NewsRivals highlight Cactus League slate
San Fransisco opens Spring Training action on March 3By Chris Haft / MLB.com
10/28/09 10:00 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- Eight games against National League West teams, including at least one against every division rival, highlight the Giants' 2010 Cactus League schedule, which was released Wednesday. The Giants will play 31 exhibition games in Arizona, counting split-squad contests. They'll begin their Cactus League slate on Wed., March 3 against the Mariners in Peoria. The next day they'll face the Brewers in their Scottsdale Stadium home opener. The Milwaukee game could be an intriguing one if Prince Fielder makes the trip. Many Giants players were upset at the Brewers' choreographed celebration following Fielder's walk-off home run against them on Sept. 6. Some Giants pitchers vowed retribution -- probably in the form of a brushback pitch, or something more extreme -- against the slugging first baseman. Coming off an encouraging 88-74 finish in 2009, which was good for third in the NL West, San Francisco confronts its first division foe when Colorado comes to Scottsdale on March 5. That will be followed by a split-squad encounter the next day against Arizona. The archrival Dodgers will make their lone Scottsdale Stadium appearance on Mon., March 8. The Giants again face the Rockies on March 12, play the Padres on March 15 and March 28, meet the D-backs on March 21 and finish the Cactus League schedule in Glendale against the Dodgers on March 31. After breaking camp, the Giants will play four exhibitions in the Bay Area, including three against the Athletics, April 1-3. They'll finish the exhibition schedule against the Mariners at AT&T Park on April 4 before opening the regular season at Houston the next day. The Giants are scheduled to square off against the A's on March 13, March 17 and March 25 during the Cactus League season. The last of those three games, which will be at Scottsdale, marks the Giants' lone night game in Arizona. Entering their 28th spring in Scottsdale, the Giants will face the Reds, a Cactus League newcomer, on March 20 at home and on March 24 at the Reds' Goodyear complex. Season-ticket packages and suites for Scottsdale Stadium games are available by calling the Giants ticket office at (415) 972-2209. Group tickets will go on sale Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. PT. Single-game tickets for Scottsdale Stadium games will go on sale Jan. 12, 2010, at 10 a.m. PT (11 a.m. MST in Arizona). Tickets may be purchased via phone at 877-4SFGTIX, online at www.sfgiants.com or in person at either the Giants box office at AT&T Park or all Giants Dugout Stores. In the greater Phoenix area, tickets will be sold at the Scottsdale Stadium box office. Tickets also are available through all participating tickets.com outlets and www.tickets.com. Individual-game tickets for games at Scottsdale Stadium are priced from $8-25 for all contests Monday through Thursday and from $13-28 for Friday through Sunday games. The Giants also offer the only officially endorsed travel packages to Spring Training in Scottsdale. Packages include spring game tickets, lodging and ground transportation. For further information on such packages, call 1-800-8WARMUP or visit www.sfgiants.com.Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
