It's kind of amazing attendance has been as good as it has been given how aggressively the team has been alienating its fanbase in the past couple of years.
I was at the game last Saturday. The crowd in the park seemed as big as usual, but it didn’t seem like there were as many people hanging around before and after the game. Weird for a sunny Saturday in August.
If only every bar in a 2 block radius hadn't got together and collectively decided to charge $8+ for a "cheap" light beer. Cubby bear, Bernies, Murphys, Sluggers are all more fun when they are cheap dives. Alas, I'll stick to going north on Clark and back toward Southport/Ashland.
I understand what you mean, but I don't feel like realistic people should feel alienated. Regression killed our core, not ownership. None of the Baez, Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber cohort is playing up to their contract. (Bryant has barely played, period) The front office kind of lucked out that none of them took the contracts they were offered.
I think the average cost of a family of 4 going to a game being the 2nd most in baseball plays as big of a part in the alienation of our fanbase. All while our spending on the team is middle of the pack currently. And don't even get me started on Marquee Network...
I mean, let's be fair here. They nuked the entire core of their first World Series champion in 108 years, this isn't your average buy/sell decision. And the Cubs aren't every other team in terms of revenue or the prices they ask their fans to pay, nor the amount of attention that has gone to wringing money from the area around the ballpark, or from their new TV network.
Meh, I'd happily acquire Rizzo or Schwarber's contracts as an addition to this team this offseason (or Darvish's for that matter). The idea that that was a worthless bunch of players was wrong then and wrong now.
It's good news that the return, particularly for those three team legends that got shockingly thrown in the dumpster at the deadline last year, has to this point looked pretty darned good and better than was initially apparent (Pete Crow Armstrong for two months of Javy Baez in particular looks like a swindle a year out). Combined with additional positive player development and I agree, there should be good financial flexibility to be ambitious this winter, here's hoping.
And that's a good thing.
That's what I used to do back in the late 90s and early 2000s.
I don't know much about Reyes but he seems like a Patrick Wisdom type where he hits a lot of HRs but strikes out a ton. He may be better but I'm not sure what to expect from him. Madrigal, on the other hand, has hit wherever he has been so it's good to see him getting going. I would expect him to be closer to .300 when he's on and healthy.
Reyes hits for a much higher average and a much lower K% than Wisdom. He’s only 26 and already has 2 30-HR seasons. He was having a bad year for Cleveland this year, but it’s legitimately shocking that he became available for nothing.
I can't help but feel a bit of optimism about where this is headed.
Which big bat 1) Should they get and 2) Do you think they'll get?
Everybody seems to think they're favorites for Carlos Correa and that would certainly boost the lineup significantly.
Turner should be the top priority IMO. He's been extremely consistent, always in the batting title conversation, led the league in hits 3 times, led the league in stolen bases twice, solid defender... I have a hard time believing the Dodgers will let him get away, but they are paying a ton of money to a bunch of guys. At some point they have to say enough is enough, right?.... Maybe?
Wisdom = Kingman?
Not a bad comp. Kingman's averages are a tad better in most categories.
Maybe the Bears could sign him.
Didn't realize that Kingman's K rate was that low. Seems when I watched he was either K'ing or hitting a HR
It was a different game back then. Kingman led the League with 131 Ks in 1979.
