Fans' guide to Nats spring training, Part 2: The area

Planning to come to spring training? Or just thinking you might like to come to spring training someday, but aren’t sure what to expect? You’re in luck, because we’re giving you all the advice you need right here.

On Monday, we detailed everything you can expect at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, both on workout days and game days. If you missed it, please check out that article as well as this one.

Today, we’ll discuss everything important that takes place away from the ballpark. Consider this your definitive guide to West Palm Beach …

First, though, you have to get to West Palm Beach. You have several options.

Both American Airlines and JetBlue offer nonstop flights from Reagan National Airport to Palm Beach International Airport. United has a limited number of nonstops from Dulles, though it’s a seasonal service and doesn’t appear to start until March. And you can also get there from BWI on Southwest.

Fans' guide to Nats spring training, Part 1: The complex

Would you believe the Nationals are about to enter their eighth spring training in West Palm Beach? Doesn’t it feel like yesterday we were all still in Viera, complaining about long drives to road games and controlled brush fires off in the distance beyond Space Coast Stadium?

The Nats made the move south to their new complex in 2017, and it’s been a win for the organization, no doubt. The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is one of the nicest spring training facilities in baseball, and after more than a decade spent driving all over the state of Florida for road games, the majority of Grapefruit League games are now no more than 15 minutes away.

Is West Palm Beach better than Viera for fans? I’ve heard both sides of the argument over the years, if we’re being honest. While the new complex is much nicer, and there’s more to do in the area, West Palm Beach is considerably more expensive and access to players isn’t quite as unrestricted as it used to be.

Having said all that, it’s still a great fan experience. And if you’ve never been before, what are you waiting for?

It’s been a while since I published one of these fan guides – looks like the last one was in 2019! – so it’s probably a good time to revisit the subject. We’ll focus today on what you can expect baseball-wise at the complex each day, then Tuesday we’ll run through everything you need to know about everything else away from the ballpark.

Nats announce 2022 spring training schedule

Nats announce 2022 spring training schedule
The 2021 season isn't over yet, but if you are already looking forward to next year, Major League Baseball earlier today announced they 2022 spring training schedules for all 30 clubs. All teams across the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues will open exhibition play on Saturday, Feb. 26. For the Nationals, that opening contest will require a three-hour trip to Lakeland to face the Tigers. The home opener at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches won't come until Sunday, Feb. 27, in a split-squad matchup...

Ross easing back, Guerra still home, spring tickets go on sale

Ross easing back, Guerra still home, spring tickets go on sale
Davey Martinez has made no secret about his desire to use Joe Ross as his No. 5 starter. While acknowledging the open competition that also includes Erick Fedde, Austin Voth and perhaps even Rogelio Armenteros taking place this spring, the Nationals manager has openly stated he wants Ross to prove he's earned the job. But in their evaluation, Martinez and new pitching coach Jim Hickey need to consider not only Ross' performance but the state of his arm after he opted out of the 2020 season....

What will spring training look like?

What will spring training look like?
As expected, the Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday night shot down MLB's proposal to push back the start of spring training one month, reduce the regular season to 154 games and complete an expanded postseason in early November, all while receiving full-season pay and reinstituting the universal designated hitter for 2021. "The MLBPA Executive Board and Player leadership reviewed and discussed the owners' proposal throughout the weekend and today," the union said in a...

Nationals release 2020 spring training schedule

Nationals release 2020 spring training schedule
The calendar hasn't even flipped to September, but Major League Baseball is already thinking ahead to spring training 2020. The Nationals' Grapefruit League schedule was released this afternoon, and includes 31 dates - 15 home games at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Fla., and 16 road games. Of course, since the Astros and Nationals share the same home field for spring games, some of those road games require no travel. That's the case for the spring opener, when...

Nats, Astros strike naming rights deal for spring ballpark

Nats, Astros strike naming rights deal for spring ballpark
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals' spring training stadium, barely a year old, is already getting a new name. The Nationals and Astros are planning to announce next week a naming rights deal for The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches with FITTEAM, a local "healthy lifestyle company," sources familiar with the decision confirmed. The new name for the stadium: FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The announcement of a reported 12-year deal between FITTEAM and both franchises that share the...

"MASN All Access" to have live daily coverage at start of Nats spring training

"MASN All Access" to have live daily coverage at start of Nats spring training
It is finally time. The sun is shining and the tank is clean. Baseball is back. Nationals pitchers and catchers are set to report to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Wednesday, Feb. 14, and if you can't make it down to beautiful West Palm Beach, don't worry, "MASN All Access" is bringing it to you. We'll have daily shows on Facebook Live around 3 p.m. each day throughout the first weekend of spring training! Be sure to tune in from Feb. 16-19 as hosts Sara Perlman and Paul Mancano...

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The town

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The town
The primary purpose of any trip to spring training is to, you know, watch baseball players doing baseball things on baseball fields, all while soaking up the warm South Florida sun while all your friends back north are wearing parkas and shoveling snow. But there is more to a spring training trip than baseball. After all, you do have to eat. And baseball only takes up a portion of your day. So today we offer Part 2 of our Nats Fans' Guide to Spring Training, focusing on everything outside The...

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The complex

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The complex
It may be tough to envision right now, what with white stuff coating the ground and wind chills still in the teens this morning, but spring training is fast approaching. In fact, it's only four weeks away. Yes, in a mere 29 days there will be actual Nationals pitchers and actual Nationals catchers wearing actual practice uniforms and participating in actual drills in West Palm Beach, Fla., the first official workout of 2018. I'll be there, obviously. But I know some of you plan to be there as...

Nats' exhibition schedule includes game vs. Twins in D.C.

Nats' exhibition schedule includes game vs. Twins in D.C.
The Nationals announced their 2018 spring training schedule today, one that again takes advantage of their conveniently located new complex in West Palm Beach and concludes with a final exhibition against the Twins in D.C. Twenty-five of the Nationals' 31 Grapefruit League games in Florida will be played in Palm Beach County, either at their shared complex with the Astros or a short 15-minute drive up the road at the Marlins and Cardinals' complex in Jupiter. Three more road games will be...

Nationals reaped benefits of first spring in West Palm Beach

Nationals reaped benefits of first spring in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals will gather at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches one last time this morning, pack up all their remaining gear and head out as one team on a bus ride across the Florida swamp for their Grapefruit League finale against the Red Sox in Fort Myers. It's a long trip, 126 miles across mostly two-lane highways, consuming 2 1/2 hours. It's not going to be all that pleasant. Except for the fact this is one of the few times all spring the Nationals have needed to...

Minor leaguers also love West Palm Beach, plus pitching updates

Minor leaguers also love West Palm Beach, plus pitching updates
We heard early in spring training what the new Nationals facility in West Palm Beach meant to the major league players. It also is a big deal to the guys fighting to move up in the minor league camp. Low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson said the minor league camp players were thrilled to get into such a state-of-the-art facility and work so closely with the major league squad. "We feel very fortunate," Anderson said. "It's unbelievable. It's a great fresh feeling of starting...

A mid-spring fan's guide to West Palm Beach

A mid-spring fan's guide to West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We have reached, believe it or not, just about the halfway point of spring training. (Time flies when you're having fun, huh?) Which means there has been ample time to start to get to know both the complex at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches and the entire area. I knew very little previously about this part of South Florida, aside from having driven through it on a few occasions over the years. And there's still plenty more to learn. But given the fact I'm heading...

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The day has arrived. Not everyone was convinced it would happen, at least not in time. But it is happening, and it's happening on time. Today, the Nationals and Astros play a game inside their new spring training stadium after years of planning and 16 furious months of construction that went right down to the wire. "I'm very impressed, cause they've been working around the clock," manager Dusty Baker said. "Every day, I see something new. The other day I was coming...

Live from West Palm Beach ... it's reporting day!

Live from West Palm Beach ... it's reporting day!
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And so the big day has arrived at last. Nationals pitchers and catchers officially report to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches for the start of spring training. Now, as any of you who have followed these things closely over the years know, not a whole lot actually happens on reporting day. Players aren't even required to set foot in the building in order to report. They simply have to arrive in town, or notify club officials that they're on their way. As long as...

A guide to first week of spring games in West Palm Beach with the Nationals

A guide to first week of spring games in West Palm Beach with the Nationals
The excitement of another baseball season arriving for the Nationals is ramped up with the new spring training facility - The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches - and the ease it will have on travel plans for fans. With the move to West Palm Beach, the Nationals have moved 126 miles south down Interstate 95 and closer to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. The Nationals' first Grapefruit League game on the schedule is Feb. 25 at Port St. Lucie (45 miles northwest) against the Mets. Viera was 83 miles...

New spring facility will accelerate relations between Nationals and Astros

New spring facility will accelerate relations between Nationals and Astros
The opening of The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the new spring training facility shared by the Nationals and Astros, will be extremely beneficial to the preparation for the 2017 season and beyond for both clubs. The 6,500-seat baseball stadium will be state-of-the-art for spring training. The 12 practice fields outside the main diamond - six for each team - will be easy to navigate for players and fans. With a hat tip to the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Arizona, shared by the...