Renting Out Wrigley & Skipping Practice

[Laura]

This never gets old.

 

The Daily Southtown[/url]"] There was once a school of thought that if the Cubs played more night games at Wrigley Field, there would be more of an opportunity for players to get in extra batting or fielding practice beforehand.

 

However, during most night games this year — including the three evening contests played this week — there have been corporations and sponsors who have employees and clients using the field for clinics and batting practice until 3:35 p.m.

 

"I'm not in charge of that department," Baker said.

 

Good thing the Cubs don't need any extra batting or fielding practice.

 

I know there was a thread on this before, but I couldn't find it.

[goonys evil twin]

How many teams that schedule night games are actually practicing before 3:30 anyway? Fielding and batting practice can take place within a couple hours of the game.

[Balsa]

Man, all this coporate involvement in baseball makes me sick. The luxury boxes, the fancy seats in the bleachers, the on-field practice before games, it just makes me really, really sick to be a "common" fan.

[Laura]

How many teams that schedule night games are actually practicing before 3:30 anyway? Fielding and batting practice can take place within a couple hours of the game.

 

In the last thread (which I couldn't find) they had quotes from Chris Speier that indicated the corporate practices had interfered this season with drills/practice that he wanted to run with individual players on the field. It's not necessarily the team-wide practices -- and we've heard ad nauseum about the limited indoor batting facilities at Wrigley.

 

I have no problem with them renting out Wrigley for any purpose they want to on the ~284 days and nights per year that baseball isn't scheduled to be played there. When it conflicts whatsoever with the team playing or practicing baseball, it shouldn't happen.

[daske17]

In the last thread (which I couldn't find) they had quotes from Chris Speier that indicated the corporate practices had interfered this season with drills/practice that he wanted to run with individual players on the field. It's not necessarily the team-wide practices -- and we've heard ad nauseum about the limited indoor batting facilities at Wrigley.

 

I have no problem with them renting out Wrigley for any purpose they want to on the ~284 days and nights per year that baseball isn't scheduled to be played there. When it conflicts whatsoever with the team playing or practicing baseball, it shouldn't happen.

 

Yep, nothing like taking BP in the beauty of February in Chicago. :wink:

[Laura]

They can have corporate snowball fights. :)

[weitliz]

They can have corporate snowball fights. :)

 

I get images of using bright-orange colored bases (similiar to golf balls)

 

Can't see the regular ones in the snow! :P

[UMFan83]

I remember Mike Murphy made a big deal about this in June. The hitting and pitching coaches aren't coaching the players during this time and are instead coaching these corporate execs living out their dream.

 

Not sure if this is standard throughout baseball or not.

[Joe_Cub]

I heard Murph when he was yelling about it before. He said part of the problem with it is that whoever pays gets to pick the times so that if the coaches or the players want to get anything extra in then they have to work around the $$ schedule. Which they should be able to do but it makes you wonder why they just don't say what the block of time is to the businesses and they can take it or leave it. It's because the businesses want to do it in the afternoon so then everyone can hang out and drink for a few hours then go to the game that night.

 

They have have plenty of travel days to sell time to but then they can't have the cubs coaches around during business BP. I wonder if the coaches get paid extra on the side for it.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

This is a practice that should end. For an afternoon game, players usually begin arriving at the park around 1:30. There should be a cut-off time of 1:00-1:30 for anyone wanting to use the field when there is a game that night.

 

I find this practice deplorable.

[goonys evil twin]

This is a practice that should end. For an afternoon game, players usually begin arriving at the park around 1:30. There should be a cut-off time of 1:00-1:30 for anyone wanting to use the field when there is a game that night.

 

I find this practice deplorable.

 

Is this not for games that start at 7:10? Players start showing up at 1:00?

 

How many teams in the league are practicing on their fields 4+ hours before gametime?

 

I think this is a non-story. I think the Cubs could find the type to practice is they wanted to, but like everything else, they look to excuses to explain failure instead of solutions.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

This is a practice that should end. For an afternoon game, players usually begin arriving at the park around 1:30. There should be a cut-off time of 1:00-1:30 for anyone wanting to use the field when there is a game that night.

 

I find this practice deplorable.

 

Is this not for games that start at 7:10? Players start showing up at 1:00?

 

How many teams in the league are practicing on their fields 4+ hours before gametime?

 

I think this is a non-story. I think the Cubs could find the type to practice is they wanted to, but like everything else, they look to excuses to explain failure instead of solutions.

 

For games starting at 7:00, players usually arrive between 2-3. On the other hand, I've seen players arrive as early as 1:00.

 

While regular BP likely doesn't begin until 4:30 or later, I can see how having corporate people on the field up until 3:30 could be disruptive. I'm not saying it's the cause or even a major factor, but it's something that shouldn't be allowed. If the team wants access to the field on game days, they should have it and not have to worry about a bunch of out of shape men having a hitting clinic.

[goonys evil twin]

While regular BP likely doesn't begin until 4:30 or later, I can see how having corporate people on the field up until 3:30 could be disruptive. I'm not saying it's the cause or even a major factor, but it's something that shouldn't be allowed. If the team wants access to the field on game days, they should have it and not have to worry about a bunch of out of shape men having a hitting clinic.

 

I guarantee if these guys weren't out there, nobody would be.

 

Again, just an excuse, not a reason. If they want to get in the work, they can.

[Bruce Miles]

This IS ia big issue. A lot of teams take early bp, which can start at 1. I get the to park at 2 in a lot of cities, and guys are out there working. It's 3 now, and there is a Cardinal working at shorstop. A little while ago, Juan Pierre was doing some on-field work.

 

Early BP is a fairly common occurrence.

 

All of this fan-clinic nonsense is costing the Cubs (and the other team) valuable time they could be using.

[Laura]

I think this is a non-story. I think the Cubs could find the type to practice is they wanted to, but like everything else, they look to excuses to explain failure instead of solutions.

 

It's not the Cubs making excuses. I'm sure the front office would prefer that this got no press whatsoever.

[goonys evil twin]

This IS ia big issue. A lot of teams take early bp, which can start at 1. I get the to park at 2 in a lot of cities, and guys are out there working. It's 3 now, and there is a Cardinal working at shorstop. A little while ago, Juan Pierre was doing some on-field work.

 

Early BP is a fairly common occurrence.

 

All of this fan-clinic nonsense is costing the Cubs (and the other team) valuable time they could be using.

 

Okay, so they have time to do something now, and only Pierre is doing work. We already know he works hard though. The opportunity doesn't seem to have inspired the rest of the team to do anything.

[goonys evil twin]

It's not the Cubs making excuses. I'm sure the front office would prefer that this got no press whatsoever.

 

I thought somebody quoted a coach about the issue.

 

 

 

$4 million Dusty Baker doesn't have enough pull to change the times of these things if he wants?

[Bruce Miles]

I think this is a non-story. I think the Cubs could find the type to practice is they wanted to, but like everything else, they look to excuses to explain failure instead of solutions.

 

It's not the Cubs making excuses. I'm sure the front office would prefer that this got no press whatsoever.

 

That's right, they'd like it to get no press. I'm sure the club rakes in a pretty penny for these groups to use the field.

 

The lead-in header I put on my note the other day was "Wag the dog." That's what we have here.

[goonys evil twin]

Alright, well maybe I'm wrong.

 

But why hasn't Andy, Jim or Dusty done anything about it? It's not like they couldn't do a clinic some other time.

[Jerry Mumphrey]

This type of thing just reminds me that Hendry isn't fully commited to winning. I always get the sense he values his professional relationships over the good of the team. If you can't afford to reserve the field for your own players to practice, how about finding someone who will coach for less than $4 million a year?

[Bruce Miles]

This IS ia big issue. A lot of teams take early bp, which can start at 1. I get the to park at 2 in a lot of cities, and guys are out there working. It's 3 now, and there is a Cardinal working at shorstop. A little while ago, Juan Pierre was doing some on-field work.

 

Early BP is a fairly common occurrence.

 

All of this fan-clinic nonsense is costing the Cubs (and the other team) valuable time they could be using.

 

Okay, so they have time to do something now, and only Pierre is doing work. We already know he works hard though. The opportunity doesn't seem to have inspired the rest of the team to do anything.

 

That's neither the point, nor is it true. The point is that there is no opportunity to do things. The truth is that there indeed are other guys on the field right now. I cited just one example. When fields are available, generall a lot of guys take advantage. Whether it does any good or not is another story.

[goonys evil twin]

That's neither the point, nor is it true. The point is that there is no opportunity to do things. The truth is that there indeed are other guys on the field right now. I cited just one example. When fields are available, generall a lot of guys take advantage. Whether it does any good or not is another story.

 

I've read so much about how teams don't do infield practice before games anymore, and how "extra hitting" usually takes place in the cages anyway, that I really don't know how much more the extra time would help the Cubs, let alone how many would take advantage.

 

I just hope this isn't the new focus of the offseason:

 

"We're going with the same guys, gonna be a little more aggressive, stretch a little more in the spring, and make sure the field is available 24/7 for practice."

[Laura]

I thought somebody quoted a coach about the issue.

 

 

 

$4 million Dusty Baker doesn't have enough pull to change the times of these things if he wants?

 

They (Speier and Dusty, IIRC) were asked about it after it became public knowledge. I couldn't find the old thread w/the original mention; you'd have to dig it up for the exact quotes and how they were asked, yadda yadda.

 

Dusty never takes accountability for anything ... but I doubt he's the guy selling on-field BP to businesses. This is a Trib / front office issue that's interfering with the Cubs playing baseball.

 

As for whether players would take advantage of the time if it were available -- like everything else, I'm sure some would and some would not. In my opinion, it's foolish to deny those who would like the extra time access to the field because some other player isn't going to use it. I also think this is more of an issue at Wrigley than it may be at most other parks because the in-house (off-field) batting facilities are so limited, meaning that you do need field access if you want meaningful practice time.

[daske17]

When did this practice even start? I can't find any mention of it on Cubs.com or anywhere else for that matter.

 

Secondly, is this money going directly to the Cubs organization or to Cubs Care? I know a lot of the non-game related, on-field opportunities for fans go to Cubs Care (which it should in my estimation since we're paying enough for tickets).

 

Regardless, if this is interfering with on-field play, it needs to go.

[goonys evil twin]

Dusty never takes accountability for anything ... but I doubt he's the guy selling on-field BP to businesses. This is a Trib / front office issue that's interfering with the Cubs playing baseball.

 

Yeah, I know that's "not his department". But my point is he should be able to go to the higher ups and demand the space. I feel like if this was an issue in NY, Joe would have no problem demanding the space. Same with Ozzie on the southside. Dusty's department is the field, and if another department is interfering, he's got to press the issue. Same goes with Hendry, and you would think, MacPhail.