I am frankly more in the baseball mood today. Yes, I know that football has surrounded us with full glory, but as you know, I am a baseball partial. Today, I was on my favorite baseball blog, The LoHud Yankees Blog, and they had the details of Yankees Spring Training. For this, I had to share the details of my favorite pinstripe warriors’ spring training schedule.
This year will mark some epic changes with the opening of the New Yankee Stadium and with some shakeups in the pitching staff (Mussina is gone, and rumor is that Pettitte’s contract has yet to be renewed). I am looking forward to the excitement, and it is my goal to save money for my first ever Fantasy Baseball Camp in Florida.
The 26-time World Champion New York Yankees announced today they will open their 2009 Major League spring training schedule on Wednesday, February 25 at 1:05 p.m. vs. the Toronto Blue Jays at Knology Park in Dunedin, Fla. The Yankees’ first home spring training game is scheduled for Thursday, February 26 at 1:15 p.m. vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. This season marks the earliest start to the Yankees’ spring training game schedule in at least 60 years.
In addition, the Yankees announced that ticket prices for 2009 spring training games at George M. Steinbrenner Field will remain the same as last season.
The Yankees will play a 33-game Grapefruit League schedule as well as two home exhibition games against World Baseball Classic teams at George M. Steinbrenner Field. On Tuesday, March 3 at 1:15 p.m., the Yankees will host Team USA, and will welcome Team Canada on Thursday, March 5 at 1:15 p.m.
Included in the Yankees’ 16 total home exhibition games against Major League competition are six night contests (7:15 p.m. start time) on Friday, March 6 vs. Detroit; Tuesday, March 10 vs. Cincinnati; Tuesday, March 17 vs. Pittsburgh; Thursday, March 19 vs. Toronto; Tuesday, March 24 vs. Boston and Friday, March 27 vs. Cincinnati.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on Friday, February 13, with their first workout slated for Saturday, February 14. The Yankees’ first full-squad workout is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18. The World Baseball Classic will be played from March 5 through March 23.
This will be the Yankees’ 14th spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. The complex was renamed for the Yankees’ Chairman on March 27, 2008, following two unanimous resolutions supporting the change issued by the Hillsborough County Commission and the Tampa City Council.
Season tickets for the Yankees’ complete 2009 home exhibition schedule will go on sale beginning the second week of December. Individual-game spring tickets will go on sale in January. For information, fans should call 
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or visit http://www.steinbrennerfield.com.
2009 NEW YORK YANKEES EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
(All times are Eastern Time and subject to change. ss=Split Squad)
Wed., Feb. 25: Toronto at Dunedin, 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Feb. 26: TAMPA BAY AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 27: Minnesota at Ft. Myers, 1:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 28: MINNESOTA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 1: Cincinnati at Sarasota, 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 2: Houston at Kissimmee, 1:05 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 3: TEAM USA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 4: Atlanta at Lake Buena Vista, 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 5: TEAM CANADA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 6: DETROIT AT GMS FIELD, 7:15 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 7 : ATLANTA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 8: Detroit at Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 9: TORONTO AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 10: CINCINNATI AT GMS FIELD, 7:15 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 11: Detroit at Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 13: Boston at Ft. Myers, 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 14: Pittsburgh at Bradenton (ss), 1:05 p.m.; HOUSTON AT GMS FIELD (ss), 1:15 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 15: MINNESOTA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 16: PHILADELPHIA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 17: PITTSBURGH AT GMS FIELD, 7:15 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 18: Houston at Kissimmee, 1:05 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 19: TORONTO AT GMS FIELD, 7:15 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 20: Minnesota at Ft. Myers, 1:05 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 21: DETROIT AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 22: Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte, 1:05 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 23: Philadelphia at Clearwater, 1:05 p.m.
Tues., Mar. 24: BOSTON AT GMS FIELD, 7:15 p.m.
Thur., Mar. 26: Philadelphia at Clearwater, 1:05 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 27: CINCINNATI AT GMS FIELD, 7:15 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 28: Atlanta at Lake Buena Vista, 1:05 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 29: PITTSBURGH AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Mon., Mar. 30: Toronto at Dunedin, 1:05 p.m.
Tue., Mar. 31: Cincinnati at Sarasota, 1:05 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 1: PHILADELPHIA AT GMS FIELD, 1:15 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 3: CHICAGO CUBS AT YANKEE STADIUM, 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 4: CHICAGO CUBS AT YANKEE STADIUM, 1:05 p.m.
