Spring Has Sprung 2010

[thehawk]

Cue KE Photoshop of Amistad ship with a bunch of wretched relief pitchers puking on each other entitled "CARIDAD."

Actually don't.

I do not understand this Apex description at all

[Internet Apex]

Cue KE Photoshop of Amistad ship with a bunch of wretched relief pitchers puking on each other entitled "CARIDAD."

Actually don't.

I do not understand this Apex description at all

I don't either.

[Indolent Reader]

Cue KE Photoshop of Amistad ship with a bunch of wretched relief pitchers puking on each other entitled "CARIDAD."

Actually don't.

I do not understand this Apex description at all

I don't either.

"Am I the story of the Negro in America?"

[PenFoe]

I think this season will mirror 2005. I hope that's true because if it means the Bears will be good I can suffer through a semi-bad Cubs season. I'll just play more golf.

I thought the 2009 season mirrored 2005.

Look, the only season this one is going to mirror is 1908, okay?
If you can't be positive on March 5th, you suck.

Agreed.

I also agree - I do suck.

This sucks too.

Cubs reliever Angel Guzman saw a doctor Thursday and will not be ready to start the regular season, manager Lou Piniella said Friday, P.

Esmailin Caridad will be the right-handed set-up man for now, Piniella said.

Really, really sucks.

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune writes that right-hander Angel Guzman (shoulder) may be "cooked" for the 2010 season.
"It seems like the kid is jinxed," Cubs manager Lou Pinella said about the 28-year-old, who is also rehabbing from knee surgery. Guzman was scheduled to undergo an MRI on his sore right shoulder on Friday, but it's not clear if the results have been released. Guzman was expected to be a major cog in the Cubs' bullpen this season after posting a a 2.95 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 55 appearances last season.

[Pre]

Guzman was expected to be a major cog in the Cubs' bullpen this season except by everyone with half a brain and BC who expected him to be injured after posting a a 2.95 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 55 appearances last season.

DOOM'd

[Yeti]

Ryan Theriot is dumb

Ryan Theriot was in the minority. Theriot believes a Jumbotron could change the ballpark forever, adding extraneous noise, doughnut races and a "Kiss Cam."

"If you're going to do that, you might as well change the whole park and modernize everything," Theriot said. "The way it is now is the way it's been for years, and the way it's meant to be, so you might as well leave it the way it is. I know things change and times change, but from a historical standpoint, that Wrigley vibe, that feel ... a Jumbotron would change everything."

How dare the Cubs do something that would change everything! They might actually *gasp* win a world series if they change everything. BLEED GRIZZLY PINK

[MAD]

Just so all of the misguided romantic nitwits are clear, Wrigley Field as it "originally" was would have been indistinguishable from Wrigley Field in 1990, let alone today.  The sentiment that the "structural integrity" or the "charm" or the "history" needs to remain as it has always (falsely) been-- a notion harbored not only by the shut-ins at BCB but pretty much everywhere--needs to wither and die.  I used to care about jumbotrons, but I couldn't give a fuck anymore.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Just so all of the misguided romantic nitwits are clear, Wrigley Field as it "originally" was would have been indistinguishable from Wrigley Field in 1990, let alone today.  The sentiment that the "structural integrity" or the "charm" or the "history" needs to remain as it has always (falsely) been-- a notion harbored not only by the shut-ins at BCB but pretty much everywhere--needs to wither and die.  I used to care about jumbotrons, but I couldn't give a fuck anymore.

I want a Jumbotron. 

Jumbotron = more revenue = more / better players

Those who don't want Jumbotrons want the Cubs to have a competitive disadvantage.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

Just so all of the misguided romantic nitwits are clear, Wrigley Field as it "originally" was would have been indistinguishable from Wrigley Field in 1990, let alone today.  The sentiment that the "structural integrity" or the "charm" or the "history" needs to remain as it has always (falsely) been-- a notion harbored not only by the shut-ins at BCB but pretty much everywhere--needs to wither and die.  I used to care about jumbotrons, but I couldn't give a fuck anymore.

I want a Jumbotron. 

Jumbotron = more revenue = more / better players

Those who don't want Jumbotrons want the Cubs to have a competitive disadvantage.

Looks like we're back to the Cubs' wallets being "not Chuck's money" again.

Until further notice, I suppose.

[Pre]

Jumbotron = more revenue = which might result in more / better players

Those who don't want Jumbotrons want the Cubs to have a competitive disadvantage.

I don't get more, unless you expect them to use the money to add more minor league
teams, and even then I don't think the Cubs problem is a shortage in quantity of players.

I don't really like jumbotrons.  I find them annoying and distracting.  I also don't think one
would ruin Wrigley.  It wouldn't change a thing for me as far as attending/watching games,
but all things being equal I'd rather not have one.  It's the same thing as that green screen
behind home plate.  Aesthetically I'd rather it wasn't there.  But, I know it's worth a ton of
revenue and I'm not so egocentric to let it upset me it's there.

It's the Rickett's money/investment.  I don't expect them not to install a jumbotron because
I'm not a proponent on the whole thing.  But I also think it's naive at best to assume that
getting one would immediately result in a better team.  Spending the money they already
spend better would go a lot further than tossing some more money in the fire, and what's
to keep them from using that revenue to pay down debt or buy platinum tiarras instead of
adding to payroll?

Claiming that a jumbotron will automagically result in a better team and everyone against it is
anti-Cubs baseball is very political style thinking.  It's the polar opposite side of the issue as the
"it'll ruin the Wrigley Field Experience and history and society" camp.  There's plenty of space in
the middle for rational opinions.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Claiming that a jumbotron will automagically result in a better team and everyone against it is
anti-Cubs baseball is very political style thinking.  It's the polar opposite side of the issue as the
"it'll ruin the Wrigley Field Experience and history and society" camp.  There's plenty of space in
the middle for rational opinions.

Actually, there isn't.  Revenue is the name of the game.  It's why the Yankees have won so many titles.

The only way a Jumbotron is a negative is if it makes more people give up their seats due to "annoyance from change in aesthetics" than the screen brings in.

I won't categorically state that more revenues will bring in better players, but it's very clear the Cubs budget is currently frozen at $144 million right now.  The only way the Ricketts are going to sign off on more good players right now is to trade away expensive ones and use the savings.  Hell, they nixed Chan Ho Park, not because Park's not very good, but because they wouldn't sign off on a $1.2mm performance bonus.

If you want the Cubs to have the best opportunity to get better, you want to see them maximize the revenue.

In my book, even if that means Motorola Presents New Wrigley in Arlington Heights, so be it.

[Wheezer]

[Pre]

Actually, there isn't.  Revenue is the name of the game.  It's why the Yankees have won so many titles.

The only way a Jumbotron is a negative is if it makes more people give up their seats due to "annoyance from change in aesthetics" than the screen brings in.

Smartly applied revenue, sure.  While the money is a big part of the Yankees success, it's not all of it.
There's plenty of teams spending huge amounts of money (comparatively) and getting next to nothing
out of it.  You should preach this more than anyone on here with your Soriano hate.  It's
awesome to get another $20 million in payroll, but it's not so awesome if they use it to give Gary
Sheffield a 6 year/$134 million no-trade-clause deal.  The Mets sure as hell aren't getting anything
out of their top 3 payrolls.

If you want to look at this from a purely economics standpoint for the Cubs, those Wrigley Field
Experience (tm) fans that we all hate are legion, and they are also a lot more fickle then we are.
A major change like that does have the capacity to drive those douche bags away.  The Cubs
massive popularity sure as shit isn't because of a history of winning baseball.  If you want to
maximize the long term value of the Cubs franchise, you want to keep those fuck faces on the
bandwagon buying all kinds of Ron Santo memorabilia.  I know a jumbotron is worth big money
($30 mil a year was an estimate I heard), but those are things you have to balance.

That said, I'm just a Cubs fan.  If I had it my way the Rickets would spend $500 million a year in
payroll and they would spend $2.7 billion dollars to rebuild a perfect classic style field with
spotless abundant restrooms, $1 rum and cokes, and a gluten free diet.  And they would buy
out all those crabby old people out of Wrigleyville that bitch all the time, and burn down
The CubbyBear on principal.

They aren't going to do that, just like I'm not going to bid $200,000 for some CBOE auction
season tickets, spend $60 in concessions each game, buy an official batting practice hat and
Theriot jersey like they want me to.

I don't begrudge them a jumbo-tron, but I sure as hell don't want one.  If they introduced a
double platinum level for all the good games would you be super happy for more revenue?  If
they made you stand in a foyer and watch 3 minutes of commercials when you entered the
stadium would you be thrilled?  As much as we decry the Wrigley Field Experience (me all the
time), I would rather spend the day at the ballpark then most anywhere else.  And I'd like
that time to be as enjoyable as it can be and I don't believe the Cubs problems can be
solved with a marginal increase in revenue.

[CBStew]

   Thank you.

[JD]

Ryan Theriot is dumb

Ryan Theriot was in the minority. Theriot believes a Jumbotron could change the ballpark forever, adding extraneous noise, doughnut races and a "Kiss Cam."

"If you're going to do that, you might as well change the whole park and modernize everything," Theriot said. "The way it is now is the way it's been for years, and the way it's meant to be, so you might as well leave it the way it is. I know things change and times change, but from a historical standpoint, that Wrigley vibe, that feel ... a Jumbotron would change everything."

How dare the Cubs do something that would change everything! They might actually *gasp* win a world series if they change everything. BLEED GRIZZLY PINK

Whatshisname deleted it or something.  I was planning on rocking that thing every once in a while.