Cubs-Dodgers in Tokyo? That's cool. But first pitch at 5:10 a.m.? Uh …

03/14/2025 04:16 PM

Rise and shine, people!

Or don't. It's really your call.

In this week's "Polling Place," your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X, we wanted to know if you'll be up and at 'em and watching Tuesday's and Wednesday's Cubs-Dodgers games from Tokyo. Don't you just love a good 5:10 a.m. start?

"Um … isn't that what a DVR is for?" @DadsThumb commented.

These two games will count in the regular-season standings, let's be clear.

"Early bird gets the Dodgers," @ChiTownSports wrote.

Shota Imanaga will start the opener, but is he the Cubs' ace? Some would say it's Justin Steele.

"They still have to prove it," @JBIRD1268 offered.

Last, we asked if you've ever played the ridiculously named yet surprisingly popular sport of pickleball. Yes, it's a sport. Don't be a snob. On the other hand, @JeffreyCanalia likened it to Wiffle ball and @dam200802 called it the "2020s' shuffleboard," which is hilarious.

On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: Will you be up at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday and/or Wednesday to watch the Cubs and Dodgers play in Tokyo?

Upshot: It'll be 7:10 p.m. in Tokyo, a more normal time — hotdog-and-cold-beer o'clock, if you will — for a ballgame. Here? Maybe a Bloody Mary if the Cubs sweep.

Poll No. 2: Who's the Cubs' ace?

Upshot: Commenter @JonJanke argued that "Cubs ace" and "legit ace" aren't the same thing. The counterargument to that is: Some teams just plain don't have aces on their rosters. Take the White Sox — please.

Poll No. 3: Have you played pickleball?

Upshot: According to several seconds of exhaustive research, the sport was named after one of the inventors' dog, Pickles. That's just silly. Spotball or Fidoball would've been way better.