NEWSLETTER
If you’re looking at pictures from Wrigley Field at the moment, when today’s Cubs-Marlins tilt would’ve been in, say, the third or fourth inning, you’re seeing that it ain’t exactly pouring.
Was supposed to be first pitch now: pic.twitter.com/5KsfDtJG49
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) October 1, 2020
There’s no way @Cubs and Marlins could play through this. @BleacherNation @realcubsinsider pic.twitter.com/4mKotkNlMI
— MBDChicago (@MBDChicago) October 1, 2020
Just brutal conditions outside Wrigley right now. pic.twitter.com/pIsdA42Ys2
— Cubs Weather (@cubsweather) October 1, 2020
The game was banged in anticipating of stop-and-start rainy weather all day long, but since the weather in Chicago is notoriously fickle and difficult to predict, it’s hardly surprising that things have turned out much nicer than expected. So why not just wait a little bit instead of calling the game two hours ago? Well, like I said earlier, I suspect the fact that there are no games this weekend made it a much easier call for MLB. To them, getting to bump a game to tomorrow – when it was possible that there would be no other games on the slate if sweeps happened today – was probably pretty attractive. And then if there’s a game three on Saturday, it’ll kinda be another win for MLB. I get why they did this. I’m annoyed, because I could be watching the Cubs right now, but I get it.
So now that it’s done, what is some of the fallout from the decision? Some stray thoughts …
⇒ You hope that Yu Darvish wasn’t too deep into his routine today that it impacts him for tomorrow. He was already on the field doing his pre-game throwing in the outfield when today’s game was called.
⇒ By bumping Darvish to Friday, the Cubs will no longer have the option of pitching him in Game One of the NLDS if they make it. He’d have to go Game Two on normal rest.
⇒ To that end, Kyle Hendricks would get Game One of the NLDS, which would come on Tuesday. A lotta folks are speculating that he’d now be available to pitch in relief on Saturday if there’s a Game Three of the Wild Card Series – kinda like a bullpen day for him between starts, but way more important. That’s true, but I suspect he wouldn’t necessarily be the first long righty called upon in that situation, coming off short rest and in a different role. Adbert Alzolay and Alec Mills would be the guys, I would guess.
⇒ The same option could be there for the Marlins and Sandy Alcantara, by the way, and he kinda owned the Cubs’ bats, so …
⇒ The Marlins now get another day for Starling Marte to rest his fractured pinkie and try to play tomorrow.
⇒ The Marlins also now get a day to rest their top relievers, who went yesterday, and would’ve been pitching on back-to-back days today if called upon. They could have done it, obviously, but many pitchers’ effectiveness wanes a touch on the second day.
⇒ The Cubs, by contrast, get a rest day for Jeremy Jeffress, Ryan Tepera, and Dan Winkler. That’s fine, of course, but the advantage feels slightly more in the Marlins’ direction.
⇒ At least the Cubs weren’t coming off yet another hot day at the plate and you were like, oh no, now they’ll lose it again. Yesterday sucked at the plate.
⇒ The Cubs season cannot end today.
⇒ Tomorrow’s game is set for 1pm CT unless the Braves finish off the sweep of the Reds (looks like it’ll happen), the Cardinals sweep the Padres, and the Dodgers sweep the Brewers. If all three of those things happen and tomorrow’s Cubs-Marlins game is the only one on the schedule, then it’ll go at 6pm CT instead.
