From: baseball@catch-the-fever.scd.ucar.edu (Gregg Walters)
Subject: Re: NL Schedule 1993
Organization: Scientific Computing Divison/NCAR Boulder, CO
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:06:08 GMT

>>This is awful.  How can it be that the Chicago Cubs can bully the rest of
>>the league for its own interests, despite the interests of all the other teams?

They have more money, er, access to the system...

>>For the longest time now I've felt realignment was the right thing to do,
>>but because it would seem to be an Inconvenience to Cub fans to have to stay
>>up an extra hour 8 times a year to watch the team, it won't happen.
>>Now these same guys are trying to stir up the pot to hopefully get Vincent
>>to resign, and with luck get someone who won't try to take an active stance
>>in realignment.  To this I applaud Vincent for saying he has no intention
>>of resigning.
>>
>This is somewhat harsh. After all, I never heard a consensus taken as to what
>Cubs fans would think about the move. It was the Tribune which was concerned
>that millions they rake in televising Cubs games on WGN next year would
>not be as great as the tens of millions they get this year since there would be
>such a drastic increase in the number of games on the west coast. d::-)
>

Well, after doggedly following the Cubbies for 34 years (HOLY COW), I seriously
doubt that the Wrigley/Tribune family genuinely cares about Cub fans' one true
need - a World Series.  We're almost psychotic ya know.  This "wait 'til next year"
mantra no longer comforts me.  Nor does Harry's "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".

I didn't like the alignment geography when it was setup in 1969, I don't like
it now, and I'm all for the commish on this issue.  In fact, each Tribune
pontification on behalf of the fans pushes me further toward abandoning the
Cubbies in favor of the Rockies.  They won't be a winner for awhile, but its
easier to take without the expectations - no $7M man for awhile.
>
>In fact, the average Cubs fan might actually welcome the move since then it
>would make it much easier for the team to win a division since Atlanta,
>Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Montreal which are the best teams in the NL would be
>in the same division while Chicago would only have to fight St. Louis and San
>Diego for an NL West title. Consequently, the Cubs as a team might then have a
>better chance of finally making it to a World Series since they would not have
>to worry about Steve Garvey, who is retired, or Will Clark, who would be in the
>same division that the Cubs won.
>
It has occurred to me that the Cubs might benefit this way from a realignment.
Although I would have to say that it is difficult to successfully predict which
individual on a future division winner, in a 4 to 7 game series will single-
-handedly dominate the other team.  Or what misfortunes by chance, injury, or
bad trades would change your/our list of best teams between now and September 1993.

If I remember right, the  present alignment was partly influenced by the desire
to balance the competition as it was then.  Dodgers, Giants, Reds, and Braves
in the West, and Cubs, Cards, Pirates and the potential of redeveloping rivalries
with a New York market in the East.  This put two expansion teams in each division,
but it also broke up the Pirates/Reds rivalry, something that could be restored under
Fay Vincent's plan.  Of course, if the Giants are moved to the Eastern division,
the Reds should stay in the West.  In fact, this scenario should diminish the Cubs
concerns about west coast visits.  Additionally, if in the long term the NL stays
with the AL type schedule they just adopted for 1993, then the business losses
feared by the Cubs start looking pretty small.  Sheesh, why don't the Cubs fight
this hard to build a winner?  They could get a quality ball player for the money
they are probably gonna spend blocking realignment...

Here's a thought about the Cubs image, that might start a new thread.  Doesn't
the Cubs squeaky clean deportment, suggest a Disneyland kind of operation?
Lotsa fluff and not enough stuff?  They make money without winning, and don't
make news about drugs/traffic/family incidents?  The Tribune's bullying of
the league is tarnishing this image, and their posturing to protect the
fans seems paternalistic.

Gregg
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball