I'm going to start this off with a quote from BPro's Sunday's Games to Watch column:
While there are some in Houston griping about [playing at Miller Park], the split in home-field advantage over the course of a season, never mind a three-game set where the park isn't even going to be full of people, is not that great, and it isn’t like it's the cheers of the crowd that cause the Cubs to slug higher in their hometown. The Astros were on fire prior to being idled by Ike, winning six straight and nine of their previous 10 games; they've jumped up the standings in the NL Central and also now sit just 2½ games behing the Brewers in the wild-card race. Even if the Astros were to sweep the Cubs in this two-day series, they are most likely out of reach of the division title, but with the way the Brewers have been playing, a strong showing in their rivals' home park would help them wrest the wild-card title away from the Brew Crew.
I was at once both pissed and flattered. BPro has by far been the most naysaying of any baseball analysts out there of the Astros run. That they're finally acknowledging that the Astros are poised to take the Wild Card was huge to me -- even if they're just finally having to admit the obvious. They also subsequently praised Ed Wade for Randy Wolf's acquisition later in the analysis. I'm just speechless over that.
I was miffed, however. Trying to explain away the fan presence for the Cubs in Miller Park as being evened out of the course of a season's worth of home field advantage doesn't even make sense. It's unfair, plain and simple. These are two critical games, for which, whatever advantage a team may or may not have, could greatly alter the play off landscape for a division and a league. A Monday double header in Houston would have brought as meager as a crowd as this is predicted to bring in Milwaukee, but they would have been fans who were trying to forget the ill effects of a hurricane that had just rocked their world. They would have been cheering for the only thing that's worth cheering for in Houston at this time. If the explanation for the change of scenery were truly to have been couched in the fact that it's just logistically infeasible to have games at MMP, then why give the Cubs the easiest week of travel they've had in a while on a week that was supposed to be a rough travel week? Why force the Astros to leave their families in Houston, fly to Milwaukee and then to Miami? Why not have the games in Round Rock? Or Arlington? At least it'd be in state, and wouldn't be totally screwing the Astros. It's a wholly insensitive and completely inexplicable move on the part of MLB. That the alternate site is also Bud Selig's romping ground is just farcical.
0 recs | 21 comments
I agree wholeheartedly
I wrote in an earlier thread this decision was “outrageous” on many fronts. I usually laugh at people who feel their team has somehow been slighted, but this has outraged me and I have not calmed down in 24 hours.
I’ve despised Bud Selig since before he was baseball commissioner. This locks it in: I will never soften my dislike of him as baseball man (no matter how much Richard Justice likes dining with him).
In a minor bit of justice, Phillies beat Brewers again today.
oh and St Louis – (Why didn’t the teams play in St Louis if they had to leave Houston?-) disgraced themselvs by losing again to the Pirates. Don’t let Cincinnati pass you, St Louis.
Joe in Birmingham - September 14, 2008
It took awhile to sink in
I called BS on it last night when I found out, but I was somewhat apathetic to it in general. Then when I read that crap at BPro, the light switch flipped in my head. In response to ol’ Pete down below me: the only reason is, that Bud’s daughter is the owner of the the Brewers and stands to gain a hefty bit of revenue from this little endeavor. It’s BS pure and simple. Bud Selig, is the worst.
Stephen Higdon - September 14, 2008
The team was sold in 2005
Regardless, the Brewers team probably won’t make a nickel regardless of ownership. They don’t own Miller Park.
ol Pete - September 14, 2008
Maybe they'll be good or bad but there will be reasons
Probably related to ability to host a game and not be threatened by weather. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have seen games at Minute Maid.
I’d add that the crowds at Miller Park may be large.
ol Pete - September 14, 2008
Yeah, I keep hearing Cubs' fans/columnists say to the Astros:
“quit complaining. the home field doesn’t mean anything. it doesn’t improve players’ ability to hit, etc.”
If the shoe were on the other foot, we would hear holy hell if the Cubs had to play a home game on the road. If home field is meaningless, then why do the Cubs have one of the largest disparities between home and road records in recent memory? The Astros’ home/road disparity is substantial too. If home or road made no difference in one game, then we wouldn’t have a lottery to see which teams win the right to home field in one game playoffs. The choice that is given to the lottery winner for a mult-team playoff is based on the idea that one home win is equivalent to two road wins. My point: short series or not, home field is an advantage.
Maybe Ol’ Pete can tell us whom he thinks Brewers’ fans at the ballpark will be rooting for? At BBTF, some people were suggesting that the Brewers’ fans would have a hard time rooting for the Cubs. However, I think it is more rational for the Brewers’ fans to root for the Cubs in that situation, and I suspect that will overcome any lingering ill feelings toward Cubs’ fans.
clack - September 14, 2008
my comment above makes more sense...
if “one home win is equivalent to two road wins” is replaced with “two home wins is equivalent to one road win.”
clack - September 14, 2008
If home field advantage means so little
then lets give the Cubs their road record in both the Home and road columns and watch them sit in 5th place in the NL Central.
Cubs – Home: 51-24 Road: 37-34
Brewers – Home: 44-31 Road: 39-35
Astros – Home: 43-29 Road: 37-38
Cardinals – Home: 40-34 Road: 38-37
Pirates – Home: 37-37 Road: 26-49
Anyone see a trend?
Stros Bro - September 14, 2008
clack
Me → Go Stros
Brewers organization → Go Stros
Majority of Brewers fans → after watching the team headed toward the ground like a plane on fire in a WWII movie, I don’t know, probably divided
ol Pete - September 14, 2008
I'd be ecstatic
if the Brewers won the NL Central and the ’Stros won the Wild Card.
Stros Bro - September 14, 2008
Remember the reason for this All Star Game slogan
“This Time It Counts.”
Joe in Birmingham - September 14, 2008
A hint
The winning league in the All Star game gets the ______ _______ ADVANTAGE in the World Series
Joe in Birmingham - September 14, 2008
ALSO!!
Over at bleed cubbie blue, one of the posters had this to say
Link
The drive from Chicago to Milwaukee takes 1 hours and 45 minutes(from google maps).
The drive from Houston to Milwaukee takes 19 hours and 6 minutes.
Stros Bro - September 14, 2008
Re-GD-diculous
Stephen Higdon - September 14, 2008
My teams ALWAYS get screwed!
Moving the games to Mil. and calling it a “home” game is the most ridiculous thing ive heard…thanks MLB for screwing the Astros!..Hey i got an idea..maybe that can be a regular part of next seasons games or this years playoffs..play the games in a state and city where NEITHER team is within 100 miles of its fans…sounds like a GREAT idea!
Magnoliacat - September 14, 2008
Also II
The Cub Curse will continue no matter if they make it to the World Series, just wait and see.
Magnoliacat - September 14, 2008
It was no mistake
There have been three games moved due to weather. One mover to a neutral site in Chicago, the other two have moved to Bud Selig’s daughter’s park. It’s just Bud being Bud. It’s never about what’s best for the game but what’s best for Selig’s family.
The M - September 15, 2008
AMEN
Stephen Higdon - September 15, 2008
Mark Attanasio is the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers he purchased the team in 2005 and the City or County of Milwaukee owns the stadium.
Trent Durrington - September 15, 2008
I am not however saying that I think that playing these games in Miller Park is ok. There are enough Cubs fans at Brewer games in Milwaukee to be intolerable and this just makes things ridiculous for the Astros.
Trent Durrington - September 15, 2008
There are some decent Cubs fans
who actually get that the Astros got screwed…
Link
Stros Bro - September 15, 2008
For what it's worth
The Cubs are not to blame for this and I have NO ill will against the Cubs for this(well, any more than I just typically have for them)..
If the Cubs got screwed out of 2 home games and we reaped the benefit of it… I’d be fine with that as should the Cubs… but I’d admit they got screwed and be happy about it… because I don’t like the Cubs.
Stros Bro - September 15, 2008
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