The Philadelphia Phillies play at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. Credit: Photo via Phillies/Facebook
The Grapefruit League is more than a short-lived gem of indie-pop band from central Florida. It’s also the cadre of ballplayers who come to the Sunshine State for Spring Training.

Locally, Tampa Bay is home to the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers and some team called the New York Yankees.

Your first chance to hear the crack of the bat happens Saturday, Feb. 25 at in Clearwater at BayCare Ballpark when a defending National League champ (the Phillies) hosts a team that last won a pennant 14 years ago (you know who you are).

Games will happen in Tampa, Dunedin and Lakeland throughout the week, too.

Credit: Photo via baycareballpark/Facebook

BayCare Ballpark

601 N, 601 Old Coachman Rd., Clearwater, FL

website

This article appears in Feb 16-22, 2023.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...