Royals announce 2010 Spring Training schedule

Spring Training is just around the corner...pitchers and catchers report on February 17 - less than three months from now! 

The Royals announced their 2010 Spring Training schedule today. The club will open its eighth season as members of the newly-expanded 15-team Cactus League by playing a charity game against its Surprise complex mates, the Texas Rangers, on Thursday, March 4.  The game benefits the Surprise Sundancers.

Kansas City's 31-game Spring Training schedule features 15 home games at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz., including the March 4 charity game.  The club will also face the Texas Rangers as the visiting team in one additional game at the facility.

The slate includes a road affair against the newest member of the Cactus League, the Cincinnati Reds, who will join their cross-state rival Cleveland Indians at the complex in Goodyear, Ariz.

The Royals will host every Cactus League squad at Surprise Stadium at least once with the exception of the Reds.  The March 30 home game against the Indians is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. (CT).  In addition, the Royals will play a 9:05 p.m. (CT) contest on March 15 in Glendale against the White Sox.  All other games will start at 2:05 p.m. (CT) until Daylight Saving Time on March 14 when the games will start at 3:05 p.m. (CT).  The April 1 game against the Diamondbacks will begin at 2:05 p.m. (CT) as the Royals will break camp immediately following the contest.

The Royals will conclude their 2009 Spring Training schedule by traveling to Texas to meet the Rangers for a pair of exhibition games.  The clubs will play at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Friday, April 2 at 7:05 p.m. (CT) and then travel on Saturday, April 3 to the Rangers' Double-A ballpark in Frisco, Texas, for a 1:05 p.m. (CT) start.  The Royals will not play on Sunday, April 4 before opening the season at Kauffman Stadium on Monday, April 5 against the Detroit Tigers.

The Surprise Recreation Campus will accept mail orders beginning on Tuesday, December 1.  For these orders, call 623-222-2222 or visit www.royals.com/springtraining to obtain a ticket brochure.  Individual Spring Training game tickets will go on sale January 9, 2010 beginning at 9 a.m. CT.  The tickets will be on sale at the Surprise Stadium Box Office, through Royals.com or by calling 800-745-3000.  Various spring season ticket packages are available now by calling 623-222-2222.  For more information, including information on special spring training travel packages, fans may visit royals.com.

Pitchers and catchers will report to Surprise on Wednesday, February 17.  Workouts for pitchers begin the following day, Thursday, February 18.  The remainder of the squad will report on Monday, February 22 and begin workouts for the 2010 campaign on Tuesday, February 23.

Please follow the link below for the full Spring Training schedule:

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/spring_training/tentative.jsp?c_id=kc

* Dates and times are subject to change

* April 4 - Charity game

Reporting Dates

                February 17 - Pitchers and Catchers Report

                February 18 - Pitchers and Catchers First Workout

                February 22 - Full Squad Reports

                February 23 - First Full Squad Workout