If you were to lurk around the grounds of Ed Smith Stadium in February, really nose around a little, you might hear a whirling swoosh followed by a satisfying thump - the distinctive sounds of pitching practice. While much of the country, including Ohio, is deep in the thick of a snowy winter, in Sarasota the pitchers and catchers of the Cincinnati Reds report to spring training. And by March, the club's spring season is in full swing

Spring training excites fans at Ed Smith Stadium Dan Kriwitsky

- freshly cut grass, the crack of the bat, whooping crowds. At the 7,500-seat Ed Smith Stadium, it's the best time to meet your favorite players and collect autographs. The action on the diamond is major league, but also has all of the distinctive fun that is spring training. Bring the whole family for a day at the ballpark.

The spring season kicks off with an intra-squad match on March 1, 2006. This is your best chance to see your favorite stars - who's coming back and who's new. On March 2, 2006, it's the Detroit Tigers for the first game of the year. Throughout March, the Reds face some of their biggest rivals - the Minnesota Twins, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. It's an action-packed month of exciting Reds baseball for the whole family or for a team of friends. Most of the games start at 1:05 p.m., when the Florida sun is at its brightest and best. The Reds have made Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium their winter home since 1998. Nearly 6,500 of the stadium's seats are armchair style, with only 1,000 of the bleacher fold-downs so often associated with watching spring ball. So, settle the kids, get comfortable in your armchair and warm up your voicebox for some serious cheering.

Just a short drive from the Reds training camp, a number of other Major League teams can also be found: the Pittsburgh

Wily Mo celebrates with teammates after scoring Dan Kriwitsky

Pirates in Bradenton, the New York Yankees in Tampa, the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Petersburg, the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland and the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers. Baseball is everywhere in and around Sarasota, making the area a real home for the sport. So come for the Reds, follow them on their "road trips" and then eagerly return for their home-away-from-home stands.

After you've been inspired by your favorite pros, give the kids a chance to swing for the fences or work on your own average. Head just a few minutes east to Pop's Golf & Batting Center on Fruitville Road to let loose in the batting cages. With pitching machines ranging from 40 miles per hour up to 70, you're guaranteed to crack a few long balls whatever your age or skill level. You get 54 pitches for five dollars. Or head over to Pelican Pete's Playland in Englewood. The speeds here range from 30 to 60 miles per hour. You get 24 pitches for just $1.50. Step up to the plate, adjust your helmet, plant your feet and swing away! Just be sure to let the kids have a chance.

Once you've hollered your hearts out and trained in the cages, you'll need to eat. Take the whole family to the Hob Nob, an original '50s drive-in diner, complete with outside seating, hotdogs, hamburgers and daily specials. Trade baseball tales old and new with family, friends and other patrons. There's nothing better after a day at the field than this little slice of Americana. It is truly a Sarasota institution.

For enthusiasts who want to celebrate the legends of baseball past sundown, join a jolly pack of sports fanatics at the Sports Page Bar & Grill. Have a tasty meal and a cold brew at the bar. The walls of this local favorite on Main Street in downtown Sarasota are lined with autographed photographs of sports legends. Everywhere you look, TVs dedicated to sports coverage of all kinds are enticing patrons to clap and shout.

If you go:
Ed Smith Stadium/Cincinnati Reds
2700 12th St. off of Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. Visit www.cincinnatireds.com for spring training individual and season tickets, or call the box office at 941-954-4464 for ticket purchasing and information.

Pop's Golf & Batting Center, 6800 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, 941-377-4807

Pelican Pete's Playland, 3101 S. McCall Rd., Englewood, 941-475-2008

Hob Nob Drive In, 1701 N. Washington Blvd., Sarasota, 941-955-5001

The Sports Page Bar & Grill, 1319 Main St., Sarasota, 941-365-0469

Originally posted 1/4/06