Chicago - A message from the station manager

The Ricketts’ Sticky Ticket Wicket

By Steve Rhodes

“The Cubs’ biggest prospects have barely started paying dividends on the field, but the club has decided to raise ticket prices for some of the most popular sections at Wrigley Field in 2015,” the Sun-Times reports.
Barely.
* Javy Baez is hitting .164 after all that hype. His OBP is .209. He has 62 strikeouts to go with eight walks. And he isn’t even hitting home runs anymore.


* Arismendy Alcantara is hitting .207. His OBP is .261. He has 69 strikeouts to go with his 15 walks.
* Mike Olt is hitting .157. His OBP is .237. He has 87 strikeouts to go with his 20 walks.
* Jorge Soler is hitting .378 in 37 at-bats, which is just how the rest of them started. He has 10 strikeouts to go with his two walks.
* Kris Bryant is not in a major-league uniform.
* Albert Almora may never be in a major-league uniform.
Luis Valbuena was the DH on Monday night in Toronto and batted third. Chris Coghlan, Logan Watkins and Chris Valaika aren’t real prospects, no matter what anyone tells you. (And thank god!) Former prospect Welington Castillo is hitting .234 with a .293 OBP; he has 93 strikeouts to go with his 22 walks. Oh yeah, Matt Szczur is here! (.219/.286.)
Just what are these guys selling?
Back to the Sun-Times:
“Season-ticket prices will increase an average of 6 percent in the club, field and lower terrace reserved sections of the park. That increase will affect 20 percent of season-ticket holders, while the other 80 percent will have no change or a price drop.”
That’s little comfort for the 80 percent, who didn’t see ticket prices fall while the team spent three seasons tanking games.
“According to Team Marketing Report, the Cubs had the third-highest ticket price in baseball this season at $44.15.”
Now, let’s pretend that it’s worth it because of the beautiful vista you get at Wrigley Field. The Ricketts’ are blocking that with billboards next season.
The one reason why the Cubs were able to sell so many seats while losing was Wrigley Field. Now they will lose what makes Wrigley Wrigley, and the Ricketts’ will learn a big lesson – at our expense.
The Week In Review: The Cubs swept the reeling Brewers and the local lame-ass media took that to mean Theo’s Plan was coming to fruition, statistical evidence to the contrary. The Cubs got swept by the Pirates and – oh look, Jay Cutler!
The Week In Preview: The Cubs have already started the week dropping the opening game of a series against the Blue Jays 8-0. The Cubs have 18 games left and they won’t be a favorite in any of them (how could they be?) so ending the season on a 23-game losing streak is entirely possible.
Wrigley Is 100 Celebration: Leadoff man of the future Arismendy Alcantara will join Javy Baez in the .100 club, though without the 100 home runs.
Mad Merch: The Cubs had their Oktoberfest celebration on September 3rd, which is tradition seeing as how they’re never playing in Oktober.
Prospects Are Suspects: Albert Almora, Theo’s first draft pick for the Cubs, just finished his season in Tennessee (AA) with a slash line of .234/.250/.355. Including his first 89 games in Daytona, his 2014 totals include 69 strikeouts against 14 walks. But he’s got great makeup!
New Dale: “I like the National League, honestly. But I don’t mind the American League game. I think both sides have pros and cons.”
Laughable Headline Of The Week: Castillo Hopes To Be Cubs’ Catcher When They Turn Corner.
When? How about If.
Kubs Kulture: Cubs A Work In Progress, Sometimes Painfully.
Has a timeless quality about it, doesn’t it?
Billy Cub vs. Clark Cub: Clark catches bear-handed.
Advantage: Billy.
The Junior Lake Show: Dude’s .213/.239 is way better than Javy Baez’s .164/.209.
Mustache Wisdom: He exposed the scandal, now he’s out of a job.
Ameritrade Stock Pick of the Week: Soler Energy should have a brief run but sell short on Soler Power.
Jumbotron Preview: 5,700 square-feet of Mike Ditka not singing the seventh-inning stretch.
Kubs Kalender: Wait ’til next year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021.
Over/Under: Number of games Jorge Soler will be healthy enough to play in next year: +/- 81.
Beachwood Sabermetrics: A complex algorithm performed by The Cub Factor staff using all historical data made available by Major League Baseball has determined that the Cubs business plan actually isn’t aligned with performance on the field at all.
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Hashtag Cubs


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The Cub Factor: Unlike Alfonso Soriano Starlin Castro, you can catch ’em all!
The White Sox Report: Be Like Mike.
The Beachwood Radio Sports Hour: Double Nickel On The Bears’ Dime.
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Comments welcome.

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Posted on September 9, 2014