There's no more Texas League in 2021 and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals' season won't start at the usual time, but the announcement of the team's upcoming spring schedule is reason for excitement, Naturals general manager/vice president Justin Cole said.
With the 2020 season wiped out by the covid-19 pandemic, there's an adrenaline surge after seeing May 4 will be opening day and a week later there will be minor league baseball again at Springdale's Arvest Ballpark, Cole said.
"Since we got the news in late June, early July last year that there would be no minor league season in 2020, you've kinda been counting the seconds waiting for that 2021 schedule," Cole said. "It's exciting to get it and know we have an opening day on the calendar."
The schedule of 120 games (60 at home) is fewer than the normal 144, but that can be attributed to the start of the season being pushed back almost a month. The Naturals open the season on May 4 at Dickey Stephens Park in North Little Rock against Arkansas, then host Tulsa in the first homestand beginning May 11.
The minor league season normally begins in early April, but it will be pushed back basically a month because spring training will be divided into two parts. Major Leaguers and Triple-A players are currently in camp in Florida and Arizona, while the next tier of players will report in late March after the others players have left.
Cole said there was no official word from Major League Baseball about staggering spring training, but it's something he heard about from others. With the schedule now official, it's now set in stone.
"That was another thing you thought you knew and were kinda planning around, but now that you have it, it makes it a lot easier to put some certainty to those things," Cole said.
The Naturals, the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, recently signed a 10-year player development agreement with Major League Baseball to be a part of a revamped 120-team minor league system. Previously called the Texas League, they will now be a part of the 10-team Double-A Central, which includes Tulsa, Springfield, Corpus Christi, Arkansas, Midland, Frisco from the former Texas League along with newcomers Wichita and San Antonio.
Northwest Arkansas will play 10 six-game home stands, but won't play Midland or Amarillo at all during the regular season in a scheduling quirk.
Game times and promotions haven't been set yet, but those details will be worked out soon, Cole said. Team officials are also still trying to figure out exactly how many fans will be allowed in Arvest Ballpark this season.
"We'll work with the state to make sure all the health and safety protocols are followed," Cole said. "Promotions may look a little different this year but we still plan on having as many of those fun things connected to the games as possible."
Cole expects to have a definitive number on fans allowed in the stands in early March, but estimates somewhere around 25 percent of 7,756 capacity for Arvest Ballpark.
Paul Boyd can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAPaulb.