The 2007 Mets schedule is out, at least the tentative one.  A graphic artist friend of mine made a copy for me that is about 3 by 4 feet in size.  After staring at this thing for a while, I made some notes and have come to the conclusion that the schedule makers at Major League baseball are not Mets fans.  I know it must be difficult to schedule 30 teams in two different leagues with inter-league play and an unbalanced schedule but I have a hard time believing that with a little extra thought, things could have been put together a little better.

For example, this year the Mets will play a representative from each of the American League divisions. Perhaps it’s a coincidence but the Mets will play every winner from the American League next summer.  Of course they will play the Yankees six times again (can you say overkill?). The Mets will also go to Detroit and play the AL champs three games, then there is 3 against the AL Central Champ Twins and 3 against the AL West winning A’s.  At least the latter two will be at Shea.  I don’t want to cry sour grapes or anything but couldn’t the Mets have drawn 3 games with the Royals perhaps?  Maybe I should be careful of what I wish for but never the less. 

On the National League side of the ledger, the Mets play a balanced schedule against their own division which makes a whole lot of sense. The Mets play the Braves, Nationals, Phillies, and Marlins 18 times, 9 home and 9 away in three away and three home series each.  There are only two 2 game series on the schedule next year and they occur very early in the season and on the road.  The Mets play 2 in Philly followed by a 2 game series in Florida during the third week of the season.  There seems to be many more 4 games series then in the past too.  The Mets play a four game series against the Cubs, Reds, Astros, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins, and Phillies.

As far as the traveling goes, the Mets will make three plane trips to the west coast next year.  Out of the three only once do the Mets play two California teams on the same trip.  In August, the Mets will play the Padres as well as the Dodgers.  The Mets play the Giants combined with a trip to Arizona, and what’s most unusual is that the Mets make two trips to Dodger stadium next season.  In addition to playing the Padres and Dodgers on a single trip, the Mets first trip to Chavez Ravine occurs in June when, get this, the Mets travel to Detroit, then fly to LA after which they return to play the Yankees at Yankees stadium.  I guess the Mets are really going to have to earn it next year. 

Perhaps one positive note is that Mets fans will not have to wait as long as fans of other teams to get the season started next year.  For the first time, the Mets will open the Season on Sunday evening, April 1 in St. Louis.  That should be thrilling watching the Cardinals raise their World Championship flag.  I’m thinking the probables will be Carpenter against Zito? No? But I digress, no matter how you shake it, the Mets as all teams must play a 162 game schedule, 81 at home and 81 away.  It just seems that the scheduling is a far cry from what it used to be and the calendar the Mets have been given will not make returning to the post season for a second straight year any easier.

Extra Innings:  Next week should be exciting.  It’s the winter meetings at the land of Mickey Mouse in Orlando, Florida (technically it’s Lake Buena Vista).  I certainly hope Omar can keep his nose to the grindstone.  I don’t want to read on Metsblog that the Mets missed out on a deal because Minaya and company snuck out to ride Thunder Mountain Railroad.