The Cubs’ series this weekend against the Cardinals is one of those that the national networks take over. Apple TV will carry the game Friday, and ABC has the game Sunday.
But if it were up to Cubs analyst Jim Deshaies, that Friday game would be on Marquee Sports Network.
“There should be a rule that only we get to do Friday afternoon games,” he said this week. “Unfortunately, that’s not the rule, and Apple can pick up a certain number of games. I love those Friday afternoon games because we’re the only ones that are playing at the time.”
Indeed, those 1:20 p.m. starts harken back to a time when every Cubs home game was a day game. Lights were installed in 1988, and they’re never coming down. Just as streaming services such as Apple TV aren’t going away.
“I get it. That’s the nature of the beast, and we’re the Cubs,” Deshaies said. “The national people want to do Cub games because we’re a good draw. But a weekend with the Cardinals, the Air Show in town, I’d probably rather be working than not.”
The time off will give Deshaies, 66, a break from navigating Wrigley Field on crutches. This spring, he began to feel pain in his left hip, and imaging revealed he needs a new one. Not wanting to miss the season, he’s scheduled for surgery Sept. 30 in Chicago.
“I was just limping around, kind of dragging my leg for a while,” Deshaies said. “My wife was at a physical therapist for her back and told the therapist what I was doing. They said he should be on crutches to take the heat off that leg. I’m not in a ton of pain. It’s inconvenient, but it’s certainly manageable.”
The Cubs have managed to play some of their best baseball of the season lately, hopping off the roller coaster they rode before the All-Star break. Deshaies has taken great joy in watching them play defense, particularly center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, second baseman Nico Hoerner and shortstop Dansby Swanson.
“I’m always telling [producer Mike Leary] and the boys in the truck, ‘I see a defensive package coming, a montage of defensive plays,’ ” Deshaies said. “And then [replay technician Mitch Nakhshin] will build that in. I love watching the defense do its thing.”
And Cubs fans love listening to Deshaies, whether he’s with Jon “Boog” Sciambi or Alex Cohen. If you see him around the ballpark, give him room. Although, he must say, “I’m getting pretty good on the crutches.”
