Chicago Cubs: Sportscaster wrongly blames fans for new Wrigley nets

Chicago Cubs: I can’t protect myself?

When I went to war in Afghanistan in 2005 as a Soldier Journalist, I needed protection. The U.S. Army gave me a bulletproof vest, protective covering for my body and head, a gas mask and suit for chemical attacks, and a weapon to defend myself.

Why? Did the Army think I couldn’t protect myself?

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody Bellinger
• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups

Of course not, the government has a duty to protect its Soldiers just like the Cubs have a responsibility to protect their fans. But this isn’t war, this is entertainment, and instead of handing out protective gear as you enter the park, the owners have instead hung nets to protect their fans.

Remember that professional baseball is a game full of winning and losing, excitement, challenge, history, emotions, and evolution, all for the purpose of entertainment.  While people get hurt every day in the pursuit of entertainment (skydiving, rock climbing, surfing), it is their personal choice to pursue these endeavors and live with the consequences.

Attending an MLB game is not supposed trigger such life or death choices, like, “Will I make it out of this ballpark alive?” It’s merely supposed to entertain in the pursuit of winning.

So Mr. Sterling, while you may dislike the fact of keeping children and patrons’ safe at a ballgame, I’m certainly glad the Chicago Cubs owners and MLB have decided to increase the level of safety for fans. The 510 fans that needed assistance from getting hit by foul balls at the friendly confines between 2015-2019 probably agree with the move as well and most certainly disagree with your premise. Or was this just a publicity stunt?

Maybe Sterling wrote the article to cause controversy and draw attention to him in the media due to a waning career.  While I’m not trying to fan his popularity flames, Sterling has previously written a book called, “Oops- the Art of Learning from Mistakes and Adventures.”

Perhaps Sterling can add this “Oops” as the first chapter to his next book, as the Chicago Cubs and MLB’s new netting rule has assured us he will be alive and well to write it.