Ticket Refund Plans Still Waiting, Employee Pay Through May, Happ’s Hot Start, and Other Cubs Bullets
It was Teacher Day for Daddy, so I am partially exhausted even as I start these Bullets close to mid-day. God bless teachers.
- We’re well into what would have been the regular season and teams are still figuring out how they’re going to handle ticket refunds for “postponed” games, as this LA Times piece discusses in the context of the Dodgers. Right now, MLB’s position is that games have been postponed, not cancelled. Not yet, anyway. So they’re still part of the league’s normal policy for postponed games, and the league has told teams to hold tight on issuing refunds or credits for the time being.
- While I can understand the position from a cashflow perspective, it’s going to get harder and harder to defend as the would-have-been season goes on, and everyone knows quite clearly that these lost games are not simply going to be “made up” later in the year (which, by the way, has never been a fan-friendly rainout policy anyway). I would anticipate some uniform guidance coming sooner rather than later, perhaps tied to whatever plan MLB starts rolling out for a resumed season, if that’s going to be possible (and even then, it will almost certainly not involve a full crowd). Until then, unfortunately, ticket-holders are simply on the hook for the interest-free loan they’ve made to teams.
- For their part, the Cubs have reached out to fans to note the league’s position:
Just received this email from the #Cubs. Still waiting for @MLB to make a decision regarding ticketing pic.twitter.com/oUf9leZqQc
— Crawly's Cubs Kingdom (@crawlyscubs) April 13, 2020
- Meanwhile, for league and team employees, it looks like more and more are targeting payments through May 31 before having to review how much longer that can continue:
Manfred said in the memo that MLB would continue making scheduled financial distributions to all 30 teams in April and May — money that "will assist the Clubs in paying the salary advances that are being made to players," which will total $170 million over the next two months.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 14, 2020
- If I had to guess, MLB is hoping to at least know what kind of 2020 plan will or will not be possible by the end of May (not that things will START by then, mind you – just know what might be possible, so that financial plans after that point will be more clear).
- RIP to the former Cubs manager and GM:
RIP Jim Frey, who led the #Royals to the 1980 World Series and the #Cubs to the 1984 NL East title as manager. He later was the #Cubs GM and architect of their 1989 NL East division championship team.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 14, 2020
Former Cubs manager Jim Frey passes away at 88 https://t.co/wuYzEsfWnB
— WGN TV News (@WGNNews) April 14, 2020
- Ian Happ gave up 20 runs before he figured out how to handle MLB The Show, so he lost his opening game last night, but then went on to win the next three:
Tough first game, got the pitch trails rolling and the @Cubs finished the night 3-1. Solid start!
— Ian Happ (@ihapp_1) April 14, 2020
- The extreme shift has been around for a long time:
This is Mickey Mantle hitting in 1967, and while this is not the greatest camera angle in the world, where are the infielders?
They are, as the broadcast notes, all shifted. 3 to the right of second base. pic.twitter.com/fVebEkWWoG
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) April 13, 2020
- Missing stuff like this – dude would’ve been continuing his breaking right now:
He hit .310/.394/.414 during @SBCubs playoff run!
Minor League Monday Profile: Brennen Davis https://t.co/UJyFTi3TyG pic.twitter.com/00lpJTiDEr
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 13, 2020
- Perusing newly-released items at Amazon today. #ad
- Games on Marquee this week:
It's 80's Week on Marquee Sports Network!
• Mon. – Cubs clinch NL East '84
• Tues. – First night game at home '88
• Wed. – Maddux shuts out Dodgers '89
• Thurs. – Hawk hits go-ahead HR '89
• Fri. – Cubs complete 9-run comeback '89https://t.co/Olmfn1LBjF pic.twitter.com/XujNVuOiye— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 13, 2020
- Happy Birthday to Greg Maddux:
Schooling folks since Day 1.
Happy birthday to the original Professor, @gregmaddux! pic.twitter.com/9daK8lOAKj
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1250032534680993793
- I believe it:
Let me tell you something I really miss about baseball. Sweeping a series on the road and partying on the plane after. Damn that shit was so fun.
— dan haren (@ithrow88) April 13, 2020
