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MILWAUKEE — The retractable roof at American Family Field was closed during play late in the Chicago Cubs’ 7-6, 11-inning win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
The process takes several minutes and usually is only done when it’s about to rain.
That wasn’t the case Tuesday, and the closing of the roof was among the many annoyances Cubs manager David Ross addressed during a heated postgame session outside the clubhouse.
During a prolonged and profanity-laden rant about the umpiring, Ross said: “I know it’s not an easy job, but a lot of the pitches they called today weren’t even close. They’re closing the roof to get rid of the shadows late. There was a lot of b——- around today that was really frustrating.”
Asked if the Brewers were allowed to close the roof during play, Ross barked: “I f—— thought it was horses—. I don’t know.”
It’s likely Ross did know a little about the rules, which was why he was so upset.
According to MLB’s “universal” ground rules, a home team with a retractable roof has the option of opening or closing it at the beginning of games.
That was not an issue.
But the rule goes on to say: “the roof can be closed only for weather reasons if the game begins with the roof open. If the game begins with the roof closed, it can be reopened once if the home team determines the climatic environment has reached a level where fan comfort and enjoyment will be best served by opening the roof.
“The roof may be moved only once during a game, unless inclement weather indicates otherwise. During the postseason, the Commissioner or another designated official shall make all decisions regarding roof movement, in consultation with the home club and the umpire crew chief.”
Why the Brewers decided to close the roof during the game was unknown. The weather in Milwaukee called for potential rain later in the day, but the skies were clear at the time the roof was closed and it never rained. Shadows moving across the field are not valid reasons for closing the roof.
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The Cubs and Brewers have had debates over perceived gamesmanship on stadium issues before. The Cubs postponed a game in 2017 at Wrigley Field on a day where it not only didn’t rain, but the sun came out later.
“It’s the first time for us that we’ve had players treated for sunburn after a rainout,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said the next day.
The speculation was the Cubs had postponed the game to rearrange their rotation.
Did the closing the roof give the Brewers an advantage on Tuesday?
If so, it didn’t work. The Cubs wound up with a wild win that ended on left fielder Ian Happ throwing out Owen Miller at the plate to complete a double play in the 11th inning.
Ross apologized to the media for his postgame language, but he got his point across — and MLB could fine him for his comments about the umpiring.
Either way, it should be interesting to see how the Brewers handle the roof in Wednesday night’s game, with pop-up storms in the forecast in the area.
