Remember last November, when I pieced together the '08 Red Sox schedule, waiting as each team's tentative slate was released, and then filling in the calendar over a period of weeks? This year, MLB has simplified it for us, releasing all the schedules today!

Here's the story on the Red Sox sked, and here's the sked itself, starting with April.

First of all--we open at home! Only the 11th time in my lifetime (going back to the '76 opener), and second time since 1995. After the opening series with the Devil Rays, we go right out to the west coast for the first of two trips there.

Interleague is pretty "normal" for a change. Both the Yanks and Sox play each of the five NL East teams, with the sixth series being a second with the Braves for us, and a second with the Mets as usual for them. 2009 will be our first trip to the Washington Nationals' park. It's a Tuesday to Thursday series in late June...but then we go to Atlanta and Baltimore. That sounds like a great road trip. Go down, catch the Thursday game in Washy, then, if you're up for it, drive down to Atlanta for the Saturday game, then back up to Balty for Monday. The ultimate long weekend! Or, skip Atlanta and just hang out on the Jersey shore over the weekend, with DC and Baltimore sandwiched around it. (The other to Camden series are weekends--late July/early August, and mid-September.) (And the Philly series is down there and on a weekend. VERY good setup this year for road trips of all kinds.)

We also play our final two preseason games at Citi Field, the first games at the new Mets' park. We go to Eau du Toilette (Ode to the Toilet) for the first time on May 4th.

The season ends on October 4th--it starts late because of the World Baseball Classic--at home against Cleveland. That series may prove easy to get tickets for, as many people will be fooled into thinking the season ends on the last day of September.

We're at home for the Mets on Memorial Day weekend (but on the road for the actual day, Monday, May 25th) and on the road for Labor Day weekend (in Chicago, right through to Monday, September 7th. (But home for Baltimore for my birthday the next day.) And we play at home against Seattle for 4th of July weekend.

THe World Series WILL take place partially in November, as Game 4 is scheduled for November 1st. Looks like Steve Finley will probably be replaced as "Mr. November."