With the season over for the Cubs and the White Sox just hanging on by a thread in the AL Central race, it's time to take a look forward to 2011.
MLB released all 30 team schedules Tuesday night and here's a look at the highlights of the White Sox and Cubs schedules for next year.
The Cubs will open the season at home for the first time since 2001, against the Pirates on April 1. They'll play six games at home, then head on the road to two domed stadiums (Brewers and Astros) and then take a chance it won't snow in Colorado in April. Meanwhile, the White Sox will open the season in Cleveland on April 1, then travel to Kansas City to face the Royals before opening the home season against the Rays on Thursday, April 7.
The two teams will face each other for the usual six games, but with a twist in 2011: the Cubs will visit the South Side for three weekday (probably weeknight, but no times have been announced yet) games on June 20, 21 and 22, then play again on the North Side on a weekend, July 1, 2 and 3.
The Cubs' interleague opponents in addition to the White Sox are the Red Sox (it's the Cubs' first trip to Fenway Park since interleague play began in 1997), the Yankees (at Wrigley Field) and the Royals, at Kansas City. The White Sox will play the following NL opponents: the Dodgers and Nationals at home, and trips to play the Rockies in Denver and the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
The complete 2011 Cubs schedule can be found here and the complete White Sox 2011 schedule here.