Earlier today, the Cubs' 2012 schedule was released. 14 games still remain on the 2011 schedule, and if you are getting a little sick of seeing the Reds -- seven games within an 11-day period -- you'll be just as sick of them early next year, because six of the first 26 games on the 2011 schedule will feature Dusty Baker & Co.

And then the Cubs won't see their division rival again until... August. When they'll play them seven times in 10 days. It's oddly comforting to know that the computerized schedule-making, in effect since 2005, is still as bizarre as ever.

Cubs lineup:

Castro SS, Johnson RF, Ramirez 3B, Pena 1B, Soriano LF, Byrd CF, Barney 2B, Soto C, Coleman P

I mean, come on. Where's Bryan LaHair? DJ LeMahieu? Tyler Colvin? This is getting a little ridiculous. Did Mike Quade forget that Johnny Cueto is a righthander?

Reds lineup:

Phillips 2B, Renteria SS, Votto 1B, Bruce RF, Heisey LF, Francisco 3B, Stubbs CF, Hernandez C, Cueto P

And it doesn't matter that Dusty is doing the same thing.

Today's Starting Pitchers

Casey Coleman Cubs vs. Johnny Cueto Reds 1-2 W-L 3-3 7.36 ERA 4.17 12 SO 30 13 BB 7 3 HR 7 vs. Cin -- vs. Cubs

One of Casey Coleman's few good early-season starts was against the Reds on May 7 at Wrigley Field, where he allowed just two runs in six innings. After some really bad outings, he has improved to a 4.00 ERA (yes, not great, but improved) in his last three starts. Besides, he's got to be upset now that his father Joe Coleman is no longer the last Detroit Tigers pitcher to win 23 games -- Justin Verlander won his 23rd on Tuesday. (Joking about him being upset. I think. Let it motivate him.)

Johnny Cueto has a win, a loss and a no-decision in three starts vs. the Cubs this year; the ND came last week, Sept. 7 at Wrigley Field, a game the Cubs won. Overall this year he has a 4.32 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in those three starts. Current Cubs are hitting .304 against Cueto (51-for-168) with six home runs (Alfonso Soriano, three; Aramis Ramirez, two; Geovany Soto, 1).

Today's game is on WCIU (so not available to many of you outside Chicago) and FSN Ohio. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter.

Today's first pitch thread will be up at 6:10 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 7 pm, 8 pm and 8:45 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.