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Pittsburgh Pirates: The 2012 Schedule Sucks
By Tom Smith
The Pittsburgh Pirates
announced their schedule for the 2012 season. We aren’t big fans.
For just the fourth time in PNC Park history, the team will open the season at home on April 5, against the cross-state rival Philadelphia Phillies.
It bites for the team, as the opening weekend is typically sold out no matter who the opponent is. Bringing in Philadelphia in warmer weather would be much more enjoyable for both teams.
Needless to say, without marquee matchups against AL teams, the Pirates sales team has their work cut out for them once again.
The schedule includes 40 games with N.L. Central Division rivals at home, with the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros visiting PNC throughout the season.
The 2012 schedule is lackluster when compared to 2011 or even 2010. Let us know what you think.
• April 5 thru 8 vs. Philadelphia Phillies – Opening weekend against the Phillies.
• May 4 thru 13 – A nine-game homestand with the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and Astros wraps up on Mother’s Day.
• May 21 thru 30 – A nine-game homestand is highlighted with a May 28 Memorial Day match up vs. the Reds.
• June 8 thru 10 – Interleague play returns to PNC Park with a three-game series against Kansas City.
• June 19 thru 24 – Interleague play continues with a three-game set against the Twins, and Jim Leyland rolls into town with his Tigers for a three-game weekend series.
• July 2 thru 8 – A seven-game homestand is highlighted by a July 4 game against the Houston Astros.
• August 6 thru 16 – An 11-game homestand begins with a four-game series on August 6 against NL West leading Arizona Diamondbacks.
• September 3 thru 9 – A six-game homestand gets underway with a Labor Day game against the Astros.
• September 28 thru October 3 – A six-game homestand wraps up the 2012 regular season with the Atlanta
Braves.
The schedule is available on Pirates.com but I couldn’t find it, this came from a release sent over to us.