Snowmaggedon! Snow-a-palooza. The Pitchfork Snow Festival. (Wha…?) It’s snowing as I type this. I point this out because, as some point this spring, all you loyal VFTBers are going to be studying for your off-season finals by going back through all my “In the News” segments and laughing at how freaked out we all were about this snow. (What, you didn’t know you’d be graded on this stuff? We’re not kiddin’ around here.) Anyway, without further meteorological adieu, let’s get to some Cubs-related news items* from the past few days:
The old ivy-covered mare ain’t what she used to be. Yes, the Ricketts are making good on their promise to rehab, redo and otherwise refurbish Wrigley Field. This blogpost by Bruce Levine, whom I’m feeling a little better about lately, details some of their many efforts. Of particular note is the “Executive Suite” being built down the left field line that will enable fans to buy season tickets at a cost of $300 per game. Membership brings, among other perks, food, drinks and (gasp!) parking. The total cost is pretty steep but may be a feasible option for small to midsize companies looking to entertain clients and employees.
The Saga of Spring Training is not yet over. Yeah, yeah – Mesa won and all that. But a whole new battle has erupted over how the Cubs’ new, megafantastic spring training facility will be paid for. I’m not going to lie here, folks: I’m having a hard time following the tax- and finance-related intricacies of this story – mainly because, as mentioned, I don’t attend spring training games. If you’re interested in a reading a very detailed discussion of the matter by several parties “in the know,” check out Al Yellon’s BCB post from yesterday.
Read this profile of Ryan Dempster and his family. As many Cubs fans know, Demp has faced an enormous personal challenge over the past year or so. This New York Times piece from last week details Ryan and his wife’s battle against the condition, DiGeorge Syndrome, afflicting their baby daughter, Riley.
The Brewers want to honor Bud Selig…with a statue. This may sound like a headline from The Onion, but it’s true. And I don’t get it. Should a major league team really honor a sitting commissioner in this manner? Shouldn’t they at least wait for Selig to retire? I know he used to be their owner and still lives in the Milwaukee area, but geez. This is a really odd story.
Class of ‘05 update: Remember Scott McClain? Yeah, me neither. Nonetheless, this slugging 1B/3B-type dude played 13 games for the 2005 Cubs before moving on to the Giants and then…Japan. Think of him as the Jake Fox of his day. Well, this charming local piece lets us know that the Cubs have re-signed him to a minor league deal so he can compete with the 2,083 other guys trying to make the team’s bench.
Class of ‘04 update: Remember Moises Alou? Of course you do! And, yeah, I realize he played for the Cubs in ‘02 and ‘03, too. But I always equate with him with that enormously frustrating 2004 season in which Moises put up an outstanding .919 OPS and the Cubs faded down the stretch like that pair of jeans I’ve been wearing for the last five years. In any case, check out this look at what he’s up to these days – GMing for the Dominican Republic’s Leones del Escogido. Can’t imagine he makes too many handshake deals. (<–Let me know if you get this joke.)
The new USA Today Team Report is out! The new USA Today Team Report is out! Tie up your loose ends here – taking special note that Carlos Zambrano is already in Arizona working out (crikey!) and David “‘09 Rule 5 dude-man” Patton will probably start the season in AA.
Single-game Cubs tickets go on sale February 19. See you in the Virtual Waiting Room. Don’t drink the coffee and keep your hands off my favorite copy of the Oct. ‘07 Popular Mechanics.
*Bolded phrases leading off each paragraph are hyperlinks.
Let me take a guess on the Mesa Wrigley West developement deal. The city of Mesa is going to take private property from one citizen and give it to another private citizen in order to increase tax dollars for the city of Mesa all while passing on the bill for the development to all the other private citizen's. Leaving the Cubs and the City of Mesa the big winners in an abomination of eminent domain. An obvious abuse of eminent domain brought to you by a confused Supreme Court in the Kelo decision.
Moises only soiled his own hands during the first few weeks of spring training so depending on the season he may be able to make some deals but he certainly has a handicap for a GM not to shake hands during spring training.
What I understood while in Mesa week before last was that a proposal to add a tax to ALL Phoenix area spring training tickets in order to build a new park for the Cubs was not receiving wide support among the other clubs. Wonder why?
I think I remember that Bud transferred ownership of the Brewers to a Daughter(?), So building a statue of her daddy makes some sense. Wasn't he a used car salesman?
Helpful hint of the day. If you are stung by a jellyfish, pee on it to soothe the sting. Moises may just have a salt water aquarium at home.
Let the Brew Crew build a statue for that old fart. He did after all bring baseball back to the city after the Bravos left. Plus he's going to retire in 2012. I wish he would have hacked off at the end of 2009 like he originally said he would, then Dubya could become commish. Or he could have backed off in 1994, Dubya would become commish then, wouldn't run for governor of Texas, steal the 2000 election, and drive this country into the ground
Let me take a guess on the Mesa Wrigley West developement deal. The city of Mesa is going to take private property from one citizen and give it to another private citizen in order to increase tax dollars for the city of Mesa all while passing on the bill for the development to all the other private citizen's. Leaving the Cubs and the City of Mesa the big winners in an abomination of eminent domain. An obvious abuse of eminent domain brought to you by a confused Supreme Court in the Kelo decision.
Moises only soiled his own hands during the first few weeks of spring training so depending on the season he may be able to make some deals but he certainly has a handicap for a GM not to shake hands during spring training.
Seymore, you never knew about the jellyfish remedy?
Ah, I was not aware of that caveat in Moises' skin-toughening regimen.
Ah, I was not aware of that caveat in Moises' skin-toughening regimen.
I think Moises kept the jellyfish around for good luck. One thing led to another and…a punchline was born.
Buffalo meat being served at Wrigley? Hmmm…I might have to consider it. I don't eat beef, maybe this will fill the void
Let the Brew Crew build a statue for that old fart. He did after all bring baseball back to the city after the Bravos left. Plus he's going to retire in 2012. I wish he would have hacked off at the end of 2009 like he originally said he would, then Dubya could become commish. Or he could have backed off in 1994, Dubya would become commish then, wouldn't run for governor of Texas, steal the 2000 election, and drive this country into the ground
And I knew about Alou taking a whiz on his hands. My friend who is a Mets fan knew about it too and referred to him as piss hands
This is to test a comment as a guest
Testing to see if my first test receives a notification on this comment being posted
Testing 1,2,3
Nope, still no email notices
Testing 1,2,3- what am I testing?
How come these clubs can pay ballplayers $15M a year but have to have other people pay for there stadiums? I wonder if I can get my patrons or competitors patrons to pay for a new facility for me? Anything is possible if you have the lawmakers in your pocket.
We were testing to see if email responses would come, because I set it up to get notices, but I am not getting them
I believe the testing is 1 or 2, not 1, 2 or 3.
Joe,
Why am I having to retype in my name and email. In the past it was saved?
Buffalo meat being served at Wrigley? Hmmm…I might have to consider it. I don't eat beef, maybe this will fill the void
Jerry Reinsdorf is a hypocrite for complaining about public money being used to build stadiums. He got his spring training complex built with public money and he threatened to move the White Sox to Tampa unless the state built him a new stadium. They should have said to hell with you, move them to Tampa. And I still hate Reinsdorf for destroying the Bulls dynasty. When he dies, I am going to go to the first Bulls home game after his death and boo loudly during the moment of silence for him
Hmmmmm … a new look, and a new avatar for Seymour. I don't know that I've ever given a Lizzie to an icon but this one might deserve one. P.S. Nice news bites Daver … a hearty handshake for your Alou reference.
Hmmmmm … a new look, and a new avatar for Seymour. I don't know that I've ever given a Lizzie to an icon but this one might deserve one. P.S. Nice news bites Daver … a hearty handshake for your Alou reference.
Yeah, I guess Bud is headed for retirement. I still find it questionable to put up the statue now while he's still in office, but hey. I'm thinkin' the whole thing is going to pay off big-time in a lot of hilarious pics of various fans flipping off, mooning and doing other various and sundry things to Bud's bronzed image.
So you won't eat a cow but you'll eat a buffalo? Speaking as a former vegetarian, I find this intriguing.
My reason for not eating beef has nothing to do with animal rights. I used to eat beef, I gave it up like 6 months ago because I don't like it anymore. The flavor is in the fat and when I cook meat, I like running off all the fat. What was your reason for being vegetarian and why did you add meat to your diet?
Thanks for noticing the Avitar, Lizzie. You can't believe the grief I caught for shooting that pic. It resulted in a major fine at kangaroo court.
And to Terrelle, the name is what I thought was an obvious play on the childhood joke where the book "under the bleachers" was written by Seymour Butts. I admit to being (at times) an arrested adolescent, so It seemed a natural given the name of Joe's blog.
And Joe, I had to retype my info in below again, what gives?
Seymour,
It's a new commenting system we're using because of spam issues. You may need to do that. I think you can sign up at intensedebate.com and maybe it will let you sign in using that login and keep you signed it. Not sure. It keeps me signed in as the admin of the blog.
Yeah, I guess Bud is headed for retirement. I still find it questionable to put up the statue now while he's still in office, but hey. I'm thinkin' the whole thing is going to pay off big-time in a lot of hilarious pics of various fans flipping off, mooning and doing other various and sundry things to Bud's bronzed image.
Yeah, I guess Bud is headed for retirement. I still find it questionable to put up the statue now while he's still in office, but hey. I'm thinkin' the whole thing is going to pay off big-time in a lot of hilarious pics of various fans flipping off, mooning and doing other various and sundry things to Bud's bronzed image.
So you won't eat a cow but you'll eat a buffalo? Speaking as a former vegetarian, I find this intriguing.
Yeah, Reinsdorf is catching a lot of hell for making those comments.
Thanks, Lizzie!
comments are bonked…double post-ville
FWIW, buffalo is delicious…very lean, so anything over medium will dry it out to rice cake consistency.
My reason for not eating beef has nothing to do with animal rights. I used to eat beef, I gave it up like 6 months ago because I don't like it anymore. The flavor is in the fat and when I cook meat, I like running off all the fat. What was your reason for being vegetarian and why did you add meat to your diet?
My reason for not eating beef has nothing to do with animal rights. I used to eat beef, I gave it up like 6 months ago because I don't like it anymore. The flavor is in the fat and when I cook meat, I like running off all the fat. What was your reason for being vegetarian and why did you add meat to your diet?
Reinsdorf is nothing but a crony. He would fit right in with Chicago's machine politics. He and Selig were behind the collusion in the 80s, he and Selig caused the 94 strike, and he let Jerry Krause destroy the Bulls dynasty. I will NEVER forgive him for that.
Reinsdorf is nothing but a crony. He would fit right in with Chicago's machine politics. He and Selig were behind the collusion in the 80s, he and Selig caused the 94 strike, and he let Jerry Krause destroy the Bulls dynasty. I will NEVER forgive him for that.
EVER
Thanks for noticing the Avitar, Lizzie. You can't believe the grief I caught for shooting that pic. It resulted in a major fine at kangaroo court.
And to Terrelle, the name is what I thought was an obvious play on the childhood joke where the book "under the bleachers" was written by Seymour Butts. I admit to being (at times) an arrested adolescent, so It seemed a natural given the name of Joe's blog.
And Joe, I had to retype my info in below again, what gives?
Seymour,
It's a new commenting system we're using because of spam issues. You may need to do that. I think you can sign up at intensedebate.com and maybe it will let you sign in using that login and keep you signed it. Not sure. It keeps me signed in as the admin of the blog.
Seymour,
It's a new commenting system we're using because of spam issues. You may need to do that. I think you can sign up at intensedebate.com and maybe it will let you sign in using that login and keep you signed it. Not sure. It keeps me signed in as the admin of the blog.
Progress.
I never knew about that book. Never heard of it
I was a vegetarian for about six years during and after college. My reasons were probably pretty typical of a 20-something college student: I didn't want to eat dead things and especially dead things that were often very cruelly raised and slaughtered. Not eating meat was cheaper, too. After a while, my idealism kind of wore off and I just found myself really wanting to eat meat – so eventually I caved.
I was a vegetarian for about six years during and after college. My reasons were probably pretty typical of a 20-something college student: I didn't want to eat dead things and especially dead things that were often very cruelly raised and slaughtered. Not eating meat was cheaper, too. After a while, my idealism kind of wore off and I just found myself really wanting to eat meat – so eventually I caved.
Wait, so that's really your ass?
More correctly, that is my plumbers crack. Not an altogether picayune distinction.
LOL. I assumed it was just some random Internet pic.
Even funnier now!
Hahaha….I love it
How so?
Testing. Can someone respond to this with a test?
Yes I can
I should have put this under reply to your response to me about why I need to keep retyping my info in below. You will have to excuse my technological ludditism, I need to see a few examples to figured things out. The grey boxes took me weeks, and where are they now? So the progress comment was about the costs of the marked improvements your have made to the site, which are great, but require some learning curve on my part.