We interrupt your regularly scheduled Tampa Bay Rays stadium update for this important message:
Play ball!
Spring training is upon us, which means daily Major League Baseball action spread around the Tampa Bay region, across Florida and Arizona, and this season, even Tokyo.
Games in Japan, as well as Miami, Houston and San Juan, Puerto Rico, are part of the World Baseball Classic, in which MLB stars will represent their home countries.
As usual, the Rays will set up shop in Port Charlotte. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 12, with the remaining players due five days later, with the spring opener scheduled for Feb. 21.
The same week, camps open for Florida’s other MLB teams in what is known as the Grapefruit League. That includes six teams that train in the Tampa Bay area:
New York Yankees, Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
Philadelphia Phillies, BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater
Toronto Blue Jays, TD Ballpark, Dunedin
Pittsburgh Pirates, LECOM Park, Bradenton
Baltimore Orioles, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
Detroit Tigers, Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
Another 15 teams will prep for the season in Arizona’s Citrus League.
So what’s new? All MLB teams will play exhibitions March 3-4 against national teams prepping for the World Baseball Classic, which opens March 6. In the Tampa area. That includes:
Colombia vs. Pirates at Bradenton, March 3, 1:05 p.m.
Netherlands vs. Orioles at Sarasota, March 3, 1:05 p.m.
Panama vs. Yankees at Tampa, March 3, 1:05 p.m.
Canada vs. Blue Jays Dunedin, March 3, 1:07 p.m.
Canada vs. Phillies at Clearwater, March 4, 1:05 p.m.
Colombia vs. Braves at North Port, March 4, 1:05 p.m.
Netherlands vs Rays at Port Charlotte, March 4, 1:05 p.m.
Another scheduling twist involves the Spring Breakout, a series of exhibitions set for March 19-22 that will involve only the top prospects from each team. Local games will involve the Pirates, Orioles, Phillies and Yankees.
The Rays’ Fan Fest this year is Feb. 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. While repairs continue inside Tropicana Field, the event will take place outside along 16th Street South. Click here for information.
It all builds up to the season opener the night of March 26, with the Yankees at the San Francisco Giants. The traditional Opening Dry begins the following afternoon with 14 games.
The Rays open on the road for nine games, then break in a repaired and renovated Tropicana Field April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.
To accommodate the World Baseball Classic, MLB is starting the season a week earlier that usual.
Rick Mayer is the online producer for Health News Florida at WUSF, the Tampa Bay area’s NPR affiliate.