In The Middle of Nowhere: Pirate City
Beating the below-freezing temperatures and snow-covered streets, Pittsburgh Pirates’ players, coaches, and personnel migrate south to Bradenton, Florida. The Pirates have done so since 1969, moving into the formally named McKechnie Field in downtown.
Since 1923, the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and three other MLB franchises have called Bradenton their southern home.
Now referred to as LECOM Park, fans are in for a treat with the relatively new boardwalk surrounding the outfield. Fans now have the ability to watch players hit in the batting cages and observe them on the extra field, beyond the center field wall.
Fitting to the title of this article, a chapter in Ron Luciano’s The Umpire Strikes Back is titled “Where The #$@& Is Pirate City?”, due to the inability to locate the facility.
Although the official Spring Training games are held at LECOM Park, the team’s preseason workouts and practices are held at Pirate City. Sandwiched in-between the River Run Golf Links, orange orchards, and the Horizons Academy, Pirate City features four full size fields, each names after a Pirates’ legend, two bullpens with ten mounds total, three half fields (infield only), and an open field for stretching and running.
Inside, 75 rooms house minor league players year around, giving access to state-of-the-art weight rooms, clubhouses, and batting cages. The Pirates’ rookie-ball affiliate Gulf Coast Pirates, of the Gulf Coast League, play their games at Pirate City. The complex is also home to the Pirates’ extended spring training, where players who may need more work will do so.
A trip to Pirate City would make for an enjoyable Spring Training experience. By the way, it is free to get in. Here is a more in-depth look into the complex and surrounding attractions:
Field 1: Roberto Clemente Field
Named after the great Roberto Clemente, Field 1 is located in the back left of the complex. Beyond the left field fence are the batting cages and clubhouse. Behind the right field wall is Field 7, one of the three half-fields, and a drainage basin. Beyond that are two holes of the River Run Golf Links.
Field 2: Pie Traynor Field
Named after the legendary Pie Traynor, Field 2 is very similar to Field 1. Beyond the left field wall are a couple of fairways and a maintenance yard. Hit it anywhere else, you may interfere with a putt on Hole 10. In-between fields 2 and 3 are two batting cages and a couple sheds for the grounds crew.
Field 3: Honus Wagner Field
This field, unlike the others, features an all artificial turf infield. This gives players a different feel to align with stadiums like Tropicana Field, among others. A blast to right may hit a parked car beyond the high fence, while a homer to left-center could hit the golf clubhouse, where hot-dogs and other hot foods are available for fans.
Field 4: Willie Stargell Field
One of the most used spaces at Pirate City, Field 4 gives fans the opportunity to shag home-runs beyond the left field fence. Named after slugging first-baseman Willie Stargell, this field seems to be a favorite among coaches and players. A good thing, because it gives fans the best experience, with access behind the outfield wall and bleachers down the first base line.
The Elroy Face Bullpens
Named after Pirates’ former reliever Elroy Face, the bullpens consist of ten mounds, four in the front (as shown) and six beyond the fence. As fans can only get access to the front four mounds, coaches tend to use the back six more often due to ability to throw more arms.
The “Scout Tower”
A favorite to anyone interested in player development, the unofficially named “Scout Tower” is where front office personnel and coaches can monitor the happenings of all four fields. Inside is where authorized personnel can change the music, set up cameras, and fiddle with the TrackMan system located on Field 4.
Where to Eat
Highlighting the block is Mixon’s Fruit Farm. Not only is the attraction an orange orchard, the interior features a cafeteria with relatively cheap, good food and citrus ice cream. If one is craving a bar-b-que sandwich, or even a Orange/Vanilla swirl, Mixon’s is the place for you.
As mentioned before, the River Run Golf Link’s clubhouse has a cheap combo meal that is only a short walk away.
About the Writer:
Ryan Miller is a high school senior seeking a career within the sports field. The New Jersey born 17-year-old was influenced by his father to become a Pittsburgh sports fan. On Twitter, he posts about roster transactions, play-by-play reactions, and interesting takes on different sports topics. Ryan also does a sports podcast with Josh Ruga (@JoshuaRuga on Twitter) about the Pittsburgh Pirates called Pirates Corner (@Pirates_Corner on Twitter). You can find him on Twitter @RyanFromPC.
