It’s been more than 35 years since the Oakland A’s made a change in its spring training itinerary, leaving Mesa for Scottsdale, before settling in on the Phoenix-Tempe border.

A baseball foundation that donates about $50,000 a year to Valley-based charities — money raised through former Major Leaguers selling autographs and memorabilia during spring training — has been moved from its familiar position, but remains a presence at Mesa’s Hohokam Stadium.

The city of Mesa believes it will seal a deal to become the home of its second Cactus League team by the end of this year.

The Oakland Athletics are negotiating with Mesa to move their spring training operations from Phoenix to where the Chicago Cubs now practice, the A's announced Monday.

Nearly 10,500 fans gathered to bid a farewell to the 2013 Major League Baseball Spring Training season Thursday afternoon.

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Anaheim Angels

Anaheim Angels

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When Bill Keller landed a store manager’s job with Dillard’s department store in the Valley 34 years ago, his wife, Dianne, said she wasn’t excited about moving to Arizona, much less Mesa — from Minneapolis.

You’ve got to love living in the place everyone else wants to be.

Tickets for the 15 spring training home games the Chicago Cubs will play at Mesa’s Hohokam Stadium will go on sale Jan. 5.

Now, I haven't asked him, partly because Billy Beane isn't likely to be one to publicly reveal his tactics anyway. But the general manager of the Oakland Athletics may well be applying some "Moneyball" strategy as the A's mull moving spring training baseball operations from Phoenix Municipal Stadium to Mesa's Hohokam Stadium.

Deeper fences at Phoenix Municipal Stadium — the Spring Training home of the Oakland A’s — meant more fair territory in the outfield and more room for base hits.

Wayne Brown spent decades working to improve Mesa, from its arts programs to its financial standing. Under his leadership on the city council and as mayor, the city saw a new spring training facilities built, a new convention center created and the establishment of the Mesa Arts Center.

Year after spring training year, the pendulum tied to Arizona’s Cactus League seems to find itself swinging the other way. One year it’s the players front and center; that was the case this month – and in the East Valley in particular - with the arrival of future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols to Tempe Diablo Stadium.

The Cactus League announced its 2007 spring training schedule. Twelve teams will compete in nine stadiums during the month-long series of exhibition games.

A valuable piece of the region’s economic impact puzzle came through a simple conversation between then Tempe Mayor Harry Mitchell, local homebuilder Brad Curtis and a group of businessmen from Chase Bank a number of years ago.

THE FANS

THE FANS

For more than 20 years, Gregg Forwerck’s focus has been “getting the shot” for a hobby that isn’t just for kids anymore, and hasn’t been for a long time.

The spring training schedule for Tempe Diablo Stadium came in our water bill last week. I couldn’t suppress my goofy grin and immediately ran to my desk calendar to mark every Friday game. All right, I get to ditch two days of work this March, and sit in the outfield and drink cold beer. Man, I love this time of year. Maybe I’ll throw in a couple of Mondays for good measure.

Cactus League baseball is entering its final week, and teams are approaching games more seriously. Serious diners should do the same: Skip the boring ballpark hot dog or nachos and go for a double play (cheap and good) at these nearby restaurants. Each is less than two miles from one of the East Valley's four spring-training stadiums.

Cactus League baseball is entering its final week, and teams are approaching games more seriously. Serious diners should do the same: Skip the boring ballpark hot dog or nachos and go for a double play (cheap and good) at these nearby restaurants. Each is less than two miles from one of the East Valley's four spring-training stadiums.