The Washington Nationals’ 2009 spring training schedule is set, stretching a week longer than usual and taking the team to parts of Florida it doesn’t typically visit.
The slate includes 33 games (including an exhibition against Italy’s World Baseball Classic team) in 37 days. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 14, and the Nationals play their first game against Houston on Feb. 25.
Washington will break camp April 2 before a pair of exhibition games against the Baltimore Orioles - one in Norfolk, the home of Baltimore’s Class AAA affiliate, on April 3. The Nationals finish their spring schedule April 4 at Nationals Park before heading back to Florida for the April 6 opener against the Marlins.
The Nationals also will make a pair of three-hour drives from their complex in Viera, Fla., at the end of camp to play the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin on April 1 and the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater on April 2.
Tickets for the Nationals Park game will go on sale with the rest of the team’s single-game tickets in February. Fans can purchase tickets for the rest of Washington’s home games by visiting the Space Coast Stadium box office, visiting nationals.com or calling 888/632-6287.
The schedule is as follows:
February
Opponent (location)Time
25at Houston (Kissimmee)1:05 p.m.
26vs. Detroit (Viera)1:05 p.m.
27vs. Houston1:05 p.m.
28at St. Louis (Jupiter)1:05 p.m.
March
1vs. Baltimore1:05 p.m.
3vs. Italy1:05 p.m.
4vs. New York Mets1:05 p.m.
5at Detroit (Lakeland)1:05 p.m.
6at Baltimore (Ft. Lauderdale)1:05 p.m.
7at N.Y. Mets (Port St. Lucie)1:10 p.m.
8New York Mets1:05 p.m.
9vs. Houston7:05 p.m.
10vs. New York Mets1:05 p.m.
12at Atlanta (Lake Buena Vista)1:05 p.m.
13at Houston7:05 p.m.
14at New York Mets1:10 p.m.
15vs. Detroit1:05 p.m.
16at Florida (Jupiter)1:05 p.m.
18vs. Florida7:05 p.m.
19vs. Baltimore1:05 p.m.
20at Detroit1:05 p.m.
21vs. St. Louis1:05 p.m.
22at Houston1:05 p.m.
23at St. Louis1:05 p.m. at Baltimore1:05 p.m.
25vs. Atlanta7:05 p.m.
27at New York Mets1:10 p.m.
28vs. Houston1:05 p.m.
29vs. Florida1:05 p.m.
30vs. Detroit1:05 p.m.
31at Detroit1:05 p.m.
April
1at Toronto (Dunedin)1:05 p.m.
2at Philadelphia (Clearwater)1:05 p.m.
3at Baltimore (Norfolk)3:30 p.m.
4vs. Baltimore (Nationals Park)6:05 p.m.
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