O's to meet the Mets six times this spring

With the Dodgers moving their spring training headquarters from Vero Beach, Fla., to the Cactus League in Arizona, the Mets have lost their closest Grapefruit League foe. That means more travel, as evidenced by the spring schedule announced by the Orioles today, which includes a higher-than-usual six meetings with the Mets. The Orioles play at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, a two-plus-hour drive down I-95 from Port St. Lucie. The Mets have yet to announce their full spring schedule. And, remember, the Mets' roster figures to be depleted more than most teams by the World Baseball Classic, which will be held in March. The scheduled Mets-Orioles games are: At Fort Lauderdale (1:05 p.m.): Feb. 25 March 20 March 29 At Port St. Lucie (1:10 p.m.): March 9 March 30 April 2 (link)