Spring Training Online

With multiple deadlines at play, the Baltimore Orioles appear close to making a decision about moving spring-training operations to Sarasota or Fort Myers.

In both situations, the team would play at an existing facility: Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota or City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. Ed Smith Stadium could be available to the Orioles as soon as 2010 now that the Reds have shifted spring operations to Arizona, while City of Palms Park would be available in 2012 once the Red Sox move to a new facility.

From what we hear, the Orioles are leaning toward City of Palms Park -- but no final decision is in place.

The official numbers confirm what many in baseball have been saying: attendance is down 5 percent in Cactus League games this spring despite the full-time addition of the Indians and Dodgers to the mix.

That's a surprise: many expected the Cactus League to receive a boost from the move of Los Angeles and Cleveland from Florida and the move of the White Sox from Tucson to Phoenix.

In his annual spring meeting with reporters, Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney admits the team's days at Mesa's HoHoKam Park are numbered and says the team is looking at a new spring-training home.

The issue: the team practices at Fitch Field and plays at HoHoKam Park. While HoHoKam Park is a perfectly fine facility and the Cubs are a great draw -- perennially leading the Cactus League in attendance -- the ballpark lacks the luxury amenities you find in the new spring facilities. When you have luxury, you have bigger bucks (in theory; the Dodgers and the White Sox found out differently this spring at Camelback Ranch Stadium). And with Tom Ricketts closing on the $900-million purchase of the Cubs and Wrigley Field, the more bucks the better.

The only team that entered February games selling out every fixed seat for every spring-training matchup?

Not the Red Sox.

Not the Yankees.

It was the Tampa Bay Rays, who sold out every fixed seat at Charlotte County Sports Park well in advance of the team's first game of 2009.

Spring-training attendance is down some 20 percent this spring when compared to 2008, as teams struggle with smaller crowds.