Even in nice weather, spring training can be a grind

The Cedartown Bulldogs remain above .500 on the season as the soccer team looks to bounce back from a 2-1 loss to Central on the road in region play.

The 5-4 Bulldogs boys soccer team sits at 1-1 in region play on the season after a 2-1loss to the Central Carroll Lions on March 8, which came off the heels of a 6-0 shutout win over Chapel Hill at the start of

The Cedartown Lady Bulldogs might be at 1-7, but they’ve got plenty more chances to catch up and make an impact on the season.

Their latest loss put them at 0-2 in region play after they fell to Central Carroll in a 5-0 shutout, and prior to that fell in a 10-0 rout to Chapel Hill.

But the Lady Bulldogs have opportunities to bounce back with a packed schedule ahead.

Earlier this week, Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire left several of his top players out of the starting lineup. It was a rainy morning, but that wasn’t the only reason. Gardenhire said some were dealing with aches and pains.

“I talked to a number of our guys,” Gardenhire said Tuesday. “Because of these hard fields in spring training, they get little hips and groin soreness, and I just said — weather, hips and groin, that’s not Like the boys, they have a forthcoming match against North good. So I just changed the whole lineup.”

It may look like a few weeks of relaxed fun in the sun, but make no mistake: Spring training can be a grind. Pitchers need to build up their arms slowly, and position players face their own challenges. At this time of year, Florida and Arizona climates obviously are better for baseball than many others, but the warm, sunny weather does have a few drawbacks.

Spring training is halfway over now, and Kansas City infielder Whit Merrifield already feels like he’s had enough.

“I wish spring training would be done, Murray, followed by LaGrange at week’s end and Cartersville and Woodland next week. They’ll also have Senior Night right about now — but I understand pitchers need to build their arms up and all that,” Merrifield said. “It should be three or four weeks, that’s enough. If it was me, it would start about right now and then you go into the season.”

Merrifield might be glad to see the following trends in position player workload in spring training: In 2009, Houston’s Michael Bourn led the majors in exhibition plate appearances with 107. In 2010, Julio Borbon had 97 for Texas. Last year, nobody had more than 74.

“A couple years ago, I was trying to on March 22 at home facing Troup County. make the team and I played in like every spring game but one,” Merrifield said. “I came into the season sore — the spring is tough in that regard — but once you get established, you get days off, play the first half a game and get out.”

Gardenhire isn’t alone in his concern about hard fields. Merrifield, whose team trains in Arizona, said “it’s like concrete out there” on hot, sunny days. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone experienced spring training when he was a player, and now he has to monitor his team.