masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgHere we are on the first day of the offseason, with today the first of many days without Orioles baseball.

On one hand, it’s a bit of a relief to the players, coaches, managers, and front office members who have put in long hours over a long season. On the other hand, it won’t take more than a few days before things already start to feel empty around Oriole Park.

When the team departs, so does a certain energy from the Warehouse, and the overcast feeling of winter days without baseball…Here we are on the first day of the offseason, with today the first of many days without Orioles baseball.

On one hand, it’s a bit of a relief to the players, coaches, managers, and front office members who have put in long hours over a long season. On the other hand, it won’t take more than a few days before things already start to feel empty around Oriole Park.

When the team departs, so does a certain energy from the Warehouse, and the overcast feeling of winter days without baseball seems to set in early. So to cope with the complete 180, most front office members tend to turn to the new season immediately.

Nicole Sherry and her grounds crew will immediately begin preparing the field for Opening Day; fans will already look to the Winter Meetings, Hot Stove leagues and talk of Spring Training; and we here at MASNsports.com will begin laying plans for the new season.

So, is is too early to turn our attention to Sarasota and Spring Training? Hardly. So we’ll head just south of St. Petersburg to get an inside look at the progress being made on the renovations to Ed Smith Stadium, the O’s new spring home in Sarasota.

Recently, O’s Xtra followed President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail and O’s skipper Buck Showalter on a tour of the renovations, led by Vice President of Planning and Development Janet Marie Smith.

Watch the video below to take the tour along with them and to get an inside look at the improvements to the O’s new spring training facility.