In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warmer climates to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play.
Spring training typically lasts almost two months, starting in early February and running until just before the season opening day, traditionally the first week of April. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period because of the exhaustive nature of the position. A week or two later, the position players arrive and team practice begins.
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