arizona is all about seeing up-and-coming rookies make their mark, too. If you attend Cactus League games, you may see the next A-Rod or Ken Griffey, Jr. right there, warming up in the on-deck circle right in front of your seats.

Stadiums are located in the Tempe, Mesa, Peoria, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Surprise areas of Phoenix, and in Tucson, less than 2 hours south of Phoenix. Tickets are available through the local spring training baseball Arizona ballparks, and thorough the individual teams' websites. Enjoy the Cactus League in Arizona, and see some of the best baseball you'll ever see in March!

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about spring training baseball Arizona, please visit The Baseball Guide for current articles and discussions.

The Innovation Of Nike Soccer Balls

Nike soccer balls have evolved through the years. Here are some of the latest evolution and innovation of Nike:

• Nike Geo Merlin Vapor - This ball according to Nike is rounder, faster and FIFA approved. It is the latest in Nike designs and innovation. It has been used as the official ball in several leagues, namely: Spanish League, Brazilian League and the English League. Several teams also use this ball like the US National Team, Inter Milan, the Portuguese National Team, Korean National Team and the Brazilian National Team. The ball has been developed around the DART (Dynamic Acceleration Response and Touch) system of casing. It is considered as the top of the line among all other soccer balls.
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Other new and high performance Nike soccer balls are available in the market such as:

• Nike First2 Accel - This is a full-on, fast-paced soccer ball. It distributes the pressure of the hit evenly across panels and around the ball. The Accel is powerful, accurate and consistent no matter where it is hit.
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Watch Videos about Nike soccer balls.