Ready for Takeoff

Got grapefruit?

With baseball already on your mind (not that it ever wasn't), Florida is the place to get your fix. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training next weekend, and games begin March 3; the Sunshine State hosts 18 teams. If you're interested in visiting more than the Red Sox in Fort Myers, you'll want to pick up ''Florida Spring Training: Your Guide to Touring the Grapefruit League, 2005 Edition" by Alan Byrd (The Intrepid Traveler). The league's 17 ballparks (two teams share a park) are described, with details including ticket information, seating, parking, and directions. Byrd provides five weeklong itineraries for tourists who want to explore an area and visit parks. For fans who want to craft their own visits, lodging and restaurant information near each stadium is provided. Byrd also critiques stadium food and offers those all-important tips on getting players' autographs. He goes out on a limb to predict that tickets for the Sox and Yankees will be harder than ever to obtain. But Boston fans know: Anything is possible.