Fan Guide: Toronto Blue Jays
01/30/2006The Blue Jays return to Dunedin, Fla., for the 30th time this spring, as they prepare to kick off a 2006 campaign that has Toronto buzzing with excitement.
The Jays were a major player this offseason. They strengthened the starting rotation by signing A.J. Burnett, bolstered the bullpen with All-Star closer B.J. Ryan and added some pop by trading for slugger Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay. Those new additions, along with '03 American League Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, two-time AL Gold Glove winner Vernon Wells, and a cast of young up-and-comers, such as Russ Adams, Aaron Hill and Gustavo Chacin, will try to help push Toronto toward its first playoff berth since it won the World Series in 1993.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons returns for his second full season at the helm. In 2005, he led Toronto to an 80-82 finish and kept an injury-riddled roster hovering in the Wild Card race until mid-August. That was a 13-win improvement over 2004, and Toronto is hoping for a similar jump in wins in '06.
The questions facing Toronto's upcoming season will be answered as the season progresses. Some of the questions Jays fans might have about Spring Training will be tackled right here:
When do the Blue Jays arrive at camp? Toronto's pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training on Feb. 17, with position players following on Feb. 22. The first full-squad workout will be on Feb. 23.
When do games start? The Blue Jays' spring schedule begins with four games at Knology Park, their home stadium. Toronto hosts Tampa Bay in the Grapefruit League opener on March 2. On March 3, the Jays will have a split-squad game against Team Canada, which will be competing in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. Toronto's first full-squad road game will be at Legends Field in Tampa against the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays will play exhibition games against Syracuse, their Triple-A affiliate, on March 31 and April 1 before heading back to Toronto.
Knology Park, located in a residential area, holds 6,106 fans. A center concourse separates the lower and upper seating and a small roof provides some shade for the higher rows. There are air-conditioned skyboxes and three picnic areas. When Spring Training is over, the stadium becomes the home of the Class A Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League.
Ticket prices and other information can be found at the Blue Jays' Spring Training Tickets page.
Where is Dunedin, and how do I get there? Dunedin is located roughly 25 miles west of Tampa and 20 miles northwest of St. Petersburg on the Gulf coast of Florida. Tampa International and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International airports are your options as flying destination points.
If driving to the stadium from Tampa, take State Road 60 across Tampa Bay and turn right on McMullen Booth Road. Go to Sunset Point Road and turn left. You'll cross US 19 before arriving at Douglas Avenue, where you'll turn right. Parking is at the second stoplight. If coming from St. Petersburg, take SR 686 to US 19, where you'll turn right. From there, you'll take a left on Sunset Point Road and a right on Douglas Avenue.
How can I watch the team workout? All Spring Training workouts are held at the Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex and are free to the public.
The Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex is located a little more than three miles from Knology Park. Take Douglas Avenue to Main Street and turn right. Then take a right on FL-580 and drive for about a mile before turning left on Keene Road. Less than a mile from there, turn right on Solon Avenue and you'll see the complex. Parking is on nearby Garrison Road. There are bleachers located in between the fields, and workouts will have started by 9 a.m.
Where can I get autographs? Players move freely from one diamond to another during workouts and will occasionally stop to sign autographs if time allows. You might also be able to catch them heading back to the clubhouse once workouts are done for the day. Once Grapefruit League and exhibition games begin, the players move to Knology Park, where there is a short fence near the clubhouse by the right-field foul pole and players will sometimes stop there to sign.
What else is there to do in Dunedin? Dunedin has numerous beaches, including Dunedin Causeway, Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Park. There is also the Pinellas Trail, a 39-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail that runs throughout Pinellas County and intersects in Dunedin. You could venture into the many shops in town or enjoy the various crafts and foods available from vendors at the Dunedin Green Market, which is open every Friday during Spring Training from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and is located near the ballpark in Pioneer Park at Douglas Avenue and Main Street.
Tampa and St. Petersburg are two also nearby, and Disney World is less than a two-hour drive from Dunedin. Visit the City of Dunedin Web site for more information.
When do the Blue Jays open the regular season? After a two-day break following the conclusion of Spring Training, Toronto hosts the Minnesota Twins at 7:15 p.m. on April 4 at the Rogers Centre.
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
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