That was pretty rare. Indeed, the Cubs haven’t had a scheduled Sunday off since Herbert Hoover was president. The Nationals/Expos have never had a scheduled Sunday off as far as I can tell. Yet that’s what they did this weekend, playing two on Saturday and taking yesterday off to chill out.
The reason: Chicago’s concern over neighborhood traffic due to the city’s annual Pride Parade in Wrigleyville yesterday. Makes sense, especially at a time where the team and its neighbors and the city are all in a messy fight about the future of the ballpark and its renovations and things. No sense in making things more chaotic when they don’t have to be.
Based on some of the player and executive comments, the day off on Sunday was pretty darn popular. No one likes doubleheaders all that much anymore, but you have to wonder if some occasional Sundays off — say, one at home a season for each team — wouldn’t be about the easiest bone for owners to throw to players the next time the CBA is negotiated. Given how precious they consider the couple of days off they get for the All-Star break you’d have to think that one extra weekend day off at home would be considered pretty darn valuable too.
