I grew up in Tucson, Arizona which, at that time, was the spring training home of the Cleveland Indians.
I remember the good old days when my Dad would take me to Hi Corbett Field for a spring training game.
To see in person ballplayers like Willie Mays and Willie McCovey and Rocky Colovito was like living a dream.
Tickets were cheap, food was inexpensive and parking was free. As far as my Dad was concerned, life couldn't get much better. And I had to agree with him.
That's not the case today.
It seems that spring training has priced itself out of the realm of the average family's budget. Unless you're a die-hard fan of your team, how can a family of four afford tickets (no longer five bucks a piece), a hot dog (no longer a buck a dog) or park the car (I believe I paid seven dollars at Peoria a couple of years ago).
So I'll stay home. I can sit out on my back porch, out of the sun, and listen to the Diamondbacks on the radio. There won't be any vendors selling peanuts, pop corn and Cracker Jacks. I'll have to get up to get my favorite liquid beverage.
But I won't pay $15 for it.
