Raising Arizona questions

There's a notion out there that there's an MLB rule that requires an even number of teams to be in Arizona and Florida for spring training, i.e., the Reds are using Arizona as a negotiating ploy.

If there is such rule, neither the Reds nor the Katy Feeney, of MLB, have heard about it.


"I don't know of a specific rule," said Feeney, senior vice-president of the scheduling and club relations.

"I'm not aware of any rule," John Allen said.

An odd numbers of teams would create scheduling problems.

"You'd have a lot of off days and split-squad games," Feeney said. "Teams don't like split squads late in the schedule."

It's something that MLB can get around, particularly with increased emphasis on international baseball. This year, in fact, the Boston Red Sox leave Florida on March 19 for a trip to Japan. They follow that with games in Los Angeles to wrap up the exhibition season.

Teams also play college teams.