Can anyone explain to me why this is a night game? I thought MLB had rules requiring teams to schedule day games whenever there was a flight by one of the departing getaway day teams (the Cubs, in this case), of more than two hours. Looking at the Rays schedule, I notice they didn't have any problems scheduling a weekday afternoon game on July 23 and August 6, when THEY are the team that has to go on a road trip.
This is really unfair to the Cubs, who probably won't get home tonight till after midnight. Ted Lilly, who is tomorrow's scheduled starter, is either back in Chicago already or on his way home now, so at least he'll be rested. THIS is the bad scheduling we should be complaining about, not the detour to Cooperstown earlier this week.
If you haven't heard of the Way Out In Left Field Society, here's another article about them, including an update on their efforts to put a plaque at the former site of West Side Grounds in Chicago -- now tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 6.
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Neither of these pitchers has ever faced the other. James Shields is another in the Tampa Bay collection of tall (6-4), skinny (215) pitchers who don't walk a lot of guys. Shields' ERA is good (3.91), but his W-L record mediocre (4-5). A clue to that can be found in the HR allowed (10). Hope the Cubs have their power-hitting shoes on tonight. Shields has held Reed Johnson, in their AL days, to 1-for-9. Normally, Johnson wouldn't likely play vs. the RHP Shields, but if Jim Edmonds can't go tonight, Johnson may have to start.
Today's game is a cable extravaganza: CSN in Chicago, FSN in Florida, EI, and the MLB.com Mediacenter.
MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)
MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Today's overflow comment threads will post at 7:15 pm and 8:15 pm CT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.