Ticket increase a reality

As Chuck explained over at Ivy Chat earlier this month the Cubs have every right to increase their tickets prices. When a team plays a season to 98% capacity, it's just basic supply and demand that ticket prices will go up. Combine all of that with the fact that the Cubs won the NL Central and they plan on increasing payroll again for 2008 and this thing was a slam dunk. So the letter went out today from Frank Maloney.

The Tribune's very own Paul Sullivan over at their Hardball blog broke down the increase that you see below in a spreadsheet:



another interesting note is how the prime dates have increased, more from Sullivan:

The Cubs will have 50 prime dates in 2008, 25 regular dates and six value dates. That's up from 44 prime dates in 2006 and 40 in '05. The number of value dates have remained the same since '06.

I've had a share in a season ticket plan since 1998. As much as I'd like to bitch and moan about this increase, it really doesn't matter. The Cubs have a waiting list of fans for season tickets. They won't lose any season ticket holders because of this increase. Come February they will break their own marks for single game ticket sales when they go on sale. Sadly it looks to me like the real question is was the ticket increase large enough?

More power to them.

UPDATE: Below is a copy of the letter sent to season ticket holders by ticket czar Frank Maloney. To view it click here (and use your magnifying glass tool).

Offensive Offense

Poor plate discipline and lack of power have short circuited the Cubs offense repeatedly in the recent past, and all the Matsui's and Fukudome's in the world aren't going to change that significantly.


With all of baseball awash in greenbacks and more importantly, the Cubs purported commitment to win now, Hendry should deal from what little roster strength the club has, pitching, and explore a trade for Miguel Tejada and Adam Dunn.


Slide Soriano to RF, pray Pie can cover foul line to foul line and grow the infield grass 2 feet thick if you have to, but who else can we secure to upgrade the corner outfield and SS positions and not trade away more in the process.


I know most all believe Carl Crawford would look awfully good in the blue pinstripes, but do the Cubs have or would they be willing to part with what it might take to get him?


Baltimore wants to rebuild and is anxious to move Tejada, and Dunn is going to cost the Reds $13 million and offer him a full no trade clause if they pick up his '08 option.

Kid K to return

Well, he's far from a kid these days, but Kerry Wood one way or another will go down in Cubs lore. The one time ace of the starting staff, who burst onto the scene in 1998, will return to the Cubs in 2008. This time Kerry will be in the mix, along with Bobby Howry and Carlos Marmol to close games for the defending NL Central Division Champs.

Today the Texas native signed a 1 year, $4.2 million incentive filled deal to pitch for the Cubs in 2008. According to Jim Hendry, Wood had the opportunity to go elsewhere for more years and more money. In the end it's safe to say Wood gave the Cubs a "home town discount". Here is what Kerry said about the deal:

"It's flattering, and it shows the hard work paid off," Wood said of the bids, "but Chicago's my home, and Chicago's been great to me, and obviously there's no better place to play than Chicago, especially if you're winning, and that's been the plan."

In recent days it began to seem as if Woody would go elsewhere. Paul Sullivan wrote this on November 20th:

The longer Kerry Wood remains on the free-agent market, the less likely it appears he will return to the Cubs.

Several teams have courted Wood, including Boston, which wants him to be the primary right-handed setup man for closer Jonathan Papelbon.

General manager Jim Hendry said he has spoken with Wood's agent frequently, but couldn't say whether returning to the Cubs is Wood's priority, as Wood said it was last winter when he became a free agent.

"Kerry is getting a lot of action around the industry," Hendry said. "We're hopeful he'll want to remain a Cub. I believe, probably before we get to the winter meetings [Dec. 3], this will be brought to a conclusion. We certainly would like to have him back, and hopefully it'll work out."

I cannot give you a fair thought on this deal. I am prejudiced, I like Kerry Wood. For all of the guys injury issues he's a guy that I want to see succeed. I want to see him do that in a Cubs uniform. So I guess this guy is right. I know all of the downside possibilities. The Cubs make Wood the closer and he gets injured, etc... Still I think for $4.2 million the Cubs ae making a small investment in a player that can do a good job coming out of the pen. Will it pan out that way? Let's hope so.

And just for fun, here's some video from May 1998: