The Wrigley Field Jumbotron

There it is, Folks. That's what will be adorning the Friendly Confines next season atop the left field bleachers. An electronic jumbotron that will feature all kinds of advertising. That's the secret, you see. All that advertising will result in lots more money for the Ricketts family, which presumably, they will invest in players to bring the Cubbies a world series championship.

Here's my question: For all these decades, the Cubs have been playing in a high market area, with a WGN TV contract that goes back to before I even became a Cubs fan (1963), a ball park that has become an icon, and for awhile being owned by the Chicago Tribune.

It hasn't been for lack of money.

The St Louis Cardinals don't play in a high market area. Their success over the years has been because they have maintained a solid baseball organization, something the Cubs have not done going back to the days of the Wrigley family. (Remember the revolving coaches college or whatever they called it?) Like the Cardinals, the successful  Dodger teams were due to a great organization that translated down to the management, coaches, scouting and minor league level.

What remains to be seen here is whether the Ricketts family is going in the right direction with Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer by rebuilding the minor leagues and stocking them with good prospects.  I am buying into the idea even though at my age (68), I am wondering if I will ever see my dream come true after all the losing and heartbreaking near-misses. It's not like a 20-year plan will work for me, you know.

Still, I hate to see the old charm of Wrigley Field diluted with modern gadgets and this monster jumbotron that will be advertising who knows what and playing quizzes between innings. (Guess the attendance etc.) I certainly don't need to see Starlin Castro's smiling face in left field as he strikes out.

If the future success of the Cubs on the field depends on this jumbotron, then something is wrong with the organization.