Athletics Announce 2012 Spring Training Schedule

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics today officially announced their Spring Training schedule for 2012, a preseason which will feature an abbreviated 21-game Cactus League slate, a week-long visit to Japan to kick off the regular season, and a rare March 31 exhibition game in Sacramento.

Official travel packages and season tickets for A's spring training home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium are now on sale on-line at www.oaklandathletics.com/spring. Single-game tickets are also on sale by calling (877) 493-BALL (2255) or visiting www.oaklandathletics.com.  The Box Office at Phoenix Municipal Stadium will open Monday, Feb. 6.

The Athletics, who christen the Cactus League season Friday, March 2 against the Seattle Mariners in Phoenix, Ariz., will play 11 fewer games in the desert this spring compared to 2011.  The reduction in games was necessitated to accommodate Oakland opening its 2012 regular season in Japan, as the A's will serve as the "home team" in playing two games against American League West rival Seattle in the Tokyo Dome March 28 and 29.  This will mark the second time the A's have participated in Major League Baseball's Japan Opening Series.  The teams split a two-game set with the Boston Red Sox in Tokyo in 2008.
The A's will play a total of 10 home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium this spring, beginning with the home opener March 2 against the Mariners.  Other home attractions include the defending NL Central Division champion Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, March 13 and the NL West champion Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, March 19, as well as two visits to Phoenix Muni by the always-popular Chicago Cubs, including one on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) and a second that closes the home Cactus League schedule March 20.  The remaining home games include the Los Angeles Angels March 5, Los Angeles Dodgers March 7, Cincinnati Reds March 10, Kansas City Royals March 11 and Mariners March 16.  The A's only play their cross-bay rival San Francisco Giants once in the desert this spring, a split-squad game at Scottsdale Stadium March 17.

Following the two games against the Mariners in Japan, Bob Melvin's club will fly directly to the Bay Area.  After an off day, the A's will bus north to Sacramento Saturday, March 31 to play an exhibition game (6:05 p.m.) at Raley Field against the Sacramento River Cats, their Triple-A affiliate-the club's first appearance in the State Capitol since 2007.  For ticket information for the March 31 game, go to www.rivercats.com or call 916-371-HITS.

Oakland completes the preseason schedule by playing its traditional three-game Bay Bridge Series against the San Francisco Giants April 2-4.  The Giants host the first and last game of the series, while Game 2 will be played at O.co Coliseum in Oakland Tuesday night, April 3.  The A's will then resume their 2012 regular season Friday, April 6 against the Seattle Mariners in the home opener at the Coliseum (7:05 p.m.).

Ten of the A's exhibition games will be broadcast live by 95.7 FM The Game and over the A's Radio Network, as well as both regular-season contests in Japan against the Mariners.
Pitchers and catchers report to Phoenix Saturday, Feb. 18, with first workouts scheduled for Feb. 19.  The remainder of the team will report Friday, Feb. 24 with the first full squad workout slated for the following morning.
Tickets will be available at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium Box Office beginning Monday, Feb. 6 at 10:00 a.m. MST. The Phoenix Municipal Box Office will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST.  Base ticket prices are as follows:  Field Box $25, Lower Box $22, Upper Box $18 and Outfield Reserve $12.  Suites and group tickets can also be booked by calling 602-392-0074 or e-mailing [email protected].  Complete Oakland Athletics' Spring Training information is available at www.oaklandathletics.com/spring.