BCB Site Note

by Al Yellon on Jan 9, 2012 2:22 PM CST

This really isn't a "site note", but I didn't quite know what else to title it.

There won't be a Cubs Maple Street Press annual this year. The reason for that is simple: MSP had some financial issues and has ceased operations.

This is a shame; I enjoyed editing the annuals for the last four years and I hope those of you who bought and read them enjoyed them, too. I was happy to be able to get the work of some posters here into print form.

That said, Josh Timmers (who wrote various articles on the minor league system for the annuals) is going to do some of the pieces he would have written for this year's annual and post them here at BCB in the near future.

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but at least we'll have some of what would have been in the MSP annuals, now and in the future, and I am going to investigate ways of possibly producing a similar publication next offseason.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

Did they get behind in their finances after this issue?

At least it wasn’t their last one. That’d be a crappy final issue.

by Arbusto on Jan 9, 2012 2:40 PM CST reply actions

Sigh.

Yes, we messed up that cover. But the publicity we got for the mistake probably helped sales.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 9, 2012 2:51 PM CST up reply actions

I don't get it.

D Lee started 2010 with the club. What’s wrong with the cover?

Damn. I missed both Castro threads.

by Tat14 on Jan 9, 2012 3:14 PM CST up reply actions

cant...tell....if...serious...

So i you can give you can take it.

by epsilon on Jan 9, 2012 3:16 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

But his head is covering part of the title...

by Arbusto on Jan 9, 2012 3:20 PM CST up reply actions

I saw that

and wondered if any body else noticed.

I was watching the Dan Patrick show and on Dan’s mic it had a Oregon Ducks sign that said I love my Ducks but the Ribbons covered the U and it look like it said Dicks. I messaged them out of courtesy. They since had moved the Ribbons over.

by lshaffer_69 on Jan 10, 2012 4:02 PM CST up reply actions

If I was doing this graphic I would have covered it a little better so Lee's head was over the 2nd N and U only.

MAPLE STREET PRESS
CUBS
2010
AN(head)AL
This would have sold like hotcakes!

by ubercubsfan on Jan 9, 2012 3:24 PM CST up reply actions

again...can't....tell...if...serious.....

So i you can give you can take it.

by epsilon on Jan 9, 2012 3:32 PM CST up reply actions

Lol

I have a dirty sense of humor, and I totally missed that the first time.

I’m gonna go stand in the corner for 5 minutes now.

Damn. I missed both Castro threads.

by Tat14 on Jan 9, 2012 3:37 PM CST up reply actions

to put at ease those who are missing it

that’s not derrek lee. d-lee bats righthanded. this is a lefty batter. derrek lee is also an african american. this person is not african american. although the graphic could be considered a mistake (I guess).

I will admit that I don’t recognize who that is though.

by jcarti01 on Jan 9, 2012 7:44 PM CST up reply actions 8 recs

wait what?

Just wee-un.

by jesus christos on Jan 9, 2012 7:51 PM CST up reply actions

Wait, what?

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by Al Yellon on Jan 9, 2012 7:57 PM CST up reply actions

Someone tell that left batter he's hitting from the wrong side of the plate!

by bdlugz on Jan 9, 2012 11:02 PM CST up reply actions

rec'd for complete fail

I hated to bat against Drysdale. After he hit you he'd come around, look at the bruise on your arm and say, 'Do you want me to sign it?'- Mickey Mantle

by Sioux City Cubs Fan on Jan 10, 2012 12:17 AM CST up reply actions

wow

someone’s being annual retentive.

Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08

by Fukudometer on Jan 10, 2012 9:19 AM CST up reply actions

I was already at ease

until I read this.

But, I do believe you when you say that you don’t recognize.

Damn. I missed both Castro threads.

by Tat14 on Jan 10, 2012 10:44 AM CST up reply actions

cant....tell...if....serious...

because this is a right handed hitting african american Derrek Lee.

EPIC!

So i you can give you can take it.

by epsilon on Jan 10, 2012 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

Fascinating.

"[The Cubs] have a very famous tradition in baseball, and it will be nice to be part of turning it around." ~ Jamie Quirk, Bench Coach

by daver on Jan 10, 2012 12:44 PM CST up reply actions

Live long and prosper

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Jan 10, 2012 4:58 PM CST up reply actions

Erh...did you mean "Love Bong and prostrate"?

There are no facts, only interpretations.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Lets Go Theo!!! 10/13/2011

by jeffstorm2 on Jan 12, 2012 6:44 PM CST up reply actions

LMFAO

by lshaffer_69 on Jan 10, 2012 4:03 PM CST up reply actions

i see the mistake it is the line that says

Cubs are primed to return to the top of the NL central

by lshaffer_69 on Jan 10, 2012 4:06 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Yeah.

That was it.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 10, 2012 5:02 PM CST up reply actions

Well, they were primed...

…but the engine wouldn’t start.

"[The Cubs] have a very famous tradition in baseball, and it will be nice to be part of turning it around." ~ Jamie Quirk, Bench Coach

by daver on Jan 10, 2012 5:28 PM CST up reply actions

I bought it a couple of times

It was pretty good. It will be missed.

by Chi-Fed on Jan 9, 2012 2:50 PM CST reply actions

I for one am disappointed.

Really enjoyed it in past years. Good luck and hope you succeed in finding a new way to produce something similar.

♪ He held me very tight under stars so bright and whispered darlin' "Who do you love tonight?" I told him "baseball, baseball...." ♫

by katie casey on Jan 9, 2012 2:50 PM CST reply actions

That sucks. I own the last two, they were even sold down here in KC, which I didn't expect.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jan 9, 2012 2:53 PM CST reply actions

It's just getting harder and harder for print media to survive

I’m not sure what the lead time for the magazine, but there’s always the risk of writing about a player that is no longer with the team before it even gets published.

by Chi-Fed on Jan 9, 2012 2:55 PM CST reply actions

Which is why

… we always had fairly late deadlines. Even last year, when the Cubs got Matt Garza in mid January (and traded two of the minor leaguers we had features on), we were able to get a feature on Garza and replace the other minor league feature with a new one (thanks to Josh).

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by Al Yellon on Jan 9, 2012 3:08 PM CST up reply actions

Have you ever considered using a print-on-demand service?

Some colleagues of mine have been quite successful publishing curated content through HP’s Magcloud (http://www.magcloud.com). Costs are much lower as printing only occurs after a purchase has been made.

by cabearsfan on Jan 9, 2012 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

That's possible.

Again, am thinking about a number of different ways to do this for 2013.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 9, 2012 4:02 PM CST up reply actions

Cardinals Cover: A Pair of Aces

Both Wainwright and Carpenter were on the cover of the 2011 Cardinals MSP annual. Well, things worked out well for the Cardinals in the end, unfortunately. I used to get both the Cubs and Cardinals annuals.

Good things come to those who wait... and wait....and wait.

by memphiscub on Jan 9, 2012 5:38 PM CST up reply actions

I was looking forward to it. If only this was 10 years ago I might have been able to help but no longer work where I worked then.

Nothing happens unless it's first a dream

by puckishcubsfan on Jan 9, 2012 3:33 PM CST reply actions

Damn, that stinks

Sorry to hear that, Al. I enjoyed the Cubs and Notre Dame football editions they would put out.

www.facebook.com/craighudak

by Craig in South Bend on Jan 9, 2012 4:05 PM CST reply actions

...

by Emelie on Jan 9, 2012 5:33 PM CST reply actions

I too will miss it Al.

Bought one at spring training the past few years. I’ll miss it. It was a good read!

We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 is going into the Hall of Fame!!

by mrcubsfan on Jan 9, 2012 7:13 PM CST via mobile reply actions

I bought mine @ B&N locally

and had the pleasure of Al autographing one or two for me. I loved that publication, all the writing was top-notch. Hope you can put one out next year, Al.

"IN THEO WE TRUST"

by BigJohnAZ on Jan 9, 2012 10:19 PM CST up reply actions

That's sad I got one as a gift each year

The Stat Pack

by shoemile on Oct 21, 2011 10:10 PM CDT

by Madison Cub Fan on Jan 10, 2012 9:37 AM CST reply actions

It's my fault Al,

I was going to buy one this year.

So i you can give you can take it.

by epsilon on Jan 10, 2012 10:50 AM CST reply actions

Bummer man. That rag really tied the room together.

There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion? (Now #8452 in the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List...)

by Zeke on Jan 12, 2012 3:05 PM CST reply actions

You're just gonna have to abide, I guess

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Jan 13, 2012 1:27 AM CST up reply actions