Radio, TV, web have Pirates' spring covered

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The surest sound of spring -- not the chirping of robins but the crack of bat meeting ball -- will waft over Pittsburgh airwaves at 1:05 p.m. ET on March 3. The Pirates' Grapefruit League opener against Toronto in Dunedin, Fla., will air on KDKA FM, the first of the full broadcast schedule of 29 exhibitions.

KDKA, the flagship of the Bucs' 40-station radio network, and ROOT Sports TV are in the preseason mix, but a dozen of the preseason games will be streamed exclusively on pirates.com, starting with the home opener at McKechnie Field, a March 4 return engagement with the Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. ET.

So in addition to setting your dial, you will also want to set your bookmark.

• Pirates Spring Training broadcast schedule

ROOT Sports' debut telecast will be the Sunday, March 15, home game versus the Orioles. Four other televised games will include a pair of night affairs, March 18 against the Tigers at 6:05 p.m. ET and the penultimate exhibition, April 3 against the Phillies from Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park at 7:05 p.m.

The Bucs' broadcast teams return intact: Greg Brown and Tim Neverett on play-by-play, with Steve Blass, Bob Walk and John Wehner handling color analysis.