Just as the All-Star Game draws an unofficial halfway line in the season, the holiday break does the same for the offseason.
By the time we all clean up from our New Years Eve parties and settle back into “normal” again for the month of January, Spring Training will be less than six weeks away. The Blue Jays’ first Spring Training game, on Feb. 22 against the Yankees, won’t feel far away.
Granted, the Blue Jays will need to use the rest of this offseason to bolster a roster that went 74-88 last season — all while the futures of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette loom — but the new year resets all of the records to zero.
For some of you, a flight south to Dunedin, Fla., cuts each winter short. Tickets for Spring Training can be found here.
If you’re still looking to find the right week to flee to Florida, keep in mind that the Phillies (Clearwater) and Yankees (Tampa) are both nearby, so those road games won’t take you too far. Whether you stay in Tampa, Clearwater or on Clearwater Beach, you won’t be far from a game, but Dunedin itself has grown into one of the best parts of Spring Training. Its downtown strip especially (just north of TD Ballpark on Douglas Ave.) is the perfect spot to spend an evening after a game, with breweries, restaurants and shops along the small waterfront.
