The Joys of Daytime Baseball

As much as I follow National League baseball, I don't normally spend a lot of time thinking about or watching the Chicago Cubs.  Despite a reputation as one of baseball's most famous franchises and a home ballpark that is among the most iconic in the game, I don't think about the Cubbies the same way I think about the Yankees, Red Sox or even the Cardinals.  Much of this has to do with the fact that, for most of my life, the Cubs have been relatively uncompetitive, and with the exception of a few seasons that I can remember, there hasn't been much of a reason to watch them.

For me, that has changed this season, and not because of anything that the North Siders have been doing on the field.  In fact, the team has once again solidified itself among the NL Central bottom dwellers and is among the worst teams in baseball.  But the Cubs do have one thing going for them if they're looking to grab my attention this summer: They play a majority of their home games during the daytime, and I have access to a big screen, HDTV and the MLB Extra Innings DirecTV package at work.  As a result, I've been watching a ton of (muted) Cubs baseball over the last few weeks, and I'm loving every inning of it.

I'm the type of person who can watch virtually any MLB game and be reasonably entertained, but afternoon Cubs games add an entirely new dimension to being a baseball fan.  Being able to go into work knowing that, when the Cubs are home, it's likely that come 2 PM EST I'll be able to flip on WGN or CSN and watch Chicago battle the rest of the National (and, during Interleague Play, American) League is huge.  I even have a few Braves vs. Cubs games to look forward to later this summer.  I've really enjoyed my summer internship so far, and the afternoon Cubs games are definitely part of the reason why.

Sure, if there are other afternoon baseball games on TV (say on a getaway day like Thursday), I may stray from the Cubs and look for something more competitive (yesterday, Philadelphia vs. Boston did the trick).  But on most afternoons, when I'd otherwise have to wait until the evening to catch the Yankees or the Mets or the Live Look-ins on MLB Network, being able to watch Major League Baseball for three hours at work can make or break my day.  Like many other baseball purists, I hope the Cubs continue their tradition of daytime home games at Wrigley Field - at least until I finish work at the end of August.