White Sox and Reds 2012 schedule highlights

Billy the Marlin looks forward to his new home for next year.

Seeing the release of the new MLB schedule is always an interesting moment. Mind you, it is not quite on par with the release of the NFL schedules, but it is always an interesting day nonetheless. Most of the intrigue lies with the scheduled interleague matchups and how they become more bizarre and disjointed year after year. However it is also a time for baseball fans to circle dates on their calendars in anticipation of seeing their favorite team on the road, myself included.

Usually when it comes to taking a gander at the new schedules, I look to see who the Sox are playing, along with the Reds. Unfortunately, the two do not meet each other at all next year, so here are some of the highlights from both teams. First, the Sox.

White Sox:

Paul Konerko could inch closer to Frank Thomas
on the all-time White Sox home run list next year.

Friday, April 6: Sox open with a three-game series on the road in Texas. They will head to Cleveland for another three-game series afterwards.

Friday, April 13: Sox host their home-opener against the reigning division champion Tigers.

Friday, May 18- Sunday, May 20: Sox @ Cubs. The Sox own a 45-39 all-time record against the Cubs (excluding the 1906 World Series) but unfortunately, they are just 20-22 at The Friendly Confines. Time to change that next year!

Friday, June 8- Sunday, June 10: Astros @ Sox. This will mark the first time the Astros have visited U.S. Cellular Field since 2007. Chicago lost two out of three to Houston that year, with Mark Buehrle winning the series finale to avoid the sweep. Chicago is 10-8 against Houston all-time (not counting the '05 World Series). Excluding the World Series, the Sox have not visited Houston for a regular-season series since 2000.

Tuesday, June 12- Thursday, June 14: Sox @ Cardinals. This will mark the first time the Sox have visited St. Louis since 2001, when the Redbirds swept them out of town. The Sox are 8-10 all-time against the Cardinals, and they own a dreadful 2-7 record in St. Louis.

Friday, June 15- Sunday, June 17: Sox @ Dodgers. For some inexplicable reason, this will mark the fourth time in the last five years the White Sox will play the Dodgers. Anyway, this will be the Sox's first visit to Dodger Stadium since 2008, where they took two of three from the playoff-bound Dodgers. The Pale Hose are 11-4 all-time against the Dodgers, including 4-2 in L.A.

Monday June 18- Wednesday, June 20: Cubs @ Sox. Nice move here by the schedule-makers placing this at the beginning of the week. Guaranteed sellouts on Monday through Wednesday are always a good thing to have. The Sox own the Cubs at home, with a 25-17 all-time record against them at U.S. Cellular.

Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24: Brewers @ Sox. Chicago closes out their interleague schedule by hosting the Brewers for the first time since 2000. The Sox demolished the Brew Crew that year, sweeping them out of town and outscoring them 29-12 in the process. Since Milwaukee moved to the National League in 1998, the Sox are 10-5 against them, including a 4-2 mark at home.

Thursday, September 27- Sunday, September 30: Indians @ Sox, Rays @ Sox. Chicago wraps up the year with a seven-game homestand, featuring three with Cleveland before finishing things out with four against Joe Maddon's crew.

Perhaps the only thing that is puzzling about the Sox's schedule is why the schedule-makers continue to have them face the Dodgers. Is there something I'm missing here, other than it will mark 53 years since they last met in the World Series?

On another note, why do the schedule-makers have the Sox avoid the Mets like the plague? I know it's a random thought, but next year will be the 15th season of Interleague Play, and the Sox and Mets have squared off against each other just once, all the way back in 2002. The Mets visited the South Side that year and lost two of three to the Sox. The Pale Hose have yet to go to New York to play against the Mets in a series.

Anyway, let's take a look at some of the Reds' 2012 schedule highlights, shall we?

Cincinnati Reds:
Friday, April 6: Opening Day in Cincinnati against the Miami Marlins (yes, that will be the new name for the Fish upon moving into their new ballpark next year). What will be more odd for the Marlins is that they will open at home against the Cardinals for one game on April 4 before heading north to Cincinnati.

Monday, April 9- Wednesday, April 11: The Reds take on the hated St. Louis Cardinals for three at GABP. Will Pujols still be at first base for the Redbirds? We shall see.

Wednesday, May 16- Sunday, May 20: Reds @ Mets, Reds @ Yankees. In a neat little scheduling quirk, the Reds will spend five days in the Big Apple in May, taking on the Mets for two in Queens before heading to the Bronx to square off against the Yankees for a weekend series. The Reds are 5-4 in the regular-season against the Yankees all-time, and this will be their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium. Cincinnati managed to take two of three from the Yankees in their last trip to the Bronx in 2008.

Friday, June 8- Sunday, June 10: Tigers @ Reds. This will be the first trip to Great American Ballpark for the Tigers. Their last visit to Cincinnati was in 2001, when the Reds lost two of three to Detroit at Cinergy Field. The Reds are 7-8 all-time against the Tigers (excluding the 1940 World Series) and are 2-4 at home against them. Another neat tidbit about the Tigers' visit to GABP: they will join the Yankees and White Sox as the only American League teams to ever face the Reds at Redland/Crosley Field, Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field and Great American Ballpark.

Tuesday, June 12- Thursday, June 14: Indians @ Reds. Cincinnati is 36-39 all-time against Cleveland, and are 18-18 at home against them.

Monday, June 18- Wednesday, June 20: Reds @ Indians. The Reds own an 18-21 road record against the Tribe.

All signs point to Johnny Cueto emerging
as the Reds' next ace, should he stay healthy.

Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24: Twins @ Reds. For the first time since 2000, the Twins will finally stop in Cincinnati. This will be their first visit to Great American Ballpark, leaving only the Mariners and A's as the only American League teams that have yet to play a series there (Seattle and Oakland each visited Cinergy Field in 2002, however). Surprisingly enough, this will also be the first time Ron Gardenhire has managed against the Reds in his 11 year career at the helm of the Twins. The last time Minnesota faced the Reds was at the Metrodome in 2001, with Tom Kelly still leading the way for the Twins. The Reds are 7-8 all-time against the Twins, but own a 5-1 record at home, including sweeping them during their last visit over a decade ago.

Friday, September 14- Sunday, September 16: Reds @ Marlins. The Reds will make their first trip to the Marlins' new ballpark. Cincinnati owns a 39-35 all-time mark at Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Landshark/Dolphin/Whatever the hell it's called Stadium.

Tuesday, September 25- Sunday, September 30: Brewers @ Reds, Reds @ Pirates. The Reds finish out their 2012 home schedule with three against the Brewers before closing out the season for three in Pittsburgh.

The 2012 season could also potentially mark the end of an era. With all of the talk and rumors swirling about the Astros moving to the American League and an expanded postseason, this could be the last time we see the AL and NL as somewhat mutually exclusive leagues. Should the Astros move to the AL, we will have interleague play year-round, along with two extra teams added to the playoffs. Who knows, the Astros move could also usher in major realignment as well.

Make sure to take it all in next year, because 2013 could be radically different.