I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am someone who travels to spring training every year. And it’s a great experience, even though I usually don’t take in much of the big league action for the Cincinnati Reds. But even if you don’t travel out to Goodyear, it’s a fun time of the year where we can dream of what could be. And we get to start watching real life actual baseball for the first time since October.
Earlier today the Reds released their schedule for 2020 spring training. Things are going to get started on Saturday February 22nd when they open games up against the Cleveland Indians. Technically that will be a road game in Goodyear. Here’s the entire schedule:
Over the first eight days of the spring games, the Cincinnati Reds will be at home for six of them. The last eight days of spring games have the Reds playing nine games with four of them in Goodyear. There are only two off days mixed in there once games start.
As things sit right now the last game of the spring is followed by three days off before opening day. There may be something in the works, similar to years past, where there could be exhibition games beyond Goodyear. Earlier this year the Reds left Goodyear and headed off to Atlanta. That’s where they played two exhibition games against the Braves before heading to Cincinnati to get ready for opening day.
Another option could be something that the Reds have done over the years where they have gone to an affiliate and played an exhibition game against a team of their minor league players. They’ve had these games in Dayton, Louisville, and Pensacola in the last decade.
As of now, none of these are planned. It would be surprising, though, if the Reds went three full days without a game of some kind leading into opening day.
not as many split squad days as years past it seems
If anyone is heading out to Phoenix for Spring Training and wants to see the Reds not just in Goodyear, I’d highly recommend going to the Giants game. The stadium is in a great location in Scottsdale and is a fun place to watch a game.
As much as I like seeing the Reds play home games, Goodyear is way the heck out of town.
Went to Goodyear for the first time this year. We stayed with a friend who lived in the east part of Phoenix. We were about 30-40 miles away. Try navigating that in rush hour traffic.
I have. It suckssssssssssssss.
Heck, some days it even sucks NOT at rush hour. What I honestly try to do on days when I can tell I’ll be pushing up towards rush hour is try to find somewhere to go sit down and eat before getting anywhere near the highway interchanges. Then try to get back to where I’m staying after that and *hopefully* avoid all of the traffic issues. Hasn’t always worked out for me that way, but it has worked a few times when needed.
The Mariner’s stadium in Peoria is another good option to catch the Reds without having to spend $50 and an hour in a Uber each way. It’s in a pretty good location and there’s plenty to do nearby.
I count four games in the last nine at Goodyear: White Sox, Royals, Indians twice. Six games at Goodyear in the last 10 days; seven at Goodyear in the first 10 days; four at Goodyear in the middle eight. Overall there are 17 chances to see the Reds at Goodyear since the ‘at Indians’ games are at Goodyear. Looks pretty balanced to me.
Are you suggesting that I can’t read or can’t count? Because if so, you’d be right!
Goodyear is great…. but being able to stay anywhere near Goodyear is the problem.