BRADENTON, Fla. -- Spring training starts Monday morning for the Pirates when pitchers and catchers report to Pirate City.
They begin working out Wednesday morning. The rest of the players report next Sunday, and the first full-squad workout will be the following day.
This will be my 32rd spring training as a baseball writer and 31st in Bradenton. In many ways, it is still the best time of the year. Many fans, especially those who have never been to spring training, ask for tips. I’m here to help. What follows is a brief guide for those making their first trip here. Even those who have been here before might get a pointer or two.
Workouts: They begin Wednesday and run through Feb. 21 at Pirate City, located at 1701 27th Street East. They are open to the public and there is no admission charge.
The workouts usually start at 9 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. and last approximately 2 ½ hours.
This is the best time for fans to get close to the players as they often walk through the crowd to move among the complex’s four full-sized fields. Many players will gladly sign autographs.
Try to keep in mind that the players are working, and some might prefer to sign at the end of the workout.
Also, make sure to visit Mixon Fruit Farms, right down the street from the complex at 2525 27th Street East. Mixon sells fresh fruit, tasty sandwiches and ice cream, and the staff is always extremely friendly and helpful.
Do yourself a favor and get the orange swirl ice cream. You can thank me later.
Games: The Pirates open exhibition play Feb. 22 against the Phillies at Clearwater then have their home opener the next day against the Marlins at LECOM Park (former McKechnie Field), which is located at 1611 9th Street West.
The ballpark opened in 1923 and is the last of the spring training parks with a truly old-fashioned feel. At the same time, the Pirates have made renovations to the facility in recent years that include such amenities as a tiki bar beyond the outfield fence.
The Pirates’ full spring schedule can be found here, and ticket information can be found here.
It’s a good idea to get to the ballpark early. Parking is rather limited and gates open two hours before game time (11 a.m. in all but one instance this year).
While the gates open just as the Pirates are finishing batting practice, those players who are not participating in that day’s game work out at Pirate City. Those workouts usually begin around 9:30 a.m. and are also free to the public.
Pirate City and LECOM Park are located 10 minutes apart, making it easy to watch at least most of the workout and the entire game.
Beaches: The biggest attraction other than baseball is the beaches, located on Anna Maria Island, which is 25 minutes west of Bradenton and perhaps a little longer if the drawbridge is up.
Baseball gets in the way of much beach time for me, but my wife loves it there. Like the ballpark, Anna Maria Island is also like a step back in time as strict zoning laws prohibit fast food restaurants and tall buildings.
Restaurants: In addition to Mixon's, one of my favorites is the Anna Maria Oyster Bar. There are two located in Bradenton, one at 6906 14th Street West and the other at 6696 Cortez Road West. You can get a taste of the local cuisine with freshly caught seafood and the prices are affordable.
If you like Italian food – and in case you haven’t guessed by my name, I’m Italian – Fav’s Italian Cucina is a good spot to hit. It’s just a little place located downtown at 419 12th Street West but the food is excellent.
And for those with a sweet tooth, Sweetberries Frozen Custard and Eatery at 4500 Manatee Avenue West. The frozen custard there is as good as the orange swirl ice cream at Mixon’s. They also have other food, primarily sandwiches.
Other camps: For those who want to visit other teams’ facilities, five clubs have their camps within an hour of Bradenton, including the Orioles in Sarasota, the Rays in Port Charlotte, the Phillies in Clearwater, the Blue Jays in Dunedin, and the Yankees in Tampa. Less than two hours down I-75 are the Red Sox and Twins, both in Fort Myers.
