2010 Cubs Thread

[SoxFan562004]

A few numbers out there to go behind the talk of a page or two ago about how the team lost value almost automatically when Ricketts bought it. Heard on ESPN 1000 today that he paid 840m for the club and now it's worth 740m, so a 100m loss in value which is about 11.9%. Also heard he has to pay 30m a year on his loans for the team not to mention the money they have to dump into the shrine every year to keep it maintained... it obviously has a chance to turn around, but it's going to be a little bit to navigate through this period and a safe assumption to make that their cash flow is severely restricted

sorry I didn't include in this original post, but the team value source is Forbes magazine from the radio and the 30m number is also from the radio, I was driving a week or two ago and didn't get to write down exactly, but I think it was Spiegel on the MacNeil show.

[whitesoxfan101]

Yeah, I think even fathom would finally admit they're dead now, although really they have been for months.

[chw42]

We're 14 games better as of this moment. It's funny, cause both teams sucked about 2 months ago and had similar records. A tale of two teams...

Edited August 3, 2010 by chw42

[southsider2k5]

A few numbers out there to go behind the talk of a page or two ago about how the team lost value almost automatically when Ricketts bought it. Heard on ESPN 1000 today that he paid 840m for the club and now it's worth 740m, so a 100m loss in value which is about 11.9%. Also heard he has to pay 30m a year on his loans for the team not to mention the money they have to dump into the shrine every year to keep it maintained... it obviously has a chance to turn around, but it's going to be a little bit to navigate through this period and a safe assumption to make that their cash flow is severely restricted

 

This makes me happy.

[fathom]

Yeah, I think even fathom would finally admit they're dead now, although really they have been for months.

 

Oh yeah, they're completely done. Interesting that Terry Boers' guy said that Zambrano will be released this offseason if they can't trade him while eating all of his salary. Boers also said that Carlos Silva is a terrible human being that no one in the clubhouse can stand.

[witesoxfan]

Oh yeah, they're completely done. Interesting that Terry Boers' guy said that Zambrano will be released this offseason if they can't trade him while eating all of his salary. Boers also said that Carlos Silva is a terrible human being that no one in the clubhouse can stand.

 

Hmm, that's odd. I wonder what makes him so revolting.

[Pants Rowland]

Hmm, that's odd. I wonder what makes him so revolting.

 

His physical appearance, for one?

[whitesoxfan101]

I'll believe the Cubs are willing to eat all of Zambrano's salary and/or release him when I see it.

[Balta1701]

Oh yeah, they're completely done. Interesting that Terry Boers' guy said that Zambrano will be released this offseason if they can't trade him while eating all of his salary. Boers also said that Carlos Silva is a terrible human being that no one in the clubhouse can stand.

I don't believe they'd buy out Zambrainless for a second.

[SoxFan562004]

I don't believe they'd buy out Zambrainless for a second.

If they are planning on it I don't understand why they wouldn't start him for the rest of the season, if he continues to suck, oh well, they were releasing him anyway, best case is he gets something back and a team would be willing to take a little of the money.

[Kyyle23]

 

John Cusack(picking his nose), Chris Chelios and Eddie Vedder in disguise

[witesoxfan]

Eddie Vedder was so much cooler when he wore a White Sox hat.

[RockRaines]

How much blow did Cusack do before the game.

[clyons]

The Cubs winning percentage is .420

[Greg Hibbard]

Here's some interesting fuel for the fire.

 

Through their most recent World Series in 1945, the Cubs were 5593-4256, 1300 over .500, and at a .568 winning percentage through basically their first 10,000 games. In a 162 game season, that would be an average season of 92-70. They were quite literally the Yankees of the NL, although they lost a boatload of WS in the 30s.

 

Since 1945, the Cubs are 4621-5410 through their next 10,000, 800 games under .500, a winning percentage of .461, which translates to an average season of 74-88.

 

And for those Cubs fans that think things have been better since 1984, with the Cubs winning the division 5 times and making the WC once since then....not really. Since 1984 the Cubs still have a sub-500 record at 2083-2167, a .490 winning percentage. That's an average season of 79-83.

 

Really, in terms of civic responsibility, this organization needs to be folded. It is THE most embarrassing organization ever run over the last 55 years. I don't care who you have to compare it to...it doesn't come close, taking into account the payroll.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Greg Hibbard

[whitesoxfan101]

Here's some interesting fuel for the fire.

 

Through their most recent World Series in 1945, the Cubs were 5593-4256, 1300 over .500, and at a .568 winning percentage through basically their first 10,000 games. In a 162 game season, that would be an average season of 92-70. They were quite literally the Yankees of the NL, although they lost a boatload of WS in the 30s.

 

Since 1945, the Cubs are 4621-5410 through their next 10,000, 800 games under .500, a winning percentage of .461, which translates to an average season of 74-88.

 

And for those Cubs fans that think things have been better since 1984, with the Cubs winning the division 5 times and making the WC once since then....not really. Since 1984 the Cubs still have a sub-500 record at 2083-2167, a .490 winning percentage. That's an average season of 79-83.

 

Really, in terms of civic responsibility, this organization needs to be folded. It is THE most embarrassing organization ever run over the last 55 years. I don't care who you have to compare it to...it doesn't come close, taking into account the payroll.

 

Well put. I'll never understand the love for that franchise: they've been a joke since WWII ended, their ballpark is an absolute pile of s*** that's not easy to get to if you're a suburbanite, there is a much better option for a team not even 10 miles away, and the Cubs have largely embraced their failure for self-promotion while still managing to be arrogant about what they think they mean. How can anybody like that crap? And you're right about civic responsibility too, because those clowns make all of us with Chicago roots look bad (like losers), even those of us smart enough to not buy the crap they sell.

Edited August 11, 2010 by whitesoxfan101

[Greg Hibbard]

In contrast, since the beginning of the 1984 season (and really, if we go back and compare 83s, obviously the Sox are even better in comparison), the White Sox are 2184-2066, 101 games better than the Cubs, a winning percentage of .514, with 4 division titles, 1 pennant and 1 world series, translating to an average season of 83-79, playing in a way more difficult league.

 

 

[Greg Hibbard]

Well put. I'll never understand the love for that franchise: they've been a joke since WWII ended, their ballpark is an absolute pile of s*** that's not easy to get to if you're a suburbanite, there is a much better option for a team not even 10 miles away, and the Cubs have largely embraced their failure for self-promotion while still managing to be arrogant about what they think they mean. How can anybody like that crap? And you're right about civic responsibility too, because those clowns make all of us with Chicago roots look bad (like losers), even those of us smart enough to not buy the crap they sell.

 

It's incredible how blind that fanbase can be.

[NorthSideSox72]

Cubs continue to have the most expensive tickets in baseball, and have been headed downhill for a few years. That along with the econominc downturn have created a situation where their attendence has been down for 3 straight years. My prediction is that will continue

 

And I'll tell you something else - you see a LOT more kids at Sox games in recent years, and a lot fewer at Cubs games. My guess is the Sox are winning the long run fight right now. See where we're at in 10 years.

 

[Balta1701]

Cubs continue to have the most expensive tickets in baseball, and have been headed downhill for a few years. That along with the econominc downturn have created a situation where their attendence has been down for 3 straight years. My prediction is that will continue

 

And I'll tell you something else - you see a LOT more kids at Sox games in recent years, and a lot fewer at Cubs games. My guess is the Sox are winning the long run fight right now. See where we're at in 10 years.

Hate to say it, but the Cubs are down about 2000 tickets a game compared to 2008. The White Sox are down about 4000 tickets/game.

[NorthSideSox72]

Hate to say it, but the Cubs are down about 2000 tickets a game compared to 2008. The White Sox are down about 4000 tickets/game.

Game attendence right now, absolutely. For one, Sox fans tend to be much more aligned on performance than Cubs fans, and this team sucked until mid-June. For another thing, the Sox attendence also tends to follow a weather pattern, and will increase in these next couple months guaranteed.

 

Also, a drop from sellouts to below sellout is more significant than the actual number drop, due to the artificial ceiling.

 

But really, to be clear, I am not saying the Sox are catching the Cubs in terms of fan base any time soon. I'm saying, I think the Sox are doing all the right things and having the stars align to continue to grow (look at the past 5 seasons versus pre-2005 for the Sox), whereas the Cubs are going mostly the opposite direction. Give it 10 years, and you may see things getting pretty equal. Maybe less than that.

 

[Balta1701]

Game attendence right now, absolutely. For one, Sox fans tend to be much more aligned on performance than Cubs fans, and this team sucked until mid-June. For another thing, the Sox attendence also tends to follow a weather pattern, and will increase in these next couple months guaranteed.

I've been watching the numbers for quite some time this year...they've gone up by a couple hundred seats per game since the winning streak began, but there's just not going to be a lot of shift left. Frank Thomas day and the Yankees series will help, but the Sox also have a ton of games against non-heavy-draws in September, after the school year starts and the weather turns.

[Harry Chappas]

The thing that is hurting the cubs is that the resale is not what it used to be so all of those brokers that bought season tickets are being killed. The cubs also scalp their own tickets often. There are plenty of empty seats out there.

[LittleHurt05]

The thing that is hurting the cubs is that the resale is not what it used to be so all of those brokers that bought season tickets are being killed. The cubs also scalp their own tickets often. There are plenty of empty seats out there.

 

Definitely. The attendance numbers count all those tickets scooped up by the brokers and the Cubs so they can be deceiving. I was in the bleachers for the drubbing by the Brewers last Monday and you could have shown up at first pitch and gotten a few seats together in left field. That was unheard of for an August night game anytime in the past several years.

[35thstreetswarm]

Does anyone else find it fitting that the Cubs waited for the 71st anniversary of the Wizard of Oz to trade away the final member of the Northside lollipop guild?

 

Farewell Lilly, Theriot, Fontenot - let sleep your tiny heads on dandelion puff pillows in beds of gossamer, and dream wee dreams of winning teams far, far away from Wrigley.