Nationals announce 2011 schedule – nationals.com
The 2011 Washington Nationals schedule was released this evening. Mark your calendars and make your time-off requests for Opening Day on March 31. The Atlanta Braves are in town that day, 3 years and one day after they played a part in one of my favorite moments as a fan — Ryan Zimmerman winning Opening Night at Nationals Park with a walk-off home run.
In addition to hosting a true Opening Day game (as they always should on account of this being the Nation’s Capital) the Nats have home games for all 3 summer holidays:
Labor Day, May 30 vs. Philadelphia Phillies (beware the invading hoards!)
Independence Day, July 4 vs. Chicago Cubs
Labor Day, September 5 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Getting true Opening Day and all 3 holidays is unusual. Opening Day, Memorial Day and July 4 should be written in stone as home dates (the latter is) but Labor Day is a bonus. Frankly, a more blue collar town should probably get that one — not that I am complaining.
Every weekend in September has two home games (you know after the Redskins start up though maybe not if there is a lockout) and June only has 10 games in D.C. and 13 out west which is not ideal. In fact, all west coast series are in June and July, spread over 3 trips. The AL West is the interleague opponent this year, plus the Chicago White Sox from the AL Central for some reason.
The cowardly Baltimore Orioles come to town on June 17. Don’t even think of going to the wrong end of the B/W Parkway on May 20-22.
The Pittsburgh Pirates series in PNC Park is April 21-23 (probably Blue White Weekend for Penn Staters), so I am sure somebody will have a wedding that weekend or something so I can’t finally see the Nats there. Or collect my Primanti Bros. sammich. The Pirates come here on two occasions, oddly enough.
I’ll try to get my Blogger Day update done tomorrow. Oh and good news, the Nats just shutout the Braves with LIVAN! hitting a homer and pitching 8 innings for his 10th win.
