It’s always fun to look at next year’s schedule, especially with this one all but gone.

The Mets open at home against Atlanta and Washington. In fact, they play 15 of their first 23 games against NL East Rivals which of course means facing many of the league’s top pitcher in Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Jair Jerrjens, Stephen Strasburg, Cole Hamels, Tim Hudson and possibly Josh Johnson.  That’s one tall order.

Their interleague opponents are Toronto (on the road in May, which seems odd), the Yankees (first at the Stadium in June then at Citi Field in July), at Tampa Bay and home to Baltimore.

Playing Toronto in May is awkward, as is having two road series to Philadelphia by May 10. Also quirky is a Cubs-Dodgers road trip in June, and three series against the Marlins the last month of the season (and first three days of October).

 

METS 2012 SCHEDULE

April

5, 7, 8 vs. Atlanta

9, 10, 11 vs. Washington

13, 14, 15 at Philadelphia

16, 17, 18 at Atlanta

20, 21, 22, 23 vs. San Francisco

24, 25, 26 vs. Florida

27, 28, 29 at Colorado

30 at Houston

May

1, 2 at Houston

4, 5, 6 vs. Arizona

7, 8, 9 at Philadelphia

11, 12, 13 at Florida

14, 15 vs. Milwaukee

16, 17 vs. Cincinnati

18, 19, 20 at Toronto

21, 22, 23 at Pittsburgh

24, 25, 26, 27 vs. San Diego

28, 29, 30 vs. Philadelphia

June

1, 2, 3, 4 vs. St. Louis

5, 6, 7, at Washington

8, 9, 10 at Yankees

12, 13, 14 at Tampa Bay

15, 16, 17 vs. Cincinnati

18, 19, 20 vs. Baltimore

22, 23, 24 vs. Yankees

25, 26, 27 at Chicago (NL)

28, 29, 30 at Los Angeles (NL)

July

1 at Los Angeles (NL)

3, 4, 5 vs. Philadelphia

6, 7, 8 vs. Chicago (NL)

13, 14, 15 at Atlanta

17, 18, 19 at Washington

20, 21, 22 vs. Los Angeles (NL)

23, 24, 25 vs. Washington

26, 27, 28, 29 at Arizona

30, 31 at San Francisco

August

1, 2 at San Francisco

3, 4, 5 at San Diego

7, 8, 9 vs. Florida

10, 11, 12 vs. Atlanta

14, 15, 16 at Cincinnati

17, 18, 19 at Washington

20, 21, 22,23 vs. Colorado

24, 25, 26 vs. Houston

28, 29, 30 at Philadelphia

31 at Florida

September

1, 2 at Florida

3, 4, 5 at St. Louis

7, 8, 9 vs. Atlanta

10, 11, 12 vs. Washington

14, 15, 16 at Milwaukee

17, 18, 19 vs. Philadelphia

21, 22, 23 vs. Florida

24, 25, 26, 27 vs. Pittsburgh

28, 29, 30 at Atlanta

October

1, 2, 3 at Florida