The Cubs conveniently announced that tonight's second game against the Cardinals
is cancelled due to the possibility of rain or cold weather. Right. Weather.
April 7, 2015
WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT
Even with a daily dose of Deadspin commentary and a few photographs, the callers on local sports talk radio on the evening commute made it clear that the situation at Wrigley on Opening Night was worse than previously reported.
The Cubs continue to sugar coat the situation as being opening night jitters, construction delays and that it will have fixed for tonight's game with portable toilets.
And the city officials have been silent on the issues that plagued the fans.
As more than one caller said it was a health and safety hazard. The concourse was packed for the entire night with people not moving, a crushing situation. The lines backed up into the stands, causing many sections to be blocked from viewing the game. The men's restroom floor was a soaked with standing urine. People began urinating in cups and discharging themselves on the walls in the concourse. Wrigley was a crowded and open sewer. If you were any other Chicago business, you would have been red tagged, closed down, and not allowed to open for business.
As other callers stated, this is more evidence of the incompetence of Cubs management. Half of the restrooms were going to be out of commission before the season opened so management should have known there would be an issue for 35,000 fans (the Cubs knew the attendance in advance of opening the gates.) When the upper deck restrooms failed, the Cubs did nothing except adding to the confusion by directing patrons down the jammed and stopped ramps to the lower level two functioning restrooms. It was so bad, callers indicated that they stood in line for one to one and half HOURS. Many of them just quit and left the park to use facilities of neighboring businesses.
The Cubs said that once the bleachers are finished, the restroom capacity will be expanded under the left field area. But that is no comfort for a couple of callers who said they were very concerned about bringing their young children to tonight's game. No one knows whether the Cubs had a top to bottom Hazmat cleaning of the concourses and restrooms. Parents are concerned for the safety and welfare of bringing their children to Wrigley Field. There is no public relations spin today that can change that objective parental concern. Considering the Cubs fan price index puts the cost for a family of four to see a game at more than $300 (third in the MLB in cost), it is probably not worth subjecting children to sardine concourses, urine soaked restrooms and people peeing on stadium walls.
The Cubs also stated that they don't think it will be a problem tonight because they expect less people. But that is not the point. Even if they put in portable toilets inside Wrigley (which are actually made to be outside for ventilation purposes), the damage has been done. The team touted the improvements as enhancing "the fan experience." It was a total fail in the national spotlight.
Neither Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, Crane Kenney or Tom Ricketts have stepped up to the podium and admitted this failure of epic proportions. This shows the problem in how the Cubs are organized: Epstein is in charge of the baseball team while Kenney is in charge of the business side. But the business of the Cubs is baseball which includes ticket sales, concessions and fan service. In essence, no one is in charge of this mess. The idea to focus the night on how great the Jumbotron looked while looking away as their customers waded their way through urine soaked concourses is going to negatively affect any future fan goodwill.
The Cubs continue to sugar coat the situation as being opening night jitters, construction delays and that it will have fixed for tonight's game with portable toilets.
And the city officials have been silent on the issues that plagued the fans.
As more than one caller said it was a health and safety hazard. The concourse was packed for the entire night with people not moving, a crushing situation. The lines backed up into the stands, causing many sections to be blocked from viewing the game. The men's restroom floor was a soaked with standing urine. People began urinating in cups and discharging themselves on the walls in the concourse. Wrigley was a crowded and open sewer. If you were any other Chicago business, you would have been red tagged, closed down, and not allowed to open for business.
As other callers stated, this is more evidence of the incompetence of Cubs management. Half of the restrooms were going to be out of commission before the season opened so management should have known there would be an issue for 35,000 fans (the Cubs knew the attendance in advance of opening the gates.) When the upper deck restrooms failed, the Cubs did nothing except adding to the confusion by directing patrons down the jammed and stopped ramps to the lower level two functioning restrooms. It was so bad, callers indicated that they stood in line for one to one and half HOURS. Many of them just quit and left the park to use facilities of neighboring businesses.
The Cubs said that once the bleachers are finished, the restroom capacity will be expanded under the left field area. But that is no comfort for a couple of callers who said they were very concerned about bringing their young children to tonight's game. No one knows whether the Cubs had a top to bottom Hazmat cleaning of the concourses and restrooms. Parents are concerned for the safety and welfare of bringing their children to Wrigley Field. There is no public relations spin today that can change that objective parental concern. Considering the Cubs fan price index puts the cost for a family of four to see a game at more than $300 (third in the MLB in cost), it is probably not worth subjecting children to sardine concourses, urine soaked restrooms and people peeing on stadium walls.
The Cubs also stated that they don't think it will be a problem tonight because they expect less people. But that is not the point. Even if they put in portable toilets inside Wrigley (which are actually made to be outside for ventilation purposes), the damage has been done. The team touted the improvements as enhancing "the fan experience." It was a total fail in the national spotlight.
Neither Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, Crane Kenney or Tom Ricketts have stepped up to the podium and admitted this failure of epic proportions. This shows the problem in how the Cubs are organized: Epstein is in charge of the baseball team while Kenney is in charge of the business side. But the business of the Cubs is baseball which includes ticket sales, concessions and fan service. In essence, no one is in charge of this mess. The idea to focus the night on how great the Jumbotron looked while looking away as their customers waded their way through urine soaked concourses is going to negatively affect any future fan goodwill.
A BRAVE NEW WORLD
The biggest story of Opening Night was along the scroll bar.
The Padres made another blockbuster move.
The Braves acquired veteran outfielders Cameron Maybin and Carlos Quentin, pitching prospect Matt
Wisler, outfielder Jordan Paroubeck and the 41st pick in the upcoming
draft.
The Padres have been the most aggressive team this off season. Last year, Oakland's Billy Beane sold the future for a run at the present, and lost that bet. It should be an interesting year in the NL West.
The Padres made another blockbuster move.
New Friar general manager A.J. Preller acquired closer Craig Kimbrel, and OF Melvin Upton from the fire sale Braves.
YahooSports reports that with Kimbrel, the Padres acquire
arguably the most dominant reliever in the game over the past five
seasons. The 26-year-old is coming off a season in which he posted a
1.61 ERA over 61 2/3 innings. He saved 47 games and struck out 97
batters. Kimbrel is under contract for at least the next three seasons.
He's guaranteed $33 million over that period. Kimbrel also has a $13
million club option for 2018.
For Preller and the Padres, the
move doubles-down on the all-in philosophy of the offseason. Kimbrel
should combine with Joaquin Benoit, Kevin Quackenbush and Shawn Kelly to
wreck havoc on opposing hitters in the late innings.
The 30-year-old Upton has not
performed well in Atlanta, and the move is perceived as a salary dump
for the Braves. Upton hit just .208/287/.333 last season, and is still
owed $46.35 million over the next three seasons. He'll likely be a
fourth outfielder with San Diego.
On the Braves side, both Quentin
and Maybin should provide outfield depth. Quentin isn't regarded as
highly for his defense, and had been used at first base during camp.
Freddie Freeman is firmly entrenched in that spot, so it appears as if
Quentin will continue to play the outfield. It is possible that Quentin may be DFA'd.
Wisler, 22, rated as the top
prospect in San Diego's system, according to Baseball America. His stats
in the minors have been strong up until he was promoted to Triple-A
last season. He considered relatively close to major-league ready, and
profiles as a No. 3 starter, according to BA.
Paroubeck was considered a
minor-league sleeper to watch by Baseball America, but did not rank
among the Padres' top-30 prospects. After being selected in the second
round of the 2013 draft, Paraoubeck hit .286/.346/.457 over 157 plate
appearances in rookie ball. He's just 20, and remains a few seasons away
from the majors.
April 6, 2015
THE UNFINISHED CONFINES
The national ESPN Opening Night showcased everything that is wrong with the Cubs.
The one film clip that was overlooked but summed up the night the best was a picture of a grounds crew guy with a metal detector and a bucket looking in the outfield for debris.
The funerary drapes of Ernie Banks to cover up the disastrous unfinished bleachers would have made even the Nixon White House blush.
If you got one large, in-your-face impression from last night's nightmare, it was this: Cubs ownership knows about how much the fans cared about their iconic and historical ball park, but they basically told them "we don't care, we are in business to make money." Every flat surface in range of a TV camera had new advertising plastered to it. The "see through" Budweiser sign in RF was much larger and thicker than the "artist's renderings" shown to the public during the zoning approval process.
The jumbotron is so huge and annoying that it makes the CF scoreboard look like a pimple on the face of an old woman. The white glare was shocking, so much so that the background color had to be changed to a light green. It had to affect the batter's line of sight, especially from right handed pitchers.
How the Cubs got an occupancy permit to allow the public to roam the under construction concourse is beyond belief. If you were a little shop owner in Chicago, you would have been red tagged and closed for safety reasons. But even then, the Cubs had condescending signage to remind fans that they have not finished their work, like new restrooms (relieved?)
When the announcers and team kept droning on about the changes to the park were "for the fans," that was not true. Reports this morning said that wait times to get to the open restrooms were from 1 to 2 hours long. The concourse was packed like a sardine can. Some patrons started peeing in cups, while others left the park to use adjoining businesses restrooms.
It seemed that everything else was secondary to the Cubs having their advertising signage in place.
With all the high expectations for the team, the Cubs fell flat. Joe Maddon was upset in spring training about the lack of fundamentals. The Cubs new management gurus had three years to train the prospects on fundamentals, "the Cubs Way." Soler booted a ball in RF (but got no error). There were two near collisions in the outfield with players. And we learned for the first time that superstar pitcher has a phobia of being unable to throw a ball to a bag!
Maddon was also screwy with his line-up card. Batting Soler second and Castro fourth made no sense. Also, batting Coghlan sixth and Lester eighth also made little sense (though it was explained that LaStella batting 9th equals a second lead off hitter). But LaStella looks like Sam Fuld's little brother at the plate, and seemingly out of place for cut off throws from the outfield. It could have been opening night nerves, but the whole team reverted to last season's epic woes. The Cubs were 0-13 with men in scoring position. The Cubs were shut out. Cubs batters were swinging for the fences and missing contact.
If anything happened last night, it was the deflation of expectations. The Cubs remain a bad ball club until the roster turnover is complete. The prospects and rookies are still unproven commodities.
One thing is certain. The fear that Ricketts would turn Clark and Addison into a mini-Times Square of advertising blight is coming true, but also inside Wrigley Field. The amusement park is open for business, but the baseball ride is still out of commission.
The one film clip that was overlooked but summed up the night the best was a picture of a grounds crew guy with a metal detector and a bucket looking in the outfield for debris.
The funerary drapes of Ernie Banks to cover up the disastrous unfinished bleachers would have made even the Nixon White House blush.
If you got one large, in-your-face impression from last night's nightmare, it was this: Cubs ownership knows about how much the fans cared about their iconic and historical ball park, but they basically told them "we don't care, we are in business to make money." Every flat surface in range of a TV camera had new advertising plastered to it. The "see through" Budweiser sign in RF was much larger and thicker than the "artist's renderings" shown to the public during the zoning approval process.
The jumbotron is so huge and annoying that it makes the CF scoreboard look like a pimple on the face of an old woman. The white glare was shocking, so much so that the background color had to be changed to a light green. It had to affect the batter's line of sight, especially from right handed pitchers.
How the Cubs got an occupancy permit to allow the public to roam the under construction concourse is beyond belief. If you were a little shop owner in Chicago, you would have been red tagged and closed for safety reasons. But even then, the Cubs had condescending signage to remind fans that they have not finished their work, like new restrooms (relieved?)
When the announcers and team kept droning on about the changes to the park were "for the fans," that was not true. Reports this morning said that wait times to get to the open restrooms were from 1 to 2 hours long. The concourse was packed like a sardine can. Some patrons started peeing in cups, while others left the park to use adjoining businesses restrooms.
It seemed that everything else was secondary to the Cubs having their advertising signage in place.
With all the high expectations for the team, the Cubs fell flat. Joe Maddon was upset in spring training about the lack of fundamentals. The Cubs new management gurus had three years to train the prospects on fundamentals, "the Cubs Way." Soler booted a ball in RF (but got no error). There were two near collisions in the outfield with players. And we learned for the first time that superstar pitcher has a phobia of being unable to throw a ball to a bag!
Maddon was also screwy with his line-up card. Batting Soler second and Castro fourth made no sense. Also, batting Coghlan sixth and Lester eighth also made little sense (though it was explained that LaStella batting 9th equals a second lead off hitter). But LaStella looks like Sam Fuld's little brother at the plate, and seemingly out of place for cut off throws from the outfield. It could have been opening night nerves, but the whole team reverted to last season's epic woes. The Cubs were 0-13 with men in scoring position. The Cubs were shut out. Cubs batters were swinging for the fences and missing contact.
If anything happened last night, it was the deflation of expectations. The Cubs remain a bad ball club until the roster turnover is complete. The prospects and rookies are still unproven commodities.
One thing is certain. The fear that Ricketts would turn Clark and Addison into a mini-Times Square of advertising blight is coming true, but also inside Wrigley Field. The amusement park is open for business, but the baseball ride is still out of commission.
April 3, 2015
AP PAYROLL ESTIMATES
The Associated Press reported its estimated 2015 team payrolls:
| 1. Los Angeles Dodgers | $272,789,040 |
| 2. New York Yankees | $219,282,196 |
| 3. Boston Red Sox | $187,407,202 |
| 4. Detroit Tigers | $173,813,750 |
| 5. San Francisco Giants | $172,672,111 |
| 6. Washington Nationals | $164,920,505 |
| 7. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | $150,933,083 |
| 8. Texas Rangers | $142,140,873 |
| 9. Philadelphia Phillies | $135,827,500 |
| 10. Toronto Blue Jays | $122,506,600 |
| 11. St. Louis Cardinals | $120,869,458 |
| 12. Seattle Mariners | $119,798,060 |
| 13. Chicago Cubs | $119,006,885 |
| 14. Cincinnati Reds | $117,197,072 |
| 15. Chicago White Sox | $115,238,678 |
| 16. Kansas City Royals | $113,618,650 |
| 17. Baltimore Orioles | $110,146,097 |
| 18. Minnesota Twins | $108,945,000 |
| 19. Milwaukee Brewers | $105,002,536 |
| 20. Colorado Rockies | $102,006,130 |
| 21. New York Mets | $101,409,244 |
| 22. San Diego Padres | $100,675,896 |
| 23. Atlanta Braves | $97,578,565 |
| 24. Arizona Diamondbacks | $91,518,833 |
| 25. Pittsburgh Pirates | $88,278,500 |
| 26. Cleveland Indians | $86,091,175 |
| 27. Oakland A's | $86,086,667 |
| 28. Tampa Bay Rays | $76,061,707 |
| 29. Houston Astros | $70,910,100 |
| 30. Miami Marlins | $68,479,000 |
April 2, 2015
BUCKING THE TREND
The White Sox had an excellent off-season.
And now, the team is bucking the trend of increasing ticket prices for part of the season.
ESPN reported that fans can buy a package of 11 weekday home games in April and May is near impossible, except if you sell them for close to nothing.
That's exactly what the team is doing, announcing the "Ballpark Plan" that gives a fan every home game the team plays on a Monday through Thursday in the first two months of the season -- for $29 total. The cheapest ticket sold separately this season is $7.18.
"Given the weather we have and the product we've had in the past, we've had crowds under 20,000, it made sense for us to use these games to get people to sample, or snack, on us," said Brooks Boyer, the chief marketing officer of the team.
Actual seat locations for these games, for fans who buy the package, will be based on availability and will be sent to the phones of those fans on the day of the game.
The ultimate goal is to turn the fan into a season ticket holder.
The White Sox are offering another package, which includes every game in April and May for $49. That's $2.33 a game.
Both plans don't include Opening Day or May 23, fan favorite Paul Konerko's retirement ceremony.
Stub Hub ticket prices straight from the box office in order to get more people into the ball park is an excellent idea. Each team has an inventory of seats to sell, and if they don't sell there is no revenue. And once the game is over, unsold seats is lost revenue opportunities so getting anything for the attendance is a positive.
It also brings some tangible proof that some teams are aware that the average cost of going to games is cost prohibitive for a family of four or more. The "affordability" of the game is a sore point in some communities. The White Sox are at least giving every demographic the opportunity to see the team (even if it is in the colder part of the season).
And now, the team is bucking the trend of increasing ticket prices for part of the season.
ESPN reported that fans can buy a package of 11 weekday home games in April and May is near impossible, except if you sell them for close to nothing.
That's exactly what the team is doing, announcing the "Ballpark Plan" that gives a fan every home game the team plays on a Monday through Thursday in the first two months of the season -- for $29 total. The cheapest ticket sold separately this season is $7.18.
"Given the weather we have and the product we've had in the past, we've had crowds under 20,000, it made sense for us to use these games to get people to sample, or snack, on us," said Brooks Boyer, the chief marketing officer of the team.
Actual seat locations for these games, for fans who buy the package, will be based on availability and will be sent to the phones of those fans on the day of the game.
The ultimate goal is to turn the fan into a season ticket holder.
The White Sox are offering another package, which includes every game in April and May for $49. That's $2.33 a game.
Both plans don't include Opening Day or May 23, fan favorite Paul Konerko's retirement ceremony.
Stub Hub ticket prices straight from the box office in order to get more people into the ball park is an excellent idea. Each team has an inventory of seats to sell, and if they don't sell there is no revenue. And once the game is over, unsold seats is lost revenue opportunities so getting anything for the attendance is a positive.
It also brings some tangible proof that some teams are aware that the average cost of going to games is cost prohibitive for a family of four or more. The "affordability" of the game is a sore point in some communities. The White Sox are at least giving every demographic the opportunity to see the team (even if it is in the colder part of the season).
April 1, 2015
FOOL'S GOLD
Those who praise Theo Epstein's plan for long term success of the Cubs believe the decision to send Kris Bryant to the minors for 12 games in order to keep him under control for another full contract season is a no-brainer.
Yes, the current collective bargaining agreement harshly defines service time and club control of players. Yes, it makes sense to keep Bryant for a 7th year during his projected peak production years.
Yes, no matter what Epstein and the front office says, sending Bryant down was purely "a business decision."
Own it.
Instead, the Cubs use excuses that Bryant needs some final development. It could be adjusting to the outfield (but if that was so, he could have played more than one game in LF during spring training) or resting his sore shoulder (that is what the DL is for).
Owner Tom Ricketts has said time and time again to fans that money would be no object in fielding a championship caliber team. The Cubs went out and spent $155 million on pitcher Jon Lester, who happens to be nursing a dead arm. The Cubs still owe Edwin Jackson $26 million in dead money. So if the Cubs truly believe money is no issue, then it should not matter what Bryant is worth in Year 7.
Own it. Pay it.
Unless of course, you don't want to pay market value to Bryant in Year 7. A small market team would be desperate to keep a star player, a draw, for as long as possible at a 25% discount (last year of arbitration to FMV). People perceive the Cubs as not a small market team, but at times they act like one.
When management says there are only one or two players away from the playoffs, do they really mean what they say? Ricketts said that in Year One and beyond as the team sunk to the bottom of the barrel. But Epstein's plan was to be bad in order to get high draft picks and more signing bonus money. On paper, it is working as the scouting services and writers believe the Cubs have one of the strongest farm systems in the game.
A small market team trades "hope" for fan support. Small market teams must rely on their farm system and prospect player development in order to compete against large market clubs. The Cubs have marketed "hope" for the past three seasons. Fans have being putting up top dollar to see the touted prospects. It is a tease to sell a mega-prospect to season ticket holders, then withhold his debut.
Some seasoned fans are tuned into this drama as the Cubs were advertising last weekend that Opening Night tickets were still available for purchase (as part of 12 game season ticket packages). That in itself is surprising considering the Cubs don't have any bleacher seats available for that game.
Fans really don't care about Bryant's Year 7. If he is good, the Cubs said money was no object.
But there is no guarantee that Bryant will even be a Cub 7 years from now. Or that he will command superstar contract status.
Here is a historical list of the Cubs top prospects:
2015: Bryant, waiting in AAA
2014: Javy Baez, demoted to Iowa
2013: Baez
2012: Brett Jackson, demoted and out of the organization
2011: Chris Archer, traded for Matt Garza, starter for the Rays
2010: Starlin Castro, Cubs starting shortstop
2009: Josh Vitters, demoted and out of the organization
2008: Vitters
2007: Felix Pie, bench journeyman out of the organization
2006: Pie
2005: Brian Dopirak, out of baseball
2004: Angel Guzman, journeyman pitcher who mostly played outside organization
2003: Hee Seop Choi, out of baseball
2002: Mark Prior, injury killed career early
2001: Corey Patterson, bench journeyman out of the organization
2000: Patterson
Bryant's closest comparison is Jackson, who was great in the minors but only had a cup of coffee in the majors (the strikeout ratio at the plate doomed his playing career). Baez is following in Jackson's footsteps. One would hope Bryant would be different. But then, Micah Hoffpauir destroyed minor league pitching in 2008 and 2010 but his Cub career quickly fizzled out after 2.5 seasons.
Whether Bryant is real gold (which the vast majority including myself believe) or fool's gold can only be determined by his actual playing time in the majors. Does he have anything further to learn in the minors? No. Did the Cubs have some reason to keep a valuable asset under control for the longest possible time? Yes. Does control issues matter when you are projecting a fight for a playoff spot this year? No.
Perhaps, the real issue is the Cubs mixed messages to fans. The flames of championship fireworks is what people have latched onto - - - because it is a good story. But the cold water of reality is that there are so many variables and historical evidence that a prospect's resume is no indication of future success that people should be more guarded with their expectations.
But guarded expectations does not sell tickets.
Yes, the current collective bargaining agreement harshly defines service time and club control of players. Yes, it makes sense to keep Bryant for a 7th year during his projected peak production years.
Yes, no matter what Epstein and the front office says, sending Bryant down was purely "a business decision."
Own it.
Instead, the Cubs use excuses that Bryant needs some final development. It could be adjusting to the outfield (but if that was so, he could have played more than one game in LF during spring training) or resting his sore shoulder (that is what the DL is for).
Owner Tom Ricketts has said time and time again to fans that money would be no object in fielding a championship caliber team. The Cubs went out and spent $155 million on pitcher Jon Lester, who happens to be nursing a dead arm. The Cubs still owe Edwin Jackson $26 million in dead money. So if the Cubs truly believe money is no issue, then it should not matter what Bryant is worth in Year 7.
Own it. Pay it.
Unless of course, you don't want to pay market value to Bryant in Year 7. A small market team would be desperate to keep a star player, a draw, for as long as possible at a 25% discount (last year of arbitration to FMV). People perceive the Cubs as not a small market team, but at times they act like one.
When management says there are only one or two players away from the playoffs, do they really mean what they say? Ricketts said that in Year One and beyond as the team sunk to the bottom of the barrel. But Epstein's plan was to be bad in order to get high draft picks and more signing bonus money. On paper, it is working as the scouting services and writers believe the Cubs have one of the strongest farm systems in the game.
A small market team trades "hope" for fan support. Small market teams must rely on their farm system and prospect player development in order to compete against large market clubs. The Cubs have marketed "hope" for the past three seasons. Fans have being putting up top dollar to see the touted prospects. It is a tease to sell a mega-prospect to season ticket holders, then withhold his debut.
Some seasoned fans are tuned into this drama as the Cubs were advertising last weekend that Opening Night tickets were still available for purchase (as part of 12 game season ticket packages). That in itself is surprising considering the Cubs don't have any bleacher seats available for that game.
Fans really don't care about Bryant's Year 7. If he is good, the Cubs said money was no object.
But there is no guarantee that Bryant will even be a Cub 7 years from now. Or that he will command superstar contract status.
Here is a historical list of the Cubs top prospects:
2015: Bryant, waiting in AAA
2014: Javy Baez, demoted to Iowa
2013: Baez
2012: Brett Jackson, demoted and out of the organization
2011: Chris Archer, traded for Matt Garza, starter for the Rays
2010: Starlin Castro, Cubs starting shortstop
2009: Josh Vitters, demoted and out of the organization
2008: Vitters
2007: Felix Pie, bench journeyman out of the organization
2006: Pie
2005: Brian Dopirak, out of baseball
2004: Angel Guzman, journeyman pitcher who mostly played outside organization
2003: Hee Seop Choi, out of baseball
2002: Mark Prior, injury killed career early
2001: Corey Patterson, bench journeyman out of the organization
2000: Patterson
Bryant's closest comparison is Jackson, who was great in the minors but only had a cup of coffee in the majors (the strikeout ratio at the plate doomed his playing career). Baez is following in Jackson's footsteps. One would hope Bryant would be different. But then, Micah Hoffpauir destroyed minor league pitching in 2008 and 2010 but his Cub career quickly fizzled out after 2.5 seasons.
Whether Bryant is real gold (which the vast majority including myself believe) or fool's gold can only be determined by his actual playing time in the majors. Does he have anything further to learn in the minors? No. Did the Cubs have some reason to keep a valuable asset under control for the longest possible time? Yes. Does control issues matter when you are projecting a fight for a playoff spot this year? No.
Perhaps, the real issue is the Cubs mixed messages to fans. The flames of championship fireworks is what people have latched onto - - - because it is a good story. But the cold water of reality is that there are so many variables and historical evidence that a prospect's resume is no indication of future success that people should be more guarded with their expectations.
But guarded expectations does not sell tickets.
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