Put Me In Coach: Arizona’s Major League Baseball Fantasy Camps Get You into the Game

Play ball with the big boys during Major League Baseball’s January and February fantasy camps throughout metropolitan Phoenix.

by David Hubbard

They call them fantasy camps. But for a died-in-the-wool baseball fanatic, the experience of Major League Baseball from inside the clubhouse, suited up in the team uniform and out on the diamond with the pros, could not be more real.

Before Cactus League Spring Training gets underway in Arizona, no less than 11 Major League Baseball teams throw open the clubhouse doors around the state for Major League Baseball Fantasy Camp. The camps are open to anyone 30 years or older in good health with a love for the game – no experience is necessary to get close to the action.

In January and February, as most of the country is covered in snow, a parade of men and women break loose for five- to eight-day camps in the balmy Arizona sun to connect with their favorite teams. Participants range from former athletes out for a taste of “what might have been” to hardcore fans seeking a truly experiential vacation to senior citizens ready to test their limits.

Play ball!

For a few thousand dollars, fantasy camp participants get the privilege of playing out their dreams as MLB players, or to at least connect with the national pastime firsthand. The chance to stand at the plate and try to put some wood to an 85-mile-per-hour fastball can turn a fantasy into the real deal about as fast.

The camps take participants out to the ballgame and beyond. As full-fledged major league campers, participants receive fundamental instruction from the greats of the game – including current MLB players, alumni and coaches – on the proper techniques for hitting, fielding, pitching and running bases, as well as on baseball’s intricate strategies.

Campers then test their newfound skills in scrimmages against the pros, as coaches scout their prospects for the draft that will determine the teams for the days ahead. From that point, the typical daily agenda mixes instruction and coaching clinics with games each day – including a few against the pros themselves.

An experience to remember

Fantasy campers don’t care if they ever get back. But when they do, the inevitable scratches, bruises and aching muscles are their badges of honor. And as they heal, what once were only fantasies turn to memories.

The camp experience comes with other equally memorable perks. Personalized team uniforms – with name and number – become lasting treasures, as do autographed photos and special gifts. A few teams even offer personalized baseball cards and special-edition bobble-head dolls.

Luxury hotels serve as camp headquarters, with ground transportation provided to and from the stadium. Breakfast at the hotel is included in the fare; lunch is in the clubhouse. Dinners, cookouts and gabfests with the major leaguers fill the evenings. In the casual setting, many of the best players in the game tell their favorite stories to the eager enthusiasts and avail themselves to questions, or review a highlight reel of the day’s action.

The fantasy camp experience comes to a close with an awards banquet before the sated attendees clear the lockers they have shared with the pros and head home, packing with their belongings real-life anecdotes to share for years to come.

Going?

Arizona Diamondbacks Fantasy Camp (Tucson)
Phone: (602) 462-3710
arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com

Chicago White Sox Fantasy Camp (Glendale)
Phone: (312) 674-5398
chicago.whitesox.mlb.com

Cincinnati Reds Fantasy Camp (Goodyear)
Phone: (800) 755-REDS
cincinnati.reds.mlb.com

Cleveland Indians Fantasy Camp (Goodyear)
Phone: (216) 420-HITS
cleveland.indians.mlb.com

Colorado Rockies Fantasy Camp (Tucson)
Phone: (303) 312-CAMP
www.coloradorockies.com

Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp (Maryvale)
Phone: (262) 679-3612
milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com

Oakland Athletics Fantasy Camp (Peoria)
Phone: (877) 993-7338
www.hendersonbaseball.com

Randy Hundley’s Fantasy Camp – Chicago Cubs (Mesa)
Phone: (847) 991-9595
www.cubsfantasycamp.com

Royals Alumni Fantasy Camp – Kansas City Royals (Surprise)
Phone: (816) 504-4150
kansascity.royals.mlb.com

San Francisco Giants Fantasy Camp (Scottsdale)
Phone: (650) 342-5443
sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com

Seattle Mariners Fantasy Camp (Peoria)
Phone: (206) 227-2555
www.hendersonbaseball.com