SAN DIEGO -- Tuesday marked the first sign of spring on the San Diego baseball calendar this year.
"Truck day," as it's fondly known in the baseball world, saw Padres team employees loading the thousands of necessary items for Spring Training onto a handful of trucks destined for Peoria, Ariz.
Those trucks, carrying equipment ranging from bats and balls to workout gear, departed for the team's Spring Training complex, where they'll be unpacked and prepped for the arrival of players in February. The loading process took most of the afternoon.
Pitchers and catchers are slated to report to Spring Training on Feb. 14 this year, while the first full-squad workout will take place five days later. The Padres open their Cactus League slate by hosting the Mariners at the Peoria Sports Complex on Feb. 23.