The World Baseball Classic means the Cubs will have an extended stay in the desert. Pitchers and catchers will report to the teams Arizona complex in early February, and perhaps the extra time in Mesa will help a rebuilding team come together.
The spring training schedule released on Friday showed 17 home dates at HoHoKam Park, 16 Cactus League road games and a St. Patricks Day in Las Vegas.
The Cubs will open their schedule on Feb. 23 against the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe, and close it out on March 28 versus the Seattle Mariners. In between, they will play the Texas Rangers twice in Las Vegas (March 16-17).
The Cubs will see the White Sox twice next springMarch 7 at HoHoKam Park and March 15 in Glendale.
Opening Day is April 1 at PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Individual tickets for home games at HoHoKam Park can be purchased on Jan. 4 at cubs.com or by calling 1-800-905-3315. Heres the 2013 spring training schedule, with all games beginning at 1:05 p.m. Arizona time unless noted otherwise:
DateOpponentLocationFeb. 23
Los Angeles (AL)
TempeFeb. 24
San Francisco
MesaFeb. 25
Los Angeles (NL)
GlendaleFeb. 26
ColoradoMesaFeb. 27
Los Angeles (NL)
MesaFeb. 28
OaklandMesaMarch 1
ArizonaMesaMarch 2San Francisco
ScottsdaleMarch 3Milwaukee (ss)
MesaMarch 3
Los Angeles (ALss)
TempeMarch 4
ClevelandMesaMarch 5 ColoradoScottsdale (1:10 p.m.)
March 6
TexasSurpriseMarch 7
White Sox
MesaMarch 8CincinnatiGoodyear (7:05 p.m.)
March 9ClevelandMesaMarch 10San Diego
MesaMarch 11
ArizonaScottsdaleMarch 12
OFF DAY
March 13
ColoradoMesaMarch 14Los Angeles (NL)
GlendaleMarch 15
White Sox
Glendale (12:05 p.m.)
March 16
Kansas City (ss)
MesaMarch 16
Texas (ss)
Las Vegas (game time TBD)
March 17
Oakland (ss)
PhoenixMarch 17
Texas (ss)
Las Vegas (game time TBD)
March 18
San Diego
PeoriaMarch 19
TexasMesaMarch 20
OFF DAY
March 21
SeattlePeoriaMarch 22
MilwaukeeMaryvaleMarch 23
Los Angeles (AL)
MesaMarch 24
ClevelandGoodyearMarch 25
San Francisco
MesaMarch 26
CincinnatiMesa (7:05 p.m.)
March 27Kansas City
Surprise (6:05 p.m.)
March 28
SeattleMesa (12:05 p.m.)