Posts tagged ‘mesa’

Our favorite part of the baseball season every year is our annual Spring Training trip to Mesa, Arizona. Nothing beats seeing the Cubs close up in beautiful warm weather in a fantastic destination, particularly in March when most of the country is just trying to thaw out. This year’s trip was extra enjoyable thanks to the fine folks at VisitMesa.com who allowed us a very special glimpse at the new Play Ball Exhibit at the Arizona Museum for youth.

This exhibit, officially known as “Play Ball! The Cactus League Experience” is kind of like a Cactus League Hall of Fame, a mini-Cooperstown West if you will, complete with memorabilia, interactive exhibits, info on all 15 current Cactus League teams, and plenty to look at and enjoy for baseball fans of all ages.

The following video clips will give you your own look at this impressive exhibit, a must for anyone visiting Mesa or the Phoenix area for Spring Training, or anytime in the next several months. The exhibit will be housed at the Arizona Museum for Youth at 35 N. Robson in Mesa until November 7, with hopes of a permanent home to follow. Our tour guide is Mr. Robert Brinton, Cactus League Association and HoHoKam President, and all around great guy.

Our thanks to Mr. Robert Brinton and to Michelle from the Mesa Convention & Visitors Bureau for treating us so well. We hope you enjoyed this mini-tour, and encourage you to see the exhibit in person, as this really is just a glimpse.

For more info on the Play Ball exhibit, you can call (480) 644-2468 or check out playballexperience.com. And for everything Mesa, be sure to visit visitmesa.com.

As we discussed in today’s deluxe episode of Cubscast (download – mp3), all signs finally point to the Chicago Cubs remaining in Mesa for Spring Training for the foreseeable future. Whew, what a relief! Undoubtedly a lot of Florida fans are going to be disappointed, but the overwhelming majority of fans knew that it would have been a mistake for the Cubs to leave sunny AZ and the Cactus League.

Originally reported by the Phoenix Fox TV affiliate, Dave van Dyck of the Trib is now reporting this as well. Van Dyck shares some of the details of the upcoming deal that Mesa is about to approve, which includes a brand new $84 million facility for the Cubs.

I’ve been impressed from the beginning with the way that Mesa has handled everything, and when this thing is signed they deserve the biggest congrats of all. Not that Naples came out of nowhere, but from all the reports and quotes I’ve seen from back in November until now, neither the former nor current Cubs ownership ever said that they favored staying in Mesa, despite the fan outcry and despite some huge efforts (to say the least) to meet with the Cubs in Chicago several times and also subsidize their batting cages this spring in good faith.

Mesa could have saved a ton of money and just said, “We’ve been good to you for decades. Here’s what we can offer, take it or leave it.” But they didn’t. They didn’t want to end up looking like NBC. If that’s the metaphor, I guess the Cubs are Conan. At least, I’d like to think so. I’m not sure who Leno would be. Fort Myers? Switching gears…

Sheps and I plan to bring some new coverage this spring before, during, and after our annual trek out to Mesa. I personally can’t wait to toast to the Cubs’ next 25 years in the valley. We’ve mentioned this on the show a few times recently, but if you’ve ever thought about heading down this season it’s well worth it.

We’re tentatively planning on making our trip earlier this year than normal, March 5-7. Stay tuned for more details on that. It looks like we’re going to get a chance to see plenty of new faces this Spring. It’s unbelievable that we’re only weeks away from pitchers and catchers meeting.

Anyway, congrats again to Mesa and all the Cubs fans that wanted this to happen, and long live the Cubs in the Cactus League!

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone that we met at HoHoKam Park over the weekend! We had a blast and hope you did, too.

As mentioned on today’s episode, Cubscast hosts Sneetch, Lou and Sheps will be tailgating with their wives and a few friends in the parking lot (D) adjacent to HoHoKam Park for a few hours before Friday’s game.

We’re between the 2nd and 3rd row in parking lot D. If you’d like to catch us before the game just send us an email with your contact info and we’ll help guide you to wherever we’ve set up.

If you’re going to the game we’d love to hang out for awhile, so feel free to stop by. Sneetch, Lou, and Sheps look like this, by the way.

Yesterday Lou mentioned to me that in Chicago he saw the largest snow flakes ever falling from the sky. So for anyone heading to AZ to see the Cubs in the coming weeks, I thought this might cheer you up. And if you’re not heading to Arizona and nevertheless busy dodging giant snow flakes, well at least the Cubs play their first Spring game on Thursday.

Baseball is almost here.