Cubs Update

Mark DeRosa of the Chicago Cubs was traded to the Cleveland Indians on New Years Eve for 3 minor league pitchers. Then the Cubs added Aaron Miles for a 2 year contract. He formerly played on the dreaded Cardinals Personally, I don't agree with the trade for a number of reasons. DeRosa is an extremely versatile player, a level headed and club house guy, a lucky #7, and a fan favorite among the ladies, because of his good looks.

But...

Baseball is a numbers game whether you look at the numbers as a bating average or salary. Mark DeRosa was going to make about $5 mil next year and they signed Miles to a much cheaper 2 year $4 mil contract. Maybe our economy is also hurting the Cubs and their payroll. Also, Miles had a .315 average last year with the hated Cards. Like DeRosa, he's also a versatile player and can play a few positions. Hopefully we're trading for a guy who plays like him, but just has a smaller salary. Maybe it will also regularly give little Mikey Fontenot a chance to play.

Although I absolutely do not like this trade, I have complete faith in Jim Hendry and know he has something else up his sleeve. Maybe he made this trade to make salary room for another big trade? Is he using the 3 minor league players as trade bait for Peavy? Milton Bradley? Who knows.

Only time will tell. As for now, I'm just sulking as how this was a sad end to 2008. I wish Mark DeRosa luck in the upcoming season and realize he will be reunited in Cleveland with another Cub favorite (and a pitcher who I grew up as a young girl watching ), Kerry Wood.

The Milton Bradley rumors:

I honestly don't know anything about Milton Bradley other than that he has a cool name and that he is a hot head...not someone the Cubs need in their club house. The Cubs need cool and collected players who are ready to wash away 100 years+ of misery...not someone who isn't level headed. From what I do know, he is a switch hitter. Something the Cubs absolutely need: a left handed bat. With the woes of Fukudome, the Cubs need a lefty with some pop to his bat and can also go yard.



Jason Marquis:

I think he is decent pitcher and an above average #5 pitcher.I think if his contract was smaller, he would be an above par pitcher to have in the rotation. Yet again, our slumping economy and the troubles of the Tribune company does not allow for his $10 mil contract. I've heard him in trade rumors for the Rox and Mets. The Rox want to trade Luis Vizcaino, the former W Sox, for Marquis. Although LV doesn't have good numbers with the Rox last year (1-2 5.29 ERA), he does have an 8-2 4.30 ERA with '07 Yankees.

The cold months of winter sometimes bring good news, other times bad news (like the trade of DeRo and loss of the free-agent Woody). As a die-hard Cub fan, I'm use to the worst of news and always optimistic for the future. If this Aaron Miles comes out and puts about DeRosa-esque stats, this will be a great signing and Hendry will yet again look like a genius and Mark DeRosa will be forgotten about forever. 'Till Spring all we can do is speculate about Hendry's decisions and for 100+ years again hope for a WS title.

Lou's consolation prize: Manager of the Year

Charlie Manuel got a World Series ring, and all Lou got was the this lousy NL Manager of the Year Award. This means nothing to me, you can take this award and shove it up Lou's ass for all I care. I want a ring.

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Sox and Cubs

I'd forgotten that this years Chicago doublentries into the baseball playoffs are both performing a tribute to the playoff performance of the 1983 White Sox. Love those key HR's given up, those bases loaded situations where nobody gets home, and players screaming @ the other team.

Both teams - no doubt about it -are facing tough opponents. But these performances? The Cubs have been worse, and are in a lot of danger now. No Cub hating here, as the Sox have suxxed as well - just a realization that a Chicago Series is sadly slipping into the gutter and both teams have been deeply pathetic. The Cubs are too good a team to be swept - or even not advance from the first round.

The Sox, after a stirring few days this week, still have a bit of life. One loss, when they wanted only one of two in Florida, is ok. They have @ least one game @ Comiskey on Sunday. And, maybe most importantly, they got Vasquez out of the way. The next three starters are Burlhe, Danks, and Floyd - and, if a fifth game is needed, then I believe it should be - i'm changing my vote - Richard the Rookie. Vasquez is a nice #5 starter, but we need better for this series.

Both teams need better. yeesh.

The Cubs Crew.

In Wrigley Field for the Cubs -v- Reds game on Tuesday nite. Jackson and Rocky and I were to meet in front of the Mac D.'s on Clark, but they'd already entered to reserve the seats. I was gonna see GF @ her werke, but time got the best of me and I had to go straight to 22d near the Chinatown El stop and El'd it to Wrigley. Again, I do so like riding the El from time to time.

Those fucks flew the coop - I was 5m late -so I decided to walk a little around wrigleyvilles alleys and discovered a funny thing - so many people rent out their garages for visiting fans that every alley has 6-7 very open garages. Smart $ makers w/ such a little effort.

Easil found the boys -we were in left field, near the curve in the wall. Pretty good game - the Cubs were obviously superior and had the upper hand the whole game. There were some great defensive plays on both sides. Aramis Ramirez in particular made several spectacular plays. I'd brought my radio -which - the Sox are so good this year and I have fallen into the obsession mode. So- yes I was watching the game in front of me, but on my transistor was the game that really mattered.

Oh - and up on the scoreboard. As I saw the Twins take a 5-2 lead on Boston @ Fenway (FINALLY the Twins were going on the road -and to Boston - the thinking went that the Sox mite pick up some games while playing K.C.). So -@ a certain point -the Sox were down 4-1 and the Twins leading byt ghat 5-2 score late. But it all worked out, @ least for this nite.

AH - but there was more than baseball this nite:

"He's working where??"

"Hey - I know the story of the first night they were to-gether"

"WHAT??"

"5000 hits!?!?!"

"So- compare this old girlf with this old girlf w/ this old girlfriend -which was the best?"

"Listen, listen -I got that story - listen"

etc etc etc...

The crowd around us was fine. Cub fans have a reputation as meatheads, but these ones were pretty mellow. We were heckling Adam Dunn, the Reds left fielder. I have the loudest voice of anyone that nite, but I didn't put in too much effort. I jabbled out a few warped Monty Pythonish bizarros, but it was mainly for my edification. Even I didn't get what I was yelling out.

Though the nite threatened rain -angry skies foto's by Rocky -whenever he flixx' them y'll see - it held off. I worked this day @ school, so I came in nice pants and tie to the game- and it was hot. Not opressively hot, but off the shirt. Was I mocked more for my shirtlessness or my Sox hat?

Dunno.

Rocky drop of Jaxx @ the Capital Ship, then me near 22d, and then we drove down to my crib so Rocky could crash over. But before we crashed...

Black Sox Faction

Many mite, but I have no real problem with the Sox only getting two All Stars this year despite being surprisingly having a top record. The team with the best record in baseball - Tampa - also has only two. And the Cubs? Seven. A bit of over kill, despite their best in the NL record.

Like I notioned above - I don't have a major problem with it. Every year there are many great choices to make the team. The fan vote and the rule that every team has to be repp'd severely tie in a roster set @ 32. It happens every year and makes for tough decisions and much arguments.

So- Carlos Quientin, near the AL lead in HR's and RBI's, deserves spot. He has slowed from his lightning start when he really carried the team early on - but he's consistently on base and driving in runs. Joe Crede? OK, that's kool. No way ever did I expect or even thnk to hope it. He also keyed the Sox beginning with a giant start to the season before slowing down, but remains playing well. 16 errors are uncharacteristic.

But there are more deserving elements of the team not in the game - well, not yet.

Jermaine Dye has similar numbers to Carlos Quentin - but the consistency!! He has not had a bad week - and the last three weeks he has been giant. And here is that ambivilence: I feel glad that even one or the other -in this case Quentin - got in - there were many other contenders. And the added cavet is that Dye can be still voted in by fans on the internet. I'm busy with that as I write this.

But the real loss is in the pitching. Three potential Sox All sStas and they are all batters. Jenks and Gavin Floyd had the best shots - but there other stoppers and starters as deserving. Shit -the AL Staff is loaded. And the most consistent Sox pitcher all season - Danks - only won 6 despite the low ERA. Tere is just no room for every deserving player. It's nice we got two and lets vote for another.

Although the Cubs may be a bit over represented -some years it just goes this way. Although Fukedome's spot is a gift, the other six all were well deserving.

The Black Sox Faction

To the suprise of no one

There was a feeling among Sox fans that they blew several games in Wrigley Field last weekend. The typical over reaction of the press - that's it for the Sox season - was, as usual, expected. But amongst the connected few, it was disappointing that the Sox didn't take five out of six this Crosstown Classic (last Sunday's loss the only one where they didn't seem in it). As tough as last weeks sweep was, it was good to see the team respond by winning five out of six and keep ahead of the division as Minnesota won 10 in a row and Detroit's on a 14-3 run. This division, seemingly taking the shape of last years NL Central, now has three legit playoff teams as well as Cleveland in the weeds.

But they are playing well. The hitting is, of course, the worrying spot. The road hitting has been terrible, and something needs to be done. And this season is especially the year of the Superior Home Squad. The Sox, who have played less @ home than any other team, get an extended run @ Comiskey Park ten game home stand. Here's hoping that this extended run will get them into the hitting mood which will carry over into the ir next road trip. Although pitching rules the post season, thye have to get there -as well as score runs to win then.

There is a lot of season to go. However, the pace that the Sox are on - 92 wins - seems incredible - for a team that hasn't even started playing well yet. Although we love our team and totally note that they are in first place - there is a massive bit of frustration about this team. Simply put- they are better than they have been playing this season- a lot better - and they need to kick it into gear.

Or else no post season.

Welcome to beautiful Crate & Barrel Park, home of the Cubs!

Sam Zell might be a brilliant real estate mogul, but he is no baseball guy. Thank god this soulless, spiritually bereft mother fucker is going to sell the team. Unfortunately, this cock sucker, "who only looks forward" ( you wonder if ever wipes his ass, since it is behind him) is going to sell the team and Wrigley Field separately. This robot of a man doesn't even understand that 'Wrigley Field' has more value when it is called Wrigley Field, than if it called (insert corporate name here) Park.

This of course would never happen in Boston, or in New York. Only in Chicago where that team on the southside replaced a decrepit, albeit beloved ballpark with a shopping mall. Where Da Bears put a fucking UFO inside a National Landmark and were so stupid that they didn't have the foresight to put in a dome. Finally, where the second oldest ballpark in all of America will be reduced to nothing more than another corporate sponsored advertising shell. And people wonder why they call this the second city. As far as our sports teams are concerned, they should call Chicago, Second Class city. Why can't they ever do anything first rate here, it really is depressing.

Check out Gene Wojciechowski's article on the same topic here.

Wait for it.

One thing not really being said about last years edition of the Cubs is that many of their hitters had sub par years last season. There were injuries and lack of support from their teammates to be sure, but the potential of the top three sluggers on the team was not fully met.

Soriano= Whether it was injuries or just getting used to the team,
Fonzy batted .299 and had 30 Hr's - very nice. His 70 rbi's were pretty good for a leadoff hitter, especially in the NL. However, 130 k's and a .337 oba leave a lot to be desired.

Derrick Lee= The potential Superstar of the lot had an off year. His .317 BA was great, but his 82 RBI and 22 Hr's in 587 at bats were way below his potential.

Aramias Ramirez= had the best year of these three. He hit .310 and had a .366 OBA. He also had 101 RBI's, a great total for 132 games played. But he has done, and was expected to do, better.

It was just enough to get this team over the poverty Brewers in the lame ass NL Central. Four losses instead of wins, and the Cubs would have been rite when I figgered they'd be = a .500 team. The rest of the division were all below .500.

Now, having written that, one mite think this is a Cub bash. It is not. The genisis of this coloum was my reflection on Lee's non production. Again, there were many factors involved, but it was way below his 'near' Triple Crown season. In a similar way, all three named players can do not just better - but much better.

And that's just it. Despite my mocking the NL Central, the Cubs should have been in the playoffs in '07. They did what they had to do to win the division. True, the sweep by Colorado was justified, but the regular season showed that they played like a team. They, to write the frase, deserved it. If these three - and new acquisition Fukedome - have better years in '08, the Cubs will obviously repeat in the division and may actually have a chance to make some noise in the NL as a whole.

And don't forget - The '06 Cardinals had won 83 games, yet won the World Sseries. The New England Patriots of the NFL were deemed unbeatable last month in the Super Bowl - but lost to the Giants. I state that the Cubs- if they get monster production from these players, production from the others, avoid injuries, and play as a team as they did last year - could even contend against the various frightening Monsters in the Al. Then again, look @ the '05 Red Sox, the '06 Sox, the '07 Tigers - Time is tite.

Spring training. 29. Feb. Anything can happen. I even think the Sox are looking tite. T'ever it is, lovely to hear'm on the radio again.

Fukudome comes to Chicago

Even with the questionable ownership issues, Jim Hendry and the Cubs filled a major hole by signing Fukudome from Japan. A great defender, solid left handed bat almost .400 on base percentage, this is a major upgrade for Lou and the Cubs. In fact, Sweet Lou is one of the reasons that supposedly Fukudome is coming to the North Side.

Last year the platooning of Murdoch, Floyd, etc left Cubs' fans wanting some stability in the outfield. This will definitely shore up that need.

Furthermore, coupled with the Sox losing out to the Giants for Aaron Rowand, it sticks it in the eye to the South Siders, who claimed to be in the running. Whether they were or not, I doubt, but so far Kenny Williams has two shortstops and trades his best player. But I digress, more on the Fukudome here.

Cubbage

Although they were the first team to clinch a division in the National League this year, The Cubs have been overlooked by most baseball fans gong into the playoffs. Hoever, they have just as much chance to advance to the World Series- and win it- as any other team. A lot of emphesis was put on their poor start, but they finish well, despite a slow finish.

First things first - the AL looks awesome this year. All four teams, despite flaws, seem likely to take it.

But like last year, the little underdog could win it all. In the baseball playoff, pitching takes on an otherworldly importance. Although they have their ups and downs, the Cubs seem to have as solid staff as anyone in the NL. Zambrano will respond big, and I look to him to have a great postseason. Lilly and Hill have had great years. Hopefully Marquis can respond. But those four starters should stand the Cubs well. I believe their starting pitching is better than Arizona's for the first round @ least.

And the offense is doing well. The big hitters have all had solid years, but below what they usually do. It's the lesser players, like De rosa and Jones, who will have to come up with key hits.

Anything can happen in baseball. It's why they play so many games in the regular season- it all averages out- hopefully. But sometimes things go askew-look @ last years 83 win Cardinals.

NLDS Preview: Cubs vs. D-Backs

Finally, the Cubs playoff opponent is set. The Cubs will open their quest to win their first World Series since 1908 at Chase Field against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks own the regular season series against the Cubs 4-2, even though the Cubs scored more runs and had a lower ERA during those six contests.

The DBacks have the best record in the National League, but I think are the ideal first round opponent. The Rockies and the Phillies are playing with so much confidence right now, I'm afraid they might be unstoppable. Thankfully, either the Rockies or Padres will have to play the red-hot Phillies and eliminate one another.

Fonzie hit very well in the World Series against the DBacks in 2003. The Cubs hitting is getting hot. The key will be Big Z. The last time the Cubs were in the playoffs he was a kid. Now, with Prior gone and Woody in the bullpen, Big Z is the man. If he can beat Brandon Webb and the Cubs steal the home field in the first game; I'm not worried about Lilly getting it done. Then its two chances to win one game at an electric Wrigley over the weekend. It is going to be bedlam on Clark and Addison next weekend. Let's hope it's to move on to the NLCS and erase the last 99 years of futility.

Bonnix Prediction: Cubs in 4.

Three's Company

I was afraid the Cubs would be lifeless in Miami. Two losses to the bottom feeding Marlins. The only solace is that LaRussa's team actually didn't roll over to the Brewers for a change. I want to believe that this is a done deal; with the Brewers having to play a Padre's team that is playing for their playoff life. Let's hope so. The difference between getting in the dance and getting left out is the difference between Lou being heralded as the Saviour or Lou being compared to Dusty in 2004.

I'm still counting on the Saviour to come through. The magic number is three. If the Cubs go .500 over the next four all Milwaukee has to do is lose one game to the Padre's. Sounds pretty easy, right?


You aren't worried, are you?

The Number 4

4 is a Square Number(2x2).
4 is a Centered Triangular Number.4 is a Tetrahedral Number.
4 is a Lucas Number.
4 is a Motzkin Number.
4 can be Partitioned in 5 ways.
4 is the smallest number of colors sufficient to color all planar maps.
4 is the maximal number of regions into which space can be divided by 2 Spheres.
The Tetrahedron is a Platonic Solid with 4 Vertices and 4 Faces.
The Chemical Element Beryllium has an atomic number of 4.
The 4 Elements: Fire, Air, Water and Earth.
In Humans: the four petals of the Base Chakra.

And most importantly, the Cubs Magic number is 4.
The Cubs need only win the next two series and they are in. Furthermore, if the Brewers lose any games, obviously the they need even less. I've been cautiioulsy skeptical about the Cubs making the offseason this year while other members of the DCS staff have been more confident. Well, it's safe to say the Cubs are in.

No one in the National League scares me except maybe the Mets. For the Cubs to make the World Series they will have to win every series being the underdog and not having home field advantage. That's ok with me, the Cubs have been a good road team.

It's time to get excited Cubs fans, we are in! No do you know anyone who has tickets?

Leave Big Z alone

Cub fans are booing their players again. Jaques Jones has been a target since last year, Sammy Sosa before him but the latest mark is stud pitcher/batter Carlos Zambrono. What a bizzare year he has had- from allowing White Sox to actually beat him and other losses the first 1/3 of the season, back to his usual dominating self for the next third, and now terrible again.

I wouldn't boo. No matter how bad he's doing rite now, he's still the teams dominant ace when he's on. He's way too important for the staff to go into too long a funk. The incident in his latest start shouldn't be too overblown-a bad game, yes, in the midst of a bunch of bad games- but he remains the best pitcher on a pretty good staff.

H has had this type of blow up before. From what I've noticed, he usually gets over his pout and performs well. My guess is that his next start will be a return to form. Cheer him, he probably's deserves it.

Mission Impossible?

With Ramirez now out, the Cubs are playing with only 1 legitimate big leaguer - Derek Lee. The triple A guys are great additions for giving the studs days off, but to maintain a push towards the playoffs with all of them will be impossible.

They are still in strong contention with Milwaukee all but giving them the division. The absence of power numbers is very difficult to figure out, but the bottom line is its not there and way too many LOB. During the July run, they were moving runners w/out hitting hr's.

Pie is still honestly a couple years away from being great, and Murton will never be better than he is now. I've got to give Jones credit, now that the trade pressure is off he is performing.

The rest of the season will have to continue to be like this. Desperately clinging to playoff hopes while hoping Fonzie comes back strong in Sept. Remember that all they have to do is make the playoffs and its a whole new ball game from there.

As I finish writing this the Cubs are up 10-1 on the Rockies and the scrubs pounding the ball while D. Lee is 0-3.

Pie coming back for some more pie!

There appears to be mass confusion over at Clark & Addison. Now Pie is back in the lineup. Let's hope that Cedeno is sent down so fast that he doesn't have time to pack!

Too Good to be True?

The 2007 Baseball season on the northside was lining up so well. It really looked like 'It's Gonna Happen'. There appeared to be a harmonic convergences in the air.

Weak Division- check
Cardinals having a down season - check
New manager - check
Biggest offseason free agent signing - check
More than you could have expected from Lilly and Marquis - check
Young callups playing great ball - check
Milwaukee fading - check
Big Z back to form - check

Cubs fans were even allowing themselves to get a little puffy-chested, and then BAM! Soriano is out for at least 2 weeks, more like four. I hate to say it, but this could be the beginning of the end for the 'Season of Destiny'. Let's hope not, but as a Cubs fan, I was getting a little uncomfortable feeling so comfortable.

I should have known better.

Cubs Notebook

It was a great day at Wrigley Field yesterday. I attended with two other members of the DCS writing staff and we were all anticipating Barry Lamar Bonds to play left field. Unfortunately , Barry decided to sit this one out. No matter, the game was great. Lou Piniella almost single handedly won the game for the Cubs. He called a pitchout in the 8th inning to gun down a suicide squeeze that would have led to a two run lead. He called a hit and run with Theriot on first with Derrick Lee at the plate. This all happened with two out and left the door wide open for Aramis Ramirez to hit the game winning two-run double.

Other Notes:

Soriano is extremely fan friendly. He plays to the crowd in left field bleachers constantly. If he wasn't playing so well, I might say he needs to pay more attention to the game. He did make two great catches in left field.

Ramirez is Mr. Clutch. He was clutch in 2003, clutch in 2004 when Derrick Lee was fading. Who cares that he didn't hustle last year when the Cubs were only winning 66 games.

The drunks in the bleachers make all Cubs fan look stupid. After Ramirez hit the eventual game winning two run double, the fools started throwing cups onto the field. First of all, garbage littering the field only makes sense when there is garbage being played on the field, not when the team in on the best 20 game run since 2001. What kind of behaviour is this? Stupid behaviour that's what it is. There were several knowledgeable Cubs fan around us that were as dumbfounded as we were.

This has the potential to be one of the more memorable summers ever on the North Side. Let's hopes the Cubs can keep it up.

Worlds of talents- Zilch of class

There's no question that the Cubs Mark Prior, when healthy, is one of the class pitchers in the game. Unless he was pitching against the Sox, I loved to watch him pitch. It truly is sad for him to have so much trouble with his health, especially with his talent. The same can be said of his older but junior partner, Kerry Wood. A third Cub pitcher of late, Greg Maddux, can be added to this working list.

Why them on the list? Is this another anti-Cub column masquerading as a positive Cub post? Well, maybe, but my stated point is this: Has one team ever had three bigger jagoffs than these three? It was really amusing to watch Prior jerseys sales go through the roof while that guy constantly presented such a negative vibe. No, Prior, yr not the best. No Prior, the reporter should be treated with class. No Prior, no matter how tall you are and however many wins you had in your one major league season, you shouldn't look down on people.

I understand that as a Sox fan, I've dealt with the surly-ass Albert Belle. And no matter how bad belle was, Barry Bonds is even worse- well, maybe. But all three of these guys never had any respect from me. Oh sure, Maddux is one of the great pitchers of the game, but do you really have to open up your smug mouth? Kerry Wood, do you really have to be so condesending (you are a Cub, after all)?

I hate to see these guys in pain. God Bless them all. I loved to watch prior pitch and even bat. But it will be nice not to have to have these fucks inflicted on us this season. All three are nightmares, and no matter how much talent one has, try and match it with class.

Goodbye to the Cubs (as we have newly gotten to know them these past twenty years)

Cub fans should be in a dizzy these days with all of the talk about the end of the old Wrigley Corporation Field on Chicago's North Side. Hell, I'm as big a Sox fan as we are made, and I'm hating the idea of the loss of yet another wonderful piece of baseball architecture being scrapped. For the city and for Cub fans (I think) it would be a great mistake to do away with Wrigley.

Chicago as a city is losing much of what makes us unique. Too many old buildings are being torn down and replaced by bland suburban-type condo architecture and parking lots. Any old suburb- or, a newish car-driven city like Los Angeles - would kill for the streetscapes that we routinely destroy each week. Marquette Park, the neighbourhood I grew up in, has lost enormous amounts of the 'walking city' along 63d street and Kedzie. Tall three and four story buildings, movie theatres, marble storefronts= all are missing from the historical neighbourhood I knew. Replacing the irreplaceable has been........................parking lots..............ug......... I feel a little cheated that my neices and nephews can't grow up in a real neighbourhood like I did, full of bricks and morter and interesting sights. Instead, the pull in Chicago is to destroy all neighbourhoods and replace them with parking lots.

Baseball as well has almost destroyed its heritage. This is the pentumulate season @ Yankees Stadium. We lost Tigers Stadium a few years back. Worst of all, Old Comisky Park, the Baseball Palace of the World, was taken from the city in 1990. And now, the most serious rumours about Wrigley I have ever heard. For me, I would hate to lose Wrigley, and there are many reasons.

During the last game @ Comisky Park a guy walked around the park with a sign saying "Babe Ruth Played Here" (one of my favourite baseball signs). Wrigley, although not having as glorious a past as Comiskey, has been a part of baseball for 90+ years. The memories are legion: the White Sox have played there in interleague play (the 1906 World Series was played before either of Chicago's historical parks were built), the famous 23-22 game v. the Phillies was played there, and many famous players have graced the field: Don Kessinger, Ron Santo, Steve Stone, Steve Trout, Bobby Howry--even Michael Jordan. To destroy this park would be to partly destroy these memories.

Wrigley is a great advertisement for Chicago. The ballpark itself is beautiful, but architecturally the real key to the stadium is the view OUTSIDE the park. Wonderful Chicago buildings across the street are on view for fans inside the stadium and on tv. The view from Wrigley in, say, 1979, was unique. Unfortunately, as this is a yuppie Cub area, a lot of what made the view unique is being destroyed. Instead of historic Chicago two and three flats, we're getting a bunch of "I'm a good friend of Daley" cinderblock condo wonders across the street. The old buildings that people lived in for decades are being replaced by cheap corporate buildings built expressly for their rooftops. Despite the endemic general unwashed of those who live in this neighbourhood, it's still an area with strong and interesting buildings. Enough of the view outside of Wrigley must be saved along with the stadium itself to keep its charm.

Sox fans tend to be smug with superiority, but the one thing that Cub fans have over Sox fans in the historical park. I loved old Comisky, the greatest ball park ever, but am less fond of New Comisky. The retrograde changes that have been made in the last few years have improved the park greatly, but it still isn't old Comisky. Cub fans still have the park that, in the absence of all the old destroyed parks is deemed "special" 'cause of its age. If the new Cubs management actually tears down the park and relocates the team in the suburbs, Cub fans will then be completely put on the same level as of Devil Rays fans: not lovable at all, just losers. Camden Yards, Jacobs Field, The Toronto Dome, even New Comisky before the last three years: none have kept the initial giant rush of fans coming to the game unless the team is doing well (New Comisky). Let three years pass, and if the Cubs have their typical team, New Wrigley will be having the same 15-20,000 these other parks have in lean years. No matter what kind of wonderful new park they build, it won't be Sportsmans, Ebbets, Comisky, or Old Wrigley: it'll just be a new place that, no matter how many comical ways the home team will continue to lose, Babe Ruth never played in. Plus, it'll have that most ultra of embarrassing situations: during Cub games, thery'll be Cub fans there. Ha ha.