Rockies, D-backs announce moving spring training

TUCSON (AP) — Spring training baseball is abandoning Tucson.

The Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks have told city and Pima County officials that they will move their spring training base from Hi Corbett Field after 2010.

“This decision comes with mixed emotions, as we obviously have a deep history with and genuine fondness for Tucson,” Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall said in a statement.

“With the current environment of spring training in Southern Arizona having led to the Colorado Rockies’ recent and formal decision to relocate, we find ourselves in the undesirable position as the only MLB team operating there beyond 2010.”

The Rockies have trained in Tucson since their inception in 1993, but it’s become difficult to stay there with just the Diamondbacks also training in the area. Most other teams in Arizona train near Phoenix, which is a two- to three-hour bus ride.

The Diamondbacks have trained in Tucson since their inception in 1998.

The Chicago White Sox moved their spring training base to the Phoenix area this year, and the Rockies and Diamondbacks both had clauses in their leases enabling the teams to leave Tucson unless there are at least three major league teams located in the city for spring training.

The Rockies and Diamondbacks didn’t say where they plan to move their spring training operations after next year.