Analyzing the 2010 AL Schedules

The optimal baseball schedule when it comes to the business side is to have as many key games on the weekend, play as little as possible in April whil NBA/NHL are still going, and hopefully pull off a big Interleague draw to make the most revenue. To many it is not a big deal but given the current baseball economics the difference between drawing the Red Sox and Orioles is probably 250,000 fans (due to leveraging) over the few games plus all the concessions, parking, merchandise, etc. The MLB lottery are taking a couple million each way for the teams depending upon who you get. I'll go ahead and run through all AL teams below:

AL East
Yankees - 7 April Games, Interleague vs. Astros-Phillies-Mets, Plus 2 Red Sox Weekends
Red Sox - 13 April Games, Interleague vs. Phillies-Dodgers-D'Backs, Plus 2 Yankee Weekend
Orioles -10 April Games , Interleague vs. Mets-Marlins-Nationals, Plus Sox & Yanks Weekend
Rays - 13 April Games, Interleague vs. Marlins-Padres-D'Backs, Plus 2 Yankee + Red Sox Weekends
Blue Jays - 15 April Games, Interleague vs. Giants-Cardinals-Phillies, Plus Yanks + Sox Weekend

Comments: Why didn't the Jays trade Halladay (again)? They got 3 teams who will beat them and not sell that many tickets. Poor Orioles & Rays won't sell any tickets and the teams that got the biggest help here is the Yankees and Sox who don't need it all to sell tickets

AL Central
Tigers - 10 April Games, Interleague vs. Pirates-Nationals-D'Backs, Plus Sox Weekend
Indians - 7 April Games, Interleague vs. Mets-Reds-Nats
Royals - 12 April Games, Interleague vs. Rockies-Astros-Cardinals, Plus Sox + Yankees Weekend
Twins - New Stadium, 9 April Games, Interleague vs. Brewers-Rockies-Braves
White Sox - 12 April Games, Interleague vs. Braves-Cubs-Marlins, Plus Yankees Weekend

Comments: The Indians are screwed here good thing they traded 2 of their best players already and Tigers got screwed too, only real winners here will be Twins with their new digs and Royals nabbing the 2 big boys on the weekend

AL West
Angels - Host AS game, Interleague vs. Dodgers-Brewers-Rockies, Plus Yankees Weekend
Mariners -10 April games, Interleague vs. Cubs-Padres-Reds, Plus Sox & Yankees Weekend
Rangers - 13 April Games, Interleague vs. Cubs-Pirates-Astros, Plus Sox & Yankees Weekend
A's - 14 April Games, Interleague vs. Giants-Pirates-Reds, Plus Sox Weekend

Comments: Most of the division comes up well as Mariners and Rangers have at least 10 sellouts with the Cubs coming (Ichiro vs. Fukudome) and the Angels have the All-Star game, A's got the short stick here

Games played vs 08 playoff teams via Interleague:
12 Boston, Anaheim
6 Yankees, Blue Jays, Twins, Royals
3 Tigers, A's, Mariners
0 Orioles, Rays, White Sox, Indians, Rangers

The Rays and Rangers might not be good for the regular season books, but I can see the Sox and Angels sitting home while the they print they're playoff tickets.