Spring Training will be 6 days longer in 2009

More time to enjoy Port Charlotte (artist's rendition) because of the World Baseball Classic:

"Players will start reporting to training camps on Feb. 14, under an agreement between the players' association and the commissioner's office. Exhibition games will start about Feb. 25.

In most years, pitchers and catchers open workouts 45 days before opening day followed by position players five days later. Under that schedule, workouts would not have begun until Feb. 20.

Under the new schedule, all players on WBC rosters of China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and pitchers and catchers from other WBC teams must report to their major league clubs on Feb. 14, which will be the voluntary report date for all other pitchers, catchers and injured players.

Remaining WBC position players must report by Feb. 17, which will be the voluntary report date for all other major league position players. The mandatory reporting date for non-WBC players was moved up to Feb. 22 from March 5.

"After the '08 Olympics, having some pride for the U.S., having (Michael) Phelps bring all that gold back, baseball players are going to want to jump onboard and represent the U.S," Tampa Bay outfielder Johnny Gomes said."