You know all the caveats now, given that the outbreak of St. Louis Cardinals COVID-19 positive testing has produced protrusions over a sufficient period of time that they have now missed more than two weeks of action. In fact, it was just a week ago that the Cardinals were adopted around the game against the Cubs in St. Louis. Louis to recover when a new bundle of positions closes immediately.
That, here we are again, with the Cardinals adopted to start this game again this weekend, this time against the White Sox. From there, the Cardinals would go to Wrigley Field to play the Cubs in what was previously planned as a three-game set. But now it should be five games in three days:
As Cardinals prez Mozeliak told Post-Dispatch, the Cubs are also expecting as they wait for the league’s official word that upcoming three-game series at Wrigley will become a five-game double-header on Monday and Wednesday.
– Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) August 14, 2020
Mozeliak says this Friday will be finalized, starting #MLB. This is what they expect. Lots and lots of baseball. https://t.co/cC4pTnhOPl
– Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) August 14, 2020
That’s a brutal stretch for the Cardinals, of course, but that’s to be expected if you want to maximize games in the remaining time. I do have sympathy for the Cardinals, but it’s also nice, well, the outbreak happened, and this is the outcome. I would feel the same as if it were the Cubs: this sucks, but treat it.
On the flip side, however, the Cubs had no outburst, and now they will have to play five games in three days, which will not be fun. Yes, the double buyers who are reduced to seven innings will help (instead of 27 scheduled innings in the series there will now be 37), and yes, having an off-day after the series will help, but you’re talking about a situation where your best reliever – for one example – could possibly pitch to pitch in just one of FIVE games, depending on how the games play out. Having a “29th man” available for those days is not exactly going to make a big production difference.
Plus, you talk about coordinating your rotation – with no real advance warning – to cover five games in three days.
And at that point, this really sucks for the Cubs, who have the best starting lineup in all baseball this year. So, now, now, unless someone is going on short rest (highly unlikely), you only get three of your starting pitchers to start in a stretch of five games. Normally, of course, they would get their main boys in all five of those games. If the rotation continues, the Cubs will have Kyle Hendricks, Yu Darvish, and Tyler Chatwood making the normal start to the series (Darvish in the 9-inning game), with the need for either a bullpen game in the other (how could you possibly do that TWICE in a three-day stretch while playing FIVE games?), or TWO DIFFERENT fill-in starters. Woof, man. Just woof.
I wonder if the Cubs will try to have Jose Quintana available and ready to make one of those starts. He made his simulated start on Tuesday, which would mean his next one would track down to Sunday, meaning he would not be lined up for that series. So if he continues on that schedule, you will know that the Cubs are not going to have him back at that point. However, if Quintana throws a little less this weekend than any other full sim game, you might think he’s reserved to start in one of the doubleheaders.
Otherwise, the Cubs could let Colin Rea go as three innings as a ‘start’, or they could call on a man like Adbert Alzolay, Jharel Cotton, or Tyson Miller to make a start. Personally, I hope this series becomes an excuse to quit Alzolay and save a few innings, because what is it? I want to see how he looks right now.
That, yes, new week could be ridiculous for the Cubs.
If the Cardinals can play at all, then so be it. Stay tuned.
