[Zambrano (L) greets Sean Penn (R) who arrived in New York to show his support.]
I hadn’t planned on posting anything Cub related until Labor Day, as everyone knows the Cubs are taking the division in a cakewalk and October is all that matters. But as Keith Olbermann likes to say, events insist. At Yankeeland Amusement Park yesterday, Carlos Zambrno blasphemed:
“You come into a ballpark like this and you see great things,” the Cubs ace told The Associated Press on Saturday before his team’s 10-1 exhibition loss at the sparkling ballpark in the Bronx.
“You wish that Chicago’d build a new stadium for the Cubs,” he said.
Holy shit, there’s gonna be an Obama Tea Party on Waveland Avenue. Given the current irrelevance of the Recublican party nationwide, Zambrano’s plea could do some damage. After all, Obama is normalizing travel with Cuba and pushing for Palestinian Statehood. Stem cell research is legal and Obama fired the head of GM. Ask Soxpert Rob Warmowski, Wrigely Field ranks right about with Orange County, CA and the 700 Club as unassailably Republican. Then Zambrano asked for a new Wrigley … while famous Cub fans like George Will, Donald Rumsfeld, Henry Paulson, and Dick Cheney have yet to comment, look for a “trader revolt” style “tea party” soon.
That Zambrano is right has nothing to do with it.
[Reaction to Zambrano at the Chicago Merc was predictable …]
Naturally, the Tribune Co went into damage control mode, using its Chicago Tribune newspaper to call Z “green with envy” over the new Yankee Imperial Palace. The bankrupt Trib ran an 85-word version of the story compared to the bankrupt Sun-Times’ 450-word coverage. The Trib‘s story is by-lined “Tribune Staff,” leaving me guessing that the Trib’s embedded Cub reporter, Paul Sullivan, needed smelling salts after Zambrano said it. My guess “ by tomorrow, Sully’ll blame Zambrano’s delayed Lasik eye surgery for the “gaffe.” The Cubs also put ex-Yankee Lou Piniella out front, but quick. Piniella, of course, turned into Martha Stewart to quell a Red Dawn-like open rebellion on Opening Day:
“I don’t see why,” Piniella said when asked if the Cubs need a new stadium. “Wrigley’s got its own uniqueness. There’s no question the facilities need to be redone but that’s going to happen.
“My favorite time of year is when the ivy turns green. It’s really a great environment to play a ballgame,” he said.
The full Sun-Times accounting from the AP wire can be found here. There will be blood.
Later, in a fever dream, Carlos Zambrano addressed the Chicago City Council and remarked that the spot where Mayor Daley stood “smelled like sulfur”.
Seriously, though, not being a philistine means I don’t want Wrigley leveled. Remodeled, modernized internally – sure – if only to give Z the elbow room he’ll need to handle the coming dugout wrestling match with Milton Bradley. Don’t change the sightlines, but ensure that the concourses are festooned with Hot Topics and Williams-Sonoma outlets so as to keep the fans less nervous and demonstrative during their stay and for their long ride home.
I believe there’s a stimulus earmark for a Red Line extension running express from Glenview to the center field bleachers. But sadly, it sounds like the economy has forced the Trib to back off its idea to offer ticketholders a refund if Milton Bradley does anything unsettling.
And, Ben, here’s your Sullivan-delivered Zambrano retract, as you predicted:
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/04/zambrano-.html
There’s no photo yet of Sullivan communicating with Zambrano through an animatronic Punch doll while Z tries to extricate himself from a bear trap rigged to his head, but I figure it’s just because it’s still fairly early in the morning.
Thanks Pete, I knew Sully wouldn’t let the Tradition down. Zambrano said the same thing last year about wishing for a new ballpark:
http://cstb.wpengine.com/?p=14288
I wouldn’t mind a modern park in the same spot, with an improved sound system to carry the sweet sounds of Billy Joel to the lake front. I can dream, can’t I? Every time they bring up the concept, tho, the goat worshippers say “we don’t need sky boxes, we don’t need a sushi bar …” while they pick pieces of falling concrete out of their Old Style.
Excuse me, “Old Styles.”
Ben