It's one of our favorite times of the year, when pitchers and catchers report to ball fields across Arizona and Florida, and the promise of another baseball season is on the horizon. Spring training has arrived, and very shortly, the games will begin. And for Marlins fans, given the sheer number of rookies on the roster, it's going to feel like spring training all season long!

We're fortunate enough to have two stadiums, which host three teams, right here in South Florida. The Baltimore Orioles train at the Fort Lauderdale Stadium, while the St. Louis Cardinals and Florida Marlins split time at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Of course, if you're going to the game, you'll have to eat, and while a fourth-inning hot dog is great, sometimes you just need a bit more than that. If you're headed to see the Orioles play in Ft. Lauderdale, here are a few ideas for pre- or post-game grub:

• Frog & Toad Pub uses categories like "pond water," "little leaps," and "the whole lily pad" to separate its menu items. We find it quite charming. In addition to staples like spinach dip, quesadillas and chicken fingers, they've also got a number of traditional British items on the menu. Think bangers 'n' mash, sheperds pie, and Guinness-marinated beef.

• If it's pizza you're craving, Gino's Italian Ristorante isn't too far away. There's pizza, with all the usual toppings, pasta, and meat and seafood dishes. Gino's also makes a number of hot and cold subs that we're thinking could fit easily into a purse or other bag to take into the stadium.

• Where there's a stadium, there's a Hooters not far away. Wings, beer, cleavage, short shorts -- you know what to expect here.

• Head to the Moonlite Diner for burgers, melts, egg creams and or one of the 29 different milkshakes. We can't think of a better way to end an afternoon of baseball than to indulge in typical Americana diner food. The fare can get a bit greasy here, but the burgers and shakes are solid.

Tomorrow, we'll go over some restaurants closer to the Marlins' and Cardinals' spring home: Roger Dean Stadium.

Marlins pitchers and catchers start workouts [Miami Herald]
Frog & Toad Pub [MenuPages]
Gino's Italian Ristorante [MenuPages]
Hooters [MenuPages]
Moonlite Diner [MenuPages]

Photo: Flickr