Fog + Wrigley= Cubs And Reds

((HT: MLB.com))

It got so bad that this game...


Turned into this game...
((HT: ESPN/NFL Films))


Brandon Phillips was having a good night-driving in 5...
Redan Raiders represent...

And Homer Bailey was getting the best of Scott Feldman...

Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts: ...We'll Take A Look At Moving."

The city of Chicago and Cub fans on fire after this statement Wednesday by Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts.

“If we don’t have the ability to generate revenue in our own outfield, then we’ll have to take a look at moving, no question,”  Ricketts said.

Threat of being frustrated with negotiations with the city?  You be the judge.



Ricketts wants to run Wrigley Field as a business and not a museum.  We agree.  

This fight might get dirty.

Wanna See What Wrigley Field May Soon Look Like?

((ht: csnchicago.com))


We will give Cubs owner Tom Ricketts this, he's trying to make the most out of one of baseball's most iconic stadiums.

Ricketts and the Cubs on Tuesday afternoon released what they say is a "New and Improved" Wrigley that would offer more amenities, more seating, a rather large Video Board and more importantly to Ricketts, more space for ads.

The scoreboard, which is superimposed on the photo here on your right, would be 6,000 square feet. The downside, it pretty much takes the seats on people's Brownstone's behind the left field wall, completely out of play. And that is a part of the plan that residents in Wrigleyville, the neighborhood surrounding the stadium don't like.

Other features include a hotel, a fan plaza, an office building and doubling the size of locker and clubhouse areas.

The cost: $300 million for stadium work and another $200 million for work in the surrounding area.

Bravo for Ricketts.

Yeah, sure, it will change the look and feel, to some extent, of one of Sports most iconic locations. For any Sports fan over the age of 30, seeing a game at Wrigley Field is something you MUST have on your bucket list.

As much as we LOVED the 2 visits we made there, the place could stand some changes. Yes, the old, rundown stands/stadium. The small, antiquated entrances. The giant old scoreboard in centerfield, the are all part of the character of the place.

But these days sport is all about maximizing revenue and Wrigley for all its charm and character, is maxed out as it currently stands. The Cubs, though they've sucked for a long, long time need the increased revenues to compete with their baseball brethren and the only way to do that is to either (a) improve what they've got, or (b) build something else.

Thankfully, they are choosing choice A.

Here's a story on local reaction from Chicago's WMAQ-TV:

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

Goat's Head Delivered To Cubs Owners, Curse Still Exists...

((HT: MLB/ESPN))

How's this for interesting-slash-creepy-slash-typical of a town that is stuck in baseball neutral...

Every year...
Since 1908...

The head of a goat was delivered to Wrigley Field and the package was addressed to team owner Tom Ricketts. The package didn't look like it was dropped off by the normal mail-type folks...

The delivery comes as the team is, pretty much, telling owners of businesses and rooftop seats to stick it with the new renovation and development planned by Ricketts for Wrigley Field and the hotel to-be-planned...

The whole goat thing...???

It dates back to 1945 when tavern owner Billy Sianis bought a box seat for his goat, Murphy, for Game 4 of the World Series. When he was told Murphy could be around and they had to leave, Sianis claimed he put a curse on the team so they'd never host another World Series game...

And they haven't, now, have they...???

Here's what the curse means to Chicago, now that the Boston version is gone...


Here's coverage from our friends at MyFoxChicago...

Chicago Cubs Leaving Wrigley Field? A Surbuban Mayor Makes A Pitch For Cubs To Move

That mayor would be Brad Stephens of Rosemont.  Stephens has 25 acres of prime real estate in Rosemont he's willing to offer to Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts and the Ricketts family to build an new ball park and parking to accommodate the Cubs.

In an interview with CSN Chicago's David Kaplan Stephens said,  "The Chicago Cubs are being held hostage by the neighborhood as they look to run their business. We are willing to offer them a tremendous opportunity if they are interested. Bring the bricks and the ivy and we can get a deal done."



The Cubs would like to renovate Wrigley Field, which turns 99 this season, and Ricketts is will to put up an estimated $500 million to completely overhaul Wrigley Field with no taxpayer dollars.

To do this the Cubs ownership would like increase revenue by adding signage in the outfield and increase the number of night games played.  Right now the Cubs are capped at 30 while the major league average is 57.

Of course politics is getting in the way and 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, whose ward includes Wrigley Field is not playing nice and neither are the rooftop clubs overlooking Wrigley Field and local community groups.

A top aide to Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel said in Chicago Sun Times, “The idea that the Cubs would leave Wrigley Field is not something to be taken seriously,”

I would take it seriously and if I were Tom Ricketts, move the team to Rosemont. 

I'm sorry, Wrigley Field is old and tired and quite frankly an albatross to the Cubs.  There is no way in it's current state Wrigley Field can add new revenue.  No video board, no luxury boxes, no advertising.

Built a replica or something retro in Rosemont with money coming from parking, luxury boxes, all the amenities fans expect.  The Cubs need to do something to keep up with other MLB teams who have found their cash cows within their ballparks.

Heck the Cubs might end that their World Series drought and perhaps win a World Series in this century by bidding for free agents and keeping home grown talent. 

Staying in Wrigley with it's current restrictions will just handcuff the team financially. 

With that said the Ricketts family remains committed to working out an agreement with the City of Chicago.  The lure of Rosemont might be too much to pass up down the road.