The Wrigley Blog

Anyone who strolls by the stadium while the Cubs are out of town knows there is still some goings-on inside. In years past that has included maintenence, cleaning as well guided tours. My nephew Phillip was in town this week and went on one of them Wrigley Field Tours. He found out that this year there is even more going on to milk Wrigley Field.

Yesterday they hosted the "HP Field of Dreams, Sponsored by Intel" Basically it was a corporate outing - letting employees get dressed up in full Cub uniforms and play ball. They played four games on a fully chalked field - had umpires - and put each players name up on the scoreboard while up to bat. Heck, they even had Gary Pressy there tickling the ivory on the organ. I kid you not.

Cubs tour guide told my nephew that Intel and HP paid over a million dollars for the use of the field - more than that Toyota Sign brings in yearly. I tell ya, this thing is probably just the tip of the milking iceberg.

We're Official

We here at The Wrigley Blog are pleased as punch - somehow we have become an official Cubs blog.

A couple of fellas who run the site www.chicitysports.com were kind enough to list us. It looks like they write about all the other Chicago teams as well and run what they call a "forum". With a little help I have been on the forum a few times. It's kinda like a going down to your local tavern to sit and talk about the Cubs - without the beer and having to make eye contact.

I'm going to have Jeremy put a link over on the side to get you to that forum - if you care to take a gander.

If you want to see The Wrigley Blog's name in lights. Go here: http://www.chicitysports.com/blogroll/

Combo Deal

You know what? Maybe I'm missing something.

Maybe the Ricketts' braintrust really is onto something.

Maybe they are simply looking for just the right combination of oversized japanese car ads and clownish cheese noodles with less of those pesky "traditions" the rest of us Wrigley Field fans have come to love.

Maybe if they fiddle with this thing long enough they can figure out a way to turn the season around. Hell, burn down the ivy and we might just win the World Series!!!

Or maybe. . . this some sorta sick joke.

HANK

Teepees and Toyota Signs

I was thinking about the god awful car ad in left center and was somehow drawn to something. Do you remember the teepee that was in left field at Fulton County Stadium in the early 80's?? How did that worked out for the Braves?

One Down Seven To Go

Taking a look back at the banners they hung on our beloved Wrigley Field back in April - it looks like it is 1 down and 7 to go. It'll be interesting to see how many of these gentlemen are around for Opening Day 2011.

So Long Lou

Lou Piniella announced yesterday that this will be his final year in baseball. From the way things have been going, we are more surprised he is going to finish out this year.

I heard one gentleman on the radio refer to managing the Cubs being like dealing with some sort of monster. We will have to wait and see what poor sap decides to take on that monster next year.

Houston And The Torco Sign

At least the marketing boys that advertise across the street have gotten the memo: The 2010 Cubs aren't good at baseball.

Here is the old Torco billboard when we first hosted Houston - back when we were a game under .500 and only 2 games out of first

Now take a gander at the slogan this time Houston is visiting - now that we are 10 games under .500

More about the beer - less about baseball, ain't it?

Unintended Consequences

We here at this blog have discussed some of the strange moves the Cubs marketing department has made this year. When things like colossal cheese covered macaroni show up in front of a baseball shrine - it tends to lead to discussions.

As foolish as that noodle may be, the fact they had to install these here signs around it is just ridiculous. But, I guess if you put a shiny object in front of 40,000 drunk spectators, a few of them are going to decide - I'm gonna climb that there noodle.

Pessimism

Every Chicago Cubs season seems to be struggle between optimism and pessimism.

I have tried optimism during the first half of 2010 - to mediocre results thus far. Now I'm going with pessimism, and the Cubs are 1-0 since. But I'm not going to be optimistic about today's game.

Cubs Unveil Updated "It's A Way Of Life" Campaign

The second half of the season begins tonight with the Philadelphia Phillies visiting Wrigley Field. To mark the occasion, The Chicago Cubs have updated their 2010 marketing campaign to something a tad more realistic.

2014 All-Star Game At Wrigley?

I was like 2 the last time the All-Star game was at Wrigley so don't remember it. But, last night's game got me to thinkin': it shouldn't be long til the festivities return. I mean, it's been 20 years and there are only like 30 different stadiums, so...
I did a search and it turns out that there is a plan already in the works. Supposedly the Cubs are going to push to host the 2014 game because it will be the 100th anniversary of Wrigley. 4 more years Yo! Sluggers is gonna be off the chain!!

Cubs And Wrigley Field At The Break

This season has been an absolute joke. You've got so-called fans doing The Wave while Toyota Signs and Giant Noodles are popping up. It is a circus. And, I don't know if you noticed, but the Cubs are a joke as well.

I don't think it takes a statistician to tell me the Cubs stink, but I was curious to see a few things so I had Wayne's grandkid work me up some figures.

The Cubs were only One game under .500 when "fans" decided to do The Wave. They responded by losing 9 of their next 12.

They were Six games under when they installed the Toyota Sign and then lost 3 of the next 4.

I guess things weren't bad enough then so they put in a Giant Noodle. The Cubs are 10 - 14 since that monstrosity showed up and now they sit at Eleven games under at the break.

Say what you will, but none of this crap is helping.

HANK

And The Creepiest Cubs Mascot Is...

Congratulations to Ronnie Woo Woo on being voted (by what I assume was a scientific poll) as the Creepiest Cubs Mascot 2010.

Way to go Ronnie!!!

I think the Michael Jackson glove clinched it for ya. LOL!!

Dave Matthew's Band

I see here in the paper that they are going to have another one of them rock concerts at Wrigley Field this September. I haven't cared for the idea but I guess the kids like it. The noise from these things - I tell ya, it is enough to keep me awake blocks away. And I can't even imagine being in The Stadium. How anyone walks away with ears that work is beyond me.

Never even heard of this Dave Matthew's Band, but they will be there September 17th and 18th.

Who's This Lebron?

Not for certain who this Lebron fella is, but they have his name posted on a number of establishments around Wrigley Field. I guess he is a possible free agent for the Cubs or perhaps it has something to do with this Soccer Cup that always seems to be on my television. Not sure, but he is a popular fellow.

UPDATE: It turns out he is a basketball player - and a dandy one at that if you were to believe my grandson. But he is on the Miami Heat, so who cares.

Road To Wrigley

Even though the boys are on the road in Arizona there was action at Wrigley Field last night. I guess this has become an annual deal - letting some minor leaguers play a game under the lights at the park to give em a taste of what could be.

Looks here like the Peoria Chiefs held off the Kane County Cougars 5 to 2. Sounded like a dandy game.

Ron Santo Week At Wrigley Field

This last week marked the 50th anniversary of Ron Santo's Major League debut for the Chicago Cubs. To pay tribute to good ol' number 10, they flew only white flags around the park that read: "Santo 50", offered some bleacher tickets at $10 a pop, and let Mr. Santo sing the stretch.

Then the Cubs promptly thanked Ron for his service to the organization by only winning 2 of 7 games on the homestand.
This included defeats of 12-0 and 14-3.

I have a bad feeling that this season is going to kill the both of us.

Trailer Trash

I think we can all agree that the giant noodle in front of Wrigley is lame. But what I've noticed lately when cruising by is that the entire Clark St. side of Wrigley is crap. People are all about that noodle, but did you notice that there are about four mobile homes sitting right there behind it? To class the place up, they pasted on fake brick and ivy and put advertising all over them. Who's the rocket surgeon that came up with the idea to sell ad space on the side of a trailer?

All I know is, with all of these crazy storms we've been having lately I'm not exactly sure you want to have your ballpark right next to a trailer park. Tornados tend to target those things.

Candy Store

I was lucky enough to attend my first game in the beloved bleachers a week or so back.

Let me tell ya: Kid in a candy store -

Attendence At Wrigley: Bad

We already discussed this a few weeks back, but I see in the paper here that other have started to notice. They say that "attendance is down sharply" Oh my!

In 2009, there was only 1 game that had less than 38,000 - this season: 11. Also at this point in the season last year - there had been 21 games watched by 40,000 or more. This season there have been only 11 have topped that mark. Seems to me that there isn't any which way that the Cubs are going to top their coveted 3 million mark for the season.

I'll have my grandson Jeremy get on the google and rustle up some numbers. I'm betting it has been awhile since attendance has drastically gone down for a season.

Addison Park on Clark

One of the biggest changes around Wrigley Field to every come down the pike is this thing called "Addison Park on Clark". I'm certain we here at The Wrigley Blog will be documenting it well.

Now - I'd like to show you some photographs of what is there now to compare it to what they want to do. Unfortunately my grandson Jeremy has been going to games this week and hasn't gotten back to me with anything useful. While I attempt to light a fire under his rear let me tell you what I know: This thing is going to redo an entire city block - replacing buildings that have been there as long as I can recall with a hotel and chain shopping. The plan has just received City approval, but I couldn't tell ya what kind of time-line they are operating on.

Jeremy was able to find me this here image below. Again, I'll work on showing some actual shots to compare this soft and fuzzy illustration. It never looks as good in reality.