The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced their 2012 Spring Training schedule and ticket pricing for games at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida, the southern home of the Pirates since 1969. The 29-game Florida schedule consists of 15 home games and will also feature an intrasquad “Black and Gold” game on Friday, March 2.
The Pirates are scheduled to open their 2012 Grapefruit League season against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, March 3 in Dunedin. The Pirates will then host the Blue Jays the following day in their spring training Home Opener at McKechnie Field on Sunday, March 4 at 1:05 p.m.
For the fifth straight year, the Pirates are scheduled to play a night game at McKechnie Field when they host the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, March 26 at 7:05 p.m. The game will mark the third year in a row that the Pirates have played the Orioles under the lights at McKechnie Field.
Other highlights of the 2012 home schedule include:
* One game against the A.L. East Champion New York Yankees (Tuesday, March 6)
* One game against the Boston Red Sox (Wednesday, March 21)
* Two games against the N.L. East Champion Philadelphia Phillies (Monday, March 12 and Friday, March 16)
* Three games against the A.L. Wild Card Champion Tampa Bay Rays (Saturday, March 17, Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 30)
* One game against the A.L. Central Champion Detroit Tigers (Friday, March 23)
Season Tickets
Pirates Spring Training Season Tickets, which go on sale Friday, October 21, remain one of the best values in the Grapefruit League. Season ticket pricing is as follows:
Seat Type Total Price
Infield Box (Box 1-14) $278.00*
Infield Reserve $263.00*
Outfield Box (Box 15-22) $248.00*
Grandstand $158.00*
* Price includes tickets for every game played at McKechnie Field, including the “Black and Gold” game ticket. A portion of the proceeds from the “Black and Gold” intrasquad game will benefit the Manatee Education Foundation. Current season ticket holders will be receiving their renewal forms beginning on October 21, and will have until January 6 to renew their same seats for the 2012 season.
Double Play Season Ticket Package
Pirates Spring Training season ticket holders will also have the opportunity to purchase season tickets for the 70- game home schedule of the Pirates Florida State League affiliate, the Bradenton Marauders, who will begin their third season on Thursday, April 5 against the St. Lucie Mets at McKechnie Field. Season tickets for the Marauders are $245 for reserved seats to all 70 home dates. Pirates Spring Training season ticket holders who also purchase Bradenton Marauders season tickets will receive a dual replica jersey of the Pirates and Marauders.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
