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Christmas morning. Your birthday. The final bell of the last day of school before summer vacation. All these pale next to the first day of spring training in terms of excitement.We may still officially be in winter, but the days are getting longer, and at last we have seen the first true sight of spring, with pitchers and catchers reporting to Charlotte Sports Park on Tuesday morning.
Along with the usual suspects, there were a number of position players present and ready to get a head start on training before the full squad is due to report next week.
Let’s take a moment to enjoy the beauty that is the first baseball activity of the year.
Fast. Forward.
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) February 12, 2018
Less than 24hrs till it's official.#RaysSpring #Rays #SpringTraining #MLB #baseball pic.twitter.com/C0Fu2xn6ys
A beautiful sight.#SpringRays pic.twitter.com/gdV2OWqPqU
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 13, 2018
Ready. #SpringRays pic.twitter.com/Xv6Ki8CwOc
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 12, 2018
If you really want to keep up with the best in the business, give Rays photographer Will Vragovic a follow.
Starting this off right.#SouzaDugoutHugs #RaysSpring #Rays #MLB #baseball #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/K7OEkbWsCu
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) February 12, 2018
Over the fence. Over and over. #SpringRays #Rays #MLB #baseball #springtraining pic.twitter.com/VFXKBcLs1s
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) February 13, 2018
Bosses doing boss things.
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) February 13, 2018
Pitchers and catchers officially report today, spending most of the day doing admin things and getting physicals. #SpringRays #Rays #MLB #baseball #springtraining pic.twitter.com/ByfVV26FDo
It’s #Rays Bloom, Neander and Cash talking #Rays on the boardwalk at Charlotte Sports Park ... pic.twitter.com/sECIkMKCbr
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) February 13, 2018
.@SouzaJr just couldn’t wait.#SpringRays pic.twitter.com/FeMP2dWqbJ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 13, 2018
<-- Anyone in the batter's box.#NathanEovaldi #RaysSpring #Rays #MLB #SpringTraining #baseball pic.twitter.com/ItshLvbe6f
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) February 12, 2018
Matt Duffy putting the early work in at 3B. #RaysSpring #Rays #SpringTraining #MLB #baseball pic.twitter.com/5pwwMW83Xd
— Will Vragovic (@willvrag) February 12, 2018
New look for #Rays Colome, sporting the long braids with the beard. Said he “didn’t expect” to be back given trade rumors but is happy to be here and focused on task ahead. pic.twitter.com/XHBQoLFDNo
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) February 13, 2018
The full squad is set to have their first workout next week, but it’s clear a lot of the guys are already excited to get started. There’s nothing quite like this first week of baseball, when fans and players alike get to shake off the cobwebs of the offseason and start to get psyched for the summer months to come.
Baseball is back!