White Sox truck departs for spring training

An 18-wheel truck loaded with equipment, baseball gear, scoreboard materials, suitcases, golf clubs and much more pulled out of the parking lot at U.S. Cellular Field Friday and headed to Arizona in advance of the Sox who are getting ready to descend on Camelback Ranch for their eighth spring training in Glendale, Ariz.

“Pitchers and catchers report to spring training” is the baseball fan’s welcomed wakeup call that means the game is about to return after the long, cold weather. For Sox clubhouse staffers, that wakeup call came Friday as they packed bags for the desert on a chilly Chicago morning.

White Sox pitchers and catchers report two weeks from Friday, on Feb. 19, when they hold their first official workouts. The Sox’ first full squad workout is Feb. 23.

The new man in charge of the packing and moving operation is Rob Warren, who is taking over as Sox clubhouse manager after 10 years as assistant to Vince Fresso, who is no longer with the club.

“We open on the road this year so all the equipment we travel year-round with, whether it’s [trainer] Herm’s [Schneider] medical equipment or our backup equipment [goes on the truck],” Warren said. “We have helmets we have to size up everyone for in spring training, a lot of pants … everything from pine tar or cleaning supplies, left over bats from last year — you name it.”

The Sox’ Cactus League opener is March 3 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. After their spring finale March 30 against the Reds in Goodyear, they leave for San Diego to play the Padres in exhibitions April 1 (9:10 p.m. CST) and 2 (1:10 p.m. CST) at Petco Park.

The season opener is Monday, April 4 (9:10 p.m.) against the A’s at Oakland Coliseum. After a four-game series there, the Sox open at home April 8 against the Cleveland Indians.