Cubs want wiggle room on night games at Wrigley
CHICAGO— Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Friday he’d “love” to see day games on Saturday and Sundays only, plus an occasional getaway day or holiday, leaving Friday for night games at Wrigley Field.
“This constantly having to get up and rush to the ballpark and not having a normal method during the course of the day, it does matter, because when you’re on the road it’s entirely different,” he said. Cubs president Crane Kenney complained recently about city regulations that limit the number of night games at Wrigley, claiming it was a disadvantage to the team.
Maddon said it’s no advantage for the Cubs when a visiting team that plays primarily night games has to come in for day games at Wrigley.
“They’re only here for a couple days,” he said. “They get through it and after a few days they move back to a normal schedule. I think 107 years indicates it wasn’t such a good idea.”
Maddon was referring to the number of years between Cubs championships in 1908 and 2016. The Cubs actually got lights in 1988.
The Cubs are allowed 43 night games, and want to get up to the league average of 54. They are also allowed only two Saturday night games. Chicago Mayor Rahm Eman- uel said recently the Cubs chose to schedule nine concerts “so they can make more money” and “now they want to change the consequences of the choices they made.”
Emanuel added: “If you add up night games and concerts, it comes really close to the 54, which is 46. They could do it, more night games, but they didn’t want to do it.”
Nationals manager Dusty Baker, who managed the Cubs for four seasons, backed up Maddon.
“It’s hard to get extra work,” Baker said. “I’d love more night games (at Wrigley).”
Neighbourhood parking is cited as the reason to ban most night games on Fridays and Saturdays. Maddon wants the Friday rule relaxed.
“Friday day games, we just play way too many day games during the week,” Maddon said. “We just do. I’m just being honest. Guys need their rest. When you are constantly going night (then) day, or day, day, day, and it’s hot during the summertime, it matters. It definitely matters.
“It’d be wonderful if we could get to a more conventional method regarding the number of night games vs. day games. If not we’ll just have to deal with it. We did OK last year. But moving forward, when you’re able to just come to the ballpark a little bit later, get your proper rest, and then just be a human being, get your laundry done, go shopping, get a haircut, all those things.
“Seriously. There’s just no time, so you have to take advantage of the road, where you actually play more night games and you’re able to sleep and catch up on your rest and you come back home knowing it’s going to be more hectic.”