Support minor league baseball. Attend spring training.

I did. I was in Florida for a week early in March. I attended six Grapefruit League games at six sites. Based in Howey-in-the-Hills, my son, Jerrold, and I covered more than 1,000 miles, as far south as Vero Beach, as far west as St. Petersburg.

The weather was mostly gorgeous - sunny with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s, once as high as 86.

We saw the no-names on 11 teams, the minor leaguers seeking to make an impression and perhaps win a spot on the major league roster.

I'm not complaining. Heck, I escaped the snow and cold in Decatur for a pleasant interlude of relaxing at the ballpark with no concern about who was going to win, while eating a hot dog and slurping frozen lemonade.

Come with me on this annual trek:

DAY 1: It's a nonstop AirTran flight from Bloomington to Orlando, arriving about 3:30 p.m. Dinner is at Carrabba's Italian Grill, near Clermont. After dinner, Jerrold and I map out the baseball itinerary.

DAY 2: A family visit to Dodgertown at Vero Beach. The New York Mets score three runs in the ninth inning to edge the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-6, with the decisive blow a two-run single by Angel Pagan, a Cubs castoff. None of the Mets' regulars are in the lineup.

Alas, after 60 years, the Dodgers are abandoning this quaint park for new digs in Glendale, Ariz., to be shared with the Chicago White Sox. The rumor is that the Baltimore Orioles will move from Fort Lauderdale to replace the Dodgers. I hope so. It would be a shame to demolish Dodgertown. My lunch is a Dodgerdog, popcorn, Coca-Cola. The temperature is 76 degrees, the attendance is 8,219.

DAY 3: We're at Kissimmee, along with a standing-room-only crowd, to see the New York Yankees play the Houston Astros. Mike Mussina, the Yankees' starting pitcher, gives up five runs, including a three-run homer to Carlos Lee. Other Yankees regulars in the lineup are Johnny Damon, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera. The Yankees win, 7-6. I settle for a hamburger for lunch. The temperature is 79 degrees, the attendance is 6,014.

DAY 4: At St. Petersburg, the Minnesota Twins vs. Tampa Bay Rays game is rained out in the fifth inning with the Twins leading, 3-0. Minnesota pitcher Boof Bonser is impressive. This is the last visit to venerable Al Lang Field, where the St. Louis Cardinals trained for years. A new park will be built there for the Rays, who play in the Tropicana Dome, 10 blocks from Al Lang Field. Lunch is at the Fourth Street Shrimp Store: a fried flounder sandwich with French fries, $8.29, with a free Coca-Cola.

DAY 5: In Lakeland, the home of the Detroit Tigers, Carlos Guillen hits two home runs and Magglio Ordonez also connects in a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Tigers are my pick to win the American League Central with an awesome collection of hitters: Catcher Pudge Rodriquez, who hit eight spring homers; second baseman Placido Polanco; Edgar Renteria, the new shortstop; outfielder Ordonez, the American League batting champion; Miguel Cabrera, obtained from the Florida Marlins to play third base; outfielder Curtis Granderson; and designated hitter Gary Sheffield. Lunch: Hamburger with potato salad. Temperature, 73 degrees. Attendance: 5,094.

DAY 6: At Bradenton, David Eckstein, late of the Cardinals, poles a grand slam for the Toronto Blue Jays. Pittsburgh wins anyway, 8-7, with three runs in the ninth inning, ending a six-game losing streak. My first visit to the Pirates' spring base, McKechnie Field, in 30 years or so - when Bill Madlock of Decatur was playing for the Pirates and Dave Parker disrupted our dressing room conversation by repeatedly slamming a bat against a locker. Temperature: 70 degrees. Attendance: 3,854.

DAY 7: At Winter Haven, the Mets clip the Cleveland Indians, 8-6. We see Oliver Perez, who pitched against the Dodgers in Game 1 of this journey, pitch again, giving up six runs and sending his earned run average soaring to 11.57. Most of the Indians' regulars play. The only Mets regular in action is Perez. We buy excellent tickets between home plate and first base from a season ticketholder for $15. Lunch is the proverbial hamburger. This is the last visit to Chain of Lakes Park, to be demolished to make way for condominiums while the Indians move to a new park in Goodyear, Ariz. Temperature: 86 degrees. Attendance: 5,404.

DAY 8: It's back to chilly Decatur after a nonstop flight from Orlando to Bloomington.

NO JUPITER: We didn't get to Jupiter to see the St. Louis Cardinals. It was no loss. I figure the Cardinals for last place, unthinkable but likely.

TICKET PRICES: Highest was $20 at Vero Beach. The average price was $17.

CONCESSION PRICES: Hot dogs $4.50, hamburgers $5 to $6, soda $4.50, beer $6 to $7, popcorn $4, frozen lemonade $4.50.

BEST BALLPARK: Vero Beach.

PARKING: Usually $5.

TOTAL TRIP COST: About $1,000, including airfare; family dinners at Carrabba's, Chili's and Outback Steakhouse; rental car; ballpark tickets, programs and food.

Bob Fallstrom can be reached at bfallstrom@herald-review.com or 421-7981.