Peoria Chiefs To Play In "Road To Wrigley" Game July 7

by Al Yellon on May 11, 2010 1:43 PM CDT in Chicago Cubs News

The Cubs today announced their annual "Road To Wrigley" game, this time featuring the Midwest League's Peoria Chiefs, as it did two years ago.

More details after the jump.

The Chicago Cubs today announced the third annual "Road to Wrigley" minor league baseball game at Wrigley Field, to be played Wednesday, July 7 at 7:05 p.m. CST between the Peoria Chiefs and Kane County Cougars. PNC Bank, which has acquired National City, will continue the bank’s sponsorship of the game.

Road to Wrigley presented by PNC will include family-friendly priced tickets, an array of activities for children of all ages and a fun atmosphere filled with traditional minor league attractions. Fans will be entertained between innings by the mascots of both teams and The Famous Chicken, who was rated America’s favorite mascot by Forbes in 2010. Kids 14-years-and-younger will also be able to run the bases at Wrigley Field after the game ends.

This year’s matchup marks a rematch between the game’s two inaugural teams. On July 29, 2008, the first Road to Wrigley game drew 32,103 fans to Wrigley Field for an official Single-A Midwest League contest between the Chiefs and Cougars.

The press release also says you can buy tickets at cubs.com, but there doesn't seem to be a link there -- yet. Going to the Chiefs website, if you click on the July schedule page, it says the game will be at Wrigley Field, but then clicking on the ticket link for that date brings you to a page where it says tickets for the July 7 game are on sale "7/8/2010 11:03:00 AM EST".

Obviously, that isn't right -- keep checking back for more info if you want to go to this game. The last two Road to Wrigley games were fun, provided some good baseball and looks at Cubs minor leaguers, and you could buy a bleacher ticket for $10.

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Yay

It was well-known that Peoria was going to play the Road to Wrigley game this year, but now we have a date. And like the last time they played, Kane County is the opponent.

by Josh Timmers on May 11, 2010 1:57 PM CDT reply actions

What!?!

No Zooperstars this year? They were the best in 2009.

"They come to see me strike out, hit a home run, or run into a fence. I try to accommodate them at least one way every game." - Gorman Thomas

by RiskyBusiness on May 11, 2010 2:11 PM CDT reply actions

I guess they figured this would be a better draw.

I would have given Iowa another shot now that Ryno is the manager there,

having the Chiefs and the local Cougars helped, but I imagine a big part of the draw the first time around was Ryno.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on May 11, 2010 2:15 PM CDT reply actions

Night game better than Day game

The Night game in 2008 was much better to attend vs. the day game in 2009. Mostly because it was not 100+ degrees for the night game. It was tough to stay for the day game in 2009 with kids.

I’m sure Ryno being there helped ticket sales in 2008.

"They come to see me strike out, hit a home run, or run into a fence. I try to accommodate them at least one way every game." - Gorman Thomas

by RiskyBusiness on May 11, 2010 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions

It was very hot, even in the shade

at the game last year, but all in all a lot of fun regardless.

"You've got to get your damn shirts rolled up and go out and kick somebody's ass. That's what you've got to do. Period." -- Lou Piniella

by tripdenten on May 11, 2010 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

It's also...

… that Peoria is closer, and a lot of people from there can make the drive more easily than from Des Moines.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 11, 2010 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions

Not to Mention Kane County

It’s not a bad drive from Geneva, IL to Chicago. There might actually be decent parking options around Wrigley for this night game. I said “decent”, not “good”. Those from Kane County can maybe drive to a park ’n ride place by the blue line, take that to the loop and transfer to the red line.

When it comes to Iowa’s potential opponents for the Road to Wrigley, the I-Cubs had Las Vegas last season. No, I don’t believe that the I-Cubs potential opponents has very much at all to do with being a part of the Road to Wrigley. I believe anyone can see because of geography how Kane County v. Peoria works out better than Iowa v. Memphis or any other Pacific Coast League opponent.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on May 11, 2010 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions

I think the issue

is much more the teams getting there than the fans. I’m sure Peoria and the Cougars bring along a bus full of their rooters, but I doubt there are many people in Geneva going to the game because they’re Cougars fans. They’d go for the same reason the rest of us go—they want to see a minor league game at Wrigley Field for a reasonable price. Most of them would be there if Clinton was playing.

I don’t think they want to fly the Smokies and say, the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx up to Wrigley for one game and then stick them on a plane the next day so they can go back to Tennessee. Too expensive for minor league budgets. Better take the Chiefs and I-Cubs who can get to Wrigley by bus. Kane County makes sense because it’s an easy drive for them to the game.

by Josh Timmers on May 12, 2010 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions

Agree on Smokies Having No Chance At Road to Wrigley

I personally would like to see the Smokies involved, but it just “ain’t” going to happen because of geography and costs. Peoria works out better than Iowa for that same geography reason and cost reason.

I was a little surprised that Iowa and Las Vegas as the opponent was the matchup last season. I suppose that was the product of an opening in the Chicago Cubs home schedule at the right time for Las Vegas to be the opponent. There are a lot of cheap Southwest flights from Nashville to Midway. Maybe, next season, it’ll be Iowa v. Nashville. I’d rather have Iowa v. Memphis.

That all depends on when the big club will be away from Wrigley in 2011, and when the I-Cubs have home games. You could sell an Iowa-Nashville or Iowa-Memphis matchup a little bit on Nashville being with the Brewers or Memphis being with the Cardinals. I know most fans don’t care about affiliation of the opponent, but it would be something a little extra to promote the game.

Yeah, I know day of the week, time of the year, weather, and in this case, venue especially, all matter a lot more in attendance than the opponent’s affiliation.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on May 12, 2010 6:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Tough to keep kids up that late...

…especially if they want to stay and run the bases.

Steve Swisher - 1976 NL All-Star Catcher; DNP - Sparky Anderson's decision

by Dan Serafini on May 12, 2010 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe they figure

Ryno will be at Wrigley soon enough.

by fsuapollo on May 11, 2010 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions

This eats a concert date, no?

by bourbon_and_branch on May 11, 2010 2:30 PM CDT reply actions

Am I nuts or was there a fanpost yesterday (by Josh?)

picking apart Bob Brenly’s assertion that in the good old days all the players spent 400 games in the minors? I thought it was well written and actually took some research time to put together. I told a couple of friends to give it a read they came here today and found nothing. Is it gone because it was having some fun at Brenly’s expense?

by the nth on May 11, 2010 3:25 PM CDT reply actions

Depends on the Player, I Suppose

Pujols got through A, AA, and AAA in one season on his way to the majors in 2000. I’ve heard rumors that he’s been doing okay in St. Louis. He stuck with the big club.

Jason Heyward blew throught A, AA, and AAA last season. With time, we’ll see how he does with the Braves.

Castro strikes me as a player that could still use a little more seasoning in the minors. Look, he’s only 20 years and 2 months old already. If I say the guy shouldn’t have been in the majors until he was the ripe old age of 21, is that really a swipe at Castro? I hope I’m wrong and that he is ready for the majors now and will have more games like he had in his debut game.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on May 11, 2010 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions

One difference

is all players used to have a choice of which team they signed with before there was a draft. For instance, one reason Ron Santo gave for signing with the Cubs is that it offered the quickest path to the big leagues.

International players still have the option of choosing which team they sign with since they’re not part of the draft. A hot shortstop prospect recently chose the Blue Jays over a deep pocketed opponent because they Jays had a quicker path to the big leagues.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on May 11, 2010 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions