MLB spring training games rescheduled as camps open
The Boys of Summer are back - if only for a shorter Grapefruit League stay than usual.
The 99-day MLB lockout ended Thursday after owners and players reached agreement and all 30 spring training camps have opened across Florida and Arizona. The teams will have four weeks to prepare for Opening Day on April 7.
The four teams that train in Palm Beach County - Marlins and Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium and Astros and Nationals at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches - have released their revamped schedules and all begin playing games later in the week.
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The Nationals open play Thursday hosting the Marlins at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches while the Astros' first Grapefruit League game there will be on Sunday, March 20th vs. the Nationals.
At Roger Dean, the Cardinals host the Astros on Friday and the Marlins host the Astros on Saturday.
The Mets, who call Clover Field in Port St. Lucie home for the spring, host the Cardinals on Sunday, March 20th on their new spring training schedule. For more on the Mets at Clover, go to mlb.com/mets/tickets/spring-training.
For complete updated schedules and ticket information on the Palm Beach County teams, go to ballparkpalmbeaches.com/spring-training-update for Astros and Nationals and rogerdeanchevroletstadium.com/2022-spring-training-update/ for the Marlins and Cardinals.
Meanwhile, player workouts start Sunday and fans will be able to visit those three parks and others around the state and watch the players start preparing for a regular-season that is still supposed to last 162 games with doubleheaders making up for the later start to the season and missed games in early April.
Some players were around on Friday. St. Louis outfielders Harrison Bader and Tyler O’Neill were at Roger Dean Stadium. Mets star Max Scherzer was at the ballpark, too, as part of the negotiating teams working on the new collective bargaining agreement.
Other players have been working out informally in the area, preparing for a season that at one point appeared in danger of losing games and starting much later.
"It's good to be back, to be out here, fans, everything. Back is all you can ask for,” Marlins outfielder/first baseman Garrett Cooper said as he drove away from the Jupiter complex.
“I’m glad it all came together and we’re going to finish 162 games. That was big for a lot of people just to play a full season in front of everybody and to be back here with COVID and all that stuff past us. Just to have a normal 162 games is big for us.”
Ron Hoskins and son Shawn had made the trek from St. Louis to Jupiter two weeks ago when it appeared MLB and the union were close to reaching a deal. The settlement came too late for them to see any Grapefruit League play — they were scheduled to return home Saturday and the first games are scheduled for Thursday.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to see a spring training game here this year,” Hoskins said.
The trip wasn’t a complete loss for Hoskins.
Donning his white Yadier Molina replica jersey, Hoskins wheeled Shawn, who has Down syndrome, to the ballpark. They were among a group of a dozen or so fans and autograph seekers waiting outside the gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything major league baseball.
Cardinals CEO Bill DeWitt was disappointed to hear Hoskins and his son will miss out.
“Sorry it worked out this way," DeWitt said. "It’s too bad they can’t stay a few more days and see the workouts and so forth. It’s obviously disappointing that we didn’t start on time.”
HR Derby to decide All-Star Game?
Buried deep in the 182-page memorandum of understanding signed Thursday by MLB and the players’ association is a radical new method of potentially deciding the All-Star Game.
“If the All-Star Game remains tied after nine innings, the game will be decided by a Home Run Derby between the teams, subject to the parties’ agreement on details and format,” reads exhibit 13, titled “Tentative Agreement — All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.”
And hear this, fans: As part of the overall agreement, “the parties agree to discuss further details and logistics of a potential mid-All-Star Game concert.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Spring training games set for Astros, Nationals, Marlins, Cardinals, Mets
