River Avenue Blues

River Ave. Blues ยป 2012 Yankees

2012 promotional dates include BBQ apron, Snoopy bobblehead

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The Yanks unveiled their preliminary promotional schedule today, and some new items join familiar giveaways in 2012. As always, the season starts with the popular calendar weekend (4/14-4/15). The following week, with the Twins in town, the Yanks will hand out tomato seed packets to the first 18,000 guests (4/18). The folks who come the day after get far more useful magnetic schedules.

In May, the Reds will enjoy the ever-popular cap and bat days (5/19, 5/20) while water bottle night (6/18) and a collectible pin day (6/20) are the highlights for June. The Yanks will host their traditional Old Timers’ Day on July 1 before they take on the White Sox that Sunday, and the first 18,000 fans on the 18th get a Mark Teixeira figurine.

The August dates are still to be announced, but September ushers in my personal favorite. The first 18,000 fans who attend the September 2 affair against the Orioles will receive a Yankees’ BBQ Apron, and those who make it to the game on the 19th can score a Snoopy Bobblehead doll. Who wouldn’t want a Yankee Snoopy? For the full slate of giveaways, check out the updated calendar.

Yanks get six vs. Braves, DC trip in 2012

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Major League Baseball has unveiled the preliminary schedule for the 2012 season, and the Yanks’ highlights include six games against the Braves, a trip to the new ballpark down in Washington, DC and a pair of Subway Series weekends in June. They open the season on the road in Tampa Bay, close at home against Boston and play the Red Sox 12 times after the All Star Break. Luckily, September 2012 will not feature any West Coast road trips.

The schedule, which you can download here as a PDF, contains few surprises. After a March Opening Day and a rainy April this year which saw the Yanks play a disproportionate number of home games, the season starts on April 6 with the Yanks in Tampa Bay for three straight games. April 6, by the way, is also the night of the first Passover seder. The Bombers then journey to Baltimore before returning home to open the season against the Angels on Friday, April 13, and they play just 11 home games in April. Other series include a four-game set against the Twins, three each in Boston and Texas and a homestand with the Tigers and Orioles.

The highlights of May’s slate include a home series against the Reds to open Interleague Play (May 18-20) and a four-game set in Kansas City (May 3-6). For those who can spare some time away, take a trip to KC for some excellent beer, barbecue and baseball. The four-day jaunt to KC comes amidst various homestands. The Orioles open May at Yankee Stadium before the Bombers head to Kansas City, and Tampa Bay and Seattle pay a visit from May 8-13. Road series include a pair in Baltimore and Toronto and a road trip to Oakland, Anaheim and Detroit (May 25-June 3).

June is again dominated by Interleague Play. After another visit from the Rays — the Yanks play 12 against Tampa Bay before the All Star Break — the Mets hop over the Triborough Bridge for a three-game set (June 8-10). The Yanks then play three in Atlanta (June 11-13) and three in Washington (June 15-17) before the Braves come back to New York on June 18 for three more games. Other than for the Subway Series, I’ve never seen the Yanks play an NL opponent in two series like this. The Washington series is a prime roadtrip opportunity for New York fans. After a set in Citi Field (June 22-24), the Yanks host the Indians and White Sox to close out the month.

In July, the Yanks get some time off. Every team will enjoy a four-day All Star Break this year as Kansas City takes centerstage for the Mid-Summer Classic. Before the break (July 9-12), the Yanks will travel to Tampa Bay and Boston. Afterthe break, they host the Angels and Blue Jays before decamping for Oakland and Seattle (June 19-25. The month ends with a home series against the Red Sox and a trip into town by the Orioles.

In August, the Yanks play 15 games — up from just nine this year — as the Mariners start the month in town (Aug 3-5) before the Yanks head to Detroit (August 6-9) and Toronto (August 10-12). That too is a prime series for road trippers. The drive from Detroit to Toronto is a very manageable one. Playoff contenders Texas and Boston visit New York starting on August 13, and the Yanks hit up the Windy City on August 20 and Cleveland on August 24. Toronto and Batimore close out August in the Bronx.

The stretch drive features some manageable travel for the Yanks. From September 3-13, the Yanks play three in Tampa Bay, four in Baltimore and three in Boston. It’s a prime block of days for another Yankee Stadium concert. On September 14, Tampa Bay drops in for three, followed by visits from the Blue Jays and A’s. A mid-week road trip to Minnesota begins on September 24, and the Yanks spend the final weekend of he regular series in Toronto for four games. The ultimate end to the 2012 campaign, though, is a three-game set against the Red Sox in Yankee Stadium from October 1-3.

By and large, the schedule is far more balanced than last year. From August 1 through the end of the season, the Yanks play 29 home games and 30 road games. They don’t spend too much time during the cold and rainy spring in the Bronx and have no zany road trips too late in the season. Now who wants to meet up in Washington in June?

After the jump, an embedded version of the PDF file. You can download it right here. [Read more…]

Yankee Clippings: 2012 Schedule, Nova on the DL

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I have a bunch of browser tabs open with various miscellaneous Yankee news. Time to share.

  • From the “It’s Never Too Early To Plan Ahead” Department comes some information about the 2012 schedules. The details on the Yanks’ slate hasn’t hit the wires yet, but the Red Sox’s season schedule is out. Per Gordon Edes at ESPN Boston, the Yankees will be in Beantown on Friday, April 20, the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park’s opening. The two clubs then do not meet again until July 6-8 also in Boston. The Red Sox visit the Bronx for three game sets from July 27-29, August 17-19 and October 1-3. Essentially, the two clubs will play 12 games against each other over the final two months of the season.
  • Earlier today, during an appearance on MLB Radio on SiriusXM, Brian Cashman said Iva Nova would likely start on of the games of the July 30 doubleheader against the Orioles. However, he has been placed on the AAA 7-Day disabled list after rolling his ankle during his start last night. The Yankees still believe he will be ready for the doubleheader, and this trip to the DL shouldn’t impact his standing as a potential trade chip.
  • Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated says the 1998 Yankees were the best team he ever covered.
  • Watching the Yankees at home is akin to a baseball symphony, writes Times music critic Anthony Tomassini.
  • Finally, here’s one that’s been making the rounds lately: Light eyed players — including the Yanks’ own Brett Gardner — have trouble fielding the ball during day games.