1) Add salt before the game 2) Exhibition game time 3) Like most exhibition games 4) Like pro baseball in February 5) Like some exhibition games 6) Practice period 7) Season 8) Spring-training period 9) Training time for ballplayers 1) Aheadofthyme 
[n] - a period prior to the beginning of the regular season which is devoted to training and preparation
noun a period prior to the beginning of the regular season which is devoted to training and preparation