For starters, MLB decided it was a good idea to have the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs begin Friday’s game even though it was still raining and that rain wasn’t going to leave the area. That was after a lengthy rain delay. So, Jon Lester’s start was wasted and instead of him versus Max Scherzer in the first game of Saturday’s double header, it was Jaime Garcia and the rest of the bullpen against Scherzer.
The Cubs got blown out 10-3, actually keeping it close through most of the game, but eventually things fell apart with Tyler Chatwood. But hey, at least the Cubs had Cole Hamels going in Game 2 of the double header. Good chance to win, right?
It looked pretty good early on.
Caratini grand slam! pic.twitter.com/aOncEqxivs
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) September 9, 2018
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The Cubs were up 4-1 in the sixth inning, when Hamels gave up his first home run since being traded. Then, he gave up one more run and all of a sudden the Nationals were back in the game, down 4-3. By the way, this all happened during a downpour.
The Cubs added another run, but then at 5-4, Bryce Harper won it for the Nationals.
Bryce Harper walked.
Bryce Harper walked.
Bryce Harper walked.
Bryce Harper definitely didn't walk. pic.twitter.com/EfRcFl2FHS— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 9, 2018
All right, no one else to blame there except for poor execution from the bullpen Saturday night, but oh boy did they really drag this one out.
See, in the eighth inning it continued to rain, rain hard, but the umpires let them play through it. That was until the top half ended and then there was another rain delay. More than an hour later, play resumed and the Cubs still ended up losing at 2 a.m.
Then, MLB made the Cubs wait another day, not postponing Sunday’s game until nearly 5 p.m. in D.C. And when did MLB reschedule the game?
THIS FUCKING THURSDAY!
Why is that a big deal, you might be asking.
Well, the Cubs are back home right now getting ready for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. They have a Wednesday night game and after that, they have fly to D.C. for a day game on Thursday, then fly back that night for a Friday afternoon game.
Yes, the Cubs didn’t play Friday night, or on Sunday, but that’s a month straight without a scheduled day off.
By the way, on Sunday morning MLB postponed the Pirates and Marlins to Oct. 1, because that game really matters, but for whatever reason they couldn’t do the same for the Cubs. And I know you’re going to say that the NL Wild Card Game is on Oct. 2, and the Cubs could end up being in it, so having them fly from Chicago to D.C. back to Chicago would be equally as bad.
First, no because the final game of the year is an afternoon game for the Cubs and they could at least get some sleep that Sunday night. Also, there’s a damn hurricane headed toward the East Coast this week.
Oh and by the way, Max Scherzer is on schedule to start that game too.
And Thurs has potential to be an absolute disaster for Cubs, too. Play a night game at Wrigley Wed night vs. Brewers, then a day game) Thursday against Scherzer as a hurricane bears down on East Coast and could bring more awful weather delays. Then day game at Wrigley Fri.
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) September 9, 2018
So yes, the Cubs would have preferred to just wait until October, when who knows, maybe that game wouldn’t even matter because they already clinched the division and best record.
But no, MLB handled this entire weekend in the worst possible way.
