Interleague returns this weekend Lets rank the matchups

We get our first interleague weekend coming up in a couple days, which is met with equal parts welcome and disdain. Next year we'll have interleague every weekend because of Houston's move to the American League (giving each league an odd number of 15 teams), which will make it even less "special."

What we do get are some matchups we don't normally see. Ranking them this weekend:

1. Baltimore Orioles at Washington Nationals: The Braves and/or Rays could spoil it as the first-ever first-place matchup between the Beltway rivals. But both are still among the best stories in baseball right now.
2. Miami Marlins at Cleveland Indians: A rematch of one of the best World Series that nobody remembers (1997). And both teams are in contention after slow starts.
3. Cincinnati Reds at New York Yankees: Rematch of the 1976 World Series, which wasn't a great one. It was the pinnacle of the Big Red Machine, however, and it's one of the few matchups of the weekend that could actually be the 2012 World Series with a couple of breaks.
4. Atlanta Braves at Tampa Bay Rays: There should be a lot of Braves fans in Tampa, as many grew up with the Braves as the top (and only) team in the South. Could be a first-place matchup as well.
5. Texas Rangers at Houston Astros: Battle of Texas looks pretty one-sided this season. But anytime Josh Hamilton is hitting recently, it's must-see.
6. Los Angeles Angels at San Diego Padres: Maybe seeing National League pitching will jog Albert Pujols' memory of his power swing. But Petco Park just might negate that, too.
7. Oakland A's at San Francisco Giants: Rematch of the 1989 World Series, the one with the earthquake. In Friday's series opener, Barry Zito (pitching well again) faces the team for which he was at his best.
8. Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs: Won't get much respect beyond Chicago with two losing teams.
9. Pittsburgh Pirates at Detroit Tigers: A rematch of the 1909 World Series, won by the Pirates in seven. Bet you didn't remember that one.

Filling out the slate

• New York Mets at Toronto Blue Jays
• Arizona Diamondbacks at Kansas City Royals
• Minnesota Twins at Milwaukee Brewers
• Seattle Mariners at Colorado Rockies
• NL: St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers