2023 MLB Thread

[Lennys Tap]

As long as Reinsdorf is calling the shots I'll remain realistic - which unfortunately translates to extremely pessimistic.

[PGsHeroes32]

The Falvey/Baldelli combo give the Brewers a key win in their title quest.

[Jockey]

As long as Reinsdorf is calling the shots I'll remain realistic - which unfortunately translates to extremely pessimistic.

I think the moves today are the first steps in selling the team. I expect it may take up to 2 more years, but I think the process has finally started.

And at $2B - $2.5B there should be more than one hopeful buyer.

[GB Warrior]

I think the moves today are the first steps in selling the team. I expect it may take up to 2 more years, but I think the process has finally started.

And at $2B - $2.5B there should be more than one hopeful buyer.

Why clean house and replace them before selling? Normally someone else is going to want to bring in their own people. Unless you think the replacements can dramatically increase value in that time.

[Dish]

FWIW, I've heard from someone I trust that the Sox are very much on the selling block right now.

[WhiteTrash]

After reading and listening to the "experts" it 100% sounds like the Sox moving narrative is a negotiating tactic for a new stadium. MLB wants two teams in Chicago because a part of the Chicago market is better than the whole Nashville market. The timing makes sense with the stadium lease coming up in 6 years.

As a Sox and Bulls fan, I'm ready for new ownership.

[JWags85]

I think the moves today are the first steps in selling the team. I expect it may take up to 2 more years, but I think the process has finally started.

And at $2B - $2.5B there should be more than one hopeful buyer.

You have to wonder if Joe Mansueto is interested.  He's dipped his toes in with sports ownership with the Fire and a Swiss team and he's certainly got the funds for it.  He's also a South Side guy, albeit Northwest Indiana South Side 

[Jockey]

Dundler Miflin redux?

[dgies9156]

I just went to a Milwaukee Milkmen game in Franklin, which is in the flight paths for MKE. It was really noticeable when a plane came in. I can't imagine MLB being okay with the tempo of flights that go into ORD.

Bottom of the 9th, Game Seven of a World Series. Pitch clock ticking to zero, a 777 just SCREAMING overhead during the windup. It's gonna rule.

Shea Stadium was just underneath the final for LGA. In the days before hush kits and noise requirements, your could barely hear the announcers call the game. Every two minutes or so, a 727 flew overhead, rocking the ground and leaving a black smoke trail in the sky.

Your World Series scenario happened in 1969, 1973 and 1986. Except it was narrow body jets rather than 777s, which aren't allowed into LaGuardia anyway!

As for the White Sox, they're going to the same place the Brewers are going -- no where! They'll argue and even fight publicly over stadium improvements but when it is done, they'll be at 35th and the Dan Ryan, just where they are now. If they leave for the suburbs, their risk is alienating their existing market for an unknown new market. Outside the city, they're going to have to convert an awful lot of Cub fans at the expense of their traditional base. The Chicago Southland won't take kindly to the Sox moving, unless it is to a South Suburb.

Maybe that's possible but....

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Shea Stadium was just underneath the final for LGA. In the days before hush kits and noise requirements, your could barely hear the announcers call the game. Every two minutes or so, a 727 flew overhead, rocking the ground and leaving a black smoke trail in the sky.

Your World Series scenario happened in 1969, 1973 and 1986. Except it was narrow body jets rather than 777s, which aren't allowed into LaGuardia anyway!

As for the White Sox, they're going to the same place the Brewers are going -- no where! They'll argue and even fight publicly over stadium improvements but when it is done, they'll be at 35th and the Dan Ryan, just where they are now. If they leave for the suburbs, their risk is alienating their existing market for an unknown new market. Outside the city, they're going to have to convert an awful lot of Cub fans at the expense of their traditional base. The Chicago Southland won't take kindly to the Sox moving, unless it is to a South Suburb.

Maybe that's possible but....

55-72.

[The Sultan]

Shea Stadium was just underneath the final for LGA. In the days before hush kits and noise requirements, your could barely hear the announcers call the game. Every two minutes or so, a 727 flew overhead, rocking the ground and leaving a black smoke trail in the sky.

Your World Series scenario happened in 1969, 1973 and 1986. Except it was narrow body jets rather than 777s, which aren't allowed into LaGuardia anyway!

As for the White Sox, they're going to the same place the Brewers are going -- no where! They'll argue and even fight publicly over stadium improvements but when it is done, they'll be at 35th and the Dan Ryan, just where they are now. If they leave for the suburbs, their risk is alienating their existing market for an unknown new market. Outside the city, they're going to have to convert an awful lot of Cub fans at the expense of their traditional base. The Chicago Southland won't take kindly to the Sox moving, unless it is to a South Suburb.

Maybe that's possible but....

Pretty sure, like the Bears, the majority of Sox fans would prefer a stadium to be somewhere in the suburbs and not where it is now.

[Pakuni]

Pretty sure, like the Bears, the majority of Sox fans would prefer a stadium to be somewhere in the suburbs and not where it is now.

Yup. And like the Bears, most of the fans and season ticket holders aren't coming from the city, or in the Sox' case, the South Side.

[MurphysTillClose]

Yup. And like the Bears, most of the fans and season ticket holders aren't coming from the city, or in the Sox' case, the South Side.

Most sox fans (myself, my family, and everyone else i know From Bridgeport down to Beverly) would continue to want it located on the south side of the city, or at the very least, a SW burb.

Not a single person I know would want it anywhere north of Cermak

[The Sultan]

Genuine question because I don't know, how much is the north side v. south side still really a thing?  It just seems to me that Chicagoland is a majority of Cubs fans, with a minority of Sox fans, most places I go outside of immediately near their respective ballparks.

[muwarrior69]

Shea Stadium was just underneath the final for LGA. In the days before hush kits and noise requirements, your could barely hear the announcers call the game. Every two minutes or so, a 727 flew overhead, rocking the ground and leaving a black smoke trail in the sky.

Your World Series scenario happened in 1969, 1973 and 1986. Except it was narrow body jets rather than 777s, which aren't allowed into LaGuardia anyway!

As for the White Sox, they're going to the same place the Brewers are going -- no where! They'll argue and even fight publicly over stadium improvements but when it is done, they'll be at 35th and the Dan Ryan, just where they are now. If they leave for the suburbs, their risk is alienating their existing market for an unknown new market. Outside the city, they're going to have to convert an awful lot of Cub fans at the expense of their traditional base. The Chicago Southland won't take kindly to the Sox moving, unless it is to a South Suburb.

Maybe that's possible but....

...ah, by any measure Shea was better than the Polo Grounds and from what I can recall hardly any planes flew over Shea during night games, not saying there were none but few. For the record the Mets will always be second fiddle to the Yankees, but then again the Yankee's history is second to none in all of baseball. I still route for the Mets when they are not playing the Yanks.

Both teams need new management or new owners as this season has so obviously revealed.

[muwarrior69]

I thought this was amusing:

https://nypost.com/2023/08/23/little-league-world-series-player-tries-sitting-down-in-funny-at-bat/

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I thought this was amusing:

https://nypost.com/2023/08/23/little-league-world-series-player-tries-sitting-down-in-funny-at-bat/

Those darn 13 year olds.

[WhiteTrash]

Genuine question because I don't know, how much is the north side v. south side still really a thing?  It just seems to me that Chicagoland is a majority of Cubs fans, with a minority of Sox fans, most places I go outside of immediately near their respective ballparks.

No question it is mostly a Cubs town. When I was growing up there in the 70's and 80's it was 50/50 or slight lean to the Sox. I remember in the early 80's going to a Cubs day game and my mom bought us about 20th row seats behind the dugout from the ticket window (not scalpers) about 15 min. before the first pitch. There were maybe 8k total there.

The Cubs took over for a number of reasons: WGN v Sportsvision; ballpark, neighborhood, etc.

[WhiteTrash]

Those darn 13 year olds.

13 or 14 or 15.......  it is the LLWS

[The Sultan]

No question it is mostly a Cubs town. When I was growing up there in the 70's and 80's it was 50/50 or slight lean to the Sox. I remember in the early 80's going to a Cubs day game and my mom bought us about 20th row seats behind the dugout from the ticket window (not scalpers) about 15 min. before the first pitch. There were maybe 8k total there.

The Cubs took over for a number of reasons: WGN v Sportsvision; ballpark, neighborhood, etc.

Right, but I mean the actual geographies of the fanbases.

[MurphysTillClose]

No question it is mostly a Cubs town. When I was growing up there in the 70's and 80's it was 50/50 or slight lean to the Sox. I remember in the early 80's going to a Cubs day game and my mom bought us about 20th row seats behind the dugout from the ticket window (not scalpers) about 15 min. before the first pitch. There were maybe 8k total there.

The Cubs took over for a number of reasons: WGN v Sportsvision; ballpark, neighborhood, etc.

I would say where you are from - or where your family is from - is still a major contributor to which team you root for. Not many Cub fans live on the south side as compared to Sox fans and that still holds true today. And while Cub fans do exist around here, take a drive down Western Ave and count the number of flags you see between each squad.

But yes, more Cub fans for sure

[Dish]

Genuine question because I don't know, how much is the north side v. south side still really a thing?  It just seems to me that Chicagoland is a majority of Cubs fans, with a minority of Sox fans, most places I go outside of immediately near their respective ballparks.

There's a large minority of Sox fans that exist definitely in the west burbs. My son's travel team is split 6/6 Cubs fans vs Sox fans. Outside of that, I have Sox fan friends all over the burbs. People that live on the southside don't want to hear it, but most fans of the team live in the western burbs, and the front office definitely knows this. I don't think it would happen, but if they moved to some place like Orland Park, it'd be a terrible decision. I really believe Rosemont is going to make them an offer they can't refuse (and yes, that phrasing in regards to Rosemont was intentional).

[Pakuni]

Right, but I mean the actual geographies of the fanbases.

In the city, there's to be a real north/south split. In the suburbs, it's pretty mixed. Definitely more Cubs fans, but most of my Sox fan friends live north of I290.

[Lennys Tap]

As long as Reinsdorf is calling the shots I'll remain realistic - which unfortunately translates to extremely pessimistic.

Rumor now is the Sox are promoting the director of one of the worst farm systems in baseball to the GM job. And David Kaplan is reporting that Rick Hahn tried to quit his job multiple times after Reinsdorf hired LaRussa. Supposedly Jerry wouldn't give him his release to work for any other organization.  The dysfunction on the Southside is staggering.

[Pakuni]

There's a large minority of Sox fans that exist definitely in the west burbs. My son's travel team is split 6/6 Cubs fans vs Sox fans. Outside of that, I have Sox fan friends all over the burbs. People that live on the southside don't want to hear it, but most fans of the team live in the western burbs, and the front office definitely knows this. I don't think it would happen, but if they moved to some place like Orland Park, it'd be a terrible decision. I really believe Rosemont is going to make them an offer they can't refuse (and yes, that phrasing in regards to Rosemont was intentional).

I wouldn't necessarily put anything past Bradley, but Rosemont is so much more built up compared to 20-30 years ago when it had a bunch of land set aside for a casino. I just don't know where they'd put it now. Would they be willing to tear down the Allstate? Could they even fit a stadium there? Gut the entertainment district? Tear down the mall?
The village just bought the last undeveloped piece of property in town. It's all of 19 acres.
Agaiin, not much they do surprises me, I just don't know where a baseball stadium would go without some significant tear down.