Indians announce 2012 schedule

If the Indians contend for the Central Division championship next year, the schedule down the stretch will be in their favor.

From Aug 24 through the final day of the season, Oct. 3, the Tribe will play 22 of 38 games at Progressive Field. The competition over this span will include the Yankees, but most of the visitors will be Central Division opponents, who will play the Indians 25 times in September and October.

 A six-game homestand against the Royals and the White Sox will end the schedule.

The season will begin in Cleveland April 5-8, Easter weekend, with three games against the Blue Jays. Before the Tribe goes on the road, the White Sox will visit April 9-11.

In contrast to the recent past, the two teams with the biggest drawing power -- the Yankees and Red Sox -- will play at Progressive Field during the summer months, when school is out. Boston’s four-game series in Cleveland is scheduled for Aug. 9-12 with the Yankee series set for Aug. 24-26.Also in contrast to recent seasons, the Yankees and Red Sox come to Progressive Field on weekends.

Interleague play will feature geographical rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnnati in addition to the Marlins, Astros and Cardinals.  The newly renamed Miami Marlins will visit Cleveland may 18-20. Other interleague games at Progressive Field: the Pirates visit June 15-17 and the Reds June 18-20.

The Tribe travels to St. Louis for three games Jun 8-10, Cincinnati June 12-14 and Houston to June 22-24.

                                                2012 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

                                                    (All games subject to change)

APRIL -- 5 Toronto, 7 Toronto, 8 Toronto, 9 Chicago White Sox, 10 Chicago White Sox, 11 Chicago White Sox, 13 at Kansas City, 14 at Kansas City, 15 at Kansas City, 17 at Seattle, 18 at Seattle, 19 at Seattle, 20 at Oakland, 21 at Oakland, 22 at Oakland,  24 Kansas City, 25 Kansas City, 26 Kansas City, 27 Los Angeles Angels, 28 os Angeles Angels, 29 Los Angeles Angels.

MAY -- 1 at Chicago White Sox, 2 at Chicago White Sox, 3 at Chicago White Sox, 4 Texas, 5 Texas, 6 Texas, 7 Chicago White Sox, 8 Chicago White Sox, 9 Chicago White Sox, 10 at Boston, 11 at Boston, 12 at Boston, 13 at Boston, 14 at Minnesota, 15 at Minnesota, 16 Seattle, 17 Seattle, 18 Miami, 19 Miami, 20 Miami, 22 Detroit, 23 Detroit, 24 Detroit, 25 at Chicago White Sox, 26 at Chicago White Sox, 27 at Chicago White Sox, 28 Kansas City, 29 Kansas City, 30 Kansas City

JUNE -- 1 Minnesota, 2, Minnesota, 3, Minnesota, 5 at Detroit, 6 at Detroit, 7 at Detroit, 8 at St. Louis, 9 at St. Louis, 10 at St. Louis, 12 at Cincinnati, 13 at Cincinnati, 14 at Cincinnati, 15 Pittsburgh, 16 Pittsburgh, 17 Pittsburgh, 18 Cincinnati, 19 Cincinnati, 20 Cincinnati, 22 at Houston, 23 at Houston, 24 at Houston, 25 at New York Yankees, 26 at New York Yankees, 27 at New York Yankees, 28 at Baltimore, 29 at Baltimore, 30 at Baltimore

JULY -- 1 at Baltimore, 2 Los Angeles Angels, 3 Los Angeles Angels, 4 Los Angeles Angels, 5 Tampa Bay, 6 Tampa Bay, 7 Tampa Bay, 8 Tampa Bay, 13 at Toronto, 14 at Toronto, 15 at Toronto, 16 at Tampa, 17 at Tampa Bay, 18 at Tampa Bay, 19 at Tampa Bay, 20 Baltimore, 21 Baltimore, 22 Baltimore, 23 Baltimore, 24 Detroit, 25 Detroit, 26 Detroit, 27 at Minnesota, 28 at Minnesota, 29 at Minnesota, 31 at Kansas City

AUGUST -- 1 at Kansas City, 2 at Kansas City, 3 at Detroit, 4 at Detroit, 5 at Detroit, 6 Minnesota, 7 Minnesota,  8 Minnesota, 9 Boston, 10 Boston, 11 Boston, 12 Boston, 13 at Los Angeles Angels, 14 at Los Angeles Angels, 15 at Los Angeles Angels, 17 at Oakland, 18 at Oakland, 19 at Oakland, 20 at Seattle, 21 at Seattle, 22 at Seattle, 24 New York Yankees, 25 New York Yankees, 26 New York Yankees, 27 Oakland, 28 Oakland, 29 Oakland, 30 Oakland, 31 Texas

SEPTEMBER -- 1 Texas,  2 Texas, 3 at Detroit, 4 at Detroit, 5 at Detroit, 7 at Minnesota, 8 at Minnesota, 9 at Minnesota, 10 at Minnesota, 11 at Texas, 12 at Texas, 13 at Texas, 14 Detroit, 15 Detroit, 16 Detroit, 18 Minnesota, 19 Minnesota, 20 Minnesota, 21 at Kansas City,  22 at Kansas City, 23 at Kansas City, 24 at Chicago White Sox, 25 at Chicago White Sox, 26 at Chicago White Sox, 28 Kansas City, 29 Kansas City, 30 Kansas City

OCTOBER -- 1 Chicago White Sox, 2 Chicago White Sox, 3 Chicago White Sox.