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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Hurricane Ike Impacts Cubs/Astros Series

Indications are the Cubs will avoid flying to Houston after their game tonight in St. Louis against the Cardinals to avoid the path of Hurricane Ike, according to a baseball source.

The Cubs are expected to return to Chicago instead of following original plans of flying to Houston to start a three-game series against the Astros on Friday.

Weather-service projections have Ike hitting land near Houston sometime late Friday or early Saturday.

More: the Astros have postponed Friday’s game altogether, with no makeup date scheduled yet.

“We’re trying to be careful and mindful of our fans safety,” McLane said. “People in the greater Houston area and Harris County have been encouraged to stay home. School has been canceled and we just want to do the right thing. We don’t have a date now. We just wanted to let the fans know as soon as possible.”

Was it not possible to see this coming?

scareduck Posted: September 11, 2008 at 08:46 PM | 23 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: astros, cubs

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1. scareduck Posted: September 12, 2008 at 01:24 AM (#2938585)

Saturday's game has also been postponed with no makeup date. Miller Park has been rejected as a neutral site, as has St. Louis.

2. Srul Itza Posted: September 12, 2008 at 01:41 AM (#2938639)

Meanwhile, the Astros are leading the Pirates 6-0, and Milwaukee is down 2 in the top of the 8th (but threatening with 2 out).

If this holds up, at the close of play today, the Astros will be only 3 games out of the Wild Card.

That seems so wrong.

3. scareduck Posted: September 12, 2008 at 01:43 AM (#2938649)

I felt a great disturbance in the Division, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

4. CW hits the pinata for the candy Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:00 AM (#2938710)

Meanwhile, the Astros are leading the Pirates 6-0, and Milwaukee is down 2 in the top of the 8th (but threatening with 2 out).

If this holds up, at the close of play today, the Astros will be only 3 games out of the Wild Card.

It should be noted that if Milwaukee loses, the Phillies pick up a game in the standings as well.

5. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:04 AM (#2938720)

Isn't there already a thread about this? Where should I go to discuss Ike? Here? Or there?

6. Misirlou's got a busy day, he's wearing a vest Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:05 AM (#2938724)

Was it not possible to see this coming?

Last year, or maybe two years ago, the Cubs had the same problem in a Miami series. All three games were cancelled, when it would have been relatively simple to switch to Chicago, since the Marlins were scheduled to go there the following week or so (and thus switch back to Miami then).

7. Tricky Dick Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:08 AM (#2938730)

If this holds up, at the close of play today, the Astros will be only 3 games out of the Wild Card.

That seems so wrong.

I like it. And as I type, Roy Oswalt has just set the all time Astros record for consecutive shutout innings at 31-1/3. He surpasses J.R. Richard and Don Wilson.

8. gef the talking mongoose Posted: September 12, 2008 at 12:52 PM (#2939077)

Anyone who uses "impacts" as a verb should be thrashed. What's wrong with "affects," dammit?

9. CFiJ Posted: September 12, 2008 at 01:31 PM (#2939093)

What's wrong with "affects," dammit?

No impact.

10. Fly, the most judgment-free human being on Earth Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:06 PM (#2939116)

Neutral sites? People, it's a rain out! I hope everyone remains safe and there's no major damage, but assuming everything goes well, how is this different than a rainout anywhere else in the country? I don't understand why anyone would consider a neutral site.

11. CW hits the pinata for the candy Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:11 PM (#2939118)

Neutral sites? People, it's a rain out! I hope everyone remains safe and there's no major damage, but assuming everything goes well, how is this different than a rainout anywhere else in the country? I don't understand why anyone would consider a neutral site.

Because there's three of them, and the Cubs only have one off day between now and the end of the season, and that's Monday. If those games do not get played this weekend, they won't get played until after the season. That sets back the start of the playoffs, and let's be frank - it's not like we aren't already a hair's bredth away from having snow in the World Series at the rate things are going.

12. bunyon Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:24 PM (#2939128)

These games won't be made up. Cubs clinch division and home field; Astros eliminated before they're played.

13. SouthSideRyan Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:28 PM (#2939131)

I really hope that's the case #12.

A.) Cause I want to see McClane lose the gate.
B.) I don't want a potential Cubs first round opponent to get extra days to set up their rotation because of this stupid ####.

Look you have a right to get your home games at your home, but it has to be within reason. When there's a ####### hurricane barreling down and it wipes out 4 days of possible games, then you suck it up and play in Atlanta or whereever. If they can get the 3 in on Sunday and Monday, then fine, it'll suck, but fine. But you cannot tack on 3 games to the end of the season like that. Beyond the fact that it sucks that the Cubs opponent gets to set their rotation, it sucks in that it'll push back the start of the playoffs and #### up the TV schedule(And we know the bewigged satan wouldn't dream of that)

14. retro-shiite Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:37 PM (#2939137)

I'll be surprised if at least one game isn't played on Monday, assuming Houston's not completely under water. The other two, who knows.

15. retro-shiite Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:39 PM (#2939138)

And now would be an appropriate time to mention how glad I am not to live in the Gulf Coast region. Jesus--having to deal with evacuations and the threat of losing everything (even if only every few years) would drive me insane.

16. retro-shiite Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:41 PM (#2939140)

These games won't be made up. Cubs clinch division and home field; Astros eliminated before they're played.

Your keyboard to god's eyes.

17. retro-shiite Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:44 PM (#2939144)

To finish the thought--if Houston's not inhabitable/accessible by Sunday, I don't see how there's any choice other than to play a doubleheader at a neutral site Monday, and then hope the remaining game doesn't need to be made up.

18. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:48 PM (#2939147)

How does this impact Frank Tanana?

19. Moses Taylor lost his pants to a pair of nines Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:49 PM (#2939150)

Beyond the fact that it sucks that the Cubs opponent gets to set their rotation,

If the Cubs get their heads out of their asses, those games won't mean anything and they can start scrubs like Jason Marquis and Kevin Hart and Randy Wells (was that the guy they just called up?).

20. retro-shiite Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:53 PM (#2939154)

Moses, I think he's talking about a potential first round opponent getting to set THEIR rotation where they otherwise wouldn't have. (Though the Cubs not having to set theirs is a consideration as well, I don't think that's what he was getting at.)

21. Weeks T. Olive Posted: September 12, 2008 at 02:54 PM (#2939156)

If the Cubs get their heads out of their asses, those games won't mean anything and they can start scrubs like Jason Marquis and Kevin Hart and Randy Wells (was that the guy they just called up?).

Well, those games would mean something to the Astros, and there would be a lot of pressure on the Cubs to field the best team possible for the best interests of the game. I'm not saying Lou should do it, of course, but it seems like every year we hear all kinds of junk about teams that are out of it or have locked up a playoff spot "mailing it in" against teams that still have something to play for.

Again, I'm not saying that Lou should start Z, Harden, and Dempster in any makeup games at the end of the season, but you'll see a lot of media outlets saying that and Lou'll get a ton of questions about it.

There's also the notion that it may be in the Cubs' best interests to do everything they can to keep the Astros out of the playoffs with the way Houston is playing right now....

22. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: September 12, 2008 at 03:17 PM (#2939171)

Can't they make them up next year? What's the rush?

23. scotto Posted: September 12, 2008 at 06:28 PM (#2939399)

Don't know if this is the thread where the topic came up last night, but I heard from baseball chick. She, kids and dogs headed west yesterday while husband and brother hold down the fort. Her comment on that? Men! (paraphrased).

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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Hurricane Ike Impacts Cubs/Astros Series

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