Great Spring Training stories. Are there any?

I can't think of many that I have read. I know beat writers need to be down there to get going on the season (previews etc.), but the daily stuff is really tough to get into. Read Verducci's piece today on the biggest lies told in Spring Training and he just summed up about every story I've read from Florida and Arizona.

But I also imagine there are many, many great spring training stories that never see print (mostly because they occur off the field).

 

I seem to recall Mike Sweeney saying he's never felt healther each of the last 5-6 spring trainings.

Games played that year:

2003 - 108
2004 - 106
2005 - 122 (don't kill yourself, Mike)
2006 - 60
2007 - 74

 

I remember one year Jason Giambi lost 10 lbs by not eating fast food anymore.

And huzzah for Oil Can Boyd, who apparently rented A LOT of pornos one year in Winter Haven.

 

And last year there was Scot Shields, who apparently stayed in shape by ONLY eating fast food.

Of course, he had his worst year ever. But I digress.

 

You can be in shape doing that. Round is a shape.

 

We've seen all of those in the Toronto papers so far as well as:

Veteran seeks former glory by signing minor-league deal

Latin American player delayed by visa problems

 

You guys really need to check out Tom Verducci's piece if you haven't yet:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/tom_verducci/02/26/baseball.shape/index.html?eref=T1

 

Go to any big city public library. The spring training stories from 1908 are exactly the same as the ones this year.
Ritual is a big part of baseball and cranking out these chestnuts is the writers' part of one of the game's most cherished and pointless rituals.

 

Correct.

That said, spring training wasn't pointless in 1908. Or 1958, for that matter. Players really did need to "train" to get in shape.

Nowadays, it's more meaningful for player development (minor leaguers and 25th-roster-spot guys.) Also, for the Peavys of the world to work on new pitches (changeup, in his case) against live competition.

 

One of my favorite spring stories of all time that I remember reading was about a Tigers pitcher in the late 70s or early 80s by the name of George Capuzzello (spel?). He supposedly decided that he couldn't give up cake and ice cream in the off-season so he gave up eating everything else and just ate cake and ice cream. Had no stamina and never pitched in the bigs again.

 

I don't necessarily think players needed spring training to get into shape because they spent the offseason loafing around like they were stoned. If my impression is correct, they held jobs in the offseason back then.

These days, sports are essentially year round. Even if you're in "offseason" you probably do something to stay in shape or to get into better shape before spring training/training camp.

It'll be amusing to see some Class A minor leaguer go yard on a hanging change up from Jake Peavy in spring training only to hit .130 when the real thing begins.