2011 MLB Schedule Released

A preliminary version of the 2011 Major League Baseball regular season schedule was released on Tuesday night, and it features a fairly huge change. Starting next year, Opening Day will come on a Thursday -- March 31 -- with five games, followed by an 11-game slate on Friday, April 1.

It is the first time since 1998 that the regular season will not begin on a Sunday or a Monday, and it is the first time since 1978 that the season will start on a Thursday.

The regular season will end on Wednesday, Sept. 28 -- the entire schedule being moved up and spring training being shortened so that the World Series will not extend into November, as it did last year and will this year, at the recommendation of commissioner Bud Selig's 14-member Special Committee for On-Field Matters.

This could be the beginning of sweeping changes to the schedule, according to MLB.com. The LCS already lost one off day this year, and the number of off days could continue to shrink in October, while the Division Series itself could be expanded from a best-of-5 to a best-of-7 format.

Below are a few general notes about the schedule as well as a look at some highlights on a team-by-team basis.

• The 2011 All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 12 at Chase Field in Phoenix. That means the All-Star break will go from July 11-13.

• The Giants and Diamondbacks are still working on a plan to open the season in Taiwan at some point during late March. That hasn't been included in the schedule yet.

• The AL East will face the NL Central in interleague play, while the AL Central will face the NL West and the AL West will face the NL East.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Start Season: at Colorado (April 1-3); tentative based on Taiwan series
End Season: vs. Los Angeles (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Cincinnati (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Minnesota (May 20-22); vs. Chicago (June 17-19); at Kansas City (June 21-23); at Detroit (June 24-26); vs. Cleveland (June 27-29); at Oakland (July 1-3)

Atlanta Braves

Start Season: at Washington (March 31-April 3)
End Season: vs. Philadelphia (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Philadelphia (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: at Los Angeles (May 20-22); vs. Texas (June 17-19); vs. Toronto (June 20-22); at Seattle (June 27-29); vs. Baltimore (July 1-3)

Baltimore Orioles

Start Season: at Tampa Bay (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. Boston (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Detroit (April 4)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Washington (May 20-22); at Washington (June 17-19); at Pittsburgh (June 20-22); vs. Cincinnati (June 24-26); vs. St. Louis (June 28-30); at Atlanta (July 1-3)

Boston Red Sox

Start Season: at Texas (April 1-3)
End Season: at Baltimore (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. New York (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Chicago (May 20-22); vs. Milwaukee (June 17-19); vs. San Diego (June 20-22); at Pittsburgh (June 24-26); at Philadelphia (June 28-30); at Houston (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: vs. Toronto (April 18 -- Patriots Day Game); vs. New York (April 8-10); at New York (May 13-15); at New York (June 7-9); vs. New York (Aug. 5-7); vs. New York (Aug. 30-Sept. 1); at New York (Sept. 23-25)

Chicago Cubs

Start Season: vs. Pittsburgh (April 1-3)
End Season: at San Diego (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Pittsburgh (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: at Boston (May 20-22); vs. New York (June 17-19); at Chicago (June 20-22); at Kansas City (June 24-26); vs. Chicago (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: vs. St. Louis (May 10-12); at St. Louis (June 3-5); vs. St. Louis (Aug. 19-21); at St. Louis (Sept. 23-25)

Chicago White Sox

Start Season: at Cleveland (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. Toronto (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Tampa Bay (April 7)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Los Angeles (May 20-22); at Arizona (June 17-19); vs. Chicago (June 20-22); vs. Washington (June 24-26); at Colorado (June 28-30); at Chicago (July 1-3)

Cincinnati Reds

Start Season: vs. Milwaukee (March 31-April 3)
End Season: at New York (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Milwaukee (March 31)
Interleague Matchups: at Cleveland (May 20-22); vs. Toronto (June 17-19); vs. New York (June 20-22); at Baltimore (June 24-26); at Tampa Bay (June 27-29); vs. Cleveland (July 1-3)

Cleveland Indians

Start Season: vs. Chicago (April 1-3)
End Season: at Detroit (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Chicago (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Cincinnati (May 20-22); vs. Pittsburgh (June 17-19); vs. Colorado (June 20-22); at San Francisco (June 24-26); at Arizona (June 27-29); at Cincinnati (July 1-3)

Colorado Rockies

Start Season: vs. Arizona (April 1-3)
End Season: at San Francisco (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Arizona (April 1); tentative based on Taiwan series
Interleague Matchups: vs. Detroit (June 17-19); at Cleveland (June 20-22); at New York (June 24-26); vs. Chicago (June 28-30); vs. Kansas City (July 1-3)

Detroit Tigers

Start Season: at New York (March 31-April 3)
End Season: vs. Cleveland (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Kansas City (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: at Pittsburgh (May 20-22); at Colorado (June 17-19); at Los Angeles (June 20-22); vs. Arizona (June 24-26); vs. New York (June 28-30); vs. San Francisco (July 1-3)

Florida Marlins

Start Season: vs. New York (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. Washington (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. New York (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Tampa Bay (May 20-22); at Tampa Bay (June 17-19); vs. Los Angeles (June 21-23); vs. Seattle (June 24-26); at Oakland (June 28-30); at Texas (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: vs. Washington (Sept. 26-28 -- final series at Sun Life Stadium)

Houston Astros

Start Season: at Philadelphia (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. St. Louis (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Florida (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: at Toronto (May 20-22); at Texas (June 21-23); vs. Tampa Bay (June 24-26); vs. Texas (June 28-30); vs. Boston (July 1-3)

Kansas City Royals

Start Season: vs. Los Angeles (March 31-April 3)
End Season: at Minnesota (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Los Angeles (March 31)
Interleague Matchups: vs. St. Louis (May 20-22); at St. Louis (June 17-19); vs. Arizona (June 21-23); vs. Chicago (June 24-26); at San Diego (June 27-29); at Colorado (July 1-3)

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Start Season: at Kansas City (March 31-April 3)
End Season: vs. Texas (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Toronto (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Atlanta (May 20-22); at New York (June 17-19); at Florida (June 20-22); at Los Angeles (June 24-26); vs. Washington (June 27-29); vs. Los Angeles (July 1-3)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Start Season: vs. San Francisco (April 1-3)
End Season: at Arizona (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. San Francisco (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: at Chicago (May 20-22); vs. Detroit (June 20-22); vs. Los Angeles (June 24-26); at Minnesota (June 28-30); at Los Angeles (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: vs. San Francisco (April 1-3); at San Francisco (April 11-13); at San Francisco (July 18-20); at San Francisco (Sept. 9-11); vs. San Francisco (Sept. 20-22)

Milwaukee Brewers

Start Season: at Cincinnati (March 31-April 3)
End Season: vs. Pittsburgh (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Atlanta (April 4)
Interleague Matchups: at Boston (June 17-19); vs. Tampa Bay (June 20-22); vs. Minnesota (June 24-26); at New York (June 28-30); at Minnesota (July 1-3)

Minnesota Twins

Start Season: at Toronto (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. Kansas City (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Oakland (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: at Arizona (May 20-22); vs. San Diego (June 17-19); at San Francisco (June 21-23); at Milwaukee (June 24-26); vs. Los Angeles (June 28-30); vs. Milwaukee (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: at Chicago (May 3-4); vs. Chicago (June 14-16); at Chicago (July 7-10); vs. Chicago (Aug. 5-7); at Chicago (Aug. 29-31); vs. Chicago (Sept. 5-7)

New York Mets

Start Season: at Florida (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. Cincinnati (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Washington (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: at New York (May 20-22); vs. Los Angeles (June 17-19); vs. Oakland (June 21-23); at Texas (June 24-26); at Detroit (June 28-30); vs. New York (July 1-3)

New York Yankees

Start Season: vs. Detroit (March 31-April 3)
End Season: at Tampa Bay (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Detroit (March 31)
Interleague Matchups: vs. New York (May 20-22); at Chicago (June 17-19); at Cincinnati (June 20-22); vs. Colorado (June 24-26); vs. Milwaukee (June 28-30); at New York (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: at Boston (April 8-10); vs. Boston (May 13-15); vs. Boston (June 7-9); at Boston (Aug. 5-7); at Boston (Aug. 30-Sept. 1); vs. Boston (Sept. 23-25)

Oakland Athletics

Start Season: vs. Seattle (April 1-3)
End Season: at Seattle (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Seattle (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: at San Francisco (May 20-22); vs. San Francisco (June 17-19); at New York (June 21-23); at Philadelphia (June 24-26); vs. Florida (June 28-30); vs. Arizona (July 1-3)

Philadelphia Phillies

Start Season: vs. Houston (April 1-3)
End Season: at Atlanta (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Houston (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Texas (May 20-22); at Seattle (June 17-19); vs. Oakland (June 24-26); vs. Boston (June 28-30); at Toronto (July 1-3)

Pittsburgh Pirates

Start Season: at Chicago (April 1-3)
End Season: at Milwaukee (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Colorado (April 7)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Detroit (May 20-22); at Cleveland (June 17-19); vs. Baltimore (June 20-22); vs. Boston (June 24-26); at Toronto (June 28-30)

St. Louis Cardinals

Start Season: vs. San Diego (March 31-April 3)
End Season: at Houston (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. San Diego (March 31)
Interleague Matchups: at Kansas City (May 20-22); vs. Kansas City (June 17-19); vs. Toronto (June 24-26); at Baltimore (June 28-30); at Tampa Bay (July 1-3)

San Diego Padres

Start Season: at St. Louis (March 31-April 3)
End Season: vs. Chicago (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. San Francisco (April 5)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Seattle (May 20-22); at Minnesota (June 17-19); at Boston (June 20-22); vs. Kansas City (June 27-29); at Seattle (July 1-3)

San Francisco Giants

Start Season: at Los Angeles (April 1-3); tentative based on Taiwan series
End Season: vs. Colorado (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. St. Louis (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Oakland (May 20-22); at Oakland (June 17-19); vs. Minnesota (June 21-23); vs. Cleveland (June 24-26); at Detroit (July 1-3)
Other Series of Note: at Los Angeles (April 1-3); vs. Los Angeles (April 11-13); vs. Los Angeles (July 18-20); vs. Los Angeles (Sept. 9-11); at Los Angeles (Sept. 20-22)

Seattle Mariners

Start Season: at Oakland (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. Oakland (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Cleveland (April 8)
Interleague Matchups: at San Diego (May 20-22); vs. Philadelphia (June 17-19); at Washington (June 21-23); at Florida (June 24-26); vs. Atlanta (June 27-29); vs. San Diego (July 1-3)

Tampa Bay Rays

Start Season: vs. Baltimore (April 1-3)
End Season: vs. New York (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Baltimore (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: at Florida (May 20-22); vs. Florida (June 17-19); at Milwaukee (June 20-22); at Houston (June 24-26); vs. Cincinnati (June 27-29); vs. St. Louis (July 1-3)

Texas Rangers

Start Season: vs. Boston (April 1-3)
End Season: at Los Angeles (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Boston (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: at Philadelphia (May 20-22); at Atlanta (June 17-19); vs. Houston (June 20-22); vs. New York (June 24-26); at Houston (June 28-30); vs. Florida (July 1-3)

Toronto Blue Jays

Start Season: vs. Minnesota (April 1-3)
End Season: at Chicago (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Minnesota (April 1)
Interleague Matchups: vs. Houston (May 20-22); at Cincinnati (June 17-19); at Atlanta (June 20-22); at St. Louis (June 24-26); vs. Pittsburgh (June 28-30); vs. Philadelphia (July 1-3)

Washington Nationals

Start Season: vs. Atlanta (March 31-April 3)
End Season: at Florida (Sept. 26-28)
Home Opener: vs. Atlanta (March 31)
Interleague Matchups: at Baltimore (May 20-22); vs. Baltimore (June 17-19); vs. Seattle (June 21-23); at Chicago (June 24-26); at Los Angeles (June 27-29)