MLB’s Marathon Spring Training: Examining the Downsides

Across Florida and Arizona, the sounds of cracking bats and the smell of freshly cut grass signal one thing: MLB Spring Training is underway. Fans flock to stadiums for a taste of baseball before the season’s frenzy begins. Yet, amidst the excitement, a debate rages within baseball circles: has Spring Training become too long, and are the downsides starting to outweigh the benefits?

Market reports and conversations paint a complex picture. While Spring Training remains a vital part of team preparation, players, managers, and analysts are increasingly questioning the need for its current lengthy format. Hence, it is crucial to examine the arguments for and against shortening or maintaining MLB’s extended spring period.

Long Spring Training a Problem: Arguments in Favor

The notion that Spring Training’s current length is outdated resonates with many in the baseball world. Players, particularly those who believe they arrive physically prepared, find the six-week grind unnecessarily long. “I think it’s still too soon to tell, too soon to be concerned,” expresses a Twins Daily forum member. “I often give it a month or two of the regular season before I say too much either way.” This sense of the drawn-out preseason potentially leading to a slow start for teams and players alike hangs in the air. The monotony takes a toll, but this isn’t just about fatigue.

It raises concerns about injury risk. As Yahoo Sports analysts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman point out, “Pitchers nowadays are so built up and ready to go… they don’t need all that time.” The argument questions whether the lengthy preparation actually puts more stress on players’ bodies, leading to injuries in games that don’t count.

Beyond the field, Spring Training’s economic impact casts a complex shadow. Communities in Arizona and Florida thrive on the influx of fans and activity. “While Cactus League games may not count, their economic impact certainly does,” stated Arizona’s Governor Katie Hobbs in the 2023 Cactus League press release. Shortening the season creates the potential for financial strain.

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Could a solution exist that protects this financial boon while addressing the concerns raised by teams and analysts? On a different note, several officials and players offer a contrasting viewpoint, emphasizing the importance of Spring Training for a successful season.

Long Spring Training Is the Need of the Hour: Experts Agree

Not everyone believes that change is necessary. “Spring training is for pitchers to build up,” asserts Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “It always has been, always will be.” Some stress the need for a gradual, methodical buildup that Spring Training allows. This sentiment underlines a crucial component of the current system: preparing pitchers to endure the long season, and this preparation isn’t just physical.

As noted in The Athletic, “When they come to spring training, what do they look like? They stink. It’s about knowing who you are and what you need to do… I did what I needed to do… I got my legs in shape the best I could. I got my arm in shape before I got here the best I could. Because I knew when I got here, I was going to go through some pain, even though I did all that… How are you going to grind during the season if you can’t grind in spring training? Come on, man.” Ron Washington, manager of the Los Angeles Angels, emphasizes a sense of preparedness that builds mental and physical resilience.

The longer format also serves a critical purpose: player evaluation. Extended workout sessions and exhibition games provide a crucial glimpse at potential breakout players and rookies fighting for roster spots. Spring Training, in some ways, is a proving ground where young and unproven talent can solidify a place in the regular season lineup. But beyond individual opinions, those in favor of a longer spring note the value it holds for overall team development.

What Players and Managers Think About Spring Training

As Mark Canha, outfielder for the Detroit Tigers, stated, “The older you get, especially, you need the time to get your body acclimated to baseball activities… It’s a different animal once you get here, and it takes me a long time to get ready.” While the annual baseball ritual builds individual readiness, it is also a time for solidifying teamwork and camaraderie vital to a successful season. But the lack of meaningful competition and the toll of lengthy road trips, particularly in the Grapefruit League, contribute to a sense of restlessness.

Despite the weariness, the value of Spring Training preparation isn’t lost on the players. The Tigers’ manager, A.J. Hinch, emphasizes its importance for honing “baseball shape,” a distinct level of physical endurance beyond even rigorous offseason training. “I need more at-bats,” states the Angels’ Taylor Ward, who missed time last season due to injury. For players like Ward, the extra time on the field is vital for recovery and getting back into peak form.

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Detroit’s Kenta Maeda, a veteran pitcher, prefers a slower, more controlled approach to Spring Training preparation. “I go very easy on my bullpen sessions… I know a lot of Japanese pitchers like to throw a lot, but I’m not one of those players.” Maeda’s statement further highlights that player needs vary, and the lengthy format does offer a degree of flexibility. With all sides acknowledging the current system’s pros and cons, the question remains: is there a middle ground that can satisfy player well-being, team preparation, and fan excitement?

The Judgment: A Common Route for the Solution

The debate on Spring Training length is hardly settled, and finding the right balance is key. Recent events, such as the shortened 2022 spring following the CBA lockout, offer a lens into alternatives. While the league initially permitted expanded rosters to compensate, this flexibility suggests possible compromises for the future.

Potential Middle Grounds

Staggered Starts: Pitchers, who benefit the most from extended preparation, could begin their ramp-up a week or two earlier. This wouldn’t require the full roster to report simultaneously, potentially easing the fatigue voiced by position players like Adam Frazier of the Kansas City Royals, who feel it’s “definitely too long.”

Modified Exhibition Schedule: Trim exhibition games or replace some with additional practice time—a move that analysts Mintz and Shusterman support. Fans on the Twins Daily forums expressed similar sentiments: “The bats started slow last year and got slower… Maybe they think they can ‘work on some new things, give us time’ then turn it on at will.” A tighter exhibition schedule could prioritize skill development and reduce early-season sluggishness.

Expanded Early Rosters: Allowing teams more roster spots early in the season to ease the transition from a lengthy spring. This addresses concerns like those expressed in The Athletic, where the focus is on evaluating young talent and potential breakout stars who benefit from extended opportunities provided by Spring Training.

Economic Considerations: While a shorter Spring Training could impact Arizona’s and Florida’s economies, a solution might be to offset this by starting games a few days earlier in non-WBC years. This was a suggestion proposed in the New York Post for addressing the competing interests between MLB and the World Baseball Classic.

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Ultimately, a common route for the solution might lie in a combination of these approaches—delicately balancing athlete needs, team development, and fan experience. As the conversation continues, one sentiment remains clear across players, management, and fans: there is room for fine-tuning the current format. Whether through slight tweaks or more significant changes, the goal remains the same for all involved: to ensure MLB’s Spring Training provides the optimal foundation for an exciting, injury-free season for the sport’s core members: its players.