Punxsutawney Phil Clearly not a baseball fan It's two weeks 'til spring
The report out of Punxsutawny is that the groundhog saw his shadow which is supposed to mean six more weeks of winter.
Obviously, Phil is not a baseball fan.
Cubs fans know that spring starts two weeks from tomorrow - February 17 - when pitchers and catchers report to Mesa and begin their preparation for the 2010 baseball season.
PETA has proposed using a robotic groundhog because the current festivities amount to animal abuse. And Stephan Benzkofer writes in the Tribune that maybe it's simply time for this silly tradition to end. I'm not sure the Punxsutawny Chamber of Commerce would be happy with either of those stories.
But none of this matters to baseball fans. We learn before Groundhog Day when spring will start, because our teams release their spring training workout schedules in January.
15 days and counting.
UPDATE: WOODSTOCK WILLIE IS WISER
A local update: Woodstock Willie Is wiser He knows spring is nigh
Woodstock Willie is a groundhog who makes his home in Woodstock, the Illinois town where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed. Willie seems to be wiser than Punxsutawney Phil.
The Chicago-area groundhog did not see his shadow today, which means he knows that spring is not six weeks away.
Good news for Cubs fans Spring Training stays in Mesa Once the town says, "Yes!"
David Kaplan has posted on Twitter that the Cubs have chosen Mesa AZ over Naples FL subject to approval of the deal by the Mesa City Council. Arizona rocks When it comes to spring baseball New ballpark each day!
Saturday started With Hall of Fame autograph From Andre Dawson
Convention vets know that everyone gets a scratch off ticket for a chance to win an autograph from the most popular Cubs. We were lucky enough to win an Andre Dawson autograph. It meant missing the "Meet The Owners" session, but I think it was worth it.
You want autographs And avoid the longest lines? Try the photo stage
But there's a catch - you pay $15 for a "professional" photo of you
with the player, and he signs a folder they provide for the pic. So if
you want a signature on a bat, ball or picture, this isn't for you.
And if don't want the autograph you can save some money and have them
take a picture with your camera. For some fans, a picture with their
favorite player is the next best thing to an autograph - for some, even
better. Check out the photo gallery to see how excited Taryn was to
meet Hoffpauir, Soto, Wells and Banks in less time than it would have
taken to get one "big name" autograph.
Not so surprising Fans gave biggest ovation To Andre Dawson
Some boos for Hendry But the Ricketts family Got a nice welcome But no Ron Santo
A bit under the weather
Hope he gets well soon Highlight video? Nice, but I recall last year's Was more exciting
That wasn't a shock, of course, since for the first time in three years, the season ended with a title of any sort. Even the convention logo is less inspiring without the word "Champion" in it.
New Hall of Famer Andre Dawson was obviously the fans' favorite. If he had any doubt of his preference for a HOF cap, he knows that the fans here would be ecstatic to see him in Cubbie Blue.
Spring is almost here How do I know this is true? It's Convention Time!
Hope to see you there I'll be the person wearing A Cubs baseball cap
So ... that should make it easy, right? I'll be spending some time at the League of Her Own tweetup on Friday night and with the guys from Cubscast at their Listener Meetup on Saturday afternoon. You'll meet lots of great people if you stop by those events.
It's fun to spend the weekend with thousands of die-hard Cubs fans, meet players coaches and management and spend way too much money on Cubs merchandise. But one of the most exciting things about Convention time rolling around is that we know spring training is right around the corner.
Pitchers and catchers Will report for spring training In thirty-three days
Hope springs eternal For Cubs fans this time of year Optimistic? Sure.
Unjustified optimism? Probably. But there wouldn't be many Cubs fan without it. Honestly, the moves the team made this off season don't inspire too much confidence. But remember this - if the standings were printed in the Tribune today, the Cubs would be sitting on top of the National League Central Division.
I'll be posting a few updates from the Convention this weekend. You can also follow @TheCubsInHaiku on Twitter for more frequent updates. My daughter, who is our Blackhawks haiku blogger, will be at the Convention with me and possibly tweeting her own updates. Follow @BlackhawksHaiku for her perspective.
The Chicago Cubs may have made their most important acquisition of the offseason Monday by adding a future Hall of Famer.
The organization will announce Monday afternoon that 350-game winner Greg Maddux has been signed to become a special assistant to general manager Jim Hendry in 2010.
Maddux's duties will include helping with instruction for both major-leaguers and minor-leaguers during spring training, as well as scouting duties throughout the season.
According to a source with knowledge of the signing, Maddux will be at the beck and call of Hendry during the season to evaluate minor-league affiliates and give the general manger input when trades or free-agent signings are being considered.
I wish Greg was here When Hendry had lunch last year With Milton Bradley
Five Hall of Famers Will be in attendance at The Cubs Convention
That includes Ernie Fergie, Billy and Ryno Plus the new guy, too!
Cubs hat on his head Andre Dawson will look great Will "The Hall" agree?
The Cubs have released the list of attendees for the 2010 Cubs Convention, which starts on Friday afternoon. The roster includes five members of the Baseball Hall of Fame - and one who should be in Cooperstown. I hope you enjoy this gallery of these Cubs legends.
Andre Dawson were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame Wednesday, the sole inductee this year.
Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez, Barry Larkin and Fred McGriff also were new to
the ballot this year, and Martinez was a test of how Hall voters
assess players who were predominantly designated hitters.
Holdovers include Mark McGwire, Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris and
Lee Smith.
Players must appear on at least 75 percent of the ballots to
gain election.
The induction ceremony will be held July 25 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Can Cubs management convince The Hawk to attend the Cubs Convention? That would be an exciting addition to the weekend.
Finally, Milton Bradley is flying away from Wrigley Field
A Chanukah gift? Perhaps it's a miracle Milton Bradley's gone
Last week I posted my request for some Chanukah miracles, and now one has actually happened! Sort of. It's not much of a miracle when we pick up a crappy pitcher with his own huge contract. But the good news is, Milton Bradley is gone. Now we've got Silva One of baseball's worst pitchers Who's owed lots of dough
Carlos Silva stinks it up at the World Baseball Classic - this picture was taken after he gave up 5 runs in the first inning pitching for Venezuela against Korea.
Today is the day Support The Hawk on Twitter Game time - 1:20
Are you ready to give Andre Dawson's bid for the Hall of Fame a boost by helping us to make #Dawson4TheHall a trending topic on Twitter?
As I've reportedearlier, the guys at Cubscast are sponsoring this event to get the attention of sports writers who will vote on who gets inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. You know that Andre deserves it, so take some time out of your busy day to help make it happen.
At 1:20pm today, start tweeting with the #Dawson4TheHall hashtag (use #Cubs and #mlb, too) so that we can make it a trending topic on Twitter and get the attention of the baseball world.
The Iowa Cubs Just got a new manager His name is Ryno
Number Twenty-Three One step closer to Wrigley After Lou retires
The Cubs announced Monday that Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg has been promoted from managing the Double-A Tennesee Smokies to the same job with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. It's obvious now that whenever Piniella retires - be it after the 2010 season or a year or two later - the next manager of the Chicago Cubs will be the greatest second baseman ever to wear Cubby Blue.
Take a little time Get ready to help The Hawk Make the Hall of Fame
A reminder to all Cubs fans - Tuesday is #Dawson4TheHall Day. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out my post from last week.
You can prepare for the big event by adding a Twibbon to your Twitter profile photo, modifying your Twitter page background or grabbing some graphics for your website or blog. Links to all of these can be found at Cubscast.
Then, starting at 1:20pm tomorrow add the #Dawson4TheHall hashtag to your tweets. The goal is to draw attention to The Hawk's bid for the Hall and make #Dawson4TheHall a trending topic. Adding #Cubs or #mlb hashtags is also recommended.
Original tweets - especially clever ones - are great. But even if you just watch for the #Dawson4TheHall hashtag and retweet what others people have posted it will help.
Thanks for Lou and Sheps at Cubscast for coming up with this idea, and thanks in advance to everyone who participates in tomorrow's #Dawson4TheHall hashtag blitz.
The Cubs finally shed that albatross contract, trading a frequently booed and less-than-productive player to the A's on Thursday. Sorry, but Milton Bradley is still a Cub. The player exiled was Aaron Miles, who was paid more than $400,000 for every run he drove in during an injury-plagued season. Miles and the remaining $2.7 million he is owed joined Wrigley Field fan favorite Jake Fox in a trade for reliever Jeff Gray and two minor-leaguers.
The word from Hendry Gray "can come in and compete" For a bullpen job
But the immediate punch should be provided by Gray, whom Hendry called "a power arm who gets it up to 95-97 (mph) on a regular basis. He can come in and compete in the bullpen" for a job in spring training, most likely in the sixth and seventh innings. However, Gray's job is not guaranteed, and even Hendry admitted the club would "pursue some bullpen possibilities" in Indianapolis as well as seek bench and outfield help while shopping Bradley.
The minor leaguers? The "athletic" Matt Spencer, And Ronny Morla
Seems like a win-win Jake Fox could be a DH Spencer bats lefty
A former third-round pick of the Phillies, the 23-year-old Spencer would seem to be a more athletic version of Fox, able to play the outfield corner spots as well as first and third base. He also bats left-handed. Hendry called him, a "very important guy for us." Spencer hit .289 with 34 doubles, 19 homers and 91 RBIs combined at Class A and Double-A last summer. The Cubs also received right-hander Ronny Morla, who was 1-7 with a 4.86 ERA at Class A Vancouver
So while I'll miss Jake Matt Spencer sounds promising And Fox could play more
As for the popular Fox, who hit 11 homers and drove in 44 runs in 82 games, Hendry said the trade would "give him an opportunity to play more on a regular basis in the American League" as a designated hitter.
There is a downside: When things are going bad, we'll Need a new scapegoat
It looks like Ricketts Was giving the Cubs money Back in '62
It's not the same "Ricketts", and I'm not sure if the money for this rooftop ad went to the Cubs, but I found the interesting image above while looking for "Ricketts" photos on the Trib's website.
But is that the year? Blogger Al Yellon thinks not At Bleed Cubbie Blue
Early in my search for more info about Ricketts on Clark, I found this entry at Bleed Cubbie Blue. Al Yellon has some stuff about the Ricketts restaurant and some fantastic historical photos of Wrigley Field. He also uses those photos to question the Tribune's 1962 dating of the photo above. Be sure you click through to his blog to read - and see - it all.
Carlos Zambrano Wins his third Silver Slugger Makes Cubs history
On Thursday, Carlos Zambrano won his second consecutive Silver Slugger award and the third of his career. As the Daily Herald reports, this is an historic achievement:
[Zambrano] is only the third Cub in franchise history to earn multiple Silver Sluggers, joining Ryne Sandberg (seven times at second base) and Sammy Sosa (six times as an outfielder). Zambrano is the only pitcher in club history to earn this honor.
I like that the Cubs Have sport's first out gay owner Meet Laura Ricketts
Trish at The L-Blog Reported this in August Now, everyone knows
On Oct. 30, the Ricketts family were announced as the new owners of the Cubs, buying the team, Wrigley Field and a share in Comcast SportsNet Chicago for $845 million from the Tribune Co, according to MLB.com.
Among the purchasers is Laura Ricketts, a lesbian who now becomes the first out individual to own a professional sports team, according to MarketToMarketLLC.com. According to ABC7Chicago.com, Laura, who lives in Chicago, is a member of the board of Lambda Legal, a national organization fighting for gay rights--including same sex marriage.
[Windy City Times]
It's a nice milestone For our Cubs to have achieved But there's more to do
I'm looking forward To when Laura Ricketts gets Her World Series ring
The Cubs Convention is the annual kick-off to spring training and the upcoming season. The event provides fans with the opportunity to mingle with current and former Cubs players, broadcasters and front office executives.
The 25th Annual Cubs Convention will be held January 15 - 17, 2010.
The Convention will take place at the Hilton Chicago, located at 720 South Michigan Avenue. Book a room today by calling (312) 922-4400 and asking for the "Cubs Convention Rate." Fans who book their room under the convention rate will have the opportunity to purchase up to 4 weekend passes at a discounted rate of $20 per person.
The 25th annual Cubs Convention will be held from Friday, January 15 through Sunday, January 17, 2010. Each fan can purchase up to four weekend passes while they last. The convention pass is valid for entry during the entire convention weekend and costs $60. Cubs Convention Hours (subject to change):
Check back in January for the Convention schedule and list of attendees.
This year will be the third Cubs Convention for me and my daughter, and we're definitely looking forward to it. Thousands of fans will converge on South Michigan Avenue for three days (well, really just under 48 hours) of activities to get you ready for spring training (pitchers and catchers report in about 100 days) and opening day (152 days to go).
You can wait in line (for hours) to get autographs, participate in Q&A sessions with management, hear from Cubs players and generally have a good time. Plenty of Cubs clothing and memorabilia will also be on sale. There's even a party on Saturday night.
Plus, the internet is "aTwitter" with talk of fan meetups during the convention. So if you missed our fun Cubs haiku tweetup at Superdawg last month, you'll have another chance to put faces to the names of your favorite Cubs tweeters and bloggers.
This winter Cubs fix Will bring warmth to a fan's heart You won't regret it
Tom Ricketts and his family took ownership of the Chicago Cubs and wasted no time making a promise to the team's long-suffering fans: They will bring a World Series title to a team that has gone 101 years without one.
"I'll be honest. I think we have a team that can do it next year," Tom Ricketts said without hesitation Friday at a Wrigley Field news conference. "The fact is, there is enough talent coming back to this team next season."
That quote, dripping with unjustified optimism, proves to me that Tom Ricketts is a Cubs fan. I'm afraid he might be wrong about us having "enough talent", and I hope he plans to get a little more. But he's definitely one of us. Concerning his promise ...
It's surely a vow That all Cubs fans can abide Let's hope he keeps it
It looks like Hendry knew in January that this deal would stink for the Cubs
Ricketts gave a hint That we might have someone new Playing in right field
Last week I expressed concern about Tom Ricketts' unjustified confidence in Jim Hendry. But there was something else from Friday's news conference that might be a clue about some good news.
Ricketts did not make any concrete promises but said every decision would be made with the idea of helping the Cubs succeed and improving the ballpark experience, which he calls the "Wrigley vibe."
"We're going to invest in the best facilities in baseball -- world-class facilities where every player wants to play and every coach wants to go," he said. "We're going to invest in the best personnel and we're going to hold that to the highest standards of excellence and accountability."
Easier said than done in Chicago, where Ricketts was asked if he believes in curses, just as Piniella was asked about the Billy Goat curse at the end of his introductory news conference three years ago.
"There is no curse, there is no curse, there is no curse," Ricketts repeated for emphasis. "If anybody on our team thinks he's cursed, we'll move him to a less accursed team. We're not going to put up with that. Cubs fans have to look forward, not backward."
The way I see it That means Bradley could be gone Here's a quote from Milt:
"And you understand why they haven't won in 100 years here, because it's negative. It's what it is." Asked whether he was talking about the fans, the media or even the Cubs organization, he replied: "It's everything. It's everybody."
If Mr. Ricketts agrees that with such comments Bradley showed he was looking backward, then maybe a deal for the right fielder we love to hate is near the top of the boss's off-season to-do list.
General manager Jim Hendry, whose contract runs through 2012, has earned the chance to lead the team into next season, Ricketts said.
How has he earned that? By trading Mark DeRosa And signing Bradley?
Could Mr. Ricketts Be a fan of Aaron Miles? That might explain it
Cubs fans have tried to explain, justify or simply rationalize the moves that Jim Hendry made after the 2008 season. But unless you want to use the injury excuse, there is little doubt that the Cubs were a worse team in 2009 as a direct result of the mistakes Hendry made last winter. For this, our new owner says the GM has "earned the chance to lead the team"? That does not make me happy.
Crane Kenney and his new boss (Chicago Tribune photo)
Now it's official Really, truly official Officially done
Tom Ricketts takes charge
Dad founded Ameritrade
Time for Bradleytrade?
The Cubs "settled" on the Ricketts deal in January. It was "finalized" in July. Then it was "official" - but not really official - in August. A bankruptcy filing was made earlier this month to "speed things along".
The $845 million sale of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and other assets from the Tribune Co. to the Ricketts family was completed Tuesday, more than 2½ years after the baseball franchise was put on the market.
The family of billionaire Joe Ricketts, the founder of Omaha, Neb.-based TD Ameritrade, takes a 95 percent controlling interest in the baseball franchise, its storied ballpark and 25 percent of Comcast Sportsnet, which broadcasts many Cubs games.
After taxes and fees, Chicago-based Tribune, which owns the Chicago Tribune, Los Angles Times, other newspapers and TV stations, expects to reap about $740 million from the deal. Family members Pete, Tom, Laura and Todd Ricketts will control the team as its board of directors, though Tribune retains a 5 percent stake and will have a seat on the board.
We'll hear more about what the new boss is planning on Friday, when a Wrigley Field news conference has been scheduled. I'm not sure he'll take the advice from my haiku, but like most Cubs fans, I think it's a good thing that a baseball fan - instead of a media company - is now in charge.
The Cubs will announce Wednesday that former Texas Rangers hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo has signed a three-year, $2.42 million contract to become Chicago's next hitting coach ... Jaramillo spent the last 15 years with Texas and has had 17 players win Silver Slugger awards under his guidance. The new Cubs' hitting coach resurrected the careers of slugger Sammy Sosa, Mark DeRosa and Gary Matthews, Jr. to name just a few of the hundreds of hitters he has impacted in his tenure in Texas.
What do the players think?
Alfonso likes him: "He speaks Spanish ... he works hard" "Very good and smart"
''That's going to be good news,'' said Alfonso Soriano, who averaged 32
home runs and 98 RBI with Jaramillo and the Rangers in 2004 and '05.
''We had very good communication because he speaks Spanish. He's very
good and smart. He works very hard, too.''
But I'm concerned about another Cubs outfielder who used to play for Jaramillo.
What the hell StubHub Cubs fans aren't depressed enough So now you send this?
Here is an email I received this afternoon from StubHub. The "Check it out" link points to the StubHub page to purchase LCS and WS tickets.
I thought it might be a practical joke from a friend, but the stubhub-mail.com domain is registered to StubHub. And the address matches other email I've received from StubHub, which also referred to "your Chicago Cubs" - presumably because I requested info on Cubs tickets in the past.
Improved HoHoKam Not good enough for Ricketts Will Cubs stay in Mesa?
There's been lots of talk about the Cubs wanting a new spring training facility. As Spring Training Online reported:
The issue: the team practices at Fitch Field and plays at HoHoKam Park. While HoHoKam Park is a perfectly fine facility and the Cubs are a great draw -- perennially leading the Cactus League in attendance -- the ballpark lacks the luxury amenities you find in the new spring facilities
One of the rumors Had the Cubs leaving Mesa For Sarasota
The surprise contender in all of this: Sarasota. Really, on one level it's not a surprise: Sarasota's demographics are absurdly strong, there's already interest in town for spring training, and the city has a location -- Payne Park -- already in place.
But recent reports Say the Cubs won't be going Far from HoHoKam
In past months Mesa officials had held out hope that the Cubs would be happy with additional renovations to HoHoKam Park, but apparently the new owners of the Cubs have indicated they'd prefer a new facility ... One thing is for certain, we're told by insiders: there's very little chance of the Cubs moving to Florida
This is great news for baseball fans - and Cubs fans in particular. With so many teams playing in the Phoenix area fans can see games every day in different ball parks without having to travel too far. The city is the fastest growing in the country, so there's lots to do after the games. And the big Cubs fan base in town doesn't hurt. Local residents and officials have been campaiging for the Cubs to stay in Mesa.
Although the Cubs-HoHoKam deal runs through 2016, it looks like an opt-out clause allows the team to leave (at a modest price) as soon as 2011, making this spring possibly the Cubs' last at HoHoKam.
I've only been to Arizona once for spring training, but had a great time and look forward to seeing the Cubs there again soon. Some of the other facilties (particularly in Aurora) are quite impressive, and it will be fun to see the Cubs play in a nicer ballpark. But I'll miss the "friendly confines" of HoHoKam Park.
While bankruptcy typically implies debt issues, the Cubs are not in financial trouble. Rather its filing is connected to Tribune Co.'s own Chapter 11 bankruptcy case that began in December.
They're just trying to make creditors comfortable:
Now that Tribune Co. has finalized a deal to sell the team to the Ricketts family, it is passing the Cubs through bankruptcy court to give the new owners comfort that the creditors in the original case have no claim against the sold company.
And it's not going to last long:
The Cubs' stay in bankruptcy is expected to last just one day. The bankruptcy judge in the Tribune Co. case has scheduled a hearing on Tuesday.
(L to R) @fatheaddesign, @tonyafathead, @CubsMagicNumber, @TweetsByDina, @onetwittedcubs, @TheCubsInHaiku, @Adambuckled, and @Geisha93 having a great time at Superdawg
We gathered Sunday To meet other #Cubs tweeters Great time had by all
Matching real faces To cryptic Twitter screen names Talking Cubs and more
Wells wins number twelve Cubs get first October win Since 2006
Randy Wells was impressive once again, striking out 10 while giving up just 3 hits in 7 innings. Along with T.R. Lilly, he leads the Cubs pitching staff with 12 wins. Ryan Dempster can join the 12-win club on Sunday when he faces Doug Davis in the final game of the season.
These signs refer to Chicago getting the 2016 Olympics. But after Friday's game, it feels like they might as well be about chances of the Cubs winning a game in October. (Chicago Tribune photo)
Tom Gorzelanny Manages just three innings In Cubs third straight loss
Pirates sweep the Cubs? Could be worst day this season And that's pretty bad
Cubs lose both ends of the day-night double header. I've been posting short game summaries for the past week or two. Not tonight. You want details? Click on the "L" flag for the box score.
Hiya! We'd love to see you at the tweetup on Sunday
Close out the season At the Cubs Haiku Tweetup We'd love to see you
Thanks to @TweetsByDina for organizing a tweetup for Sunday after the final Cubs game of the season. On October 4th between 6:00pm and 8:00pm we'll meet at Superdawg to greet, tweet and enjoy some unique Chicago treats.
Click here for details We hope that you can stop by You won't regret it
One bad inning means A loss for T.R. Lilly Cubs get just four hits
Ted Lilly recovered nicely after giving up four runs in the first inning on two walks and three hits. But the Cubs bats could never figure out Charlie Morton - who gave up 10 runs in just one inning during his last Wrigley Field appearance on August 14th.
But today, in the first half of a day-night double header (making up a rain out from August 16th) Morton gave up just 4 hits in a complete game shut-out of the Cubs.
The Cubs and Bucs play again starting at 7:05. Carlos Zambrano will take the mound for the Cubs against Jeff Karstens.
Cubs get just five hits While the Giants get fourteen You don't win that way
I was watching the Bears and only checking in on the Cubs game. But I did manage to see their one offensive push. With two out in the ninth inning, a Jeff Baker double and Bobby Scales triple managed to prevent a shut out. But it was too little, too late. Still, the Cubs took the 4-game series from the Giants by winning the first three games.
After a day off Monday (for Yom Kippur?) It's back home to Wrigley to end the season with four games against the Pirates - Wednesday is a day-night double header to make up a rain out from August - and then three against the Diamondbacks.
Cubs get just five hits While the Giants get fourteen You don't win that way
I was watching the Bears and only checking in on the Cubs game. But I did manage to see their one offensive push. With two out in the ninth inning, a Jeff Baker double and Bobby Scales triple managed to prevent a shut out. But it was too little, too late. Still, the Cubs took the 4-game series from the Giants by winning the first three games.
After a day off Monday (for Yom Kippur?) It's back home to Wrigley to end the season with four games against the Pirates - Wednesday is a day-night double header to make up a rain out from August - and then three against the Diamondbacks.
Where was this Cubs team In August when it mattered? Still, I like winning
It was a fun Saturday in the (AT&T) park, as the Cubs won their third straight game against the Giants - delaying the inevitable and breaking the hearts of Giants fans as their team continued to fall in the Wild Card standings. In fact, they're now only 1/2 game ahead of the Cubs!
A win tomorrow will mean a sweep of the four-game series and move the Cubs ahead of the Giants into 4th place in the Wild Card - although with an elimination number of 3 it will take a miracle to bring the Cubs to the post-season. If it actually mattered, we'd be hoping for the Cardinals to clinch the Central Division with a win over Colorado tonight so that the elimination number wouldn't fall.
Instead, Cubs fans have to be satisfied to just live in the moment - and what a moment it will be if the Cubs can get the sweep on Sunday.
Big Z beats Giants With a complete game shut out Quite a performance
The Cubs played like a contender again Friday, with Carlos Zambrano pitching a complete game 2-hit shut out. He also tallied 2 RBIs in a great performance both on the mound and at the plate. As Len and Bob said as the game ended, this one was "old school", lasting less than two hours.
The Cardinals lost earlier Friday night, so once again the Cubs avoided handing them the division title one more time while playing spoiler as the Giants try to stay in the wild card race. The Cubs will try to take the series on Saturday afternoon, with Tom Gorzelanny facing Barry Zito.
Baker's the hero Ninth inning, two-run homer Gives the Cubs a win
The "elimination number" is one - just one Cubs loss or Cardinal win means the Central Division race is over. With the Cardinals idle Thrusday night, the Cubs did not want to hand them the title by losing to the Giants. But down one run in the ninth, with two outs and two strikes on Jeff Baker, it looked like we were going to do just that. But then, as Harry would have said ... it might be ... it could be ... IT IS ... a HOME RUN.
With Derrek Lee still on first after drawing a walk to start the inning, Jeff Baker deposited the ball in the left field stands to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead. Carlos Marmol got three strike outs in the ninth for his 15th save, but not before he created a little drama by giving up a hit and a walk.
Cubs fans will have to try to stay awake late again Friday night ... the Giants series continues with another 9:15pm start that will find Carlos Zambrano facing the tough Tim Lincecum.
No Cubs sweep tonight But Samardzjia gets first hit And it's a home run!
Wednesday's game was a little tighter than the first two in Milwaukee, and the Cubs came up short. But the long haired pitcher from Notre Dame became the first
Cubs rookie since Hee Sop Choi (9-2-2002) to get a home run for his first major league hit.
Except for Samardzjia, the Cubs just couldn't figure out Brewers Rookie pitcher Chris Narverson, who struck out 10 in just 5 2/3 innings. So, for the third time in 6 games, a good Cubs pitching performance leads to a loss.
Now it's on to San Francisco for four games against the Giants before returning home for the final six games of the season.
Brenda Lee knows how to say she's sorry, Milton Bradley does not.
Milt says, "I'm sorry" He thinks that makes it ok? It's just not enough
So, Milton Bradley has apologized - sort of. A day after his mother defended him by finding some new people to blame, Bradley issued a statement expressing his regret and claiming that "the air has been cleared". It hasn't.
Jimmy Greenfield does a good job of dissecting the "standard public relations drivel" that Bradley issued today. But I'd like to make a suggestion for how Bradley can really show Cubs fans and management that he regrets "certain things" that he should have "handled differently"
Tear up your contract That would show some true remorse We don't want you here
That's right. Don't take any more money from the Cubs. Other than being booed in the ballpark and asked questions by reporters doing their job, Bradley hasn't really paid any penalty for his behavior. I'm assuming this is a paid suspension because Bradley has decided not to file a grievance. Given his refusal to accept a 2-day suspension earlier in the year for bumping visors with an umpire even when he was injured, I am doubtful he would so easily accept a 2-week unpaid vacation.
So show us you're really sorry, Milt. You didn't hold up your end of the deal, so we shouldn't have to either. Release the Cubs from their obligation to pay you another $20 million dollars and then we can all "look forward to better days"
Rookie Ty Colvin Continues his great debut This time with his glove
Derrek Lee's still hot Gets his 35th home run Going 3-for-4
The Cubs are doing their best to keep fans interested as the season winds down. Rookie "phenom" Tyler Colvin was impressive once again, this time on defense as he robbed Ryan Braun of a 3-run homer in the 9th inning.
Randy Wells had another quality start, giving up just 1 run (a Prince Fielder home run in the 2nd after the offense had given him a 6-run lead) and striking out five Brewers in 6 innings to notch his 11th win. Only Ted Lilly has more wins, with 12.
The Cubs will try to extend their winning streak to 4 games by sweeping the Brewers on Wednesday night, with Jeff Samardzjia taking Ted Lilly's start against Chris Narverson for Milwaukee.
The season winds down The games seem so meaningless But are they, really?
Several times in recent years, sitting in synagogue for Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur services, the Cubs fans among us were anxious, wondering how our team was doing. Depending on when the holidays fell in the secular calendar we were either in the pennant race or the playoffs.
Last weekend during Rosh Hashana, someone noted that nobody was frantically checking their phone for the score after services ended. By Monday, which is Yom Kippur, the Cubs will almost certainly have been officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Whatever glimmer of hope we've tried to grasp, Cubs fan knew weeks ago that we wouldn't be playing after the final regular season game on October 4th. So the remaining games are meaningless, right?
I don't think so. And neither does the great Cubs blogger and tweeter, Adam Kellogg, who just posted a new blog entry entitled "The Myth and Genius of Meaningless Games" ... here are some excerpts:
Cubs baseball particularly provides an escape like no other. Cubs baseball is Fantasy Baseball. The scoreboard that time forgot. The enchanted ivy cascading down the outfield's unscalable walls. The curse of a century. The men who become boys when they cross the magic white lines. Entire crowds erupting into song that would be entirely ridiculous in any other setting but here -- in this movie, in this fairy tale, in this unending Disney flick -- make perfect sense.
Like almost no other experience, baseball allows us to connect with friends, family, and strangers converging on a single, multi-faceted experience. The leisurely pace between each dramatic showdown allows us the time to talk, to listen, and to take in the richness of each other's company. The game is an excuse to be together and to block out the nonsense that would deprive our lives of meaning.
If that doesn't mean something, then I don't know what does. So excuse me if the lack of trophies, champagne showers, pennants, and parades doesn't void my Cubs watching of its meaning.
You should read the rest of what Adam has to say at his blog, And Counting.
If you're on Twitter follow @Adambuckled. I promise you won't be sorry.
Today's haiku was stolen from @c1t1z3nx on Twitter:
It may be too late To reach post-season this year But winning's still fun
I was going to write my own haiku, as usual, for today's game. But @c1t1z3nx captured my thoughts with his great tweet. You should follow him for more great Cubs tweets. Thank you, Seth, I hope you don't mind that I've used your tweet here.
It looks like the departure of Milton Bradley removed a huge weight from the shoulders of the Cubs. The bats came alive, with back-to-back home runs in the second inning (Lee and Ramirez, for the 4th time this year) and hits for all the position players except Micah Hoffpauir. Tyler Colvin made his major league debut going 1-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly, notching his first RBI in the process.
The controversy surrounding Bradley continues, with the player's union threatening to file a grievance and some tweeters and blog commenters continuing to accuse Cubs fans of racism for being glad that Bradley has left the team. I still stand by what I said yesterday and last month, none of which has anything to do with the color Bradley's skin, just the size of his mouth.
Cubs salvage a win Avoid sweep in St. Louis Jake Fox the hero
It looked like another Cardinal walk off. But Matt Holliday was caught breaking the rules with a wide slide, and the Cubs got a double play to end the ninth inning with the game tied. The Cubs failed to score in the 10th, but Esmailin Caridad got the Cards 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Then, in the top of the 11th, Jake Fox hit a 2-run home run to give the Cubs the lead. A "drama-less" 11th for Carlos Marmol let the Cubs leave town with a small bit of pride intact as they avoid getting swept by the Cards.
Cubs tie it in ninth But D-Ro scores winning run More salt in the wound
Even though these games count only for bragging rights, there's something maddening about having former Cub Mark DeRosa play a key role once again in a Cardinals victory over the Cubs.
This time he singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth - after the Cubs tied the game in the top of the inning - and scored the winning run on a Brendan Ryan single off Cubs "closer" Carlos Marmol.
The only thing left Was to beat the Cardinals A matter of pride
It started out well But couldn't have ended worse Holliday walk off
The Cubs arrived in St. Louis effectively, if not mathematically, without a chance of making the playoffs. But beating the Cardinals would provide a little satisfaction by delaying their division title a few more days.
It started out great. Three doubles gave the Cubs a two run lead in the first. But a Mark DeRosa triple helped the Cards to tie it in the fifth.
Then, another mid-season acquisition, Matt Holliday, gave St. Louis the win on a walk-off home run. It was another loss for our bullpen, this one being charged to Aaron Heilman.
Fourth inning grand slam Randy Wells' low point today Cubs settle for split
Randy Wells had control problems today, walking two in the first (but escaping after giving up just one run) and then giving up two more walks in the fourth. With a single sandwiched between those last walks, the bases were loaded for Jody Gerut who hit his second career grand slam to give the Brewers a 5-2 lead.
The Cubs climbed back to within one run on a Micah Hoffpauir double in the bottom of the 4th but never really recovered, managing only one hit in the last five innings. Now it's on to St. Louis for a series that is only meaningful for bragging rights, and a chance for the Cubs to make a dent in the Cardinals' chances for home field advantage in the playoffs.
When I looked at the schedule in March it seemed likely that the 10 days starting on September 14th (7 games against the Brewers and 3 games against the Cardinals) would be key to determining the winner of the Central Division. Sadly, things turned out quite differently.
Poor start for Harden Gives up five runs in six frames Offense can't climb back
The Cubs three-game winning streak ended when they fell to the Brewers Wednesday night. There were a couple of offensive highlights - Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the fifth and Theriot went 3-for-4. Even Aaron Miles managed a hit and scored a run. But Harden struggled and David Patton - who came on in relief in the 4th - didn't do much better, giving up 4 runs in just one-and-a-third innings.
The only time the Cubs threatened after the 5th was when they put two men on with nobody out in the 8th. But Theriot, otherwise effective at the plate, grounded into a double play and Fukudome flew out to end the inning.
Big Z starts out hot 'Til Crew gets to him in 5th Score 5 with 2 outs
But the Cubs fight back Helped by poor Brewer pitching Walk away with win
The Cubs and Big Z blew a 4-0 lead, giving up 5 to the Brewers after 2 outs in the 5th. But Soto's solo home run in the 5th tied it up. Then 2 walks, 2 HBPs and a Prince Fielder throwing error helped the Cubs to score 5 times in the 6th on only 2 hits - including Soto's 2-RBI single.
Two more runs in the seventh (while Len and Bob flirted with Drew Barrymore), and another in the eighth, meant that even after Samardzija gave up 2 in the 9th the Cubs managed their 7th win in the last 8 games.
Dempster sharp through 8 Lee's home run all we needed Marmol gets the save
Last night was my last visit to Wrigley this year and the game was a good one. Dempster had a no hitter until I mentioned it to my sister with 2 outs in the 5th (sorry 'bout that) and the Cubs managed to win the kind of low scoring game they've been losing all season.
The 5th almost turned disasterous when former Cub Jason Kendall stole second, advanced to third on a Geo Soto throwing error and threatened to score when Sam Fuld's throw to third was off target. But Fuld redeemed himself with another great catch - this time diving, not running into a wall - to rob Frank Catalanotto of an RBI hit.
Carlos Marmol was effective, walking only one before striking out Mike Cameron to end the game. The Cubs are 9-4 so far in September ... too bad they weren't playing like this in August.
Rino Stefani Ninety-eight year old Cubs fan Attends his first game
There's a great story in today's Daily Herald about Rino Stefani. He must be the oldest Cubs fan who, until yesterday, had never been to Wrigley Field.
How old is Rino?
Die-Hard Cubs fan Rino Stefani is so old that when he was born, his mom was fretting about how it had been two whole years since her beloved Cubs last won a World Series.
How did he like his first visit to Wrigley?
"It's amazing," the 98-year-old Stefani says Friday afternoon as he finds his way to his seat behind home plate at the ballpark nearly as old as he. "This is the first game I've been at. I can't believe it."
He removes his glasses and wipes tears from his eyes as he motions with his left hand at Wrigley's green grass, the sun-kissed ivy and the throngs of fans. He asks how many people are jammed into the park and the rooftops.
"Forty-one thousand people?" Stefani says in amazement. "That's a state."
And Stefani seems to be good luck for the Cubs
On the day Stefani was born, the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0. In his first visit to Wrigley, the Cubs beat the Reds 6-4.
Pirates set record With 17 straight seasons Below .500
Do you think that's worse Than 100+ seasons Since World Series win?
Ironic, isn't it, that the Cubs - the team so many hold out as the ultimate example of futility - are the ones to hand Pittsburgh the loss that sets their own record for futility? The Pirates are the first North American professional sports team to suffer 17 straight losing seasons.
Of course, the Cubs have gone more than a century without winning the World Series. Which leads to today's question. Vote below, and take a minute to explain your choice in the comments.
Tribune archive photo / Daley rode with Chuck Comiskey, left, and Bill Veek, right, down State Street as the city celebrated the White Sox winning the American League Pennant on Sept. 24, 1959.
Tribune photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo / May 21, 2005 - LaTroy Hawkins delivers in the ninth inning. He gave up a solo shot to Jermaine Dye and was booed, something to which must be accustomed by now.
Game's strangest moment Milt facing LaTroy Hawkins Past and present goats?
Today Cubs will break A record set by Yankees They just need a hit
Cubs fans can take heart in the fact that 2009 will be a record-breaking season. Bleed Cubbie Blue reports that the Cubs will likely break the MLB record for consecutive games without being no-hit if they can get a single hit against the Mets today.
On September 20, 1958, Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm threw a no-hitter against the Yankees, while pitching for the Orioles. The Yankees then went 6,980 games without being no-hit, until six Astros pitchers no-hit them on June 11, 2003, about 44 1/2 years' worth of games.
The last time the Cubs were no-hit was Sandy Koufax's perfect game on September 9, 1965, a little less than 44 years ago. Through yesterday, the Cubs had completed 6,980 games without being no-hit. Thus, when the Cubs get their first hit this afternoon, they'll break that record. Thanks to SABR member Madison McEntire for the research and confirming to me the exact date of this record-breaking event.
Milton Bradley said after Tuesday's loss he's "never" comfortable playing at Wrigley Field. "It's hard to be comfortable when you don't get a hit and get booed every time," he said.
Poor Milton Bradley You're "not comfortable" here? Why don't you just leave?
Bradley went 4-for-4 with a home run in the 15-6 loss
We really won't care You don't get hot 'til August Too little too late
"When I go home and look in the mirror, I like what I see. My family is there I have people I can talk to who are very supportive, in spite of everything and all the adversity and the hatred you face on a daily basis. But I'll be alright. I always have."
Sure you'll be alright Ten million dollars a year? I'd be alright, too!
"I have no doubt in the guys we've got in here," he said. "It's solid, good nucleus... If everyone can just keep all the distractions and everything that comes with playing here and being a Cub out, and just focus on what you can do and what you can control, we'll be fine."
The Cubs will be fine? Nine games behind in August Is nowhere near "fine" Here's my suggestion Tell the Cubs that you're sorry Tear up the contract
Then you can go home Your family still loves you Cubs fans never will
It's not about the Cubs, but should probably be noted by all baseball bloggers ...
Three cheers for Bruntlett Unassisted triple play One for the records
The Phillies managed to end a threatened Mets rally in the bottom of the ninth when second baseman Eric Bruntlett turned the 15th unassisted triple play in major league history. It was only the second time that such a play ended a game. You can see the video on the Phillies website.
Seems like most Cubs fan Really don't like Aaron Miles Tell us how you feel.
Whenever Aaron Miles is playing, Twitter becomes an orgy of hate. Here are a few of good examples from today's game, which Miles started at shortstop for an ailing Ryan Theriot:
@Aisle424: Aaron Miles could make things interesting by getting on here.... ha ha ha ha ha ha... almost made it all the way through that
@rpringle: Aaron Miles once threw himself out at first
@Adambuckled: Aaron Miles once grounded into a quadruple play
@blicdh: Aaron Miles once got the shit beat out of him by the gatorade machine.
@TweetsByDina: Miles was once called on / to bunt for a suicide / squeeze and missed ... oh wait
Add your anti-Miles comment. It doesn't have to be in haiku, but try to keep it within Twitter's 140 character limit so it's at least a bit of a challenge. I suppose we can accept pro-Miles comments, if you're so inclined - but they'd better be good.
Let's try this today Inning-by-inning recaps Each one in haiku
I started this over at LOHO, but it looks like (oddly) nobody's there today. So I'll move it over here and keep it up as long as I can. Follow along and add your own in the comments ...
Yes, I realize this suggests I've lost my mind. But it just might be fun.
Now we have a name To attach to the "Beer Guy" So here's my question
Bartman was hated What about Macchione Do you hate him more?
First let me say that I'm not sure "hate" is the right word - maybe too strong. But I've got 17 syllables ... call it "poetic license."
I suppose comparisons between Bartman and Macchione were inevitable - they were already bubbling up as we waited for today's surrender. What prompted this post was a passage from the story about Macchione's surrender.
Affara said he doesn't believe the incident will reach Bartman-level backlash.
"Something like this happens every year," he said. "People get over it."
I disagree. While I'll withhold final judgement until we hear from Macchione, my initial reaction is that he's worse than Bartman and deserves to be treated as such.
Bartman did what most any other fan would have done - he tried to get a souvenir. I think he was treated unfairly.
Macchione did what almost no other fan would have done - he intentionally tried to interfere with the game, creating the potential for a player to get injured.
So what do you think? Bartman or Macchione ... who should be the bigger target of Cubs fans' anger?
The Cubs fan believed to have thrown a beer
on a Philadelphia Phillies outfielder during Wednesday's game turned
himself in to Chicago police detectives today following a daylong
search for the so-called beer tosser.
Johnny
Macchione of Bartlett had his face splashed all over the Internet and
television today after the Cubs announced they had ejected the wrong
man for the incident and were searching for the real culprit.
The
Cubs and Phillies outfield Shane Victorino filed a formal complaint
with the Chicago police following the incident. The 21-year-old
Macchione, a college student, contacted police shortly after the
announcement and said he wanted to come in to talk about the alleged
battery.
(Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune / August 12, 2009)
Cub security ejects the wrong fan after the Phillies' Shane Victorino was hit with a beer during the sixth inning Wednesday night.
The guy they tossed out Was not the one they wanted Time to call the cops
So when he is found Assault charges will be filed Against "Beer Tosser"
There's a nice collection of pictures of the incident on the Tribune website, including an annotated shot identifying all parties involved. I don't have rights to use all of them here, so be sure you click on this link to see them.
Cubs fans don't throw beers On opposing outfielders This guy's just a jerk
If you watched tonight's game you saw the despicable incident when someone in the bleacher's threw a beer on Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino. Unfortunately, Wrigley security initially tossed out the wrong guy - they ejected someone who was taunting Victorino after the jackass a few seats over had tossed the beer. On Twitter, @Adambuckled reported that he had sent a text message to Cubs Security who said they'd try to get the right guy. Hopefully they did. (Apparently they did not - see update below)
But, since ChicagoNow has given me this soapbox, I'm posting this picture so everyone will know what a jackass looks like. If you see him on the street let him know what you think of him.
And be sure to make it clear that real Cubs fans do NOT support this kind of behavior.
(Thanks to @antnard1 for posting this image on Twitter)
UPDATE: Paul Sullivan reports on the Trib's Hardball blog that the beer thrower slithered out of Wrigley Field before security could catch him. Chicago Police will release a photo on Thursday hoping that Cubs fans can help identify him. But readers of Chicago Sports In Haiku have a head start.
UPDATE II: Some comments questioned whether I had identified the right guy. Now there's video proof that the guy who was ejected is not the beer thrower. I originally had a YouTube clip posted here, but it was taken down after complaints from MLB. Not to worry. You can still view the video at the Cubs website. If you pause it about 0:07 in you'll clearly see the guy who tossed his beer on Victorino.
Do you know this guy? Then you should pick up the phone And call the police!
Well, it's obvious Lou is no Harry Truman The Marshall Plan fails
I was just going to include this in my game post. Then I decided it deserved its own place on the blog. Created by @gschneeberger, it was perhaps the most clever haiku I saw on Twitter tonight. It (literally) made me LOL. I just love non-sports related historical references. Thanks, Gary.
All the Gregg hatred Made the #Cubs and Kevin Gregg Both trending topics
Shortly after the end of Sunday's Cubs-Marlins game, two of the trending topics on Twitter were "#Cubs" and "Kevin Gregg". Cubs fans were angry. Since I'm blogging about this, you know that several of the angry tweets were in haiku.
Top ten haiku tweets Picked by @The CubsInHaiku But written by you
It's been amazing to see so many haiku tweets about the Cubs, and I really appreciate the effort of so many to participate. To recognize the clever contributions of Cubs haiku tweeters, here is a "Top Ten #Cubs Tweets" list - in no particular order.
Mark Buehrle pitches First Chicago perfect game Since '72
After the excitement of today's historic game subsided (as a Cubs fan, my euphoria lasted just a couple of hours) I couldn't help but think of Milt Pappas.
Cubs get wake up call Better bring more game than that Or you will get thumped. Thanks to cubbiejulie at A League of Her Own for the comment that inspired today's haiku.
I was invited by Steph Yiu over at the RedEye blog to attempt a rewrite of the lyrics to the Steve Goodman classic, "Go Cubs Go". The folks at RedEye thought it might be a fun way to mark the (possible) beginning of the Ricketts Era.
So, with deepest apologies to one of the greatest Cubs fan - and greatest singer/songwriters - of all time, here is my humble attempt at creating new lyrics for what has become the Cubs victory song:
Cubbies win another game When they do we all exclaim: "Hey, Chicago, what do you say Our Cubbies won their game today!"
We're singing ... Go, Cubs, go Go, Cubs, go Hey, Chicago what do you say The Cubs are gonna lead the way Go, Cubs, go Go, Cubs, go Hey, Chicago what do you say Our Cubbies won their game today
Raise that "W" flag real high Celebrate like the Fourth of July Wrigley Field's where I wanna be To sing after each Cubs victory
I hope Craig Kanalley over at Breaking Tweets Chicago doesn't mind me stealing some of his material, but here are a few great haiku tweets about the Crosstown Classic and the DeRosa trade.
Dramatic ending Beckham bends it over Milt White Sox draw first blood
I know Saturday was the second game of the series, but Fastbucks frequently tweets in haiku during Cubs games so I'm giving him a break in light of his great Bend It Like Beckham reference.
