RedIvyCub

YAY, someone gets what they are trying to do to the exterior. Remove those huge ugly concrete slabs and replace that garrish chain link fencing with decorative iron. If you look at old pictures of Wrigley, you will see where they are going with this idea. It will look so much better. Do they have old photos of the stadium through the years on the walls of the executive offices? I ask because I can't think of better wall fixtures than old photos through the years. My local bank has pictures on their walls of photos of the early days of the actual spot where the bank currently sits. It's pretty cool to see how areas develop over time, not to mention rather historic. They used to have some photos from the 60s through the 80s. There were also a few really old ones. Sadly, McD stripped the hallways of those historical photos to put up flashy current photos of players and parts of the park. Just wiped the history away...guess he thought it would make the team win a WS and he could be the King of Chicago.

YAY, someone gets what they are trying to do to the exterior. Remove those huge ugly concrete slabs and replace that garrish chain link fencing with decorative iron. If you look at old pictures of Wrigley, you will see where they are going with this idea. It will look so much better. They used to have some photos from the 60s through the 80s. There were also a few really old ones. Sadly, McD stripped the hallways of those historical photos to put up flashy current photos of players and parts of the park. Do they have old photos of the stadium through the years on the walls of the executive offices? I ask because I can't think of better wall fixtures than old photos through the years. My local bank has pictures on their walls of photos of the early days of the actual spot where the bank currently sits. It's pretty cool to see how areas develop over time, not to mention rather historic.

Unless you're bidding to buy the Cubs, I'm pretty sure none of us are going to see or find out what's in the book. You are correct...those books are not for public display. And I would have to disagree that the Cubs made all sorts of money for Tribune. I know better.

Just for clarification: Scenario 1: Club, Wrigley Field, 1/4 Comcast Scenario 2: Club, 1/4 Comcast Scenario 3: Club Sorry but the 25% interest in CSN must be sold with the club or it will then only be a 12.5% interest with the Sox, Bulls and Hawks splitting the other 12.5% interest in the network. That is how the contract is written. Not sure that someone would want to buy just 1/8th of CSN having very little leverage considering that Reinsdorf owns two of the teams involved.

YAY, someone gets what they are trying to do to the exterior. Remove those huge ugly concrete slabs and replace that garrish chain link fencing with decorative iron. If you look at old pictures of Wrigley, you will see where they are going with this idea. It will look so much better.

Incorrect...every member of the Cubs front office works at Wrigley Field (outside of scouts of course). Not sure where you were getting that the luxury seating would be at the expense of the team offices which desperately need a major overhaul. There is a reason that the Cubs front office is the smallest by far in baseball and that is because they lack the space to expand the staff as part of the reason. The team offices face the outside of the park (hence all the windows above the main entrance to the park) with portions under the main ramps in the back of the seating areas of the grandstand so those would have to be some awfully darn big luxury seats.

I wouldn't...he's a ballplayer.

First off, unlike the NFL, MLB blackout rules have zero to do with whether or not the game is a sellout. It is all based upon who's market you are in. For example, I am in the market for Cubs, Sox, Reds and Tigers. Any of these teams will be blacked out of me on Wednesday night ESPN as that is how the contract is written. ESPN agrees to blackout the games in their home markets so that local will watch on their local RSN. Here is our problem (yes, I am blacked out as well), WCIU is only broadcast in the Chicagoland area and anyone outside of that area will not see the game. This is why you do not see WGN broadcast a Wednesday night game as well because it would then be on the Superstation for all to see. This is an agreement between ESPN and the local broadcasters put in place years ago. Actually when it started, you could not watch out of market games on the MLB EI package either. Only your local game or the ESPN game. That has sense been changed. There is one option for me but I refuse to do it because the picture is horrible and snowy. I could watch the game on a local station called WMYS which carries Cubs, Sox, Bulls games from WCIU. It is not carried on local cable systems here in North Central Indiana and to really be able to see it, you need a digital receiver. Bottom line, not worth my effort to see if Cuban makes a fool of himself tonight. I am sure that will show up somewhere on TV if he does.

Bingo bango. If that happens, don't expect them to pony up. Why isn't the Tribune company asking Wrigley to pay right now? Because they've got little to no leverage in that negotiation. They can ask, but Wrigley has no reason to pay up unless they think there's a legit chance they will change the name and that will somehow hurt the brand. The Mets didn't name the new park Citi Field and then ask Citigroup to pay for the publicity after the fact. The Tribune never wanted to mess with a good thing I guess. Because the park is named for a person and not the Wrigley Company.

Commissioner Selig does not make the schedule...Katy Feeney deals with schedules. MLB contracts a company which actually puts it together. Last I knew, the company they were working with was out of Pittsburgh. They got the contract about four or five years ago over a company they had been using for years. Yes, know you were kidding about playing the Pirates the rest of the season but just wanted to get the facts out there.

Agreed. It would 2010 at the earliest, for the Cubs to have a new Gm. All depends upon who the new owner is. He could have his own guy all picked out to be the new GM of the Cubs. Remember, baseball is the last bastion of the good old boys network. Otherwise Kim Ng would have been named GM a long time ago. She is one sharp lady.

Wouldn't know...not a Cub employee. I wasn't happy when the Cubs hired Lou as I preferred Girardi. Now I could eat my words on the Girardi thing at some point but we shall see. But I am still waiting for the game where the Cubs forfeit because Lou has run out of players. It will happen yet.

Close but no cigar. And unless you are actually willing to pony up to stay at the team's hotel, don't bother going down there. Security is getting stricter and they will remove you from their property without proof that you are staying at the hotel.

Thought this was an interesting story and wondered if baseball in general would move in this direction. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers8apr08,0,6417872.column I was at Dodger Stadium in 01 with horrificly crappy seats in the third deck and they would not let us down to the lower levels even to just look around. So this isn't anything new. Same rule has applied at the Cell since the Ligue incident.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lohseky01.shtml He's basically the Cards version of Jason Marquis. Need proof: http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/scomp2.cgi?I=lohseky01:Kyle+Lohse&st=career The difference, the Cubs.........wayyyyyyyyyyyyy OVERPAY for Marquis a former Cards, and the Cards paid just what for the former Cubs. Well they had to replace Marquis athletic abilities minus the attitude and the mouth SOMEHOW. :P

Suspect you won't be giggling at the Royals expense much longer. Nice group of young players who are learning to play together under the tutelage of couple of ex Cub veterans who aren't so bad themselves. I really like their new manager...but anyone is easier to like than Lou (yeah, even Ozzie). LOL David Glass has loosened to purse strings so let's just wait and see what happens. Besides, KC franchise has won a WS in most of our lifetimes unlike our beloved Cubs. =;

Does he realize he lives in Chicago? Also, the Cubs are going to have only 79 home games that season because of the 2 @ US Cellular. The who concept sucks. Lets hope it never happens. Where do you get the idea that the Cubs are only getting 79 home games because of the 2 @ US Cellular Field? All teams have 81 home games or is there something I am missing here??

Actually technically it falls on the Cubs to make that decision since they pay the Superstation tax. The less games they have on WGN, then the less Superstation tax they pay. So I would assume that WCIU games would make sense to all of you now since they do not have to pay tax on those games. I can say that ten years ago, the Superstation tax was under $10 Million to televise all the games on WGN. I am certain it is much higher now. However, WGN is correct on its assessment of the Bulls. I remember that mess when the Bulls were good and the NBA was going to pull all games off of the Superstation. The deal became that they were allowed 15 games. It is all due to how the markets are set up etc and NBA felt that the Superstation gave the Bulls an unfair advantage...believe it was similar with the Atlanta Hawks at the time as well. TBS and the Hawks just didn't squawk as loud as Jerry and the Bulls did. Sadly, I suspect sporting events are the most successful programs on the Supersation next to possibly the news. Would have to agree with Zell on the quality of Superstation programming...it's crap.

WGN cannot get the games back on the Superstation due to MLB rules limiting the number of games that a station like that can carry. Plus, having to pay the Cubs for the loss of the cable rights+naming rights would make it way too expensive for WGN even if it was allowed. MLB has no control over how many games are on WGN. The Cubs have reduced the number of games on WGN because of the Superstation tax. The only other team now which pays this tax is the Sox since TBS is no longer the flagshop station of the Atlanta Braves. The amount due each season is based on the number of games on WGN since they do show the games on the Superstation as well as the local only feed. Putting all of the games back on WGN would be quite pricey...yes, in the multimillions and is already in the millions as is. Besides, with the comments that Zell has made about the Superstation and it's programming (comments not fit for a family type board), I would bet within five years there won't be Cubs games on Superstation WGN...only the local feed. This mind you having nothing to do with the tax but what Zell thinks of the quality of programming.

Craig Kenney is the head of the Cubs business operations. He and Hendry are the two heads of the club right now, with Kenney handling the business side and Hendry handling the baseball side. Crane Kenney is the Chairman of the Cubs/Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Tribune. The Executive VP of Business Operation and #2 in charge is Mark McGuire. Bottom line...Kenney is not running the business side of things because he hasn't been in the business long enough to understand it all. He is a figurehead and McGuire who has been with the Cubs since Tribune purchased the ballclub runs these matters.

Just got an update as to WHY RF is flooded....the pipes in the drainage system are frozen.

Okay, so the Cubs put in a new field with a wonderful new drainage system last fall. So can someone tell me why RF is flooded this morning?

And many just couldn't wait for any individual to buy the Cubs from the evil corporation. Actually, the only video I saw was when he was talking to employees and muttered under his breath more or less. I didn't see one at a major press conference. Makes you realize the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence and the old Tribune guard doesn't seem so bad right now. They respected the history of this franchise and the ballpark.

Nope, blame your Pal John McDonough (and his lacky Jay Blunk) for the UA signs in the outfield. Knew as soon as MacPhail was gone and no longer there to stop him that something would go on those outfield doors. Was chomping at the bit as many as five years ago wanting to put Nike swooshes on the outfield doors and was shut down. bitter much? Nope, just honest.

JMHO, you have been fleeced.