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Cubs and Pirates rained out

What was Cubs management thinking when it opened the gates while it was raining before yesterday’s game? Yes, the rain stopped briefly and the game started on time, but was stopped in the 4^th with the Pirates up 3-0 in the top of the 4^th.

 

One of two things should have happened last night. One, the game should have been called before the gates even opened. It started raining around the ballpark about 3:30 and lasted until about 5:30. A light mist greeted the first pitch, and the rain started getting harder, forcing those with umbrellas to use them. Then came the downpour! The players were called off the field and most of the few thousand who actually showed up, ran for shelter. The downpour lasted only about five minutes, but reports of lightning and thunder in the west suburbs moving toward Wrigley caused the grounds crew to keep the field covered. Once the thunder and lightning started, most fans left the ballpark. The game was called after a two hour, 23 minute rain delay.

 

The other scenario could have been that the teams play through the brief downpour, which really did only last about five minutes, hopefully get to the fifth and a complete game, and end it there. That way no tickets would have to be refunded, as they now do because there was not a complete game.

 

I’ve heard talk all season about the companies the teams have employed that used sophisticated radars to tell them when rain will hit and with what intensity. Well, my body is a better radar than the electronic radars in use.

 

I only went to Wrigley when there was a break in the rain, around 6pm. I felt more hard rain coming in, but I also knew the Cubs would try to play the game. I left just after that downpour because I knew the game would not resume, and I was right. I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Cubs actually lost money last night in the electricity they used to light the park and in the personnel (crowd management and vendors) who were called in. On a night like last night, refunding the money for the tickets sold may have been a much better choice to begin with. Now they have the expense of both scenarios.

 

Whether you were at the game or not, a refund explanation should be available on www.cubs.com sometime today.