JFLNYC wrote:Two years ago if you had told me that in 2011 David Ortiz was going to have a much better season than Ryan Howard I wouldn't have believed you. Ortiz has a 174 OPS+ this season.

If you had told me two years ago that the season would end in June, I also wouldn't have believed you.

The most recent Baseball Research Journal is devoted to Chicago baseball. It's interesting to read how many times the fate of Wrigley Field seemed to be sealed, with the plan that came closest to fulfillment a multi-purpose stadium on the site of Soldier Field to host the Cubs, Sox and Bears. Even as late as 2000the feeling was that "Wrigley Field, as we know it, has got to go."

Sometimes civic paralysis can be a good thing.

philliesphhan wrote:

JFLNYC wrote:Two years ago if you had told me that in 2011 David Ortiz was going to have a much better season than Ryan Howard I wouldn't have believed you. Ortiz has a 174 OPS+ this season.

If you had told me two years ago that the season would end in June, I also wouldn't have believed you.

/hhh'd

swishnicholson wrote:The most recent Baseball Research Journal is devoted to Chicago baseball. It's interesting to read how many times the fate of Wrigley Field seemed to be sealed, with the plan that came closest to fulfillment a multi-purpose stadium on the site of Soldier Field to host the Cubs, Sox and Bears. Even as late as 2000the feeling was that "Wrigley Field, as we know it, has got to go."

Sometimes civic paralysis can be a good thing.

Very interesting. I never knew Wrigley Field was ever seriously threatened.

swishnicholson wrote:The most recent Baseball Research Journal is devoted to Chicago baseball. It's interesting to read how many times the fate of Wrigley Field seemed to be sealed, with the plan that came closest to fulfillment a multi-purpose stadium on the site of Soldier Field to host the Cubs, Sox and Bears. Even as late as 2000the feeling was that "Wrigley Field, as we know it, has got to go."

Sometimes civic paralysis can be a good thing.

Maybe. I've never been there myself, but I've read a lot of opinions on it recently. The word "dump" is used a lot.

I was there back in 88 and I loved the place. But that was almost 25 years ago already. I was there the day the Phillies fired John Felske.

GrizzledVeteran wrote:I was there back in 88 and I loved the place. But that was almost 25 years ago already. I was there the day the Phillies fired John Felske.

Did they do it right out on the field? Make a big spectacle of it?!?!?!

/voyeur

phatj wrote:

swishnicholson wrote:The most recent Baseball Research Journal is devoted to Chicago baseball. It's interesting to read how many times the fate of Wrigley Field seemed to be sealed, with the plan that came closest to fulfillment a multi-purpose stadium on the site of Soldier Field to host the Cubs, Sox and Bears. Even as late as 2000the feeling was that "Wrigley Field, as we know it, has got to go."

Sometimes civic paralysis can be a good thing.

Maybe. I've never been there myself, but I've read a lot of opinions on it recently. The word "dump" is used a lot.

It's old, I'm sure, but it can't be worse than any place else like that. You take the good with the bad. In this case, on the "good" side is "no need for a publicly funded stadium"

mozartpc27 wrote:

GrizzledVeteran wrote:I was there back in 88 and I loved the place. But that was almost 25 years ago already. I was there the day the Phillies fired John Felske.

Did they do it right out on the field? Make a big spectacle of it?!?!?!

/voyeur

Nope. Heard about it on the Cubs pregame show on the way to the ballpark.

I am shocked that "Old Tiger" met the wrecking ball and as shocked that Yankee was leveled. I always assumed that these parks along with Wrigley and Fenway would somehow be saved. It is impractical to save Yankee, Wrigley or Fenway given the price of land. I cannot imagine why Tiger and Cominskey were leveled as the price of land/land use is pretty non-existent. Perhaps just rat control.

On a side note: Imagine the Sox fans sharing anything with Cubs fans. It gets cold enough during football that brain freezing lets the temporarily get along (although Sox fans cannot imaging Cub fans going out when it is cold).

thephan wrote:I am shocked that "Old Tiger" met the wrecking ball and as shocked that Yankee was leveled. I always assumed that these parks along with Wrigley and Fenway would somehow be saved. It is impractical to save Yankee, Wrigley or Fenway given the price of land. I cannot imagine why Tiger and Cominskey were leveled as the price of land/land use is pretty non-existent. Perhaps just rat control.

On a side note: Imagine the Sox fans sharing anything with Cubs fans. It gets cold enough during football that brain freezing lets the temporarily get along (although Sox fans cannot imaging Cub fans going out when it is cold).

Tiger Stadium had fallen into a complete state of disrepair (maybe even structural issues from neglect). Detroit isn't exactly flowing with money to fund upkeep.

If I'd been a billionaire, I would have bought Tiger Stadium after the Tigers moved out and lived in it.

Tiger Stadium is probably the one park I wish I could've seen live. It looks just stellar in pictures/video. I was only 8 or 9 when the Tigers moved out, and 15ish when they finally demolished it , so I wouldn't've fully appreciated it when/if I had the chance.

But I did get to see Fenway ad Wrigley live (Wrigley last summer, Fenway the one before that). Fenway I thought was an utter dump, but I liked Wrigley.

That might be because I can stand Cubs fans better than Red Sox fans though.

Old friend Kyle Drabek has been demoted

Grotewold wrote:Old friend Kyle Drabek has been demoted

And top prospect Zach Stewart promoted

Grotewold wrote:Old friend Kyle Drabek has been demoted

Roy Halladay 2.0!

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2011/06/14/nationals-pitcher-livan-hernandez-target-federal-money-laundering-probe/

Feds investigating Livan Hernandez

graemlin sense tingling...

Among qualified hitters, Werth is currently leading the Nats with a .240 batting average and a .750 OPS

(Yeah, they only have three qualified hitters...still)

Trent Steele wrote:Tiger Stadium had fallen into a complete state of disrepair (maybe even structural issues from neglect). Detroit isn't exactly flowing with money to fund upkeep.

I went to a game in the last season. The park was in disrepair then. I thought that someone/some organization would step up to preserve it for its historical significance. I am not sure if anything is there today other then another empty lot in a series of empty lots.