Hawk in the Hall
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sometimes, eight years are too much. Today, an interminable wait has ended for one of the greatest Cubs of all times. Andre Dawson, HOF.
His Cubby career only spanned six years, but it was marked by the almost unbelievable story of a free agent wanting to come to Chicago so badly, he signed a blank contract and single-handedly proved collusion among MLB owners during the 1986-1987 offseason. And how did he reward the club who he forced to take him on for half a million? How about 47 homers and an MVP season from a player on a last place club.
The legend of The Hawk is well chronicled elsewhere (Here and here for instance), so I won't go into tons of detail, but there really shouldn't have been any doubt about the Hawk, and his election was postponed by years because of the explosion in offensive stats brought about by the steroid era.
So let's ask ourselves this question: Is there any chance that Andre Dawson was 'enhanced' during his career? Sorry, I couldn't pass up the chance for such a ridiculous joke.
The easy answer is no. Hawk was as clean as they come, like his teammates Ryno and Maddog (both current/future HOFers), the late '80s/early '90s Cubs teams were full of guys that parents could feel 100% comfortable letting their kids idolize. With a few exceptions, Andre Dawson was the definition of a classy sportsman, and he was a terrific player. I'm thrilled he'll be going into Cooperstown this summer, and maybe I'll finally make it out there!
Posted by Byron at 3:42 PM
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Meet Ryan Dempster at D'Agostino's tonight
Thursday, December 17, 2009
There's a special opportunity to meet Ryan Dempster at D'Agostino's Pizza in Wrigleyville tonight. Dempster, along with the good folks at MyWrigleyville.com are hosting a fundraiser for Dempster's Family Foundation.
The Ryan and Jenny Dempster Foundation is dedicated to helping people who suffer from DiGeorge's syndrome. (You may recall the stories from early this summer where Demp's newborn daughter was diagnosed with the disease.) It takes place at D'Agostino's tonight (December 17) from 6-9 pm.
For full details, check out the MyWrigleyville page, where you can buy tickets.
Posted by Byron at 9:32 AM
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This is Really!!?? with Byron
Friday, November 27, 2009
Jon Grabow, 2 years, $7.5 million. Really??!!
I used to think that being a 3rd string NFL quarterback would be pretty sweet. I mean, how many 3rd string QBs actually see playing time, but pretty much every team but the Bears has had their third stringer for something like 6 years. Job stability, decent salary, light workload, half the season off, and telling random women that you're an NFL quarterback. What could be better?
Well, I guess there's left handed Major League relievers. In this offseason's version of, "Jim Hendry, Really??!!" the Cubs GM has handed out a 2 year deal for $7.5 million to Jon Grabow. Jon's primary positive characteristic is that he throws the ball with his left hand. He's not that great, but apparently not that great still lands you $3.25 million/year... and unlike the NFL, you really can play until you're 45.
Other than Grabow, the Cubs have been pretty silent on the Free Agent market so far this winter. The major news, which isn't really news, is that Hendry is trying to find a sucker to take Milton Bradley off our hands. (Milton was last year's version of "Jim Hendry, Really??!!") And if we're comparing Milton's 3 year $30 million deal to Jon Grabow's 2 year, $7.5 mm, I'd say the Ricketts family is already having a positive impact on the club.
Posted by Byron at 1:46 PM
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Cubs sold to Ricketts, finally!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Sam Zell era is over. It was horrible, but not. You see, short term thinking kills franchises. Franchises of any sport are built with steady hands thinking long term. For every 1997 Florida Marlins World Series title (purchased and disassembled within 2 years), are dozens of franchises with lost decades due to stupid short term moves. Think Kevin Brown's Dodgers, Albert Belle's Orioles, Mike Hampton's Rockies... or Alfonso Soriano's Cubs.
For years, the Dodgers, Orioles, and Rockies were hampered by enormous contracts given to players who never produced, or didn't produce well enough to justify what happened to the rest of the roster. In the last few years, the Cubs have made disastrous signing after disastrous signing. They've ballooned their payroll while never quite assembling a championship caliber team... and all of this was designed to create "instant value" so Sam Zell could sell my baseball team for more money.
As I've pointed out before, the Cubs selling for $845 million dollars helps no one but Sam Zell, and the Tribune Company's creditors. It certainly doesn't help the Ricketts family as they have over $400 million in debt to pay off at some point, and it doesn't help me afford tickets, beer, or Cubs jerseys from the Cubs store. Instead, the Cubs need to make about $30 million every year just to pay the banks. That's $30 million that could have been spent on A-Rod, or better yet, Hanley Ramirez... or that's $30 million less the Cubs would need from ticket revenue, beer proceeds, and jersey sales.
Anyhow, now that the Ricketts sale is official, it's a new era for the Cubs, and we're left hoping the four Ricketts kids are good owners. No one knows. Don't listen to the media folks who want to get in good with the new owners, don't listen to the bashers, just observe. See how they handle the front office, how they operate the park, whether they move forward with the Triangle building, and how they treat their neighbors. If these Ricketts kids get it, it will become apparent within a year or two. If they don't I guess I'd better get crackin on making about $5 billion so I can pry the team from their hands at some point!
Posted by Byron at 6:28 PM
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MLB Approves Cubs Sale
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The next to last hurdle in the Cubs sale process has just been cleared. The MLB Owners unanimously approved the sale of the Cubs to the Ricketts family. Linky Link
Since I think Sam Zell has been an atrocious owner (worse than the other TribCo suits that preceded him), I'm thrilled to see Tom Ricketts one step closer. The only big step left is the writing of checks and the turning over of keys.
I'll close with an off-the wall idea. MLB Owners should be required to leave a security deposit with their fan bases. I'm not sure on the details, but it should be something like 20% of the purchase price of the franchise. After 10 years, the fan base should then be allowed to vote on whether the owners can stay or must go (we're looking at you Peter Angelos!) If the owners do a really crappy job, the security deposit should be retained and refunded to people who bought tickets. Something like that.
Here's to a few World Series Titles. Good luck, Tom.
Posted by Byron at 4:09 PM
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'Dem Cubbies - Dey're done
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Stick a fork in 'em.
The math is in, and the Cubs are out. Yet another season (#101) comes to an end without a World Series title, and even though it's been a mathematical improbability for about a month, tonight's Rockies win makes it impossible for the Cubs to reach the post-season.
However, like the good Cubs fan I am, there's still a few reasons to stay positive. First, we have a new owner. I'm a little worried about the next few years, but I think over the long haul, Tom Ricketts has what it takes to be a successful owner. Corporations aren't the best for baseball teams, their profit motives generally get in the way. Not that Ricketts is guaranteed to be the next George Steinbrenner, but he could be a good one. And that's better than living with Sam Zell.
Once Ricketts closes on the deal in November, (after the owners meeting), the Cubs will be under larger financial pressures than they were previously. Remember, we're heaping about $40 million of debt service on top of a hefty payroll, but I doubt we'll see ticket price increases for next year. Why? Well, because new owners are loath to raise ticket prices as the first act of their guardianship. We're much more likely to see a whopping ticket increase for 2011, but I doubt we'll get jerked around too badly in 2010. Plus, the number of no-shows toward the end of this year has traditionally scared the Cubs into pulling back on the reins of run-away ticket price increases. (See 2007).
With less money, this may force the Cubs to get rid of a high priced player or two to pare the payroll. As long as we're talking about Milton Bradley and Alfonso Soriano, and not Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, or Carlos Zambrano, I think that's a healthy direction for our club. Plus, maybe we'll have a few more young players on the squad. You know, those guys who feel like they have to work hard to keep their roster spots. Young guys on the squad = a more motivated team, IMHO.
So, 2009 is dead. Disappointing yes. But calling me a loser won't change the fact that I'm slightly afraid that I'll dislike the team (e.g. 2004 and 2009) the year the Cubs win their World Series. How much would that suck? Having a bunch of over-paid loafing veterans be your team that breaks the curse? 15 years from now, showing up at a Cubs convention to laud praises on an old washed up guy who was a jerk 15 years earlier but brought you a pennant. So, bah humbug! I'm glad we didn't win this year*. I'm talking to you Milton, Aaron, and Aaron and Carlos, and ...)
* Not really. I always want to win.
Posted by Byron at 11:40 PM
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Air, Water, and the Cubs
Saturday, August 15, 2009
The annual Air and Water Show is in town this weekend, and so are the Cubs, so it was with a pronounced eye-roll that I read Dave van Dyck's article in the Trib.
Air Show jets spook players at Wrigley
A squadron of jets sent a jolt through players and 41,619 fans Friday at Wrigley Field.
In the second inning, just as Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton was ready to pitch to Ryan Theriot, five jets appeared over the stadium from behind home plate, exiting at center field before turning around and buzzing from left field to first base for an encore.
The article then goes on to quote Derrek Lee, Randy Wells, Sam Fuld, and Kosuke Fukudome who all admitted to being surprised or momentarily shocked by the jets. Kosuke was specifically quoted as saying, "I wish somebody had told me about that. I wasn't sure what was coming at first."
You mean to tell me no one made an announcement in the Cubs clubhouse? I think it's embarrassing that any of the Cubs players were unprepared for the jets. Most Cubs fans know that the jets always buzz Wrigley when they're at home over the Air & Water show weekend. I went to the game yesterday specifically to enjoy the flyovers. Shouldn't some one in the Cubs organization be filling the players in on this little tidbit?
Heck! Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and Carlos Zambrano have all been here long enough to know about the Air & Water show tradition. They should have told their teammates, and the rest of the team should have been expecting it. I'd much rather read an article next year about how all the Cubs players were expecting the jets, but the opponents had been caught off guard. That's how you have a home field advantage.
