This has been the worst April weather I can remember. Sure, there have been cold and wet days at Wrigley in April before, and in May, and in some years even into June.
But not every single day like this year. If you don't believe me, believe Tom Skilling:
April 2011 has produced 16 days of measurable rain---55 percent more than normal and the greatest number of measurably rainy April days here in the 50 years since 1961! A scan of Aprils back to 1871 indicates the opening 28 days of the month typically sees 11 measurable rains. "Measurable rain" is defined as any rainfall which reaches or exceeds 0.01-inch.
The month's 4.56 inches of rain through Tuesday ranks as the 17th rainiest April in 140 years of records. While 124 have been drier, only 16 have been wetter.
And we've still got four days to go!
You'll note there's no mention of baseball above. That's because... well, there's not much to add to the last three days of defeats. If today's game is rained out, I once again bring up as a possible makeup date, the day I mentioned last week: Thursday, June 23, when the teams have a common off day (the Cubs are in Chicago, coming off a series at the Cell, before heading to Kansas City; the Rockies are in Cleveland, and have to travel to New York, but for a Friday night game). The Cubs could sell more tickets, and play when the weather is nicer.
Meanwhile, there are lineups.
Cubs lineup:
Fukudome RF, Castro SS, Baker 2B, Ramirez 3B, Peña 1B, Byrd CF, Colvin LF, Hill C, Coleman P
Castro now second? Um...
Rockies lineup:
Fowler CF, Herrera 2B, Gonzalez LF, Tulowitzki SS, Helton 1B, Smith RF, Lopez 3B, Morales C, Chacin P
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Casey Coleman threw his best game of the year so far on April 16 in Denver against the Rockies, giving up just one run in 5.2 innings and posting a win, the only game the Cubs won in that series. That gives the Cubs a shot at today's game, anyway, but...
Jhoulys Chacin threw a complete-game, six-hit shutout against the Cubs on April 15 in Denver, the first CG shutout at Coors Field in almost three years. Five of the six hits were singles (the only XBH was a double by Aramis Ramirez). Clearly, we are doomed. (Hmm. That sounds familiar.)
Today's game is on WGN [Edit: The game is actually on CSN Chicago. I think Al would want me to change this-Josh] and ROOT Sports, the newly- (and not very well) named Denver sports channel. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 1:15 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to rain delays or extra innings, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.