Last thing we need is an injury because of some stupid game that doesn’t matter.

Why is this game going to be on WGN? Does it count as one of the 62 games that the team shows…in other words are we going to miss a ‘real’ game because they are showing this game?

Play the regulars 3 innings and then the kids. Sounds like a plan to me.

deserve a token appearance by the big name players. It should be done like an all-star game, where the starters play for an inning or two, get and AB, then are replaced. I’m personally looking forward to it, because it’s an off day (where I don’t have to stress), but I still get to watch my Cubbies.

....is when the person from the committee says:

You want to know how to celebrate the national pastime? Put together a franchise’s first truly good team in, oh, 40 years, stocking it with players who have grit and personality and joy in the game, and win the hearts of fans old and young. THAT’s how you celebrate the national pastime, and an over-the-hill exhibition game does basically nothing towards that goal.

Look, maybe it’s an outdated tradition. But it IS a tradition, and I for one am glad I’m going to see the last one. Will I see the major leaguers? A few of them, for a couple of innings. That’s enough for me, and to see a game at Doubleday Field.

It’s all part of enjoying the sport we all love. Watch the game on TV and celebrate baseball.

about this game, on one hand, I am entirely against it, on the other hand, I can’t wait to see Geo, Big Z and Kerry in the All Star game in July.

what a conundrum…..

On the one hand Lou Piniella should have kept his mouth shut. But on the other hand this is nothing more than a stupid token exhibition game that nobody cares about. Why not just cut to the chase and schedule two minor league teams to play in this thing? It’s not like the Cubs or the Padres are going to field anybody from the 25 man roster

If Ron Santo gets the respect he deserves.

I say bring up ALL the I-Cubs. Every last damn one of them. Send the entire team on to St. Pete. It’s not like their opponent actually tries to field a major league team, anyway…

The All-Star game is another story, completely. This game is crappy for both teams, but worse for the Cubs. The Pads are going to NYC to take on the Yankees. At least they are in the same state where their Tuesday game is going to be played.

This stupid game, if Lou plays the regulars will come back to haunt them against the Rays. In fact, I’m already counting the Tuesday game as a potential loss….Z shouldn’t even be in Cooperstown. He should be in Florida….on Sunday. At least he’ll be ready. I doubt if the Cubs offense will.

That stupid game is what makes this a terrible trip. If they can play .500…consider this a major triumph for this team.

we have a hard enough time playing away from home, and you have
to consider it difficult to win in unfamilar places like Skydome
(I guess Tor is familar to Reed Johnson and Ted Lilly…) and then Tropicana Field.

I know its pointless to ask, but how is the Cubs and Padres were chosen to play?

You’ll probably think I’m the biggest Cubs dreamer on the planet, but to make this
game more of an interesting draw, have Cubs HoFamers play against S.Diego
HoFamers. Sandberg, Grace (eventually he will be in the hall) have Fergie pitch
a few innings [I saw him sing the 7th inning and then talk with Len and Bob; he looks
like he could still bring it] The Pads should trout out Tony Gwynn, Dave Winfield,
Benito Santiago, Mark Davis, and of course every Cub fans favorite
[please note my sarcasim as the mention of this person’s name makes me
throw up in my mouth] Steve Garvey.
Even send Gary Templeton, Andy Benes, etc. the list goes on.

If I’m going to tune in to watch a HoF game, I want to see ACTUAL hall of famers.

I give the regulars one at bat each, then get them dressed and on the bus to Albany for the flight to Tampa Bay.

Let the minor leaguers carry on from there, and hope there’s no extra innings.

a potential-pennant winning team has more to lose by playing meaningless games. I just cannot see any upside to games such as this. Sorry, but the logistics are terrible.

If the Cubs had the record of the Seattle Mariners—then, who cares? There’s mothing at stake. Let them play. And ‘old-timers’ games are painful. You want to see the out-of-shape, overweight Tony Gwynn waddle to the plate? I sure don’t. It’s embarrassing to the guys who don’t stay in shape.

On one hand, the logistical difficulty in getting the team in and out of Cooperstown (which is very isolated) coupled with the risk of an injury, albeit minimal, in an exhibition game leads me to think that the HoF game is a bad idea in its current form.

That being said, I would greatly enjoy watching a true major league game in a beautiful, intimate and pastoral setting such as Doubleday Field. Even if I couldn’t attend, I would be likely, as a baseball fan, to watch that game on TV, even if it didn’t involve the Cubs.

Perhaps, in the future, MLB could schedule one regular season game or a two game series at a place like Doubleday Field or Rickwood Field in Birmingham. Surely, that would have greater appeal to fans than sending two teams to Japan or playing a meaningless exhibition game like the HoF game. Provided that it was broadcast nationally, on Fox or ESPN, I think that such a game could generate enough interest from casual fans, and thus TV ratings, to compensate for the revenues that the teams would sacrifice by playing in a small park. And of course, if the game counted in the standings it would be much harder for us to criticize and much more difficult for fans nationally to ignore.

Abner Doubleday was at West Point in 1839.There’s absolutely no way he could have invented baseball there, as the story goes. Cooperstown’s claim to baseball history is largely based on a lie.

Because it is tradition. Baseball is all about tradition. This game should be played on the hall of fame induction weekend, it should be a part of the celebration of the game.

Some of you are going to say “screw tradition, I want a world championship”. I would argue that without traditions such as these, without the hall of fame, without the spirit, the things like championships lose the relevance.

Again, baseball is all about tradition. This should be embraced. But like so many things, it is going by the wayside because of egos and money.

The Brooklyn team rode to the Hall of Fame game on horseback. This was during WWII when there was a gas shortage.
Today, when gas is so expensive, the players are flying and taking buses to get there.
How things have changed!

For those of us to the right of Chicago we get a few chances to see the team within 5 hours of our homes.

It would be nice to see the future, but we also want to see a little bit of the regulars.

I am going with my son and we are looking for to it ( Al I would love to say hello & thanks !!!)

The Cubs are really becoming America’s team .

No reason to rain on anyone’s day !!!

Section 111 row S tomorrow. Looking forward a day in CTOWN.

But I think this game should be made bigger than what it is – make it a regular season game that counts. Each team can give up one home game every 30 years and move it to Cooperstown. A game that counts, in a great small stadium in a perfect setting for baseball. What could be better?