MLB announced its '12 schedule yesterday and the "biggest problems, as always, come from the interleague schedule," according to Danny Knobler of CBSSPORTS.com. Knobler wrote, "It's not fair. It makes little sense. And it doesn't come close to serving one of its main, originally announced purposes, because it doesn't bring every team to every city." Interleague play "was sold as a way to see every team from the other league, at least once every six years," but it is "16 years and counting for nine matchups that still haven't happened," including the Braves in K.C., the Padres in Toronto, the Rangers in St. Louis, and the Twins in Atlanta (CBSSPORTS.com, 9/14). MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince wrote the top "takeaway from the schedule release ... is that it ends on Oct. 3, with an intent again on wrapping up postseason play before the calendar flips to November." The '12 schedule presently "leaves no room in October alone for an expanded postseason field, which some would like to see" as early as next season. The schedule is "subject to change, but the arrangement, as is, would tend to back up the growing belief that such expansion isn't likely until '13, at the earliest" (MLB.com, 9/14).
EVENT PLANNING: In Tampa Bay, Marc Topkin wrote what is "most interesting" about the Rays' schedule is "what it does not have: A game on Sunday, Aug. 26." To accommodate a Republican National Convention event at Tropicana Field, the Rays "will make the unusual move of having a Sunday off." They will "play a series with Oakland on Thursday-Saturday, then head out of town for a seven-game trip to Texas and Toronto" (TAMPABAY.com, 9/14). In Pittsburgh, Karen Price notes the Pittsburgh Marathon is scheduled for May 6, and MLB scheduled the Pirates "for a home series against the Cincinnati Reds during race weekend." Pittsburgh Marathon Dir Patrice Matamoros: "There's no way with a homestand that weekend that we can set up and occupy the lots we need, to build up tent city and the finish line and shut down the North Shore on race day. The finish line isn't going to happen on the North Shore." Matamoros said that she "asked Pirates President Frank Coonelly to request a road series that weekend." Pirates Senior Dir of Communications Brian Warecki said that the team "lobbied MLB but to no avail" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 9/15).
HOW THE WEST WAS WON: In L.A., Mike DiGiovanna notes 22 of the Angels' final 31 games in '12 "will be against American League West teams." Angels manager Mike Scioscia is a "strong proponent of teams' opening and closing the season against teams in their division." Scioscia said, "We need schedule reform that coincides with realignment and a more balanced test for each team within its division, because that's the way this whole championship schedule is set up, on division rivalries." He added, "We have 13 games left, and we're going to Baltimore and Toronto to play half of our games in a pennant race against teams that are not in our division. I know we're a four-team division, but it should not be this patchwork" (L.A. TIMES, 9/15).
