As I did a year ago, I have compiled, as of this date, what I believe to be the correct Cubs schedule for next year. But before you read this, please read the following disclaimer:
I have put together this information from schedules that have already been publicly posted. I am reasonably certain that it is correct, but I cannot and will not vouch for any errors or changes that are made in it.
That said, here's why I'm posting this today:
The Cubs generally release their schedule for the following season later than most other teams. I've never quite been able to figure out why, because if one team puts theirs out, it's clear to me that the entire schedule is finished. In my opinion, there's no reason that MLB shouldn't mandate that all clubs release their next-year's schedules on their last home date, or even earlier, as many teams have already done this September.
I actually had fun doing this -- it's sort of like an acrostic puzzle; you fill in the blanks based on what things cannot be, and once you have eliminated all the "can't be" possibilities, you're left with obvious choices. Example: for April 16-17, all fourteen other NL teams are accounted for by the schedules that have already been made public, so the Cubs must be playing the Padres. In much the same manner, I determined that the Cubs' home opener will be Monday, April 9 against the Astros.
The following teams that the Cubs are playing in 2007 have already posted their schedules: Astros, Braves, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Padres, Phillies, Reds, and Rockies, and interleague opponents Rangers and White Sox.
I'm reasonably certain that this is it; there might be a shift of a date or two here and there, or a flip-flop of home/home series -- although, with the White Sox' schedule out, that seems unlikely, as most of the time the Cubs and White Sox are not at home at the same time, and I correlated the two schedules to confirm this. In addition, I have posted all the game times that are available (times listed are Central time). Finally, and I know you'll count them too, yes, there are 81 home games and 81 road games listed.
I will update this and make any corrections as I get them. Since the Cubs won't do this, I am happy to provide this as a public service.
April 2-4-5: at Cincinnati (1:10, 6:10, 11:35)
April 6-7-8: at Milwaukee (7:05, 7:05, 1:05)
April 9-10-11: Houston (1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
April 13-14-15: Cincinnati (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
April 16-17: San Diego (7:05, 1:20)
April 18-19: at Atlanta (6:35, 6:35)
April 20-21-22: St. Louis (1:20, 2:55, 1:20)
April 23-24-25: Milwaukee (7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
April 27-28-29: at St. Louis (7:10, 6:15, 1:15)
April 30, May 1-2: at Pittsburgh (6:05, 6:05, 12:35)
May 4-5-6: Washington (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
May 8-9-10: Pittsburgh (7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
May 11-12-13: at Philadelphia (6:05, 6:05, 12:35)
May 14-15-16-17: at New York (6:10, 6:10, 6:10, 12:10)
May 18-19-20: White Sox (1:20, 2:55, 1:20)
May 22-23-24: at San Diego (9:05, 9:05, 9:05)
May 25-26-27: at Los Angeles (9:40, TBA, TBA)
May 28-29-30: Florida (1:20, 7:05, 7:05)
June 1-2-3: Atlanta (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
June 4-5-6: at Milwaukee (7:05, 7:05, 1:05)
June 7-8-9-10: at Atlanta (6:35, 6:35, 6:05, 12:05)
June 12-13-14: Seattle (7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
June 15-16-17: San Diego (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
June 19-20-21: at Texas (7:35, 7:35, 7:35)
June 22-23-24: at White Sox (TBA, TBA, TBA)
June 25-26-27: Colorado (7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
June 29-30, July 1: Milwaukee (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
July 2-3-4-5: at Washington (6:05, 6:05, 2:00, 6:05)
July 6-7-8: at Pittsburgh (6:05, 6:05, 12:35)
July 9-10-11: All-Star break
July 13-14-15: Houston (1:20, 2:55, 1:20)
July 16-17-18-19: San Francisco (7:05, 7:05, 1:20, 1:20)
July 20-21-22: Arizona (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
July 23-24-25: at St. Louis (7:10, 7:10, 7:10)
July 27-28-29: at Cincinnati (6:10, TBA, 12:15)
July 30-31, Aug. 1-2: Philadelphia (7:05, 7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
Aug. 3-4-5: New York (1:20, 2:55, TBA)
Aug. 6-7-8: at Houston (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
Aug. 9-10-11-12: at Colorado (8:05, 8:05, 7:05, 2:05)
Aug. 14-15-16: Cincinnati (7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
Aug. 17-18-19-20: St. Louis (1:20, 2:55, TBA, 1:20)
Aug. 21-22-23: at San Francisco (9:15, 9:15, 2:35)
Aug. 24-25-26: at Arizona (8:40, 8:40, 3:40)
Aug. 28-29-30: at Milwaukee (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
Aug. 31, Sept. 1-2: Houston (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
Sept. 3-4-5-6: Los Angeles (3:05, 7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
Sept. 7-8-9: at Pittsburgh (6:05, 6:05, 12:35)
Sept. 11-12-13: at Houston (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
Sept. 14-15-16: at St. Louis (7:10, 6:15, 1:15)
Sept. 17-18-19: Cincinnati (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
Sept. 21-22-23: Pittsburgh (1:20, 12:05, 1:20)
Sept. 24-25-26: at Florida (6:05, 6:05, 3:05)
Sept. 28-29-30: at Cincinnati (6:10, 6:10, 12:15)
Note, this post is also being permanently added to the left sidebar.
UPDATE [2006-9-28 18:04:24 by Al]: Well, I beat them to it by two hours. At 4:59 pm CT, the Cubs posted the tentative 2007 schedule on their website.
UPDATE [2006-10-28 17:55:44 by Al]: Game times added on October 28.