{Anyone who follows baseball knows that the American League East is arguably the most competitive division in the majors. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with their long histories and deep pockets, garner most of the headlines, but the Tampa Bay Rays have joined them the last few years as an elite franchise. And now the Toronto Blue Jays and Sarasota’s own Baltimore Orioles, who train each spring at the newly renovated Ed Smith Stadium, have loaded up with young talent and are threatening to make the division even more difficult.
Interestingly, the spring training sites of all five teams are spread out along Florida’s gulf coast, from Dunedin to Fort Myers, meaning that even in spring training they can’t get away from each other! This week, the O’s have home games against the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees. For tickets and other information, visit their spring training site.
Ed Smith Stadium, located at 2700 12th Street, is easily reachable from Laurel Park via bike, bus, or car. You can call them at 941-954-4101 for more information.