#wrigley-field

#wrigley-field

With a lackluster on-field product, a complete lack of star power and one of the costliest game day experiences in the league, the Chicago Cubs shouldn't be shocked at the message fans sent this year in their lack of attendance, especially late in the year.The 2022 attendance at Wrigley Field marked the lowest full-season figure since 1997 (obviously, there were limits in place early in 2021 and no fans were allowed to attend games in 2020) - and seeing large swathes of empty green seats, especially during those midweek night games became commonplace.

Despite plenty of ups and downs along the way, Marcus Stroman turned in a solid body of work in his first year as a member of the Chicago Cubs.The right-hander finished with a 3.50 ERA, which checked in well below the league average mark of 3.96 - and it's not hard to see how he could've lowered that mark even further.

After nearly two decades of outrageous burgers served to loud metal and punk music, Kuma's Corner is making some changes at its original location in Avondale and its Fulton Market outpost.At the Avondale location, Kuma's will make more use of its service window to sell frozen desserts.They're calling the operation Voodoobar to sell seasonal selections like mint and strawberry gelato cookie sandwiches, caramel nut fudge and churro gelato bars, and lemon and mango Italian ice.

Chicago already has movie theaters with food and drink options - including the venerable Brew & View at the Vic Theater - but the owners of Alamo Drafthouse are keen that their offerings will please local film buffs who want to enjoy a full meal while at their Chicago location.At Alamo, servers will bring burgers, wings, chicken tenders, gourmet popcorn, and more to movie-goers' seats.

A group of food service and sanitation workers at Chicago's United Center on Tuesday filed 24 labor complaints against their employer, Levy Restaurants, alleging that the company over-scheduled employees in violation of Illinois labor law.A dozen employees and members of Unite Here Local 1 also gathered on Tuesday to picket outside the United Center, according to the .

Braves Franchise History
1932 - The Red Sox split a doubleheader with the A's in their final Sunday games played at Braves Field.With the ban on Sunday games at Fenway Park lifted, the Red Sox will play a Sunday game there on July 3.
1962 - Amado Samuel, Joe Torre and Joe Adcock all homer to help the Braves defeat the Cubs 11-9 at Wrigley Field.

Braves Franchise History
1942 - Jim Tobin has a huge day as he throws a five hitter and slugs three consecutive home runs in a 6-5 win over the Cubs at Braves Field.Tobin is the first pitcher in modern history to collect three home runs in a game.1998 - Ryan Klesko hits a two-run home run against the Cardinals to help the Braves set a new National League record with a homer in 25 straight games.

Braves Franchise History
2010 - The Braves reached an agreement with 18-year old Dominican shortstop Edward Salcedo to a reported $1.6 million deal.Salcedo will spend six seasons in the minors and will never reach the major leagues.2012 - Mike Minor tells the Braves that he wants to be traded if he is not in the team's starting rotation.

The owner of the defending NBA champions confirmed Thursday he is exploring the purchase of the Angels.In August, when Angels owner Arte Moreno put the team up for sale, Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob told the Los Angeles Times he would "look at good opportunities."On a podcast with the Athletic columnist Tim Kawakami, Lacob said the Angels could indeed be a good opportunity.

I've lived in Arlington Heights most of my life.Elementary school at St. James, swimming lessons at Rec Park, graduation at Arlington High School, caddying at Rolling Green Country Club.My first job was delivering the Arlington Day newspaper on my bike.My second was picking up empty beer bottles and emptying ashtrays at Beverly Lanes.

You've probably heard a lot about ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence site that can write many different things.Since today's game wasn't too meaningful and was largely played by minor leaguers, I gave ChatGPT the following prompt: "Write a recap of a spring training baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, where the Cubs won 8-5 and mostly minor league players from 2023 were used in the game by both teams."

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

On a day the Dodgers had no formal batting practice, and no organized teamwide drills, three players still raced around the field at Dodger Stadium before Sunday's game against the New York Yankees.One was Chris Taylor, the lone veteran of the group taking a few pregame grounders at shortstop before starting at the position later that night.

The Los Angeles Dodgers activated Brusdar Graterol off the paternity list and optioned Justin Bruihl to Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.That was part of multiple roster moves on Friday, as Max Muncy also returned from paternity leave and Will Smith was activated from the concussion injured list.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have played shorthanded throughout their road trip due to several players taking turns on the paternity list.The group has included Mookie Betts, Brusdar Graterol, Max Muncy and Evan Phillips.Betts and Phillips have since returned to action after missing two and four games, respectively.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off a forgettable 8-1 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates as they look to rebound at PNC Park and end their road trip with a series win.Wednesday's loss snapped the Dodgers' three-game winning streak and dropped them to a half-game back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West with a 13-12 record.

Braves Franchise History
1926 - Cubs pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander is presented with the keys to a Lincoln prior to a game at Wrigley Field.The Braves knock Alexander around and win 7-1.The Cubs will end their homestand and leave Alexander behind before waving him.MLB History
1907 - Umpire Billy Evans needs a police escort after Tigers manager Hughie Jennings incites a riot.

Superstar singer and flutist Lizzo performed last week at the United Center and needed a late-night snack.That resulted in giving a local pizzeria one of the best gifts possible: a glowing 10/10 TikTok review.The staff at Dimo's Pizza, with locations in Wicker Park, Wrigleyville, the Loop, and Lincoln Square, is reveling in the social media gold that Lizzo provided in a weekend post.

Red Sox COMMENTARYThe Cardinals, who visit Fenway Park this weekend, have handled slow starts from some players very differently than the Red Sox.The St. Louis Cardinals - quasi-rivals that they are - arrive at Fenway Park for a three-game series starting Friday on something of a roll.That we can call one series victory that should tell you something.

Morgan Wallen, the chart-dominating country star, is postponing six weeks of shows on his current tour, saying in a statement on Tuesday that he had injured his vocal cords and that the pause was recommended by his doctors.I performed three shows last weekend in Florida and by the third one I felt terrible, Wallen said in a video posted on social media.

As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we'll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Contreras returns to Wrigley: The Cubs and Cardinals will meet for the first time this season at Wrigley Field this evening, with Willson Contreras in the middle of the storylines surrounding the bitter rivals.

TOKYO Over a span of nearly 100 years, Meiji Jingu Stadium in central Tokyo has been the scene of numerous important events.Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig played there on a barnstorming tour, the novelist Haruki Murakami was inspired by a trip to the stadium to write his first novel and just last year Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows hit a record-breaking home run into the stadium's stands.

Welcome to Sunday's Marlins (16-18, -57 RD) vs. Cubs (17-16, +47 RD) game thread.Happy Sandy Day.Marlins Game Notes Marlins Starting Lineup
RHP Sandy Alcantara (86 ERA+ this season)
Pregame Roster Moves: INF Joey Wendle returned from rehab and reinstated from 10-day IL; INF/OF Xavier Edwards optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville; LHP Devin Smeltzer cleared waivers, outrighted to Triple-A
Lineup Changes from Previous Game: Sánchez and Stallings in, Xavier Edwards and Nick Fortes out; Soler switches from RF to DH, Arraez switches from DH to 2B
Additional Marlins Notes: This is the highest starting spot in the batting order that Sánchez has had in 2023...The Marlins are relying on Alcantara to lead them out of a five-game losing streak.

Welcome to Friday's Marlins (16-16, -52 RD) vs. Cubs (15-16, +42 RD) game thread.Still time left to send in your series predictions-just support Fish Stripes as a Super Subscriber on Twitter or YouTube.Marlins Game Notes Marlins Starting Lineup
RHP Edward Cabrera (95 ERA+ this season)
Lineup Changes from Previous Game: Chisholm and Stallings in, Peyton Burdick and Nick Fortes out
Additional Marlins Notes: Still no Joey Wendle, huh? Sure seemed like he'd rejoin the Marlins after six minor league rehab games, but no roster move as of yet...Cabrera leads the majors with 25 walks this season.

Welcome to Saturday's Marlins (14-13, -37 RD) vs. Cubs (14-11, +45 RD) game thread.The Sugar Kings uniforms are back.Cubs Starting Lineup
RHP Caleb Kilian (2023 Cubs debut)
Cubs Notes: Kilian's only major league experience came in mid-2022 when he struggled with his control in three starts (12 BB, 1 HBP and 3 WP in 11.1 IP)...Cubs pitchers have allowed a .269

Wandering through the start of the baseball season while pulling over to the side of the road for a brief rest on a lazy Sunday morning in early May.Here's what we've learned so far.Shades of 1997
The 1997 Cubs lost their first 14 games, setting a National League record and effectively ending their season before it ever got off the ground.

James Outman was named National League Rookie of the Month for April of the 2023 season, becoming the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to receive the honor since Cody Bellinger in June 2017.Bellinger also was named NL Rookie of the Month for May of that season, and of course he went on to be the unanimous selection for 2017 NL Rookie of the Year.

General manager Rick Hahn ticked off some of the words fans had used in his presence to describe the White Sox."Depressing.""Disgusting.""Frustrating.""Shocking."But this was last October during Hahn's end-of-season debrief with the media.And if you think 2022 was a big ball of negativity throughout Soxdom - and by God, it was - you should be around the team so far in 2023.

Wittenmyer: A '74 Vega, the '84 Cubs and the next road to travel originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago A 19-year-old college kid quit school just before sophomore classes were scheduled to start, loaded up a '74 Vega hatchback on a warm September day with a suitcase, some books and a case of oil, then drove out of Spokane, Washington, headed for Chicago.

The World Series shifts to Philadelphia Monday night for Game 3 between the Phillies and Astros, tied one game apiece.So with just a handful of games left this postseason, it's all eyes on free agency - and one name sure to be a hot commodity is Aaron Judge, who is coming off a historic performance this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers players had chemistry on the field during the 2022 season which led to a record 111-win season, and many seem to have been on the same page off the field as well.It has been roughly nine months since last year's All-Star break, and so far this season, five members of the 2022 Dodgers roster have already gone on the paternity list within the last week, with another expected to take a leave soon.

7:00 AM ET



Jesse RogersESPN Staff Writer

CloseJesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.Can a change of scenery fix new Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger?Winner of the National League MVP Award in 2019, Bellinger has been on a downward spiral at the plate ever since.

Nancy Foust, a renowned organist, hilariously played the "Succession" theme song after a pitching change.She also played "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" and "Sweet Home Chicago" before the start of the game, filmed by NBC Sports Chicago's Chuck Garfien.Originally hired by the White Sox in 1970 to become the team's organist, she attended North Park University in Chicago and is a native of the city.

Concessions employees at United Center walked off the job Sunday after their union voted to authorize the action in January.The strike was planned during a Chicago Bulls home game and days ahead of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament.The 650 workers have been negotiating a union contract amid health insurance concerns and complaints over labor law violations.

1942
Future White Sox MVP Dick Allen is born in Wampum, Pa.Allen set a franchise mark with 37 home runs in his 1972 MVP year, along with 113 RBIs.His 8.6 WAR in 1972 ranks second all-time among White Sox hitters (Eddie Collins, 9.4, 1915) and 14th all-time among all White Sox players.Perhaps most importantly of all, Allen was credited by numerous sources as saving the White Sox in Chicago, his play driving attendance when a move to Milwaukee or other cities loomed as a consistent threat.

With less than two weeks to go before Chicago's election, Mayor Lori Lightfoot isn't laughing at the Bears anymore.Her first reaction to the team's interest in Arlington Heights was to mock the NFL franchise and encourage its leaders to "focus on putting a winning team on the field, beating the Packers finally and being relevant past October."

By the time the 1932 season rolled around, the Yankees had established themselves as the toast of the league.Thanks to the prodigious contributions of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and the rest of Murderers' Row, the New York outfit won the 1923, 1927, and 1928 World Series.With this newfound expectation of success, four years must have felt like an eternity without another title, so the team loaded up on even more talent to get back to their winning ways.

Ray Herbert, White Sox ace and 1962 AL All-Star, dies originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago Ray Herbert, a 1962 All-Star Game winning pitcher who threw batting practice for his hometown Detroit Tigers for decades after retiring, died peacefully in Plymouth, Michigan, five days after his 93rd birthday.

This one should be easy, right?It's got a date and an opponent, and given that this is a long-ago photo, it has to be a pre-season exhibition game between the Cubs and White Sox.Here's the full photo:

That's an old-fashioned Green Hornet Chicago streetcar; those vanished from Chicago streets in 1958, so it has to be from before then.

1951
Pitcher Hiram Bithorn was the first Puerto Rican play in the majors outside of the Negro Leagues, but he lived a lot of life beyond that in his 35 years.Because Puerto Rico did not yet have a national baseball team, Bithorn medaled in volleyball (silver) and basketball (bronze) during the 1935 Caribbean Games.

Oh, boy, we can't wait to see superstar shortstop Carlos Correa in blue pinstripes at Wrigley Field.It's going to happen, isn't it?Uh-oh.In this week's "Polling Place," your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter, we led with that very question about that very coveted free agent.Alas, about three-quarters of voters said no.
"Cody Bellinger will be their top signing," @JTurco60 commented.

When National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation came out in theaters in 1989, Chicago was about to elect a second Mayor Daley for the first time, Wrigley Field had just hosted its first night game, and Oprah Winfrey debuted her first restaurant, a collaboration with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises' Rich Melman called the Eccentric.

It's never too early to post your holiday wish list, especially if you're a Chicago sports fan grinding through the winter months with the Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks in season and the Cubs and White Sox preparing for the winter meetings.With Black Friday on the horizon, here are 10 things we're wishing for but unlikely to get.
1. Aaron Judge at Wrigley Field
It makes no sense that the San Francisco Giants can afford to sign the free-agent slugger but the Cubs can only window shop.

Get ready, Chicago: Christkindlmarket returns this week in front of the Daley Center in Downtown Chicago.Organizers began setting up last week for the German-themed Christmas fair which opens on Friday, November 18, and runs until Christmas Eve.After the uncertainty of the pandemic canceled the fair in 2020, the event roared back last year with those collectible mugs, gluhwein, and arts and crafts vendors.

Evanston residents expressed concern at a recent meeting hosted by City Councilmember Eleanor Revelle about how Northwestern's new Ryan Field proposal could impact the area's culture, saying it could resemble Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood.Wrigleyville is known for its Cubs games and bar scene and residents are concerned that by allowing more events and concerts at the field that the surrounding neighborhood will be disrupted.