How to Watch a Spring Training Game

For Yankee fans who haven’t seen live baseball in months, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the first few spring training games.  As I sat down to watch today’s game between the Yankees and Rays, I caught myself treating it like it was an important game.  After a few pitches, I had to remind myself that this was the third game of spring training and not the third game of the ALCS. I feel like many baseball fans (myself included) get so excited with spring training that they over analyze the outcomes of these early games. The best way to watch a spring training game is to be patient and concentrate on the simple things rather than the outcomes.  Here are a few tips to make watching spring training more enjoyable:

1) Throw meaningless stats out the window: With baseball being a game of infinite percentages, it’s easy to start judging spring training by wins, homeruns, RBIs and ERA. Forget wins because by the 5^th inning the field is full of 19 and 20 year olds. The Yankees could lose every spring training game and win the World Series. Forget offensive stats like home runs and RBIs. Brett Gardner looked like Mickey Mantle last spring and hit a total of 3 homers last season.  Forget ERA also because pitchers take time to build arm and leg strength and gain control.

2) Concentrate on Fundamentals: While you are ignoring the stats, take the time to concentrate on the fundamentals of baseball. Instead of looking at batting average, look to see if a hitter is making consistent solid contact. Studies pitch location to see if hitters are hitting the ball where it is pitched. If hitters are trying to pull pitches on the outer edge and rolling over, this is a hint that they are still a little rusty. For pitchers, try to zone in on basic mechanics. Is the pitcher finding his arm slot? Are they falling off to either side of the mound? Things like this matter most early in the season when they are easy to correct. Wins and Strikeouts will come.

3) Focus on Approach: Take the time to focus on the approach of hitters and pitchers. For hitters, it is interesting to watch comfort in the box, timing, pitch selection and situational hitting. Much of early spring training is spent just trying to become accustomed to seeing the ball again. Hitters can’t get juice on the ball until they are comfortable seeing the ball out of the pitcher’s hand. If batters are swinging early, late, or getting jammed they may not be used to indentifying the pitch right out of the pitchers hand. Good signs for hitters are deep counts and being able to move runners with situational hitting. An important thing to watch for pitchers is how they set batters up. A pitcher should have the confidence to attack the zone early and vary pitches enough to keep hitters off balance. Pitchers should spend spring training becoming comfortable enough to throw any pitch in every situation.

4) Accept the Positives: As small as they may be, try to notice the accomplishments of each game. Small accomplishments turn into big ones over time. Hitters looked like they were getting a good look at Phil Hughes today. Almost every ball that was put in play was smoked. Someone focuses on only negatives would say Phil had a terrible outing today. Saying that gets Hughes absolutely nowhere.  Instead of hitting the panic button, look at what Hughes did well today: he threw a beautiful changeup to Ben Zobrist. Focus on one pitch? Yes. Although it was one pitch Hughes definitely noticed it. Next time he goes to throw a changeup, he will remember the one he threw today and have great confidence in it. Small accomplishments are the stepping stones to great performance.

If I could tell it all at once, I would say: It’s way too early to over analyze results. Yogi Berra said it best when he said “You can observe a lot just by watching.” So listen to Yogi. Just watch. Sit back relax and enjoy the simple things about baseball.  As spring training progresses keep these tips in mind as they will surely make your game watching experience more valuable. Enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Zimbio.com

Related posts:

1. Victory in Final Spring Training Road Game
2. My Trip to Spring Training in Tampa
3. The Art of The Changeup
4. Phil Hughes Strikes Out 12 in Simulated Game
5. Gene Monahan-less Spring Training