Mesa AZ to lose Cubs?

by Galvan316 on Jan 31, 2009 7:00 PM CST

A contract clause could mean the Cubs might be looking for a new Spring Training home.

The team has an opt-out provision that could allow the Cubs to leave HoHoKam Stadium before their contract is up.

Under the contract, the Cubs can leave Mesa as early as spring 2012 for as little as $4.2 million.

The clause was included when the team signed a contract in 1996 and could be exercised in 2011. The actual 20-year contract expires in 2016.

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Comments

Unnecessary scare tactics.

First of all, this isn’t a “contract dispute”, and to characterize it as such is just plain wrong.

That opt-out provision has been in the deal since it was signed in 1996. All teams have them. There’s nothing to “straighten out”, although Mesa will probably have to upgrade Ho Ho Kam Park and Fitch Park to get the Cubs to stay past 2016.

The chances of them leaving is pretty small. The deal between Mesa and the Cubs has been good for both parties for many years. It would be foolish for either of them to break the deal, or to not renew it.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 7:10 PM CST reply actions

Is there something wrong with HoHoKam?

I went there for Spring training last year for the first time ever. Thought the place was great. I was wide eyed the whole time of course, but I didn’t see anything wrong. Is there something that the cubs want upgraded or fixed?

by nmcubsfan on Feb 1, 2009 12:58 AM CST up reply actions

If you go to some of the other ST parks...

… you’ll see what they want. More food choices, about 1000 more seats, and as noted above, bigger clubhouses. They’d also like Fitch Park (the minor league facility) upgraded.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 3:51 AM CST up reply actions

I've only been there once,

but actually getting to the part was a complete cluster. Is that pretty much an every game situation?

"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin

by davidalanu on Feb 1, 2009 6:51 AM CST up reply actions

You have to get there early.

If you’re there less than half an hour to game time, yes, you’re going to wind up in that.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 12:03 PM CST up reply actions

Just another "non story" by the worthless media.

by cubswin on Jan 31, 2009 7:12 PM CST reply actions

how does this

pertain to Peavy?

"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic

by Cubbie-Tim on Jan 31, 2009 7:19 PM CST reply actions

He's pitched in Mesa before.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 7:32 PM CST up reply actions

Al

I edited that specific section prior to posting it, and For some reason it didnt go through.

by Galvan316 on Jan 31, 2009 7:20 PM CST reply actions

Which section are you talking about?

I read this article earlier today and didn’t think it was a big deal, which is why I didn’t post it.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 7:22 PM CST up reply actions

Quote from the link above

“This is similar to every team in the Cactus League,” said Robert Brinton, league president and president of the Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This is not a big deal. The feedback we have is they love it here.”

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 7:23 PM CST reply actions

I meant

That prior to posting I edited “Contract dispute” to “A Contract Clause” thats all

by Galvan316 on Jan 31, 2009 7:24 PM CST reply actions

Oh, I get it now, and I see the change you made.

Read the quote from the president of the Cactus League above. I think that sums up the situation. The Cubs aren’t likely going anywhere.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 7:31 PM CST up reply actions

I'd love to see them go to Florida

Most teams are there and we can get some “fantasy” games even if it is only Spring Training.

by ak123 on Jan 31, 2009 11:29 PM CST reply actions

That'll never happen.

Teams are moving to AZ rather than stay in FL. After 2010 half the teams will be in Arizona, and if the Cactus League people can talk another team into joining the Reds so that there isn’t an odd number of teams, Arizona will have 16 teams. I expect that to happen.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 3:52 AM CST up reply actions

I thought it was other way around?

I thought teams were trying to move to Florida?

by ak123 on Feb 1, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions

Not at all.

Teams have been flocking to Arizona over the last 10 years. As noted below, weather is better in Arizona and teams don’t have to travel all over the place for games.

In fact, I expect the D’backs and Rockies to exercise their out clauses as soon as they can and move to the Phoenix area for spring training — that would put 15 teams in metro Phoenix, all within easy drives.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions

Your information

is about ten years old.

The Cactus League was in dire straights in the 90s and teams were fleeing to Florida. Since then, Arizona has built a bunch of beautiful new facilities and the Florida ones have aged and not been replaced. Combine that with the better weather in Arizona and shorter driving distances, teams are flocking to Arizona in droves. The Dodgers are finally moving out west, only 50 years after their regular season team did.

Right now, pretty much every team that isn’t located on the Eastern Seaboard would rather be in Arizona. That will probably change in a few years as Florida realizes they have to do something, but if it doesn’t, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are 20 teams training in the Cactus League and only ten in the Florida League by 2020.

by Josh Timmers on Feb 1, 2009 2:19 PM CST up reply actions

Well, let's see.

Boston, the two NY teams, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Florida, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Pittsburgh. That’s 11, and maybe Detroit or Houston would make 12. That’s about all the teams that make geographic sense to stay in Florida for ST.

Cincinnati & Cleveland probably do, too, but they’ve either already moved or are about to move to Arizona for training.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 3:00 PM CST up reply actions

FLA is all F-ed up

Too spread out over the state. AZ is PHX only with the exception of a team or two in Tucson and even that’s coming to an end.

In the course of a week I’ve seen the Cubs play games in 4-5 stadiums, one of them being HoHoKam and none were outside of Phoenix proper.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Feb 1, 2009 10:10 AM CST up reply actions

Most teams are in Florida???

You could say “more” teams—barely. 14 of the 30 are now in AZ. Better (less rain) weather, much less travel—who needs Florida? Cactus League is where it’s at.

by bison on Feb 1, 2009 2:31 AM CST reply actions

BEEN TO BOTH .....

I have been to numerous games in both Fl and Az … The Cactus league games appear to draw a younger crowd . With this said in Florida you might get fans who saw the price at Disney, Seaworld, or Busch Gardens was out of sight . But a day at the ballpark was in their budget . Cactus league games do draw Senior Citizens to the parks . But alot of diehard fans make the trek to AZ . I would hate for the Cubs to relocate in Florida even tho I am much closer to the Sunshine State ….Cactus League gets my thumbs up….

by cubs north on Feb 1, 2009 9:29 AM CST reply actions

Anyone else remember

Anyone else remember when there were only about 6 teams in Arizona and we’d see the Mariners about 200 times every spring?

It was only a few years ago actually.

Barbara V. October 14, 1941 - December 19, 2008. A great lady who was a friend to all and like a second mom to her children's friends (she was my best friend's mom)

by puckishcubsfan on Feb 1, 2009 10:01 AM CST reply actions

It was eight teams

until expansion in 1998 and the White Sox moved west and the Diamondbacks naturally joined the Cactus League.

Let’s see. The teams were

Cubs
Brewers
Angels
Padres
Mariners
Athletics
Giants
Indians (before 1993)
Rockies (after 1993)

So essentially, it was the West Coast teams minus the Dodgers and the Cubs and Brewers. The Indians for a while. The Brewers were just there from their Seattle Pilot days.

The Angels, until 1993, trained in Palm Springs, CA because Gene Autry owned a big hotel there and it was easy to put the players up there for free. That made for long trips and meant that only seven teams actually trained in Arizona.

by Josh Timmers on Feb 1, 2009 2:33 PM CST up reply actions

And the Padres trained in Yuma for years...

… until they went to the shared complex with the Mariners. That made for really long road trips, plus who wants to go to Yuma, anyway? (From what I hear, the Padres players hated it.)

The Indians actually trained in Arizona for decades before they moved to Florida in 1993.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 3:01 PM CST up reply actions

Also...

… the Angels only played half of their schedule in the spring in Palm Springs during the latter years when they trained there. For the last half of spring training they were based in Mesa, between 1984 and 2006.

Here’s a bit of history of Gene Autry Park, the complex the Angels used in Mesa.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 3:03 PM CST up reply actions

Notable Trivia

While the Seattle Pilots only played one regular season in Seattle, they had two Spring Trainings in Arizona.

The Pilots sent their equipment to Provo, Utah in March of 1970 and told them to wait on instructions on whether to drive to Seattle or Milwaukee.

by Josh Timmers on Feb 1, 2009 3:22 PM CST up reply actions

That sounds like an apocryphal story.

But it is true.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:03 AM CST up reply actions

NEW WHITE SOX COMPLEX......

Cubs play three dates at new Sox complex ….March 4 th, 5 th and 21 st . Sox website says they hope to have it up and running in time for spring training …Lets hope so . Info on the new venue has been very limited . Our group had a nice tailgate last year at Tuscon electric Park…..( Even some Sox fans joined us ) . Any one have more information on the new location in Glendale ??

by cubs north on Feb 1, 2009 4:52 PM CST reply actions