It’s never too early to think about spring training. And 2011 will bring more changes for the Orioles than just the improvements at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla.

According to the first schedules released for 2011 Grapefruit League play, the Orioles will not play the St. Louis Cardinals either in Jupiter, Fla., or in Sarasota.

The tentative Atlanta Braves spring training schedule was also released, mostly with home games listed and road games to be filled in. No Orioles-Braves games are listed, meaning no side trips to Disney (unless, of course, you plan a side trip to Disney).

Looks like spring training will be a tad shorter this year, running from Feb. 27 or 28 until March 30. Few February games and no April games since Major League Baseball is starting the season March 31, the middle of the week, to try to compress the schedule and start the World Series sooner.

Posted Oct. 4, 2010 at 4:20 p.m.