Year Around Planning Keeping Pirates' Spring Training On Track
Posted
Don Laible
BRADENTON – At the Pittsburgh Pirates' southern command in Bradenton, exceptional planning is always in vogue. The ongoing rift between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association will eventually end. With team owners locking out players one week ago, this is the first time in three decades that baseball has had a work stoppage.
Once management and the players' union strike an agreement, spring training sites will swing open their gates. The Pittsburgh Pirates will long be ready for their southern home to welcome players, staff, and most importantly their fans.
" Planning starts about halfway through Marauders season," says general manager Craig Warzecha of the Pirates' Low-A minor league affiliate. " Planning six to eight months, initially, is how we do it (plan for spring training). How early we get our schedule for spring training sets the wheels in motion."
The projected schedule of 35 games in as many days to prepare the Pirates for their season home opener on March 31 with the St. Louis Cardinals requires everyone in the front office, and on the field, to execute exceptional communication skills.
LECOM Park, the 8,500-seat site where the Pirates have been playing their spring training games since 1969, and Pirate City, Pittsburgh's training complex separated by four miles from the ballpark, need to be at the ready year around.
According to Warzecha, back in 2016, there was a study issued by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau on the economic impact of the Pirates and spring training on the surrounding region. $36 million is the result of the impact, which includes hotel and restaurant gains.
A key component to Pittsburgh's success each spring at LECOM Park, currently the oldest stadium used for spring training (built in 1923), is the organization's relationship with the Bradenton Pirates Booster Club.
The 180-member-strong group led by its president Mike Roteman of Lakewood Ranch continues to have an enormous and meaningful contribution to the overall success of fans' spring training experience.
" We're ushers, greeters, we sell programs, and are at guest services," tells Roteman, a lifelong Pirates fan, and native of Pennsylvania. " (Pirates) are the only MLB team that uses an all-volunteer group."
The booster club takes care of the Pirates and its fans, simply because they love baseball. At each game at LECOM Park, 70 booster members, depending on their availability for gameday duty, will be accepting assignments. Members are easily identified by the yellow shorts and black hats worn.
Area residents looking to fill any open paid positions during events at LECOM Park are encouraged to search job opportunities at Pirates.com.
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