MLB needs to step in and prevent Cubs from heading into Hurricane Ike
Chicago Tribune
ST. LOUIS - Black cats are one thing. Hurricanes, especially Category 4 hurricanes, are another altogether.
You aren't jinxed if you leave a safe environment to fly into one that might have to be evacuated. You are out of your mind.
While Kerry Wood and the Cubs survived a close call in the ninth inning Wednesday night, hanging on for a badly needed 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, an issue was developing that is more threatening than the two remaining dates with CC Sabathia.
Hurricane Ike continued to bear down on the southeast coast of Texas, where the Cubs are scheduled to spend the weekend.
The sense of urgency that manager Lou Piniella has been trying to instill in his players also was needed by Major League Baseball, but there were no indications the series was about to be moved elsewhere, in large part because Astros owner Drayton McLane was insisting he could get in three games at the Astros' Minute Maid Park.
Commissioner Bud Selig and two of his top officials, Bob DuPuy and Katy Feeney, studied the situation closely Wednesday, with Selig consulting with McLane.
"We're going to get the best information possible and make our judgments at the appropriate time," Selig said Wednesday night. "We'll make the decision on the basis of the best information we have."
While Selig monitored the situation, the Astros announced they are considering moving Friday's game from an evening start to an afternoon one because Ike was expected to make landfall-potentially packing 125-m.p.h. winds-at some point Friday night or Saturday morning.
Officials involved with other sports were being a little more careful.
High school football games in Houston have been moved from Friday night to Thursday night. The University of Houston moved its football game against Air Force to Dallas. The University of Texas postponed its game against Arkansas (largely to avoid highway gridlock in the event of a Houston evacuation). The NFL's Houston Texans, like the Astros, were studying the situation.
But then again, that game is scheduled for Sunday. The Cubs need a decision by Thursday night, as that is when they are set to fly to Houston.
The Astros seem to be preparing for a scenario in which the teams play Friday, hunker down while the hurricane blows through Saturday and then choose between a day-night doubleheader Sunday or single games Sunday and Monday (when both teams have scheduled days off). If the storm is too bad for them to play Sunday, theoretically the Cubs could stay over until Monday for a split doubleheader.
