Hurricane Ike: Cubs vs. Houston in Milwaukee for 2 games

[Old Style]

There are rumors that they will play tomorrow and Monday in Arlington now that the Dallas/Ft. Worth weather looks clear for the next few days. The Rangers would have to move their next series back a day, but word is that they are willing to do it to accomodate MLB. Truth be told, the Cubs-Astros games would probably draw better than a Rangers game. I have a friend that works in the Rangers ticket office. He hasn't heard anything yet, but I should know something right away if he does hear any updates. This move would make my old man and me very happy.

 

Ugh, Jason Marquis and possibly Ted Lilly pitching in Arlington does not sound like a fun option. Hopefully with it being September, the humidity that causes the ball to coast out of that park will have died down some.

From what I read, we would most likely get Z, Dempster, and Marquis in a 3 game series. And for the record, the humidity is not very high here. Nothing like Chicago or Houston.

[Guest]

Selig should be fired immediately over this idiocy. Completely unforgiveable.

 

If the games aren't played before the end of the regular season and the Cubs have clinched by then they seriously should just forfeit the games and be properly rested for the playoffs. It's not their responsibility to tire themselves out to accommodate other teams when the situation could easily have been prevented.

 

I was thinking about this last night, and is there anything that Selig or MLB could do if the Cubs just said they didn't want to play the games at the end of the regular season and would gladly forfeit? Has a team ever forfeited a game before?

 

Not that I have a problem with it - I actually think it would be hilarious if the Cubs just gave MLB the finger - I was just curious about it.

 

There is no way that would happen, especially if it causes the Astros to win or tie the Wild Card. There would be numerous MLB interests that would be livid at the Cubs. I would imagine a lawsuit isn't out of the question.

 

Couldn't the Cubs file a countersuit saying that MLB completely effed everything up, delayed making a decision for too long when they could have made Houston play the game elsewhere but didn't, and forced these games to be played at the end of the season when it was unnecessary? I'm just kind of thinking out loud here.

[RedFlash]

Selig should be fired immediately over this idiocy. Completely unforgiveable.

 

If the games aren't played before the end of the regular season and the Cubs have clinched by then they seriously should just forfeit the games and be properly rested for the playoffs. It's not their responsibility to tire themselves out to accommodate other teams when the situation could easily have been prevented.

 

I was thinking about this last night, and is there anything that Selig or MLB could do if the Cubs just said they didn't want to play the games at the end of the regular season and would gladly forfeit? Has a team ever forfeited a game before?

 

Not that I have a problem with it - I actually think it would be hilarious if the Cubs just gave MLB the finger - I was just curious about it.

 

The White Sox were the last team to "forfeit a game" and that was the infamous "Disco Demolition" incident. As to when the last time a team volunteerily forfeited one game, much less three, IDK, if that even happen. And if the Cubs did clinch the division, before that "potential" scenerio, I have no problem with either forfeiting the series, or simply use the young players and key role players to play out the series.

[Guest]

Selig should be fired immediately over this idiocy. Completely unforgiveable.

 

If the games aren't played before the end of the regular season and the Cubs have clinched by then they seriously should just forfeit the games and be properly rested for the playoffs. It's not their responsibility to tire themselves out to accommodate other teams when the situation could easily have been prevented.

 

I was thinking about this last night, and is there anything that Selig or MLB could do if the Cubs just said they didn't want to play the games at the end of the regular season and would gladly forfeit? Has a team ever forfeited a game before?

 

Not that I have a problem with it - I actually think it would be hilarious if the Cubs just gave MLB the finger - I was just curious about it.

 

The White Sox were the last team to "forfeit a game" and that was the infamous "Disco Demolition" incident. As to when the last time a team volunteerily forfeited one game, much less three, IDK, if that even happen. And if the Cubs did clinch the division, before that "potential" scenerio, I have no problem with either forfeiting the series, or simply use the young players and key role players to play out the series.

 

Wrong. The LA Dodgers had to forfeit a game in 1995.

[UMFan83]

There are rumors that they will play tomorrow and Monday in Arlington now that the Dallas/Ft. Worth weather looks clear for the next few days. The Rangers would have to move their next series back a day, but word is that they are willing to do it to accomodate MLB. Truth be told, the Cubs-Astros games would probably draw better than a Rangers game. I have a friend that works in the Rangers ticket office. He hasn't heard anything yet, but I should know something right away if he does hear any updates. This move would make my old man and me very happy.

 

Ugh, Jason Marquis and possibly Ted Lilly pitching in Arlington does not sound like a fun option. Hopefully with it being September, the humidity that causes the ball to coast out of that park will have died down some.

From what I read, we would most likely get Z, Dempster, and Marquis in a 3 game series. And for the record, the humidity is not very high here. Nothing like Chicago or Houston.

 

My bad, I just assumed that the humidity was why the ball always flew at Arlington. What is it then wind currents?

[ctcf]

So no final decision yet?

[Choonch]

Man, this is so frustrating and I hope someone from the Cubs speaks up about it. This decision should have been made on Thursday, when it was imminent that Houston was going to be hit by the hurricane. This is a massive screw job to the Cubs. They'll either have to play a DH before the big Milwaukee series or we'll have 2-3 games to make up at the end of the season which does two things:

 

It forces us to be up by 2-3 games instead of just one at the end of the year, thus reducing the chance that we'll get to rest our regulars the final week of the season.

 

If the games matter for Houston, and not the Cubs, it will allow our NLDS opponent to set their rotation and get some rest.

 

Just so incredibly frustrating. The decision was obvious (move the games and play as scheduled Fri/Sat/Sun) yet MLB allowed Houston to play these games at the expense of the Cubs.

[RedFlash]

Look I understand where McClane is coming from. This is the series that should belong in Houston. But due to mother nature, this series isn't going to be played in Houston. Not to many people (of the few that staye in Houston) are going to shell out money to go watch a game. My guess would be, if the Cubs/Stros game was played on Sunday, then you can expect a Florida Marlins esque attendance. And ultimately the decision will come down to finanical concerns.

 

I realize McClane wants to keep the home series in Houston, because the Cubs have fans in every city, thus the Astros while technically the home team, would be treated like the visitors. But McClane has to realize this series isn't going to be played in Houston. MLB won't allow the playoffs be pushed back to make up this series, and the Cubs won't fly into Houston if the feel their safety is being jeopardize. The sooner Bud grows a pair, the quicker the Astros/Cubs can make plans to get to the site to plays these games.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Right now, no one is being allowed into If they plan on playing, the only people who could get to the game are those already there.

[Jehrico]

Here's what kills me with the whole situation. This is not the first time this has happened. Look at how past situations were handled and follow precedent. The commissioners office should have a protocol that's supposed to be followed when this happens. They're completely feeling this thing out as they go, and they shouldn't be. There should be some kind of guideline that says if you can't fit the game in, then you look for an alternate site, to be chosen according to certain weighted conditions, such as distant from both teams or just the home teams field, availability, dome or not as prudent, etc...There should be some timeline benchmarks as part of that protocol as well. Edited September 13, 2008 by Jehrico

[Irrelevant Dude]

Paul Sullivan says the Cubs won't travel today...

 

According to Cubs sources, the team has decided not to travel on Saturday no matter what decision is made by MLB. This suggests a game on Sunday in Houston is unlikely.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/09/cubs-waiting-fo.html

[Sweet Swinging Billy]

Just wondering if anyone knows any Cub fans that might have travelled to Houston for the series. I guess they would be stranded if they did. I'm pretty sure Vance was planning on going to H-town for the series...but I could be wrong on that. I hope he and everyone else is okay. In many ways, I still consider Houston to be my home it's just awful, in terms of the damage that Ike caused them and the rest of the Texas-Louisiana coast.

[Guest]

Vance was going to travel but I'm pretty sure he stayed home.

[Sweet Swinging Billy]

Vance was going to travel but I'm pretty sure he stayed home.

 

That's good news.

[Laura]

Paul Sullivan says the Cubs won't travel today...

 

According to Cubs sources, the team has decided not to travel on Saturday no matter what decision is made by MLB. This suggests a game on Sunday in Houston is unlikely.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/09/cubs-waiting-fo.html

 

I've got to think that the Cubs front office is pissed off by all this dithering, particularly since the current problems have been apparent for the past few days to anyone with a functioning brain stem.

[JGalt73]

Paul Sullivan says the Cubs won't travel today...

 

According to Cubs sources, the team has decided not to travel on Saturday no matter what decision is made by MLB. This suggests a game on Sunday in Houston is unlikely.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/09/cubs-waiting-fo.html

 

Doesn't it also hold that ANY game anywhere on Sunday is off?

[Laura]

They could play in Milwaukee on fairly short notice.

 

But that would require someone at MLB to actually make a decision.

[Jon]

They could play in Milwaukee on fairly short notice.

 

But that would require someone at MLB to actually make a decision.

It became a little tougher with the Edens flooding, though.

[kujay]

I think this is about the sixth time I've said this in this thread, but this is so stupid. The Astros website is pushing that MMP "may" be ready for baseball tomorrow. Shutup. Nothing but posturing.

 

We're getting hosed here...

[Cubs08]

It's 4:00 PM now and MLB still hasn't made their decision. This is a total joke.

[Jehrico]

Note to Selig: Look at what was done in past seasons under similar situations, use that as precedent and make a decision. Formally map out protocol to facilitate timely decision making in the future. This is not hard.

[Bruce Miles]

I don't look for any games tomorrow. I've never known a team to travel that length on day-of-game. The Cubs tell me they're still waiting for a resolution among themselves, MLB and the Astros. As I blogged the other day, Miller Park would have made a lot of sense. The Astros could have been the "home" team, and the gate money could have gone to them, with MLB even dipping into some of its vast reserves of money to cover anything else. If you play the games in Houston, could anybody get there, and is baseball a priority with the public down there right now? I don't know.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

It's getting frustrating at this point since a decision was supposed to be made by mid-afternoon.

 

Apparently, if things are too bad for HPD to even let people into downtown Houston, then it's time to move the games.

[ctcf]

Good lord what a mess.

 

Bud Selig is the epitome of a useless human being.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

Hey it isnt Mid afternoon in Hawaii yet!!!

 

Honestly, raise your hand if you think things will be ready in a week for a game to be played in Houston; much less this week.

 

For once I wouldnt mind a silly congressional investigation.