As the College Bowl Games are in full swing and the NFL Regular Season ended on Sunday, most of Chicago still has plans for the upcoming Super Bowl. Believe it or not 2006 is upon us and it is time for the Cubs Faithful to look ahead to the upcoming Major League schedule. There are many important dates before Opening Day in Cincinnati on April 3rd. Spring Training games are right around the corner and the single game tickets go on sale Thursday, January 5th. The first game is scheduled on Thursday, March 2nd against the Oakland A’s at HoHoKam. The regular season single-game tickets go on sale Friday, February 24th.
Here is a list of the other upcoming dates*: January 4 – Season and Group Tickets go on sale for Spring Training games at HoHoKam
January 5 – Single game tickets go on sale for Spring Training games at HoHoKam
January 5-15 – Salary Arbitration Filing
January 8 – Last day until May 1st for free agents who rejected arbitration offers to re-sign with their former teams
January 10 – Hall of Fame voting announced
January 13-15 – 2006 Cubs Convention at the Hilton Chicago
January 17 – Exchange of salary arbitration figures
January 18-19 – Owners Meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona
February 1-20 – Salary arbitration hearings
February 15 – Voluntary reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players
February 21 – Voluntary reporting date for other players
February 24 – 2006 Regular Season single game tickets at Wrigley Field go on sale
February 28 – Mandatory reporting date
March 2 – First Spring Training Game of 2006 at HoHoKam vs. the Oakland A’s
March 2-11 – Teams may renew contracts of unsigned players
March 3-20 – World Baseball Classic
March 15 – Last Day to place a player on unconditional release waivers and pay 30 days termination pay instead of 45 days
March 29 – Last day to request unconditional release waivers on a player without having to pay his full 2006 salary
April 1 – Last Spring Training Game for the Cubs in Las Vegas vs. the San Diego Padres
April 2 – Active rosters reduced to 25 players
April 3 – Opening Day in Cincinnati
April 7 – Opening Day at Wrigley Field vs. the St. Louis Cardinals
*Information sources: ESPN.com, SI.com, XM Radio and Cubs.com
60 Days until the first Spring Training game and 91 Days Until Opening Day 2006.
The CCO Fantasy Baseball Insider will return on Tuesday. Remember to check back for updates, if anything happens you will be able to read about your Cubbies here and in ‘Cubs News From The Wire’. I am working on adding new features and links to the CCO and if there is anything you would like to see on the CCO, feel free to email me: neil@chicagocubsonline.com
I would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year and I look forward to a successful season on the Northside of Chicago and here at Chicago Cubs Online.