When it comes to watching and covering Reds game, at least, Goodyear beats Sarasota
Arizona offers baseball oasis in desert


The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II
John Fay is "sure everyone on the Reds roster would agree" that the Cactus League is "light years better" than the Grapefruit League.

Written by
John Fay

I’m getting on a plane in couple of hours to go to Phoenix and spring training. I can’t believe I’m typing this, but I’m actually glad the Reds are training in Goodyear, Ariz., and not Sarasota, Fla.

Sarasota was great. I miss Siesta Key – the best beach in the continental U.S. for my money. I miss the funky old downtown Sarasota. I miss fresh grouper sandwiches. I miss the Daiquiri Deck.

Let’s just say Goodyear lacks that charm.

But, as far as watching baseball and covering baseball, the Cactus League is light years better than the Grapefruit League. I’m sure everyone on the Reds roster would agree.

The facility at Goodyear is about 87 steps up from what the Reds had in Sarasota. One example: At Goodyear, they’ve got a state-of-the-art video center. In Sarasota, they had three laptops sitting on table in a hallway outside the clubhouse. The weather is better – cooler mornings, less humidity.

But the biggest difference is all the ballparks are within a half hour or so of one another. In Florida, the Reds had one road trip that was less than a half hour. Going to places like Fort Myers often meant two hours or more on the road. Because the trips were so long, the top players often stayed behind. You don’t get any of that in Arizona.

The downside of the move west is that it’s much more difficult for fans from Cincinnati to get out for spring training. There are also many fewer transplants in the Valley of the Sun than were in the Sarasota area.

Because of that, I don’t think the Reds will ever draw very well in Goodyear. But given the difficulty they had in getting the city and county to rebuild Ed Smith Stadium, I’m sure the Reds would make the move again.

If you’re coming strictly for baseball, it’s worth the trip to Goodyear. And it’s not like Phoenix is a cultural desert. There’s plenty to do in the area, although a lot of is in the eastern valley away from Goodyear.

If I were going on a pleasure trip rather than to work, I’d make a side trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. I’d be sure to map out a morning or afternoon to hike Camelback Mountain. I’d plan to have dinner and hang out a night in Tempe.

Players to watch

Two players to watch this spring are Denis Phipps and Daniel Corcino.

If Phipps proves that last year – when he batted a combined .346 at Carolina and Louisville – isn’t a fluke, he could be in line for a call-up at some point this year. Phipps is a five-tool player who never really hit until last year.

Corcino, a 21-year-old right-hander, is the top-rated pitching prospect in the system. He put up similar numbers to what Johnny Cueto put up at a similar age in Dayton.

Corcino, it should be noted, isn’t invited to big league camp. He’ll show up with the minor leaguers March 1.

Numbers don't matter

Spring training numbers should be ignored for the most part, particularly in the case of veterans trying to get jobs. When your livelihood is on the line, you tend to come into spring ready.

I call it the Josias Manzanillo Factor. In 2003, he looked Pedro Martinez during the spring. He made the team. By May, he couldn’t get Pedro Martinez out.

The key to spring is keeping your top guys healthy. The Reds season started blowing up last spring when Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey go hurt in the spring.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...sis-desert

Revamped Rangers lead list of top 10 teams

*****

Without further ado, the top 10:

10. Reds: It's dangerous to get too swept up into the momentum of the Hot Stove season and start awarding winter winners. Fact is, the Reds were a big bowl of blah last season, as their rotation was middle-of-the-pack, at best, and their offense didn't quite live up to its capabilities. All that said, the dynamics of the Reds' division have changed, and there is legit optimism to be gained from the external improvements to the rotation (Mat Latos) and bullpen (Ryan Madson and Sean Marshall). The offense, bullpen and defense all ranked in my personal top 10 -- and deservedly so. The X-factor, then, is that rotation, which means there will be much pressure on Latos to make a smooth transition to hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Give the Reds points for being opportunistic this offseason and trying to make the most of Joey Votto's prime. They have put themselves in a better position to contend in 2012, and they've snuck into the top 10.

*****

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and his blog, CastroTurf, and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=...p&c_id=mlb