Spring Training

Pirate City
Autographs
Jason Bay
Neil Walker

New Manger New Hope
Hitting Practice

Skyway Bridge
Old Bridge New Pier

Since we have been enjoying summer weather for the last three months we felt it was necessary to train for the spring weather we will be having when we travel along the gulf coast and across Texas in the next couple of months. To get this training we went to Pirate City in Bradenton to watch the team prepare for the season. The weather cooperated by being overcast and threatening rain typical of the spring weather we will see on our travels. It really was a neat experience to see the players up close and personal. We have always enjoyed baseball and have wanted to see spring training for a long time. Just like every other spring, the Pirates are undefeated and anything is possible. The practice was not much different than what Peton and Yanni did in the Wash High gym but the facilities were just a little better. I sent Nanc to get autographs while I took pictures. We had a great time and the players were for the most part very friendly. On our way to Bradenton we crossed the new Sunshine Skyway bridge over Tampa Bay. The last time I crossed the bridge was 40 years ago when I was in the army and it was a draw bridge. I sat on the causeway for two hours because it was so hot the bridge was stuck in the up position and fire boats had to be brought in to water it down to cool it so it would close. After the new bridge was built, one of the neat things they did was turn the old bridge into a long fishing pier.