Walker says Cubs play too many day games

[FergieJ31]

furthermore, the cumulative effect of playing all the day games cannot be denied. until you are a Cubs catcher squating in the heat for 9 innings day after day, I don't think anyone here has a right to say 'you should go out and suck it up and perform like the heat isn't happening.'

 

the Cubs suckitude is primarily a function of crappy players, but the day games they have to play exacerbate the problem.

 

You have a point vis a vis the Cubs catcher, but that's the only position that requires stamina. The starting pitcher does as well, but at least he gets 4-5 days off in between. Baseball isn't soccer - it's a fast twitch sport that is probably more mentally taxing than physically taxing over the course of a 162-game schedule. I'm sorry, I'm don't mean to call out TWalk - I think the world of him and very sorry him go (one of the few Cubs with a clue at the plate) - but this line of thinking is pure bunk and a cheap excuse.

[dalgreen]

I've been sick of the "day games" excuse for almost my whole Cub fan life. To those players who blame failure to reach the playoffs on day games are just not holding themselves, or the teams, accountable. It's bad personnel and a bad organization.

 

Back in the day, before expansion, why did the Dodgers have no problems winning NL West and World Series championships when, outside of SF and SD, all of their roadtrips were at least 2000 miles? I would think that kind of grind would be harder than playing home day games.

[Mizzou]

I was amused by Grace's comment at the end of that article.

 

"I know John, he's great," Grace said. "If anybody is going to wear it, I would love for it to be him."

 

Was it strange to see a No. 17 at first base? "No, they let Bobby Hill wear it," Grace said. "John is a big step up."

[cubsjunky95]

Walker is full of excuses. Dont other teams have to play these day games when they come to wrigley? This probably is the most pathetic excuse I have heard about the Cubs not winning.

 

Yeah that and the "Oh it's to cold to play at Wrigley in April and May" are the lamest excuses in the book. Why is that the cold weather isn't a problem for the other teams?

[baseball7897]

Funny thing about day games is the opponents always seem to have no problem adjusting. It's a day game for us and a day game on the road for them... the day game excuse for losing never made sense.

 

like I alluded to above, alot of times the opposing teams have a better travel schedule than the Cubs. furthermore, most of the time the opposing team has not been out in 90 degree heat playing baseball 3-5 days in the previous week.

 

Nice excuse. Go out and play the game.

[sethuel1]

 

But this would upset the fans, and we all know that attendance is more important then winning to the Cubs

 

Wrong..It would piss off the City and the neighborhood around the park. THats why there is a city ordinance that prohibits the Cubs from playing more night games.

 

wrong. the city wouldn't care. your only real point is about people in the neighborhood, and guess what...not one of them did not know what was in their neighborhood when they moved there. the majority of people that live in that neighborhood now live there because of Wrigley field and the amenities that built up around there. the ordinance still exists because there are a few very wealthy neighbors of Wrigley that hold more sway than the majority of the people in the neighborhood.

 

many areas of Chicago have changed dramatically over the past two decades, Wrigley should be no different, and the economy in the area would only improve with more night games. more people would be better off if more night games would be played, few would be in a worse position.

 

the people that bitch about the crowds or Wrigley are like people who move in next to a landfill and then complain about the stink. they came to the nuisance, and should have known that said nuisance would get worse long before it got better.

 

Please xplain to me how in the hell my economic position would be improved by the Cubs having more night games.

[Wilson A2000]

Weird thing is that Walker hits much better in day games. He just shot himslef in the foot. Kind of like the Cubs winnign streak. How in the world were they able to win without Kerry Wood, Derek Lee, and most importantly Freddy Bynum?

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't think he came out and started talking about it. like with many things that players say, you have to take what he said into context. he was responding to a question a reporter asked about playing day games.

 

I don't think Todd was making excuses. he was giving his opinion in response to a direct question. he wasn't saying 'the reason we fail is because of day games.' I think we all know Todd a little better than that.

 

QFFT

 

And people gripe that the organization is quick to smear...

[fromthestretch]

furthermore, the cumulative effect of playing all the day games cannot be denied. until you are a Cubs catcher squating in the heat for 9 innings day after day, I don't think anyone here has a right to say 'you should go out and suck it up and perform like the heat isn't happening.'

 

the Cubs suckitude is primarily a function of crappy players, but the day games they have to play exacerbate the problem.

 

You have a point vis a vis the Cubs catcher, but that's the only position that requires stamina. The starting pitcher does as well, but at least he gets 4-5 days off in between. Baseball isn't soccer - it's a fast twitch sport that is probably more mentally taxing than physically taxing over the course of a 162-game schedule. I'm sorry, I'm don't mean to call out TWalk - I think the world of him and very sorry him go (one of the few Cubs with a clue at the plate) - but this line of thinking is pure bunk and a cheap excuse.

 

Ask Andre Dawson which hurt more after a season, his brain or his knees. I guarantee he'll say knees.

[FergieJ31]

Ask Andre Dawson which hurt more after a season, his brain or his knees. I guarantee he'll say knees.

 

I'm sure you're right but he's one player; the example is hardly typical. Hawk also played 10 years at Olympic Stadium - classic turf knee. How many stadiums have astroturf these days?

 

Also, you used the phrase "which hurt more". I'm certainly not saying professional baseball isn't hard or painful on the body after 162 games. I'm saying it's not nearly as physically grueling compared to the other major sports, which is why the day games excuse is so pathetic.

[wastra]

I justl ike to point out that Walker was also highly coplimentary of the Cubs and the city of Chicago.

 

"The Chicago Cubs are the best team in the world to play for."

 

-Walker on ESPN Radio

[fromthestretch]

Ask Andre Dawson which hurt more after a season, his brain or his knees. I guarantee he'll say knees.

 

I'm sure you're right but he's one player; the example is hardly typical. Hawk also played 10 years at Olympic Stadium - classic turf knee. How many stadiums have astroturf these days?

 

Also, you used the phrase "which hurt more". I'm certainly not saying professional baseball isn't hard or painful on the body after 162 games. I'm saying it's not nearly as physically grueling compared to the other major sports, which is why the day games excuse is so pathetic.

 

The point is, I don't believe that it's more mentally exhausting than physically exhausing for a player to play a full major league season. If that's the case, I think you'd hear less about the usage of performance enhancing drugs. I'm not saying the long season doesn't take its toll mentally, but I think the physical effect is much larger.

[fromthestretch]

I don't think he came out and started talking about it. like with many things that players say, you have to take what he said into context. he was responding to a question a reporter asked about playing day games.

 

I don't think Todd was making excuses. he was giving his opinion in response to a direct question. he wasn't saying 'the reason we fail is because of day games.' I think we all know Todd a little better than that.

 

I've said pretty much the same thing in past threads. Walker doesn't just hold press conferences to say this stuff. He gets asked direct questions by reporters who know that he'll give a direct and honest answer. It's not like he's seeking out the reporters to give them quotes for their articles.

[Pinktermite]

I VEHEMENTLY agree with jjgman on this one. All you guys who think that playing day games and losing is an excuse...it is NOT an excuse. It's correct (obviously), that the cubs have a mostly lousy team. However, these problems are exacerbated by playing in the daytime...cold weather or hot...after long night games and having to get up early the next day.

 

True, they are paid millions, but the proof is in the pudding. Their home record is worse during the day than it is at night. They should add more and more day games, regardless whether it's an excuse or not. I don't hear the cubs COMPLAINING about the cold weather...there's too many people on here that use sarcasm as a way of arguing their point. I still haven't seen what their overall day time vs. night record is...and I'm too lame with a computer to figure that out...I would guess that it's significantly better at night.

 

Hitters hit better during the day...but pitchers PITCH better at night...and that's why they would win. They'd still be under .500 by virtue of their team, but their record would be better. Walker was not making excuses, in my opinion...and he's not the first one, but the next in a LONG LINE of people who've said that playing 50 day games a year or more hurts them. Visiting teams aren't taken aback by playing in the daytime because it's a NOVELTY, and not a disadvantage.

 

The team sucks...but clearly they'd be better if they played day games only on sundays...and some saturdays when FOX has them on TV.

 

Now, ridicule me...please...I don't get enough of that at work :)

[Pinktermite]

Correction: they should add more and more NIGHT games...

Oops...

Manager was watching...I was flustered by having to work during the day :)

[jjgman21]

Please xplain to me how in the hell my economic position would be improved by the Cubs having more night games.

 

I never said your economic position would be improved. I said the economic position of the neighborhood and alot of people.

 

if you need to have that explained to you, there's no point because it is so blatantly obvious.

 

night games generate alot more money for the neighborhood. more drinks are consumed, more dinners eatten (and dinners are more expensive than lunches), the crowd is more adults than kids, more parking tickets issued, etc etc etc.

 

as for you personally, any nuisance that diminishes your property values is easily offset by an increase in property values due to the demand of people to move there to take advantage of said increased economic activity.

[jjgman21]

I VEHEMENTLY agree with jjgman on this one. All you guys who think that playing day games and losing is an excuse...it is NOT an excuse. It's correct (obviously), that the cubs have a mostly lousy team. However, these problems are exacerbated by playing in the daytime...cold weather or hot...after long night games and having to get up early the next day.

 

True, they are paid millions, but the proof is in the pudding. Their home record is worse during the day than it is at night. They should add more and more day games, regardless whether it's an excuse or not. I don't hear the cubs COMPLAINING about the cold weather...there's too many people on here that use sarcasm as a way of arguing their point. I still haven't seen what their overall day time vs. night record is...and I'm too lame with a computer to figure that out...I would guess that it's significantly better at night.

 

Hitters hit better during the day...but pitchers PITCH better at night...and that's why they would win. They'd still be under .500 by virtue of their team, but their record would be better. Walker was not making excuses, in my opinion...and he's not the first one, but the next in a LONG LINE of people who've said that playing 50 day games a year or more hurts them. Visiting teams aren't taken aback by playing in the daytime because it's a NOVELTY, and not a disadvantage.

 

The team sucks...but clearly they'd be better if they played day games only on sundays...and some saturdays when FOX has them on TV.

 

Now, ridicule me...please...I don't get enough of that at work :)

 

thanks for the defense Pink. I think what alludes everybody in this discussion is the Cubs don't play the Cubs during the day. they play teams that haven't been playing day games five days in the past week. in July - Sept, they play teams that haven't played 50 day games over the past couple months. playing during the day takes more out of you physically and mentally. any non-Cub will tell you that.

[katway]

I VEHEMENTLY agree with jjgman on this one. All you guys who think that playing day games and losing is an excuse...it is NOT an excuse. It's correct (obviously), that the cubs have a mostly lousy team. However, these problems are exacerbated by playing in the daytime...cold weather or hot...after long night games and having to get up early the next day.

 

True, they are paid millions, but the proof is in the pudding. Their home record is worse during the day than it is at night. They should add more and more day games, regardless whether it's an excuse or not. I don't hear the cubs COMPLAINING about the cold weather...there's too many people on here that use sarcasm as a way of arguing their point. I still haven't seen what their overall day time vs. night record is...and I'm too lame with a computer to figure that out...I would guess that it's significantly better at night.

 

Hitters hit better during the day...but pitchers PITCH better at night...and that's why they would win. They'd still be under .500 by virtue of their team, but their record would be better. Walker was not making excuses, in my opinion...and he's not the first one, but the next in a LONG LINE of people who've said that playing 50 day games a year or more hurts them. Visiting teams aren't taken aback by playing in the daytime because it's a NOVELTY, and not a disadvantage.

 

The team sucks...but clearly they'd be better if they played day games only on sundays...and some saturdays when FOX has them on TV.

 

Now, ridicule me...please...I don't get enough of that at work :)

 

thanks for the defense Pink. I think what alludes everybody in this discussion is the Cubs don't play the Cubs during the day. they play teams that haven't been playing day games five days in the past week. in July - Sept, they play teams that haven't played 50 day games over the past couple months. playing during the day takes more out of you physically and mentally. any non-Cub will tell you that.

 

Assuming for the sake of discussion only that day games do affect players more than night games and that the cummulative effect of day games makes things a little bit more difficult... shouldn't the players make adjustments? For example, get in better shape, spend your nights resting for the next day game so your well rested when the visiting team who played the night before arrives, drink more fluids during the day, etc. There are many ways to mitigate the perceived cummulative effect of day games that players should make. It shouldn't be that difficult. As another poster noted -- it's not soccer, football, etc... it's baseball (a game in which Sidney Ponson can put on a uniform and call himself a ball player).

 

Personally, I can't see how this team can ever win if players buy into the day game excuse. An organization that gives itself an excuse to lose has no reason to win.

[baseball7897]

I cant believe some people on here are using the "day game excuse" for not winning a baseball game. Back in the day thats all the players played. Their travel schedule was horrible. They would ride the bus for days, then go out and play in the heat. Players these days give some of the worst excuses ever. Like Prior. He blamed the sun, he also blamed the wind for not winning a game. That guy needs to get mentally tougher.

[goonys evil twin]

What a bunch of hilarious assumptions. Their record at home is better at night than during the day. It doesn't affect the other team because it's a cumulative effect. If it's cumulative, then why would their night record be any better, since it doesn't matter whether or not you are playing during the day on that particular day. If all the days games combine to kill the Cubs, but the 2-3 days games in a row doesn't hurt the opposition, then the Cubs should have a similarly bad record at night. And their record this year in day/night doesn't prove a thing.

 

This is just pathetic excuse making. The defense of this pathetic excuse making is pathetically hilarious.

[Pinktermite]

The Cubs don't have a similarly bad record at night because the affect IS EXACTLY that, commulative...it adds up. The teams that come in here, like I said...it's a novelty and a change of pace.

 

And whoever mentioned that "back in the day" everyone played day games...that's exactly right!! Everyone did it back then...now, the cubs are the only team doing it, and it shows.

 

Remember, I didn't say that the cubs SUCK because of this, it only makes things worse. And believe it, that anyone who has worked nights (any shift that ends past midnight), which I did for years...it clearly DOES have a bad commulative affect. You eat worse, don't feel like exercising...etc etc...so when the cubs play lots of night games, followed by day games (or at least more than the opposition)...then it affects them adversely.

 

If one assumes the cubs players are in just as good a shape physically speaking as the other teams, then there is no choice but to assume that it does affect their play. Their record in day vs. night games proves that, and has for a long time...at least for the last few years.

 

Compare this to the Rockies...they haven't been able to win for years because of the thin air up in colorado. There's less THEY can do about THAT then there is the cubs being able to do something about playing during the day.

 

Again, if we had better players, the affect would be less, but nonetheless it would be there.

[baseball7897]

Lets take look at the Cubs here. They start a game at 1:20. Game ends around, lets say 4:00. They dont have to come back to the park untill 9 the next day. Thats plenty of time to recover, regroup, etc. I will never except the day game excuse for not winning a baseball game. That is just a pathetic excuse.

[Pinktermite]

What is the day vs. night record for the cubs? Not just this year, but since 1988?

 

It's not just waking up and going to bed in time...there's more to it than that, including a little too much partying perhaps?

 

But it is there...

[RonnieWooWooSanto]

What is the day vs. night record for the cubs? Not just this year, but since 1988?

 

It's not just waking up and going to bed in time...there's more to it than that, including a little too much partying perhaps?

 

But it is there...

 

That makes me think of Dennis Eckersley.

[Pinktermite]

Check out this:

 

http://www.thecubdom.com/features/wrigleyfieldnightgames.html

 

So a .521 night winning percentage at home vs. a .512 during the day. Perhaps a difference of only a few games...but nonetheless a difference. So why the discrepancies in certain years?