My First Trip to Wrigley Field

I apologize for my delay in posting, but it’s been taking me a little bit to get back into the groove of things. Between my sleeping cycles being drastically changed (I’m very much an early to bed, early to rise sort of person), my eating habits changed (back home, I eat fairly healthy and actually keep track of my calories), and my exercise routine interrupted (I do some sort of aerobic or weight training 5-6 days a week), I just haven’t been myself lately. But, I seem to be getting back to whatever normal is around here.

So, Sunday night, I arrived at Wrigley Field with my family around 5:00, two hours before game time. Our cab driver was pretty funny, especially when he started talking about Ozzie Guillen and how terrible the Cubs were. He said in his thick, middle-eastern accent, “You from Iowa? You have a good football team. Not too good last year though.”

When we arrived at Wrigley, we started to walk around the field. There were statues outside of the park; and in right field, there was a cut-out where you could watch the warm-ups on the field. It looked like Matsuzaka was working throwing the ball around, and the position players were taking batting practice. We then made our way towards the center-field area, where we asked an usher which gate we needed to go in. He replied “Any gate.” I guess this is what happens when you’re used to Fenway Park, where you’re only allowed into a certain area of the park with your ticket.

As we continued to walk, a guy decked out in a Cubs uniformed mumbled something to us about seeing Theo Epstein. We didn’t realize that he meant Epstein was in the parking lot behind him until we saw Theo walk into the park. My brother’s comment was “No wonder the Cubs are so bad; they’re president arrives late to work.” I will not badmouth Theo Epstein for the rest of this post.

When we got into the park, I immediately bought my dad and myself a beer ($7.00 for a draft Bud Light); it was Father’s Day afterall. So, with that beer, I officially had my first beer at a ballpark. Not that I haven’t had the opportunity before, but I’m not much of a beer fan. I much rather prefer the margaritas I had at US Cellular a few years ago or the vodka lemonade I had later that game.

We found our seats, which were much like the seats at Fenway Park- small and old. Luckily, it was seat cushion day, so we had something comfortable to sit on. I also remarked to my brother that we got to put our asses on the Cubs logo. Our seats were not the greatest, as they were the second to last row in the grandstand about midway down the first base line. The only thing we couldn’t see was the center fielder because of a pole and where Ortiz’s home run landed because of a sign above our section.

The Red Sox were taking batting practice when we arrived, and I noticed a few interesting things during this time. One- Carl Crawford was batting, and he looked really good for someone who has yet to play this season. I know he’s close to getting ready to play in games, but he looks strong and focused. Two- Pedroia was switch-hitting while he batted. I’m not sure if this is to build strength or if it’s something he was trying out.

My initial instinct of the inside of Wrigley Field was I didn’t get that nostalgic feeling I get when I go to Fenway. The field just looked old, not old and historic like I was hoping. I could tell from our seats that the bleachers needed to be painted, and they were actual bleachers. The rooftop seats were neat, and I would like to sit there sometime for a game. The grass in the outfield was torn-up and scorched, evidently from a concert that had taken place there. You could definitely tell where they tried to patch certain places, like the pitchers mound.

After all that negative talk about Wrigley, there were some things that I did really like. We ate hot dogs (because that what you do when you go to baseball games) on a patio outside the grandstand. There was a great view of the city from there (find it in my post from yesterday with the pictures). There was also a 25% discount on food and drinks prior to the game, so that was pretty enjoyable as well. My “Chicago dog” was really good, especially with the sautéed onions they loaded on it.

Seeing Terry Francona in the pressbox gave me an eerie feeling, like he didn’t belong there. Sure, I have seen him on Sunday Night Baseball for months now, but it still didn’t seem real. Plus, there were screens mounted on the posts around Wrigley showing the ESPN broadcast, and every time they showed Valentine, he looked like he was relaxed and not really that into the game. Let me point out I’m sure he was into the game and was paying attention, but the difference between Valentine and Sveum, who was seen leaning against the fencing closest to the field most of the game, was drastic.

Unfortunately, Beckett was supposed to pitch Sunday, and he went on the disabled list Friday. So, Franklin Morales took his place. I thought Morales did great that night, only giving up 2 runs in 5 innings while walking 0 and striking out 9. The bullpen followed up nicely as well (besides Aceves, which I talk about later). They gave up only 1, unearned run. Melancon even lowered his ERA to 22.85!

Now Aceves made things interesting in the 9th. I cringed when I saw Aceves take the mound because while I think he’s a reliable member of the bullpen, he does not seem to do well in non-save situations. So, what did Aceves do? He gave up 3 hits and a run, and made most Red Sox fans who weren’t entirely intoxicated question him.

It was kind of cringe-worthy to watch the Cubs and Red Sox’s defense play as well; it was evident that these were both last place teams. As much as I love Pedroia, he really needs to not do so much on the field. It looked like he was trying to play 2nd, shortstop, first, and right-field, all at once. Youkilis (fielding) and Aviles (missed catch) both had errors, though I would’ve given Pedroia an error or two.

The Cubs also had two errors, one being Starlin Castro’s fielding error, his 12th of the season. There’s a lot of talk in Chicago about whether or not Sveum’s going to go through with his threat of benching Castro if he keeps making errors. My opinion is he shouldn’t. Castro and 2nd baseman Darwin Barney are the Cubs’ only two real sparks on the team. Fans like them, and they are really enjoyable to watch. Besides, Castro is only 22; he still has plenty to learn. If Epstein really wants to show the fans he’s ready to take the Cubs in a new directions, he should hold onto these two, young players.

Offensively, it was an interesting night as well. The Sox started with a line-up that didn’t include Nava, Gonzalez, Middlebrooks, or Saltalamacchia. They ended the game with all 13 of their position players having had a chance to bat and 6 relievers used (including Morales, who is still technically a relief pitcher). The only members of the Sox that did not play Sunday night were Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Felix Doubront, Clayton Mortenson, Vincente Padilla, and Clay Buchholz. (A quick note on Buchholz, I think he should have started on Sunday night on 5 day’s rest. Obviously from last night’s game, the extra 2 days didn’t do him any good).

Overall, it was a great experience to see the Red Sox play at Wrigley Field. The Red Sox won 7-4, and they had some pop in their bats with 12 hits. Ortiz hit a home run, and Salty pinch-hit for an RBI single. It was a team effort, which is what this team needed.

Some Thoughts Heading Into the Big Red Sox-Cubs Series

As I’ve stated a few times, I will be heading to Chi-town to see the Red Sox take on the Cubs this weekend. I’ll be going to Sunday night’s game, which will be broadcasted on ESPN. Theo Epstein, Terry Francona, and the Red Sox will unite for the first time since October. It’s going to be great!

For years, I always went to Red Sox games with my family… my entire family; and when I say entire family, I mean aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, great aunts and uncles, grandparents, the whole shebang. I’ve only been to two baseball games where it didn’t involve multiple members of my family. The first being when I was about twelve years old and went to a Chicago White Sox- Seattle Mariners game with my friends’ family. The second being when I took my mom to the Red Sox- Indians game the last time we were in Boston for her birthday present. Otherwise, there would be no less than 20 of us family members together.

I had an inkling this would happen, but it turns out multiple members of my family are going to at least one game this weekend. My dad’s cousin’s family are going Friday and Sunday, and one of my cousins (who lives in Wisconsin) notified me that he’ll be going to Saturday’s game. Good, the family will be well represented.

But, enough about my family. This is a Red Sox blog, and I am going to proceed with the Red Sox news. First, the pitching match-ups:

Friday: Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-1, 7.20 ERA) v. Ryan Dempster (2-3, 2.31 ERA)
Saturday: Jon Lester (3-4, 4.57 ERA) v. Jeff Samardzija (5-4, 3.96 ERA)
Sunday: Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.14 ERA) v. Paul Maholm (4-5, 4.91 ERA)

My dream match-up would have been Beckett v. Garza, but it appears the former “Red Sox Killer” (or if you ask some, “Future Red Sox Pitcher”) won’t be making a starting appearance this series. Being around a lot of Cubs fans, Samardzija is the up-and-comer of the Red Sox rotation. He had great stuff. Dempster is kind of like Beckett of late; his win-loss record doesn’t reflect his performance.

I made a prediction last night that Beckett will go yard at Wrigley Field. It’s Sunday Night Baseball, inter-league, and in a small park; Beckett has the bat. It would be great if he hit the ball into the stands.

The Boston Globe printed an interview Dan Shaughnessy conducted with Theo Epstein. In it, Epstein humbles himself a lot, explaining he didn’t like the “Savior” titled granted to him when he jumped ship to the Cubs (and even mentions that infamous photo of him walking on top of Lake Michigan). He also says that the Red Sox will always be his favorite (AL) team.

I do think that Epstein made some mistakes in his career with the Red Sox (Drew, Lackey, Lugo, Renteria, etc.). He admits that in the article. I don’t know if it was ownership pressure, but it did seem like his management mentality shifted over the course of the years. In 2004, the Sox won the World Series with non-superstar players, at least prior to coming to Boston (Bill Mueller, Kevin Millar, Mark Bellhorn, and even David Ortiz to an extent). In 2007, the Sox won the World Series with a slew of homegrown talent (Lester, Papelbon, Ellsbury, Pedroia, and Youkilis). In 2011, the Sox had many large contracts they were dealing with (Crawford, Gonzalez to name two) and were unable to make the playoffs.

Personally, I think it might have been the time for Epstein to go, and some will argue that he had already left the Sox at that point. I’ve always like Epstein, so it was hard for me when he did leave. On the other hand, I think some of the offseason moves that Cherington has done were great, particularly with the minor league contracts (Prior, Podsednik, and even Cook to an extent). Change is good, and I need to keep reminding myself this.

I’m excited about the series and even more about the game on Sunday. Aside from tomorrow’s “Tweets of the Week,” I will not be posting again until Monday or Tuesday. I’ll be sure to take pictures and post them when I return to Iowa. Here’s hoping for a series win (sweep would be preferred as I’m surrounded by Cubs fans!).

Red Sox at Cubs, June 17

Last night, I bought my tickets for the Red Sox at Cubs game on June 17. The time is TBD, but my guess is it’s the game broadcasted by ESPN for Sunday Night Baseball. This would mean that there’s a good chance Terry Francona will be commentating. A reunion is in place for the Boston Red Sox, former general manager Theo Epstein, and former manager Terry Francona.

When I first found out about the Red Sox at Cubs series for the 2012 season, I immediately went to my family and said we had to go. There was some apprehension, then a flat-out “no” from my parents, then some looking into the White Sox-Red Sox series, and then another “no” from my parents. I went on StubHub a few weeks ago to see about Reds-Cubs tickets (for some reason, I’ve been enjoying watching the Reds play the past few years) and came across Red Sox-Cubs tickets starting under $50. I decided that if I wasn’t going to go to the game with my family, I would try and get some friends
together and go. My family soon changed their minds though.

I’m very excited about this game for a number of reasons. The first reason being that this will be my first time going to Wrigley Field. I’ve always wanted to go to Wrigley, but when you’re a Red Sox fan living in Iowa, you always want to see the Red Sox play. I’ve been to many games at US Cellular Field (aka Comiskey Park); I’ve even seen a White Sox-Mariners game there (one of my favorite baseball moments- Ken Griffey Jr. waived at my friends and me). The last time the Red Sox visited the Cubs, I couldn’t get tickets, so I’ve been keeping track of this game for a long time.

The second reason I’m excited about this game is that it’s been two years since I’ve seen the Red Sox live. My family and I went to Boston two years ago, and I was lucky enough to see two games while out there. Growing up, we’ve tried to get to a Red Sox game every year (we’ve seen them play in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Kansas City), but it’s been a little more difficult now that we’re all older. The last time I saw the Red Sox play in Chicago was four years ago, so it’s been awhile. Another reason why this is going to be an exciting game is the whole Red Sox-Cubs, Theo Epstein dynamic.

I’ve been trying not to talk bad about Epstein, but I do think he sort of jumped ship on the Red Sox organization. I know he did about everything he could with the Red Sox, but he also left the organization at a bad time. The compensation, which was supposed to be “substantial,” has been anything but. I want to see what it’s like for Cubs fans who are thinking of Epstein as a “savior” figure (please Google “Theo Epstein, Chicago Sun Times” for this image, if you haven’t seen it yet).

This is being set up as a Sunday Night Baseball telecast (though, it hasn’t been announced yet). It’s the Cubs and the Red Sox, two of the most storied franchises. Even people who are not fans of either teams will tune in to watch this game. I’ve never been to a Sunday Night game, let alone a Sunday Night Baseball game. I’m sure the entire atmosphere of Wrigley will be different with even more energy and excitement.

Lastly, I want to see if Terry Francona goes down on the field and visits with the Red Sox players. One of my favorite things over the past few seasons is seeing Francona with his players, especially Pedroia. The players loved Francona as a friend/father-figure. The fans loved Francona, for the most part.

As I’ve been stating, I’m really excited for this game. If anyone has suggestions about things to do in Wrigleyville or things to see at Wrigley Field, please let me know. I want to get as much out of this experience as possible.

Finally- We Can Put the Theo Epstein Compensation to Rest

The Theo Epstein compensation talks are no more.  Four months ago today, Epstein quit on the Red Sox to join the Cubs in their newly added “President of Baseball Operations” position.  Epstein quickly seized up former assistant Jed Hoyer from the Padres to fill the void as General Manager of the Cubs.  Ben Cherington was named Red Sox GM, and the Sox waited… and waited… and waited for their compensation.  At long last, the waiting is over after Commissioner Bud Selig stepped in (in November).

The Red Sox will get RHP Chris Carpenter and a Player To Be Named Later.  Carpenter was on the Cubs 40-man roster and will be added to the Red Sox’s 40-man roster.  The Red Sox placed Bobby Jenks on the 60-day disabled list to make room.  The PTBNL is said the be a minor-level prospect.

From what I’ve heard and read about Carpenter, he will make a great impact on the Red Sox team.  He’s 26 and was drafted in the third-round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. He lead all Cubs minor leaguers with a 2.82 ERA in 2009 and was named the Arizona Fall League’s Rising Star in 2010.  He was also previously drafted in 2004 in the 7^th round by the Tigers and in 2007 in the 18^th round by the Yankees; he didn’t sign either time.

In the limited time he spent in the Majors in 2011, Carpenter had a 2.79 ERA in 10 games, all coming out of the bullpen.  Left-handers hit for a .143 average, and he left the opposing teams scoreless in 8 out of 10 innings.  In the AA and AAA last year, he had 32 relief appearances, going 3-4 with two saves and a 5.91 ERA.  Obviously, his limited Major League experience is more impressive than his total body of work.

There was also talk of the Red Sox getting AA RHP Trey McNutt, who had a 4.55 ERA in 23 games last year.  As much as I would’ve liked to see a McNutt on the Red Sox (after all, I am fan of Marvin McNutt on the Hawkeyes football team and would love to yell “McNutt!” during baseball season as well), I think getting a AAA level prospect is better for the Sox this year. 

The Sox’s main problem area is their pitching.  They have three, legitimate starters; two, dependable relievers who are being groomed for starters (Bard and Aceves); an assortment of relievers that haven’t really proven themselves besides the set-up man and closer (Melancon and Bailey), and a wide variety of other pitchers vying for a spot on the roster.  Carpenter now has a spot on the 40-man roster.  Hopefully, he makes the most of it.