Saturday, January 8, 2011

LIGA RELEASES SCHEDULE FOR 2011 SEASON

The Mexican League has published a 2011 season schedule that reflects the reduction in teams from 16 to 14. The end result is that each Liga club will play 106 games between the March 18 inauguration game between Monclova and Saltillo and six season-ending contests on July 28. To balance the divisions following the withdrawal of Chihuahua and Nuevo Laredo from LMB play this year, defending Southern Zone champion Puebla will be shifted to the Northern Zone to create two seven-team groups.

One feature will be the return of interzonal games for the first time in three years. The schedule is essentially in two parts: Each team will play 28 three-game series between March 20 and June 30, including North-South crossover games. Then the schedule reverts to 12 two-game division-only sets during June and July, with one team in each Zone having a bye for the rest of the regular season due to the odd number of teams within divisions. A limited number of games will be played on 20 Monday nights, and the All-Star Game will be held the weekend of May 27-29 in Saltillo.

The Liga will also scrap its old two-half points system in favor of a traditional system based strictly on won-lost percentage over the full 106-game schedule. Four teams in each Zone will qualify for the annual August playoffs.

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