EXTRA: Sox v. Cubs take to Havana?

Nothing is definite yet, but there are talks of having Major League Baseball clubs play spring training exhibitions in Cuba.

Do North Siders wish the 'a' were an 's'

Which could result in the possibility of a White Sox vs. Cubs spectacle being played in Havana – where in the Cuban League the city split is between fans of the Industrials and the Metropolitans.

WHAT WOULD FANATICOS of Cuban beisbol think of the South Side/North Side split that is so characteristic of Chicago baseball?

What makes this matchup possible is that the U.S. major leagues would probably want to send ball clubs that have prominent players from Cuba. It’s not like the Cuban fans who’d cram their way into the Estadio Latinoamericano would care all that much about somebody like Jake Arrieta or Jon Lester – even though I know Cubs fans think the whole world revolves around their preferred ball club.

That is something both of our city’s professional ball clubs have – the White Sox have as their star player Jose Abreu, while the Cubs include on their roster Jorge Soler.

There’s also the possibility the White Sox will once again have shortstop Alexi Ramirez back on the roster by spring training. And White Sox legend Minnie Miñoso also could make the Cubano fanaticos honorary Sout’ Side fans – unless there are Cubanos who remember Jose Cardenal, the one-time Cub with the legendary afro!

The Cubs' all-time Cuban great

NOW I KNOW some baseball fans (usually the ones who deep down resent the heavy Latin American influence that exists in U.S. baseball) are already nitpicking about the Cuban laws that prevent those Cuban citizens who defected from their home nation to come to this country from even being able to dream of returning.

Yes, there are laws that would have to be addressed. Although I suspect for the glory and glamour that the Cuban government would get from being able to host some U.S. major league baseball games, they’d figure out a way to overcome the “shame” they feel that someone like Abreu would rather play on the South Side rather than in his home city of Cienfuegos or for Equipo Cuba (as in the national team).

I’m not saying that baseball would “buy off” the Cuban government to get these games played.

The 'Cuban Comet' himself

But whatever deal is ultimately worked out may bear a strong resemblance to those campaign contributions to Chicago politico types that technically aren’t bribes but have the stink of them to the general public!

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EXTRA: What would Paul Reuschel hot dog be? Biittner or Jose Cardenal?

It seems that Doug Sohn is a 1970s-era Chicago Cubs fan. How else to explain the fact that the one-time operator of the Hot Doug’s hot dog stand is now serving up products at Wrigley Field named for Cubs ballplayers of that era.

The Carmen Fanzone? A Vienna Beef polish sausage with brown mustard and carmelized onions. Personally, I think there should be a trumpet riff played whenever anyone buys one.



Yes, Paul and Rick were transposed

THE RICK REUSCHEL? Pork sausage with chipotle mustard and pepper jack cheese. Which makes me wonder what a hot dog named for his brother, Paul, would be; perhaps a foot-long with double the same ingredients to acknowledge the girth.

The Dave Kingman? Bacon cheeseburger sausage with cola-barbecue sauce and sharp cheddar cheese. Of course, you’d have to put something unexpected in it to give it a sharp, off-beat and nasty taste – just like Kingman’s personality!

Considering that hot dogs at Wrigley Field have never been anything special (the polish sausage served up to Chicago White Sox fans at U.S. Cellular Field tops anything the Cubs have ever offered to go along with all that Old Style Beer consumed throughout the years), it’s interesting to see something different offered up.

Although I don't know much about these new products, other than that they were first offered Friday and were probably the most interesting aspect of the Cubs' loss to the Miami Marlins. Better later than never, I suppose. Because it seems that the 21st Century sports stadium has become more about the concessions it offers, rather than the activity that takes place on the playing field.

AT $9 APIECE, these hot dogs aren't exactly something we can indulge in too many of. Back in the 1970s, that $9 would have paid for a ticket AND concessions for a person to attend a ballgame.  For the record, Sohn says he plans to rotate the offerings – there will be other variations of sausages on a bun that will be named for other Cubs players of that era.

Which means there had better be a Jose Cardenal (although the idea of the traditional Cuban hot dog that includes ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, prosciutto and mayonnaise -- a variation of the famed Cuban sandwich -- isn’t that appealing) included in the very near future.

Although if they really want to get off-beat, they’d offer up a Larry Biittner. I'm not sure what kind of sausage it would be, but it ought to come with some sort of a discount for any fan who can actually spell the one-time outfielder’s name correctly!
 

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