Now here's a sign that baseball season isn't that far away.

The Red Sox announced that tickets for all 2010 spring training home games at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Fla, will go on sale on Saturday, Dec. 5. The club also released its 33-game spring schedule, which includes 17 games at City of Palms Park.

The Red Sox will open the spring schedule with two traditional college exhibition games on Wednesday, March 3, facing Northeastern at 1:05 p.m. followed by Boston College in the nightcap beginning at 6:05 p.m.

A few other notables regarding the schedule:

• The Red Sox do not play the Yankees, whose spring complex is in Tampa, at all this spring.

• Their Grapefruit League opener is Thursday, March 4 when they host the Mayor’s Cup rival Minnesota Twins at City of Palms Park at 7:05 p.m., the first of seven matchups against the cross-town foe.

• The Red Sox will meet the Orioles five times this spring, including three contests at Baltimore's new home in Sarasota.

• The 30-game Grapefruit League schedule features 10 games with National League opponents, including a St. Patrick’s Day matinee vs. the New York Mets at City of Palms Park.

• The Sox will close out their spring training schedule Friday, April 2, against the Washington Nationals at City of Palms Park. The next day, they will play Washington at Nationals Park in Washington. The start time for that exhibition game will be announced at a later date.

Tickets for this spring's games will remain frozen at the 2009 prices. Tickets for the Northeastern and BC games on March 3 will be half price.

Here are the prices:

Standing Room: $10
Lawn: $12
Bleachers: $15
Reserved Standing Room: $15
Reserved Seats: $23
Box Seats: $26
Right Field Deck: $26
Dugout Box -- Row 2: $36
Dugout Box -- Row 1: $40
Home Plate Box: $46

Tickets will be available beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 at the City of Palms Park box office, on www.redsox.com, or by calling 888-REDSOX6. Handicap accessible seating is also available by calling 877-REDSOX9. Hearing impaired patrons may call the TTY line at 617-226-6644.

Before the start of the exhibition season, Red Sox will hold workouts at the organization’s Player Development Complex, which is located at 4301 Edison Avenue in Fort Myers.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on Thursday, Feb. 18 and will work out for the first time on Saturday, Feb. 20. Infielders and outfielders report on Monday, Feb. 22 with the first full squad workout on Wednesday, Feb. 24. All workouts are open to the public free of charge.

Here is the complete 2010 spring training schedule: