The Tigers 2010 schedule is out. Next year the Tigers are scheduled to play 162 games which is pretty much league average. They also have an even split of home and road games with 81 apiece. Let’s take an even deeper dive though and see what’s what.

Interleague-ness

One of the first things to look at is who do the Tigers draw in interleague match-ups. The Tigers host the Pirates, the Nationals, and the Diamondbacks. Let this be a lesson to other teams who go over slot and show complete disdain for Selig’s recommendations. MLB will try and limit your gate so that you don’t do it again.

On the road the Tigers will get the Dogers, the Mets, and the Braves. The Dodgers series is in the middle of a 7 game, 3 city left coast trip. Yep, they have a pair of 2 game series on the West Coast. Nice.

Continue reading Not waiting until next year →

MLB has released the 2009 schedule, way earlier than last year. In past years I remember piecing the schedule together as teams would announce their own home schedule. Now it’s all done.

The Tigers have a pretty favorable weather schedule in April, opening the season in Toronto on April 6th. The home opener is against Texas on April 10th, as part of a 6 game homestand. They then head on the road to Seattle, LA, and Kansas City before returning to face the Yankees at the end of the month.

As for interleague, the Tigers host the Rockies, the Cubs, and the Brewers. They travel to St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Houston.

The home/road trips don’t look to remarkable or ridiculous. One head scratcher is a Houston-Oakland-Minnesota 9 game swing.

As for that extra day after the All Star game, the Tigers get the Thursday off before heading to New York.

The Tigers close out the season with their last 15 games against Central division teams that aren’t the Royals (they are the preceeding 3 games). They finish with a 6 game homestand against the Twins and White Sox with the last day of the season coming on October 4th. So there will be October baseball at Comerica Park.
2009 Tigers Schedule | tigers.com: Schedule

Secure in the knowledge that the Tigers had won the series I decided to play some things out in my head. I indulged myself and thought about “what if” the Tigers managed to sweep the White Sox. What would come next.

Of course the Tigers start their interleague tour with 3 games against the Dodgers. And then 3 against the Giants, and then the Padres. Then series against the Cardinals and Rockies. And then the Twins and Mariners. And a couple against the Indians and 4 more against the Twins.

Why do I bring this up? Between now and the All Star break the Tigers have only 3 games on the schedule against teams that are above .500 and that would be against St. Louis. The Twins and Dodgers are in the vicinity of .500 and the Indians could get there by July. But even with 2 more left coast swings it isn’t a daunting schedule ahead.

Granted, those other teams are probably looking at the Tigers and thinking the same thing, but the Tigers certainly have a golden opportunity to bolster their record. A lot of it will come down to the cobbled together back end of the rotation to keep the team in the game. And maybe I’m a little too giddy after an unexpected sweep and an impressive 5 out 6 stretch. And I’ve been falsely optimistic following sweeps in the past (Yankees). But yes Tigers fans, there is a reason for hope over the next 28 games.