Chicago Archives

I asked and you answered. Here are the best photos so far from Blizzard 2011. Keep em coming! Stay warm! Kap

As the Bears get set to play the Packers in the post season for the first time since 1941, I was given a few pictures you might enjoy.  Below are four newspaper shots from December 14th and 15th, 1941, the day of and the day after the two football rivals met the last time in post season play.  Check these out.  You'll enjoy.   

I hope that you had a great Christmas and are enjoying the holiday season! With this time of year comes some great sports on TV like the Heat at the Lakers which was a star studded match-up on Christmas Day. Also, Saturday night's NFL match-up between Dallas and Arizona may not have had playoff implications but it was a tremendously entertaining game that went down to the wire.

Today's slate of games have some very important battles that can decide playoff fates and home field advantage. The game at Soldier Field in Chicago between the Bears and the Jets is important to both teams so we should see a very intense battle.

I  see several games that I find intriguing so let's get right to it with our picks for today.

**As always these selections are for entertainment purposes only**

Top Plays
Houston -3 over Denver
Tennessee/Kansas City OVER 42
San Diego/Cincinnati UNDER 44
Tampa Bay -6 over Seattle
Indianapolis -3 over Oakland

Best Bet

2 Team Teaser on New England (-8 1/2) and San Diego (-8)

Okay, the Christmas season is here and today many of you will be celebrating with family and friends while you also watch NFL football. The Bears will play on Monday Night Football against the Vikings at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium. There has been much consternation this week about playing the game outdoors but the Bears need to forget all of that distraction and take care of business against a Vikings team that is up the track in the NFC North. When New England beats Green Bay the Bears will have their chance to clinch the division with a win over Minnesota.

Here we go with today's picks....

**As always these selections are for entertainment purposes only**

Top Plays

Dallas -7 over Washington
New Orleans +1.5 over Baltimore
Miami -5.5 over Buffalo

Best Bet

Oakland -7.5 over Denver
Denver at Oakland OVER 42

The Cubs, who have a major need for a veteran right handed reliever are moving towards finalizing a deal with free agent Kerry Wood. Wood, who spent the first 10 years of his major league career with the Cubs spent 2010 with the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees and compiled impressive numbers down the stretch for New York as the Yankees qualified for the post season.

Acquired by the Yankees at the trading deadline, Wood went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 24 games. If he finalizes his deal with the Cubs, Wood should provide tremendous support to Cubs closer Carlos Marmol and along with left hander Sean Marshall will form a very formidable back end of the bullpen.

Wood has made Chicago his permanent home and told me just last week that whatever decision he made about where he would pitch in 2011 had to be a good fit for his family. Being able to stay home and his longtime relationship with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry are huge factors in the Cubs favor.

More to come....

One of the things we love about baseball is its history.  Baseball dates back to the 19th century and the game was the gateway to America's love for professional sports.  Attached here are some box scores from some of the first baseball games in its storied history. 

These box scores and game stories date back to 1876, and involve the Chicago White Stockings, the first professional team in the Windy City.

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Baseball sources confirmed to me tonight that the Cubs continue to evaluate the medical reports on starting pitcher Brandon Webb who has been sidelined for the better part of the last two seasons with a shoulder injury. Webb, a former Cy Yound award winner with the Arizona Diamondbacks has serious interest in the Cubs and should his medicals check out he could find himself competing for a spot in the Cubs rotation next spring.

Also on the Cubs beat are rumors that the club is evaluating the cost of trading for Tampa Bay's Matt Garza. An excellent source in Tampa told me tonight that the Rays have not yet decided if they even want to move Garza who won 15 games in 2010 and appears to be heading into the prime of his career. Should he become available the price in terms of players going back would be large.

Okay, after some time off which included a little vacation I am back with my NFL picks against the spread. There are a handful of games that I find intriguing including the Monday night battle that has the NY Jets on the road at New England. The Bears are at Detroit and the line on that game keeps rising. It opened at 3 and now it is at 5 1/2 and headed north. I just don't see how the Bears don't pound the Lions today with Detroit starting career backup Drew Stanton under center.

(**As always these picks are for entertainment purposes only**)

Top Plays

Pittsburgh +3.5 over Baltimore
Miami -4 over Cleveland
Kansas City -8.5 over Denver
Tennessee -3.5 over Jacksonville

Best Bet

Bears -5 over Detroit

There really is no way to upload every great moment of radio between Pat Hughes and Ron Santo, but here are some more gems we had in our archive. 

The Yogurt Machine:
Pat - Ron and yogurt.mp3

Whether you were a Cubs fan or not, you had to love Ron Santo's passion for baseball.  And that passion shined through each and every day as the radio analyst for the Chicago Cubs.  There were so many hysterical moments each and every year with Ronnie, and the conversations between him and Pat Hughes were great.

Here are some of those great moments to listen back to, and enjoy.

Ron: Flossing and Cake


"They Oughta Shoot Him"


Kumbaya
KUMBAYA FULL.MP3

Ron yells at a fan in San Diego
ronny yells at fans.wav

Ron and Pat discuss his famous hair piece
ron's hairpiece segment.mp3

I just finished hosting a 3 1/2 hour tribute show to Ron Santo who died this morning from complications of bladder cancer at the age of 70. I was privileged to call Ron a close friend and a broadcasting colleague at WGN Radio for the past 16 seasons. Ron wore his emotions on his sleeve and he was as real as a person could get.

The toughness that he displayed while dealing with a myriad of health problems over the past decade never dampened his love for life and the sunny disposition with which he chose to live every single day. Ron was a tremendous role model for millions of diabetics and for countless others who looked to him for inspiration as they battled their own serious health problems.

Below are some photos of Ron from both his playing days and from his life at WGN Radio as the analyst on the Chicago Cubs radio network. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten. Ron, we love you.

A very good week picking games last Sunday as I went 4-1 only losing on the Dallas Cowboys who were awful in a loss to Jacksonville. This week is an interesting one as the Bears come off of their bye week and play the 0-7 Buffalo Bills who were beaten in overtime each of the last two weeks on the road by Baltimore and Kansas City.

Here we go for Week 9 in the NFL....

(**As always these picks are for entertainment purposes only**)

New York Giants -7
San Diego Chargers -3
New Orleans Saints -6 1/2
Dallas +8
Baltimore -5

Best Bet
Chicago Bears on the money line (I am not comfortable laying the 3 points)

I went 4-3 in college football yesterday with Northwestern costing me a 5-2 day when they blew a 17-0 lead and couldn't finish against Michigan State at Ryan Field in Evanston. Navy should have been our play of the day as they destroyed Notre Dame. Are the natives getting restless already in South Bend considering this is Brian Kelly's first year on the Irish sidelines? I am hearing from impeccable sources close to the program that Kelly's brief honeymoon is over.

Okay, onto the NFL where there are eight games with spreads at 4 or under. A tough week but there are a handful of games that I like. Good luck!

**As always these picks are for entertainment purposes only**

Solid Plays

Washington +3 over Bears
San Francisco/Carolina OVER 35
Arizona +7 over Seattle
Tennessee -3 over Philadelphia

Top Play

Pittsburgh -3 over Miami

According to an interview conducted by Clint Evans from Diamond Hoggers, and Mike Rosenbaum from The Golden Sombrero in their podcast called "The Baseball Show", baseball agent Matt Sosnick believes the Chicago Cubs are interested in signing Adam Dunn to a multi-year deal.

"If I was going to guess, I would say [Adam Dunn] is probably going to the Cubs, and he'll probably get, you know, 3 years and 40 million bucks," said Sosnick, of Sosnick and Cobbe Sports.

Listen to Sosnick talk about the Cubs interest in Adam Dunn

Sosnick represents numerous baseball players including the Reds' Jay Bruce and the Giants' Freddy Sanchez.  He argues that while Dunn's defense is poor, he is a consistent slugger who can hit 40 homers and drive in 100 runs year in and year out.  For this reason he is a desirable commodity for any team.  However, he says it's unclear whether the Nationals will attempt to bring him back to Washington.

"Like I said, it's very difficult to see whether the Nationals are trying to build a contending team,"  Sosnick said.  "They signed the GM for five years, they have a pitching staff that, sometime in the next couple years is going to come together where they're going to have a really strong 1, 2 and 3.  But you also have to have hitters."

Whether or not the Cubs truly are interested in Dunn has not been confirmed by the team.  But if nothing else, it could be a window into the plans the team has this off-season as they prepare for 2011.

Read the articles, and listen to the entire podcast here. 

I just spoke with Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry and he assured me that Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is welcome to return to the organization as the manager at Class AAA Iowa. Sandberg, who was bypassed by Hendry for the managerial vacancy in favor of Mike Quade is reportedly "highly disappointed" that he was not given the Cubs job and yesterday indicated that he had been offered nothing by the Cubs going forward.

"He is certainly welcome to return to Iowa. We think he did a great job there. This was a very tough decision and one that I tossed and turned over. However, I love Ryne Sandberg and have tremendous respect for him," Hendry told me this morning.

In an interview with Dave Van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune, he said, "I haven't been offered anything," not long after the phone call came informing him of the decision. Not a coaching job on Quade's staff, not his old post at Triple-A Iowa, where he had just been voted Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year.

Asked if he would return to Iowa, Sandberg said on Tuesday, "I don't know. I'm hoping there's something else out there. I'm hoping to manage or coach at the big-league level.I'm just kind of digesting it right now and I have my agent getting feelers out.

This morning when I reached Sandberg at his home in Phoenix he told me "there was nothing offered to me yesterday. I was unaware that they wanted me back until I heard it from you. I guess it is an option. I'm going to take my time and see what is out there."

The Cubs have removed the interim tag and have named Mike Quade their full time manager giving him a two year deal with a club option for 2013. So how did General Manager Jim Hendry arrive at this decision after interviewing several candidates over the past three months?

According to Ryne Sandberg who just appeared on multiple radio shows and spoke with the Chicago Tribune's Dave Van Dyck, he was informed by team chairman Tom Ricketts on Tuesday morning that the Cubs were going with Quade over him because, according to Sandberg, Ricketts said, "it was a tough decision" choosing Quade over him, but that "it was (general manager) Jim Hendry's call and he was going with his gut feeling."

"I told him I'm disappointed and that I appreciated the process and being involved," Sandberg said by phone. "That was the end of the conversation."

Sandberg was not "offered anything" by Ricketts, including the top job at Triple-A Iowa, where he was just named Pacific Coast League manager of the year. "I'm just kind of digesting it right now and I've got my agent getting feelers out," said Sandberg, who wears a Cubs cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Asked if he would return to Iowa, Sandberg said, "I don't know. I'm hoping there's something else out there. I'm hoping to manage or coach at the big-league level."

So now the question is why was Sandberg passed over and why wouldn't the Cubs wait to at least talk to Joe Girardi whose contract with the New York Yankees is up whenever the Yanks finish their postseason run? These are questions that will be asked at the press conference this afternoon to introduce Quade. The answers should be very telling.

Quade is a solid baseball man and a terrific guy. He grew up in the Chicago area and he understands the Cubs culture. He was well liked as a member of Lou Piniella's coaching staff and he impressed the current Cubs players when he was named the interim manager for the last six weeks of the 2010 season. However, whether or not he can take the Cubs where they haven't been for 102 years remains to be seen.

This much is for sure. General Manager Jim Hendry has made his final managerial hire for a long time because if this one doesn't work he probably won't be around to hire the next one. He needs to have a solid winter and he must show that the direction of the club is pointed upward because after a rough 2009 and a horrific 2010 he must get things turned around and it must happen relatively quickly. He turned the trick when he was named GM in 2002 and had his first team 5 outs from the World Series in 2003. He turned the trick again in 2007 after a terrible 2006 season winning back to back division titles and crafting a team that won a National League best 97 games in 2008. He had better be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat in 2011 or he may be looking for work. 

The Cubs managerial search is rolling along as GM Jim Hendry continues to his homework on several candidates both in-house and outside the organization. He has interviewed Eric Wedge (just named the manager of the Seattle Mariners), Don Wakamatsu, Bob Melvin, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Quade, and others and he has talked to several baseball types he knows around the game to hear their thoughts and opinions.

Before he makes a hire he had better look himself in the mirror and realize that the last two full time managers of this team were unwilling to hold players accountable despite coming in with reputations as locker room leaders. From the ridiculousness that derailed the 2004 Cubs to the antics of Carlos Zambrano this season no one has ever had the courage to lay down the law and be the tough guy that the Cubs have needed for far too long. That is squarely on the field manager and upper management who did absolutely nothing to control the players who let the broadcasters and the extraneous noise distract them in 2004 to Lou Piniella completely losing his team in 2010 as the season spiraled out of control. Set down a way to play and let no one operate outside the rules. Period, end of story. If a player misses a team flight because of his birthday then he doesn't pitch no matter who he is (think Big Z in 2009). If a player doesn't run hard out of the box then he is removed from the game and he sits. Whether he signed a 136 million dollar contract or is a minimum salaried rookie. Operate that way and you have a chance. Anything less and you will lose the respect of your team very quickly.

Here we go on a gorgeous football Saturday....

There are several games I like including the rivalry showdown between Michigan State and Michigan in Ann Arbor which will mark the return to coach from MSU coach Mark Dantonio who suffered a heart attack after the Spartans dramatic win over Notre Dame.

**As always these picks are for entertainment purposes only**

Solid Plays

Stanford -9 over USC
Iowa State +6 1/2 over Utah

Best Bets

Michigan -4 over Michigan State
Alabama -7 over South Carolina
Tulane -1 over Army

Also, here are the picks from my friend Mr. BCS (who just finished a book on the joke that is the BCS) and now would like to be known by the name BCS Buster :)

Tennessee +11 1/2 over Georgia
Michigan State + 4 1/2 over Michigan
Notre Dame -6 over Pittsburgh
Florida State +6 over Miami
USC +9 over Stanford 

With the 2010 regular season now over it is time to turn our attention to 2011 and that means fixing all that is wrong with the Chicago Cubs as they ended the season in 5th place with a record of 75-87 and 16 games behind the division champion Cincinnati Reds.

What Went Right

The signing of Marlon Byrd was a solid decision as he was excellent defensively, was well liked in the clubhouse, and contributed a solid season offensively. Ryan Dempster was solid winning 15 games and throwing over 200 innings as well as providing tremendous leadership in the clubhouse. Carlos Marmol was excellent all season long saving 38 games and dominating like no other reliever in the game. He does have his occasional control problems but he should be an elite closer for many years to come. Sean Marshall settled into the setup role very well and has emerged as one of the better relievers in the National League. His emergence calmed a very shaky bullpen that struggled in April and May. Finally, shortstop Starlin Castro exploded on the scene when he was called up to the big leagues in early May. He was solid at the plate and showed flashes of brilliance defensively despite commiting 27 errors. He should be a fixture in the Cubs infield for many years to come. 

Forbes Magazine just released an article that ranks every major league team on what they received for their payroll expenditures. The news is not good for the Chicago Cubs who finished dead last in all of baseball, getting the least production for the obscene amount of money that they spent on player payroll in 2010.

Check it out....

Yesterday we came oh so close to a great day in college football as our pick on Boise State going over 60 fell short as they won 59-0. I was surprised to see Notre Dame drill Boston College but give the Irish a a lot of credit as they played very well. Also, Northwestern rallied to win but had several miscues that kept the game closer than it should have been.

Here is today in the NFL against the spread:

**As always these picks are for entertainment purposes only**

Solid Plays

New York Giants -3 1/2 over the Bears
Buffalo +6 over the New York Jets
Tennessee -7 over Denver
San Diego -9 1/2 over Arizona

Best Bet

Houston/Oakland OVER
Bears/New York Giants OVER 44

I went 4-3 in college football on Saturday winning with my Best Bet on Stanford who drilled Notre Dame 37-14 in South Bend. I also had solid winners on Northern Illinois, Auburn and West Virginia but I was surprised to lose convincingly on Bowling Green who was destroyed at Michigan as well as losing on Boston College who was shut out at home by Virginia Tech.

Onto Sunday's slate in the NFL where I found several intriguing match-ups including winless San Francisco who is favored at undefeated Kansas City. I'll be back with the Sunday night game later Sunday afternoon as well as a pick Monday afternoon on the MNF battle at Soldier Field between the Bears and the Packers.

**As always, these picks are for entertainment purposes only.**

Solid Plays

Cincinnati -3 over Carolina
Atlanta +4 over New Orleans
Washington/St. Louis OVER 38.5
Baltimore -10.5 over Cleveland
Houston -3 over Dallas
San Francisco -2.5 over Kansas City

Best Bet

San Francisco at Kansas City OVER 37

Saturday was a great day in college football with Ohio State dominating Miami and Alabama drilling Penn State as well as a classic game in South Bend that saw Michigan blow a 21-17 lead late in the 4th quarter before roaring back in the final minute to stun the Irish 28-24. I had a strong day going 4-1 winning on Michigan as an outright underdog winner and winning with Alabama and Stanford who both cruised to comfortable wins. Our only loss came on Vanderbilt who struggled offensively in a loss to LSU. That was more than made up for though by a winner with our Best Play which saw Wake Forest beat Duke as a 5 1/2 point underdog.

Here are today's picks in the NFL: (As always these picks are for entertainment purposes only):

San Francisco - 3 at Seattle
Cincinnati +5 at New England
Houston + 2 1/2 vs Indianapolis
Bears vs Lions OVER 45

The Sunday night game will be up this afternoon and the Monday night game will be up tomorrow. The rest of the late games will be added if I find something I like during the early games.

Have Fun!

The Ricketts family are newcomers to the baseball world and despite the rough season the Cubs are having on the field it has been a learning experience for all involved in the family.  
I have learned that Todd Ricketts just completed nine days of shooting today on an episode of the popular CBS show "Undercover Boss" at Wrigley Field. Ricketts was in complete disguise including a beard and was not recognized by any Cubs employee as he performed a variety of jobs including hot dog vendor and security guard.

The family looked at this as a great way to learn the inner workings of the business from the ground floor up, despite the poor season. We hear that Ricketts really connected with his "fellow employees".

The show is being rushed into production because as one source who works closely with CBS told me: "Todd Ricketts was a natural and he made the show. It may be the best Undercover Boss we have ever done." It could air within a month. More to come.

MLB Network Analyst Harold Reynolds told Dan Patrick on his radio show Monday he believes Yankees Manager Joe Girardi will be the next skipper of the Chicago Cubs. In the interview, Reynolds said Girardi has too many ties to the Windy City, and feels that will be enough to lure him back to the Friendly Confines.

I have been saying for a long time now that Girardi would be the best choice for the Cubs should he be available for Jim Hendry to bring into the fold.  Have a listen to the interview below.  We'll be discussing all week on Chicago Tribune Live on Comcast SportsNet and on The Cubs 10th Inning Postgame Show on WGN Radio 720.

 

**Breaking News** The Cubs are close to trading first baseman Derrek Lee to the Atlanta Braves, I have learned exclusively. The trade was first discussed on Sunday evening when the Braves called Cubs GM Jim Hendry and expressed interest after learning that one of their best offensive players, Chipper Jones was lost for the season with a knee injury.

As a 10-5 man (10 years in the major leagues and the last five with the same team) Lee has the right to reject a trade as he did when the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim tried to acquire him in late July. However, sources close to Lee tell us that he will approve a deal to Atlanta because the Braves are leading their division thus giving him a shot at winning another World Series ring. Lee was a member of the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins who beat the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic.

The deal that would send Lee to the Braves has not yet been finalized but MLB sources characterize the trade as nearly done. One holdup has been Lee's balky back which has kept him sidelined the past couple of days. The trade is not expected to land the Cubs much in the way of talent because of Lee's subpar 2010 season but it will provide some salary relief as Lee makes 13 million dollars and the Braves are expected to assume most if not all of his remaining money.

Stay tuned and I will update as soon as I confirm that the trade has been completed. For all of the breaking news that I cover please follow me on Twitter @thekapman. Kap

The Cubs started their overhaul of the roster for the 2011 season by trading pitcher Ted Lilly and 2nd baseman Ryan Theriot to the Los Angeles Dodgers for 2nd baseman Blake DeWitt and two minor league pitchers.

The two minor leaguers the Cubs received were both drafted reasonably high but only one is projected by minor league talent evaluators as a probable big league arm. Brett Wallach, the son of former major league infielder Tim Wallach is a recent convert from position player and pitcher to full time pitcher and has, according to the scouts I spoke with a solid chance of pitching in the big leagues as a back of the rotation type or as a set up man. Kyle Smit was a touted prospect in 2006 when he was drafted in the 5th round but has not progressed as the Dodgers had hoped. Here are a couple of scouting reports on the two pitchers from the MLB Daily Dish:

Recently inducted Hall of Famer Andre Dawson said this week that the Cubs should pass on Ryne Sandberg and should instead take a run at New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Here are the comments that Dawson made in an interview on WSCR in Chicago.

Please post your thoughts on the Cubs managerial position in the comments section. Thanks! 

The Cubs were approached recently by the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers regarding a potential trade for first baseman Derrek Lee. No names were discussed but the Cubs then went to Lee to see if he would waive his 10 and 5 rights which under Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement allow him to block a trade.

Lee informed Jim Hendry that he will not accept any trade and would like to wait until the season is over to decide on his future. His current Cubs contract expires at the end of this season.
Several reports have criticized Lee for his position but who are we to determine what is best for his future? He has the ability to block a trade and he exercised that right, plain and simple.

With Lou Piniella's announcement last week that he is retiring as the manager of the Cubs the speculation has been in high gear as to who will replace him. From Ryne Sandberg to Bob Brenly to Bobby Valentine there has been no shortage of names tossed about.

I have looked at this decision for a while now knowing that Lou would not be returning to the Cubs and there is really only one name that should be on the Chicago Cubs shopping list. New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

Girardi is so obvious that I am stunned to hear some people tout others over him. Girardi is a winner who has multiple World Series rings as a player and has won one as manager of the Yankees. He was also named Manager of the Year when he was with the Florida Marlins and took a team with a 14 million dollar payroll and nearly made the playoffs. He has had small payrolls, large payrolls and has handled both situations very well.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella will announce this afternoon that he is retiring at the end of the 2010 baseball season. I just spoke exclusively with Piniella and he did confirm that he is stepping down but he is very upset that the news leaked out before he had a chance to inform his team.

"Yes, it is true that I am retiring. I am 67 years old and it is time for me to move on to the next phase of my life and to spend more time with my family. However, I am very upset that the news leaked out before I had a chance to inform my team," Piniella told me.

Bill Madden of the NY Daily News learned of the impending announcement from Piniella's agent Alan Nero who told him the news in confidence. However, Madden did not keep the news quiet and thus the story broke, angering Piniella and his family.

Piniella will address the media at 4:15 from the interview room at Wrigley Field. I will have full coverage of the announcement both on Chicago Tribune Live on Comcast SportsNet at 5:30 and on the Tenth Inning Show immediately after tonight's Astros/Cubs game on WGN Radio.

We all know it has been 101 years and counting since the Chicago Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 and it isn't looking like this season will end the longest drought in sports history either. On Saturday I interviewed Cincinnati Reds star Scott Rolen who has played many games in the Friendly Confines and asked him why he thinks the Cubs don't win. What he told me might surprise you but give the man credit. He spoke from the heart and was extremely passionate in his comments.

DK: There is a lot of talk about leadership in a locker room. What is your take on the importance of leadership?

If, as has been portrayed by the South Florida media for the past few months were true that Dwyane Wade was definitely returning to the Heat wouldn't he be more actively involved in helping to recruit talent to join him in Miami?

Perhaps Wade's meetings with the Bulls were legitimate and he is truly conflicted about where to go. His divorce and custody battle have to be playing a major role in his thought process. As the father of four kids I know I would surely be thinking heavily about moving back home to provide stability in my kids lives.

So, here is what I am wondering. Does Dwyane Wade know he is going to Chicago? And if he does is he taking his time to be respectful of the people in Miami who have been very good to him over the past several years? If his children and winning are his top priorities then the only choice for him to make is to play in Chicago. Imagine a backcourt with Wade and Derrick Rose. Then add in Joakim Noah and another signing from the free agent class of 2010 and you have a team that would be among the favorites to win the NBA title this season. In Miami you have a franchise that is devoid of talent and has only two players currently under contract.

You have to believe that Jerry Reinsdorf and company are too smart to not have a deal with one of the prime time free agents very close to completion. Why else would they have traded Kirk Hinrich and been working extremely hard to move Luol Deng. The Bulls have been extremely professional and noticeably quiet as the process plays itself out.  For those of us in Chicago, a Wade, Bosh, Rose trio is what we dream about. For those in Miami it is their worst nightmare come true.

If the Cubs do not show signs of life heading into the all star break I fully believe that we will hear from Chairman Tom Ricketts on his and his family's thoughts about the team and their plans for cleaning up the mess. So with that in mind here is what I would advise them to do to prepare for a very tough meeting with the media and the July 31st trading deadline.

1) Management must let the fan base know how frustrated they are with the on field performance and also let them know that it will not be tolerated and that change is coming to the Cubs in a big way.

2) Identify those pieces that have trade value and can be moved. That means there are no untouchables on the roster. However, it would take a huge deal to pry some of the best youngsters away from the Cubs.

3) Be willing to eat significant dollars to clear out the dead wood on the roster so that a complete overhaul of the team can begin as soon as possible.

4) Show the paying customer how much this season has upset you. They are paying a tremendous amount of money to support your team and they also invest their heart in a team that has broken it more times than they care to remember. They have to know that you are as upset as they are or you could see further declines in attendance and support.

5) Lay out a plan for the future. The Cubs fans will buy a plan if it is spelled out to them in a clear and concise manner. There has never been a definitive plan to rebuild the team. It has always been about trying to upgrade and compete all at the same time. Unless you spend Yankee level money that plan has very little chance of succeeding.

6) Talk about playing with pride and fire. That is much more of an indictment on the players than it is on the manager. However, when you see players like Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez struggle day after day and they continue to remain in the 3-4 hole on the days that they are playing it is no wonder that it appears as if poor play is accepted. Lee and Ramirez have been awful all season long but never have we seen them dropped down to the 6-7-8 spots in the order.

When the White Sox were struggling in early June we heard Kenny Williams say that it would not be tolerated and that changes were coming if things didn't improve. He also said that "I'm tired of looking at this and so are our fans." By doing that he let everyone who buys a White Sox ticket know that he was as frustrated as they are and that it was unacceptable. We have not heard much of that from the North Side and that too is unacceptable.

Several baseball sources have confirmed to me that the Chicago Cubs have been extremely active in trying to move Kosuke Fukudome to open up regular playing time for rookie Tyler Colvin. Fukudome is owed approximately 8 million dollars for the remainder of this season and an additional 14 million for 2011.

My sources tell me that Cubs GM Jim Hendry has offered to pick up the bulk of the remaining dollars on the 2010 commitment and half of the money in 2011 but so far has found no takers for the under performing right fielder.

I have also been told that upper management is being extremely patient despite the poor performance of the Cubs so far in 2010. They will wait a few more weeks and evaluate the club's position at that time before they determine a course of action in advance of the July 31 trade deadline.

What a tremendous moment to see the Stanley Cup handed to Jonathan Toews by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the wild celebration that ensued moments later. In my lifetime I have seen several championships. The 1985 Bears, the 6 titles won by Michael Jordan and the Bulls, the 2005 White Sox who won the World Series, and even the 1982 Chicago Sting who claimed the NASL soccer title.

Now all that is left is for the Cubs to end more than a century of futility and finally win a World Series. That is a topic for another day. Now let's celebrate the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks who are the NHL Champions.

I host the Tenth Inning post game show on WGN Radio after most games and I am inundated with calls from fans who want to blame Lou Piniella for the poor play of many of the Cubs highly paid stars. So it got me to thinking. If you owned the Chicago Cubs what moves would you make? Not just in player personnel but in all aspects of running a major league baseball franchise from the team to the front office to the concessions to the marketing plan.

Put some thought into this and post your ideas in the comments section. I will take the best laid out plans to Tom Ricketts and hand your ideas to him. Be creative, think outside the box, and remember there are a ton of aspects that are included in owning a major league team that you probably haven't even considered. Where would you build the new spring training facility? Who would be your manager next season if Lou doesn't return? How much would your payroll be?

These are all interesting questions and questions that I want you to answer. Be thorough and have fun building a franchise but remember it is not as easy as it looks!

Go get em!

With the Cubs currently sitting at 19-22 and 4 1/2 games off the pace in the NL Central it is time to evaluate the roster, the off season moves, and the decision making through the first 6 weeks of the season.

General Manager Jim Hendry did not have much payroll flexibility this past winter and he had a number of things he wanted to address as he tried to retool his baseball team after a disappointing 2009 season. Hendry needed to land a center fielder, he needed to move Milton Bradley, he needed to upgrade his bullpen, and he needed to help some of his best players return to their previous form after having sub par 09' campaigns.

Let's look at the Cubs moves and decisions since the end of the 2009 season and grade them accordingly:

As I reported earlier tonight on Chicago Tribune Live on Comcast SportsNet the Cubs will sign reliever Bobby Howry to a deal that will be announced sometime in the next 48 hours. Howry was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this week and after clearing waivers the Cubs will only owe him the pro rated league minimum salary.

Howry spent the 2009 season with San Francisco where he appeared in 63 games with a 2-6 record and a 3.39 ERA. The Cubs are denying the signing but friends of Howry have confirmed that he and his wife have told them that they are indeed returning to Chicago.

Jeff Van Gundy joined us on Chicago Tribune Live  tonight on Comcast SportsNet and offered his opinions on the Bulls organization and whether or not he finds the job attractive and would he be interested in the position: "I think it is a great job but when I spoke the truth it got back to me that they didn't think I was fair so I don't think I will be considered and that's okay too. I don't worry about that."

Here is the complete interview from Tuesday's Chicago Tribune Live.

I received this letter from several Cubs fans today so I decided to post it here on the blog so you could read it and decide to participate if you wanted to.

This is from Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts:

Description

If you're a true fan of the Cubbies then come on out and show the team your support.

Dear Friends,

You've probably been hearing about the Toyota sign we've proposed for the back of the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field. As fans and neighbors, we want you to know why this is important to the team and how it can help preserve the Friendly Confines.

As you know, Major League ballparks have historically relied on in-park signage to generate revenue. Legendary Fenway Park, older than Wrigley Field, has added significant signage throughout its outfield - and two World Series championships - in the last six years. Most other MLB teams also receive substantial public subsidies; we do not. In our case, we have asked for one sign in the outfield.

When we became owners, my family and I anticipated the need to spend tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars over the years ahead to preserve Wrigley Field. This past off-season, before we saw a single game as owners, we invested $10 million to shore up the infrastructure of the aging ballpark, renovate and expand its bathrooms, preserve our beloved scoreboard and replace some of the less attractive features of the park, like the concrete panels on the Addison street façade. As long-time Cubs fans, we know Wrigley Field is a special place and our hope is for future generations to share the wonderful experience of visiting the Friendly Confines.

In addition to the dollars invested in the park, we have maintained one of the highest payrolls in baseball and increased our budget for scouting and development - the key to future success. Winning a championship requires significant financial resources and we are currently reinvesting all profits - from the Toyota sign and otherwise - to make this happen.

Beyond the economics, there is an important principle at stake here. Wrigley Field has thrived for years as a privately-owned facility, albeit one where public interest is keen. We believe the park continues to be well-served by this principle which has guided its operation for nearly a century.

We have also been very respectful of the City's landmark designation and the process we have undertaken to win approval has been thorough. We've worked with the City and made adjustments, including modifying the location and design of the sign at the request of preservationists and City zoning officials. We've also worked with the rooftop businesses and in fact chose the proposed location because it least impacts those rooftop partners with whom we have long-term agreements. The landmark designation was never intended to put Wrigley Field in a time capsule. It's intended to allow flexibility and growth, within reason, to help the ballpark stay alive for the decades to come.

Finally, much of the opposition is rooted in commercial interests of one particular building and is designed to protect advertising currently on a rooftop across the street from Wrigley Field. Protecting the interests of one rooftop advertisement does not help preserve Wrigley Field or put together a championship team.

We would welcome your help and support for this sign. If you would like to lend your voice in support, please e-mail us at cubsfanfeedback@cubs.com.

I hope this information is helpful. Efforts like this are important as we continue to invest in our team and our 96-year-old ballpark. Improvements to Wrigley Field and modest changes throughout the years have kept the Friendly Confines alive while other stadiums have come and gone. Working together as we have allows us to remain viable and continue to flourish.

Thank you again for your help. And Go Cubs!

Sincerely,

Tom Ricketts
Chairman

With the Cubs record now back to .500 at 13-13 and a 6 game road trip to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati up this week it's time to take a critical look at the team and some of the issues that they are facing in the fairly near future.

Before I go position by position I feel it necessary to address Phil Rogers "Morning Phil" column on the Chicago Tribune website today. Phil addresses the hot streak that Alfonso Soriano is currently in and says:

1. Forgive us, Alfonso. We should know better, but how quickly we all forget. When Bob Brenly, David Kaplan and seemingly everyone following the Cubs was treating Alfonso Soriano with something between contempt and ridicule for failing to run hard out of the batter's box on a blast to the wall April 20 at Citi Field in New York, they missed the bigger picture: Soriano was showing signs of become a dangerous hitter again.

Well, Phil you are showing an incredible lack of understanding of how the game is supposed to be played. Sure, Soriano is red hot and he is carrying the team but you have once again missed the much bigger picture. There is a right way to play the game and a wrong way to play the game and when Soriano doesn't hustle that is the wrong way to play the game and that my friend is an undeniable fact. You can defend his lack of hustle all you want but if it is no big deal then why was he pulled into Lou Piniella's office after that game in New York and talked to about the play? Are you telling me Phil that when he hustled a double into a triple the next night that it had nothing to do with the tongue lashing he received from his manager less than 24 hours earlier?

C'mon Phil, I know that you are smarter than that. Reading this it sure doesn't show it though.

Now, onto an assessment of the Cubs through the first month or so.

Starting Pitching

With Carlos Zambrano now in the bullpen as a set up man the rotation has stayed surprisingly solid through the first month. Carlos Silva has been solid and Tom Gorzelanny has been very capable in the #5 spot. Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells have been excellent and if not for the failings of the bullpen prior to Zambrano's arrival the Cubs record would be far better than 13-13. Ted Lilly has had one good start and one poor one so it is far too early to pass judgment on his long term prognosis this season. While the back end of the rotation has been a pleasant surprise you still cannot convince me that the rotation is better without Zambrano and I fully expect him to return to his role as a starter at some point this season. Unless of course the Cubs make a major trade that includes Big Z.

Bullpen

With 3 rookies on the opening day roster it is not hard to understand why the Cubs pen struggled so mightily in April. Combine that fact with the struggles of John Grabow and you can see why the record is what it is. Will Zambrano be the steadying influence that bullpen needs to vault the Cubs into contention? He can be if he is willing to commit himself to the role and if the Cubs rotation stays solid. If one of the 5 starters struggles then Zambrano will go back to the rotation and the hole in the set up role will again become a glaring weakness. Look for Jim Hendry to make a trade to shore this area up but with very little trade activity in the industry over the season's first 45-60 days it may be a while before deal gets done unless the Cubs GM is willing to significantly overpay.

Infield

The corner spots have been an issue offensively but Derrek Lee is showing signs of breaking out of his April slump and should be a solid force going forward. Ryan Theriot has been outstanding offensively hitting .348 and while he is not a Gold Glove shortstop he is more than solid at the position. Aramis Ramirez has been awful through the first month but based on his career numbers you have to believe that he will return to form as a very potent offensive threat. If he doesn't then the Cubs have major issues because his production is irreplaceable from the backups currently on the roster. Second base has been a pleasant surprise offensively as Mike Fontenot is hitting over .300 but can that continue for an entire season remains to be seen. The Cubs top prospect Starlin Castro is currently hitting .354 in Class AA but he is 5 for his last 35 at the plate so it appears he is in line for at least another few weeks of seasoning before he could make his major league debut. When he does look for Ryan Theriot to move over to 2nd base on an everyday basis.

Outfield

With all five outfielders on the roster deserving of playing time this is perhaps the toughest part of Lou Piniella's job. Alfonso Soriano. Marlon Byrd, and Kosuke Fukudome have all hit well but Tyler Colvin also is producing and has more than justified Piniella's faith in him when he put him on the opening day roster. Xavier Nady is a professional hitter and is not happy with his lack of playing time but with his surgically repaired elbow still an issue and the outfielders hitting well it has made opportunities for him to play scarce.

Catcher

A position of strength as Geovany Soto has rebounded from an awful 2009 and is a threat again at the plate. He is also throwing well and is a huge upgrade over the production the cubs received behind the plate in 2009. Koyie Hill is a very capable backup and has more than held his own when he gets an opportunity to play.

Summary

So, can the cubs make a run in the NL Central Division? Yes, if their rotation stays solid and the bullpen anchored by Zambrano and Carlos Marmol does its job consistently. Aramis Ramirez has to return to the form that he is capable of because without his bat in the lineup the Cubs have no chance to be solid enough offensively to compete for a playoff spot.

However, this is a station to station baseball team that does not have much team speed so when the wind blows in the Cubs are not very adept at manufacturing runs. They need to string together bunches of hits to score and that is not an easy proposition in the big leagues. I still have major questions about this team and while the past weekend was a solid step in the right direction let's not forget that they were playing the Arizona Diamondback and not the Philadelphia Phillies. Show us some excellent play against some of the better teams in the league and then maybe I'll start to believe.

**Breaking News**

The Cubs and the White Sox have entered into a historic partnership today that will see the teams competing in inter league play, not only wins and losses but a new trophy called the BP Crosstown Cup.

Patterned along the lines of the various trophies that are staked in some of college football greatest rivalries, the Crosstown Cup will go to the team that wins the annual 6 game match-up between the two teams. What happens if each team wins 3 games you ask? Then the winner of the 6th game claims the trophy.

The Cup will be unveiled this season and should become a big part of the rivalry between the two great fan bases. The winning team will be presented the Crosstown Cup at the conclusion of the second series between the two teams, so there is a distinct possibility that a team could be awarded the trophy on the road in the other team's park.

Can you imagine the intensity of the moment if the Cubs were to celebrate with the trophy at US Cellular Field or the White Sox were to jump for joy with the Cup on the field at Wrigley? Those would be amazing moments to watch and will only intensify the already white-hot rivalry that runs generations deep.

In attendance at today's press conference in Millennium Park were Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts, Manager Lou Piniella, Chief Marketing Officer Wally Hayward and players Marlon Byrd and Randy Wells. The White Sox were represented by Chief Marketing Officer Brooks Boyer and players A.J. Pierzynski and Gordon Beckham.   

Bulls VP John Paxson and head coach Vinny Del Negro were involved in a very heated physical confrontation after the Bulls lost to the Phoenix Suns according to extremely close sources to the situation. Paxson reportedly confronted Del Negro over the number of minuted that Joakim Noah was playing and as tempers began to rise, words were exchanged and it led to Paxson grabbing Del Negro by the tie and shoving him.

The source also told me that Del Negro kept his cool knowing that he is owed 2 million dollars and not wanting to do anything that could jeopardize his guaranteed money. He also did not want to damage his reputation in the NBA as he wants to continue coaching even if he is fired by the Bulls.

In addition, in a story reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune  Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has hired independent lawyers to investigate details of the altercation. The argument casts further doubt on Del Negro's long term future with the team and multiple NBA sources I spoke with tonight all but guaranteed to me that Del Negro will not return for his third season in 2010-11.

After a train wreck of an Opening Day for the Cubs in Atlanta on Monday I decided to crunch the numbers for Carlos Zambrano to see if we can come to a conclusion on whether or not he has seen his best days and is in a downward spiral that he cannot reverse.

Zambrano was simply awful Monday as he was pounded by the Atlanta Braves giving up 8 earned runs in less than 2 innings of work. Can he rebound? Certainly. He is only 28 (he turns 29 in June) and he should be entering the prime of his career. However, his trends over the past season and a half are not very impressive.

Here are Carlos Zambrano's pitching numbers since the 2008 All Star Break:

Starts 41
Wins 13
Losses 11
ERA 4.63
BAA .248 (.246 with runners in scoring position)
22 HR Allowed
239 innings (avg of 5.8 per start)
4.3 BB per 9 innings

106 pitchers in Major League Baseball have made 30 or more starts over the same span of time. Here is where Carlos Zambrano ranks among those pitchers:

ERA:  79th
Innings pitched:   60th
BB per 9 innings:  100th
Wins:  65th
 
The good news....Big Z has slugged 7 HR's in that span which ranks him #1 among all of the pitchers on the list.No one else has more than 3.

So is Zambrano a staff ace? At this point in time there is no chance that he deserves to have that label attached to his name. His numbers bear out the argument that he is extremely overrated and grossly overpaid. But, for the Cubs to contend he has to be a major piece of the rotation. That though, may be easier said than done.

Weigh in with your comments because last summer when I was critical of Zambrano many of the comments were definitely supportive of him. I wonder how supportive many of those same people are now. I would think the evidence speaks for itself that the Cubs are not getting anywhere near their money's worth at this point in time. Here's hoping that changes.

Below are the many faces and emotions of Carlos Zambrano....

DePaul is continuing their search for Jerry Wainwright's replacement and has an extensive list of candidates that they are studying. Contrary to a TV report that ran in Chicago last week, Pitt coach Jamie Dixon was never a serious candidate for the job. He is a good friend of DePaul athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto and the two keep in touch but Dixon never was offered the job and he never seriously considered it. UCLA coach Ben Howland did consider the DePaul opening but decided on Tuesday to stay in Westwood where he feels his program is poised for a rebound season after a difficult 2009-10 campaign.

Other names that have surfaced in connection with the job include Kansas State coach Frank Martin, who signed a lucrative extension with K-State a few weeks ago and has a hefty buyout of his contract. Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery has been rumored to be on the DePaul short list but my sources tell me he is not in the upper tier of candidates for the job.

USC's Kevin O'Neill would be a tremendous choice and loves Chicago but he just completed his first season in LA and was named the Pac Ten Conference Coach of the Year by the Sporting News. He is not expected to leave USC. Another name that was on DePaul's list was UTEP's Tony Barbee but he was named the new coach at Auburn on Wednesday.

Iowa is also looking for a new coach after firing Todd Lickliter and appears to be looking for a lower priced alternative after paying big money to Lickliter in his settlement. Sources confirmed to me on Wednesday night that Iowa is talking to Dayton's Brian Gregory, Tulsa's Doug Wojcik, Utah's Jim Boylan, and Wright State's Brad Brownell. Three of the candidates (Gregory, Wojcik, and Boylan) all worked as assistants at Michigan State for Tom Izzo.

Stay tuned because I believe that DePaul will have a new coach named within 10 days but who that will be is still very much up in the air.

The Bulls just received some good news as Derrick Rose's MRI on his injured wrist came back negative. The Bulls star will miss tonight's game at Miami and is listed as day to day.

Here is the official wording from the Chicago Bulls press release:

Derrick Rose Injury Update

 

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose injured his left wrist yesterday (Thursday, March 11) in the first quarter of Chicago's game at Orlando.  An MRI this morning confirmed a sprain to the left wrist, with no fracture or ligament damage.  He will not play in tonight's game at Miami and his status is listed as day-to-day.

I am hearing that DePaul is ready to put up the money to land a big name head coach for their men's basketball program. In addition to a multi million dollar contract proposal for a new coach the school is also investigating a handful of locations that could be the right spot to build a new basketball arena near campus.

The Finkl Steel Company is relocating to the south side of Chicago and their current location at Clybourn and Cortland is within walking distance of DePaul's Lincoln Park campus. An 8,000-10,000 seat arena is something that the university higher ups are considering. Real estate experts that I contacted today told me that the Finkl property is intriguing because it may not be suitable for residential use due to In addition, a recent post in a Chicago real estate blog TheChicago77.com discussed the Finkl property as it relates to DePaul University. The site says: The Finkl & Sons site is located on the east bank of The Chicago River at Southport Ave, and Cortland Street within steps of DePaul's main campus and due to its heavy industrial use over the past 100 years the site is believed to be to contaminated for many real estate re adaptations. So it seems the current thinking is that instead of removing all the over-sized foundations so closely positioned by the rivers edge that it might be far simpler and safer to just remove all the top soil, pave over the site and any possible contamination.

"If DePaul builds an arena near campus it is over. They are the biggest sleeping giant in college basketball. A new arena will make that one of the best jobs in the country," said ESPN analyst and former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps.

"That is the only job I ever wanted after I left Notre Dame. I spent 6 hours with DePaul's AD back in 1997 after Joey Meyer left and I had people in the city of Chicago who were ready to help me get the program back on track," Phelps told me. "Imagine an on campus arena packed with 8,000 fans and a great student section wearing DePaul blue shirts with a Demon on them and the pitchfork in bright red. We could call the student section Digger's Demons. I love Chicago and I know that program can be turned around."

Pictured below are the names that I am hearing are on DePaul's current shopping list. Keep in mind that once teams are eliminated from post season play more names could come into play as some coaches leave jobs while others move into new vacancies. This so called "domino effect" could put some big names on the market.

I had pretty much closed the book on the Cubs' worst signing of the last 20 years, and one of the worst in franchise history after Milton Bradley was traded away last December. However, I feel compelled to address the ridiculous garbage that spewed out of his mouth in an interview with ESPN's Colleen Dominguez at spring training. In the interview he basically blames everyone but himself for his awful 2009 performance, both on and off the field, even going so far as to wonder if Cubs personnel were sending him hate mail.

Let's go through his thoughts here and dissect how deranged this person really is.  Here is Bradley on if Chicago is a tough place to play if you are African-American: "Well, I mean unless you go out there and you're Superman -- you're Andre Dawson, you're Ernie Banks, you're in the Hall of Fame -- then it's going to be tough," Bradley said. "People are just the way they are".

Are you kidding me? Have you ever heard of Derrek Lee? Lee is well liked and respected and loves playing in Chicago. So much so that he stated a couple of weeks back when I interviewed him at spring training that he wants to retire as a Cub. Want a less successful player who is African-American and was well liked and loved playing here? What about Doug Glanville? He was a solid, but unspectacular player who had two tours of duty with the Cubs and now makes his home in the Chicago area.  

Fans want players who play hard, are reasonably successful, and represent the team positively. Milton did none of that. He made no effort to fit in with his teammates, he was distant with the media from day one, and he was a lousy baseball player. He claims that he was told he had to hit 30 home runs, but I can tell you that was never expected from him. The Cubs wanted him to get on base, drive in runs because he he would have opportunities hitting in the middle of the lineup, and they wanted him to play a decent right field. 

Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry met with the media on Wednesday in Mesa, AZ and here is what he had to say about Bradley's latest comments. Hendry has consistently taken the blame for the signing, repeatedly characterizing the acquisition as a complete and total mistake. However, after trading Bradley so he and the Cubs could get a fresh start, Bradley just can't keep his mouth shut. Hendry finally had enough of Bradley firing on the organization and met with the media in Mesa.

"We're all brought up in life to accept responsibility when we fail, and to judge people by how they act and how they carry themselves when things don't go well," Hendry said.

Bradley told ESPN some of the hate mail he received had no postage, suggesting it could've been sent in-house.

"Obviously, that couldn't be further from the truth," Hendry said. "I think maybe it's time Milton looks at himself in the mirror. It is what it is. He just didn't swing the bat. He didn't get the job done. His production, or lack of (production), was the only negative."

As for the hate mail that Bradley claims he received without a postmark, Hendry said people drop off mail at the front desk at Wrigley Field, which could explain why there was no postage on the alleged hate mail. He added that Bradley never mentioned the claim to anyone in the organization, and that the Cubs said the organization "couldn't have bent over backward any more than they did for the entire season, before (the suspension) in St. Louis."

Milton Bradley has no one to blame but himself for his poor performance in 2009. He was given the first multi-year contract of his career and he failed miserably. He was a sullen, moody person to deal with and never did anything, or made any attempt, to fit into the community or the locker room.

Could someone have said something racially motivated to him? Absolutely, however the rantings of a few lunatics were not the reason that Bradley had such a terrible experience in our city. He failed to produce on the field and continues to make excuses for his poor play. Milton Bradley, you need to look at yourself, not everyone else, when you try to figure out why the Cubs were so desperate to rid get rid of you.

Julius Peppers will visit the Bears on Friday but if he does not reach an agreement on a contract he will head to Philadelphia to meet with the Eagles according to Steve Reed of the Gaston Gazette.

Here is the latest on the happenings in the NFL from Pro Football Talk.

More to come....

The Bears are on the verge of landing three key free agents in DE Julius Peppers, RB Chester Taylor, and TE Brandon Manumaleuna.  All three will visit Halas Hall on Friday. 

Head coach Lovie Smith flew to Charlotte, NC on Thursday evening, and will fly back to Chicago with Peppers and his agent. According to Carl Carey, who represents Peppers, "the deal is the Bears to lose." And sources tell me that there is no way the Bears will fail to get this deal done.

Add in a solid running back in Chester Taylor, and a blocking TE, and you have a tremendous upgrade in talent for the Bears.  Manumaleuna's addition could mean the end of Greg Olsen's time in the Windy City, but perhaps he could bring Anquan Boldin back in trade or a draft pick that could be used on an offensive lineman.

Give Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo credit for their aggressiveness and their plan. Now they have to finish it off. Stay tuned.

NFL free agency is about to begin and NFL sources are reporting that safety Antrel Rolle, who was cut by the Arizona Cardinals this afternoon, has turned down a 5 year offer from the Miami Dolphins for less than the $8 million per season for which he's asking.  It appears now that Rolle will visit the New York Giants, and sources tell me tonight that they will meet his asking price. He could agree to a contract tomorrow.

Additionally, it appears that the Bears are going all in on free agent DE Julius Peppers and their contract offer could be the biggest contract in franchise history. Stay tuned!

Here are some of the photos that I captured over the first two days at Cubs camp. The entire squad has reported and went through their first full day of workouts. As the snow falls and the cold weather blankets Chicago check out the blue skies in sunny Arizona. Enjoy! Kap

Last week, Nationals manager and former Cubs skipper Jim Riggleman made news when he questioned his own handling of then Cubs rookie Kerry Wood in 1998. Speaking to the Washington Post, Riggleman said, "I think if anything that I learned from it, having to do it over I probably would have pitched Kerry less.  At the time that we had Kerry, my recollection of any criticism I had was 'Why did you take him out of the game?' After the fact it's "Well, you pitched him too much."

I reached Wood (now the closer for the Cleveland Indians) this morning and asked him for his opinion on Riggleman's comments. He was very open and honest telling me that he did not feel that Riggleman overused him.

"Wow, I hadn't heard his comments and I really don't agree with that. Look, I had bad mechanics back then and it was very hard for me to try to correct them when what I was doing was working. I remember many times thinking that I wish Jim would leave me in the game because I still felt strong."

Wood also talked about his mindset as a rookie.

"Back then I was a young pitcher with great stuff and when you are young and talented it is very hard to understand why you should be making changes to what you are doing when you are successful doing it the way you are. So, no I don't blame Jim at all. I definitely do not think I was overused or mishandled."

Cubs president Crane Kenney joined me on Sports Central tonight and had this to say when I asked him about the "Cubs Tax" that has riled up all of the other owners in the Cactus League:

 

Crane Kenney: Yes, we're really confident. I met with the mayor of Mesa today and we talked a little bit about the so-called "Cubs" tax. The state representative who's the sponsor of the bill has got a meeting Friday with all of the teams to talk about the various funding mechanisms and from our perspective that's not our business. The state and the city will figure out how to finance this. We're supportive of any measure that helps us get a facility, a world class one, and we've been led to believe by everyone from John McCain who I had lunch with last week on down that this will get done and we're going to have a few bumps in the road like lots of legislation but we're pretty confident.

The Cubs first full squad workout is underway, and everyone on the roster has reported on time.  It appears the club as a whole is in the best shape that we have seen in quite a while. Carlos Zambrano and Geovany Soto, are both much lighter, which has been reported for weeks now, and in the case of Soto he has lost more than 40 lbs.

Derrek Lee met the media this morning and told us that despite Lou Piniella's opinion that team chemistry was bad a year ago, he felt that injuries and poor play were much bigger reasons why the team struggled throughout much of 2009.

"Chemistry is the million dollar question,"  Lee said.  "I think that when you are winning your chemistry always seems to come together and when you are not it is always questioned. It can't hurt to always have a good bunch of guys in the clubhouse and guys having fun but I don't think that was our problem last year. I think we just didn't play good baseball and the injuries mounted up on us."

The Ricketts family has just entered the complex, and they are getting ready to meet with the entire team. Then they will have a session with all of the assembled media. I'll file later today after the first workout is over. Stay in touch with all of the happenings by following me on Twitter. I will be tweeting all week. You can find me @thekapman

Have a great day! Kap 

With the Ricketts family taking over ownership of the Chicago Cubs things are changing throughout the franchise with many of those changes occurring throughout the ball park. The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan wrote about some of the changes earlier this week but there are many more that are currently underway. Here are some of the changes that are going on at the Friendly Confines:

Did you know that after taking control of the Chicago Cubs, the Ricketts family has doubled the benefits package for Cubs employees including their contribution into the 401K each employee has. In addition, the word employees is no longer used. Instead everyone is referred to as associates. Also, the vendors are receiving a raise in the commissions that they are paid.

The changes going on at Wrigley Field are costing nearly 10 million dollars and are just the start of a major renovation of the park over the next few years. After touring the ball park recently here are the changes that are currently going on at the Friendly Confines: 

1) Major remodeling of the main restrooms for men and women located behind home plate. The number of toilets will greatly increase and the women's restroom is being expanded significantly with one of the ramps that fans use to get to the grandstand being removed.And yes guys, the troughs are staying.

2) The number of TV's in the ball park are being expanded significantly and all of the television sets are being upgraded to flat panel TV's.

3) Sky box suites 1-6 (down the left field line) are being remodeled and turned into a mezzanine club with a naming rights sponsor tied to it (I hear a financial company will be putting their name on it). Seats will be sold on a season ticket basis.

4) The area underneath the right field bleachers will be turned into a party area with one way glass allowing the fans who are renting the area to watch players take batting practice in the existing batting cages.

5) The concrete panels on the outside of the ballpark at the right field entrance are being removed to allow more sunlight into that area of the park and to allow fans going up the ramps a view of downtown Chicago.

6) The food options at the concession stands are being greatly expanded and a "Cubs Hot Dog" is being created ala the famous "Dodger Dog" that is sold in Los Angeles.

7) The players will have a new weight training center that will occupy the area that formerly was the umpires quarters. The umps have been relocated to the first base side of the field. In addition, the Cubs old weight room which is located in the clubhouse is being turned into a players lounge and dining room. The Cubs have also hired a team nutritionist who will be in charge of upgrading the food served in the locker room and monitoring players nutrition both at home and when the team is on the road.

8) The family lounge for players wives and kids is being completely renovated as the old quarters were embarrassingly spartan.

9) The Ricketts family has stressed that they want to make the Cubs experience the best in sports. Much like Disney World being exceptionally clean that is what the Ricketts family is demanding Wrigley Field be kept like.

10) The Cubs will soon announce the hiring of a Chief Hospitality Officer or Director of Game Day Entertainment and that person's job will be to make sure that every aspect of a fan's experience is held to the highest standards of excellence. There will be uniformed "team ambassadors" who will be monitoring every part of the "Cubs Universe" on game day. Whether a fan takes the train, parks their car in a surrounding lot, rides their bicycle, or takes a bus to the area surrounding the stadium there will be Cubs ambassadors monitoring everything that a fan experiences and trouble shooting any problems that are brought to their attention.

11) More availability of autographs for kids who attend games at Wrigley Field. The Cubs are planning a regular, formal program for kids to obtain autographs.

12) Kids will be allowed to run the bases once a month (probably on a Sunday) in a program that is still being finalized.

13) The Ricketts have told their staff that they want Wrigley Field to be the most fan friendly place in all of sports. To that end there have been and will continue to be a series of season ticket holder luncheons designed to allow long time fans a chance to give the Cubs feedback on what needs to be improved off of the playing field.

14) There will be a customized "Wrigley Grass Seed" developed by Scott's that will be available in stores this summer.

More to come.

St. Louis Cardinals Manager, Tony LaRussa, joined me yesterday on Chicago Tribune Live and
talked about the possibility of working for Jerry Reinsdorf again,
whether or not he would ever manage the Cubs, and if we could see Mark
McGwire on the Cardinals roster. The interview is transcribed below.

KAPLAN: Tony looking at your career, you had a good run with the White
Sox then you ended up leaving and going to Oakland. You're still very
very close to Jerry Reinsdorf. Could you see yourself at some point
maybe working for him in the front office when your managerial days are
over and you leave St. Louis?

LARUSSA: Well there's two answers to that. One is that I know that he is
pleased with his management team. I know that he really has a lot of
confidence, and he deserves to have that with Kenny Williams, and the
assistant, and the farm director, and all that stuff. I mean I would
never think about managing. I know he likes Ozzie as well. So I don't
ever think that is going to be an issue, because I think he's got his
team. But the other side to that is if I ever left the field and went
upstairs, which I hope to do sometime maybe soon, you know thirty-one,
thirty-two years is enough and at some point I'd like to work for an
owner that I like and that I respect as much as I do Jerry because I
want to be motivated to make him happy. I worked as a manager for Jerry,
I worked for Walter Haas, now in St. Louis its nice when you like the
people you work for because that helps motivate you.

KAPLAN: If you were a free agent and sitting on the market and the Cubs job
was open, would you say I can't go there because of my relationship with
Jerry, or the rivalry with the Cardinals? Or would you say I would listen because
I"m looking for a gig?

LARUSSA: Well I don't think the Cubs would consider me number one, but
number two you've got a double-headed whammy there. I have a lot of
friends and fans that I'm close to with the White Sox. And you know
the White Sox and Cubs, they don't mix. I've got friends and fans that I'm
close to in St. Louis and the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cubs don't
mix. So I think if there is one place that I don't fit just because of
my past it would be the Chicago Cubs.

KAPLAN: Mark McGwire you've been very very positive about. You said hey
this guy is going to be a very good hitting coach for me. Mark has come
out and addressed his issues. Did you think there would be the backlash
to it when you hired him? Or that didn't surprise you?

LARUSSA: No, I knew it was one of the things we had to face. Let me make
sure I correct one thing. I'm very loyal to our players over the years,
White Sox, A's, and Cardinals. If you give back to the team which you
should, I don't grease the squeaky wheel. I like to take care of the
guys who are really good teammates.  Mark was a great teammate. But when
it comes to putting a coach on the staff it has nothing to do with
loyalty, it has nothing to do with friendship. You know, we have too
much at stake. I think he has the qualities of a great hitting coach,
and that's why he was hired. And you knew at some point, number one he
couldn't just take the job and not be forthcoming about I did do
something or I didn't do something. And I think when he came out we were
really encouraged that he pulled out all the stops and admitted more
than anybody yet that he made mistakes. He apologized sincerely. I think
a great majority of his peers, past and present, a lot of fans and some
media  wanted him to move forward. So I don't think there's a whole lof
left that he hasnt talked about, that he needs to talk about. I just
think at some point now, especially with Mark or anybody else, if you
had a celebrity coach, or you name a great player... Frank Thomas was a
great player and if he became your hitting coach. It's not about the
coaches, its about the players. We keep the distractions to a minimum,
and its about getting the most of our players.

KAPLAN: You said a couple months ago that if you got to the playoffs, you
could see Mark possibly being on the roster. Do you still feel that way
going to spring training?

LARUSSA: That was really a fun remark because when Mark left, he left
with a bad back. One of the things people talk about, you hear people
say that he has really good character and he's a good teammate. But he
had a $30 million signed contract by the Cardinals that he walked away
from. That to me is character and integrity, because he knew his back was
broken and he couldn't play. Seven or eight years later he is in great
shape, and his back is good. So we were kidding that he looks so good. I
was watching him swing in the cage and he's whistling it. I said, "You
could still swing!" He said, "why don't we talk about you activating
me?" We were just messing around and our tongues were so much in our
cheeks that its hard for anybody to understand what we were saying. He's
not going to play, he's going to coach. Hopefully we have a postseason,
but he wont be a part of it.

I interviewed Kurt Warner on Chicago Tribune Live on Comcast SportsNet on Tuesday and as usual he was nothing but class to deal with. He was available for interviews through the Got Milk promotion that he is in Miami working on.

Here is the transcript of the interview. Read his quotes where he says the Bears told him that he would be the #3 QB going to training camp if he signed with the Bears. Unbelievable to think that a Hall of Fame QB wanted to be here and just wanted a chance to compete for the QB job and the Bears wouldn't allow him to.

Enjoy!

KAP : KURT WARNER JOINS US. WHY WAS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO CALL IT A CAREER?
 
WELL ITS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WHEN YOU PLAY YOU UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO COMMIT TO PLAY AT THE STANDARD YOU'VE SET.. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I'VE QUESTIONED HOW MUCH LONGER I'VE WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. LOT OF PRESSURE, LOT OF STRESS, LOTTA EXPECTATIONS WHEN YOU PLAY AT A CERTAIN LEVEL. THE OLDER YOU GET, THE LESS YOU WANNA DO THAT. IT CAME TIME ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON, WHERE I STARTED TO BELIEVE THIS WAS GONNA BE MY LAST SEASON, I WANTED TO COME IN THE REST OF THE SEASON, WANTED TO TRY TO WIN ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP. I WASN'T WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD. I WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY. I WANTED TO TAKE PART IN OTHER ENDEAVORS THAT I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO. SO THE ORGANIZATION WAS IN A GREAT SPOT. I WAS PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL.IN A POSITION TO LEAVE AT THE TOP. ALL THOSE THINGS COMBINED I THINK MADE IT THE RIGHT DECISION AT THE RIGHT TIME.
 

Photos of some Chicago Blackhawks players engaging in a night of partying have surfaced in Vancouver where the Hawks played on Saturday evening, losing to the Canucks 5-1.

The website "The KurtenBlog" posted photos of some Blackhawks partying in a limo with several females. The team is already aware of the pictures and issued this statement that is included in a story on the Chicago Breaking Sports Website run by the Chicago Tribune: "We're aware of (the photos). It's a team-related issue and will be handled like any other situation and that will be internally."

Numerous news organizations are reporting today that the Chicago Cubs will announce their future spring training home this afternoon. I have confirmed that they will be making no announcement today as they weigh proposals from both Mesa, AZ and Naples, FL.

Speculation is running rampant that the Cubs have settled on Naples or are close to making that decision but I do not believe that any announcement has been decided upon. Yesterday, the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan had a story that talked about a "bed tax" that would potentially seal the deal for a move to Naples.

I predicted months ago that despite an excellent offer from Naples that the Cubs would get a deal done that would keep them in Arizona and I still believe that will end up being true. Look for an announcement sometime next week.

There may be no more optimistic Cubs fan than me, but I also try my best as an admitted die hard fan to be realistic about the team's chances before each season begins. Now, while I know that the season is still 82 days away, and there is still time to make a few more moves to improve the roster, I have to tell you that I have serious concerns about the 2010 Chicago Cubs chances.

The everyday lineup has big questions in it, starting behind the plate. Geovany Soto is coming off of a brutal 2009 campaign that saw him start the season out of shape, and saw him finish the year batting just .218 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI's. Numbers that were a far cry from his 2008 N.L. Rookie of the Year campaign that saw him hit .285 with 23 HR's and 86 RBI's. Can Soto rebound in 2010? I have my concerns, but his improvement is a huge key to the Cubs' chances in the NL Central.

In the outfield, Alfonso Soriano is coming off of a horrendous season that ended early when he underwent knee surgery. Can Soriano at least return to decent form so that he becomes an offensive threat in the middle of the lineup? Kosuke Fukudome will shift from center field back to his natural position in right, but he also needs to improve offensively to help revive a Cubs' offense that struggled to score runs in 2008. Finally, Marlon Byrd arrives via free agency to play center field, but is he the answer to a position problem that has plagued the Cubs for quite a while?

In the infield, the corners are outstanding with Derrek Lee at first and Aramis Ramirez at third. However, Ramirez missed 80 games a season ago after separating his shoulder, so keeping him on the field consistently is a huge key that is fraught with concern. At shortstop, Ryan Theriot begins what will probably be his final season at the position with minor league phenom Starlin Castro penciled in for the position in 2011. Theriot is then expected to slide over and play second base once Castro arrives and is playing regularly. Second base is a huge question mark with Mike Fontenot and Jeff Baker battling for playing time. Is either guy an everyday player on a team with championship aspirations? I'm not so sure.

The starting pitching rotation is my biggest concern about this year's club as it is currently constituted. Carlos Zambrano possesses a world of talent, but is this the season that he harness his ability and his emotions and becomes the leader of the staff and the ace that he is expected to be? Ryan Dempster is working tremendously hard and is in the the best shape of his life, but he has to get back to the form he showed in 2008 when he was the staff leader with 17 wins. Ted Lilly is coming off of shoulder surgery and isn't expected back in the rotation until the beginning of May, so his impact is certainly questionable. Randy Wells had a fine 2009 rookie campaign, but can he continue where he left off, and will he be able to be a season long contributor in a rotation trying to return to the post season? The rest of the group of starters is suspect with Jeff Samardzija, Sean Marshall, Tom Gorzelanny, and prospect Andrew Cashner all in the mix. However, none of them has ever proven that they can be a regular member of a rotation and be counted on every fifth day.

Finally, the bullpen has some bright spots, led by ultra-talented closer Carlos Marmol, who has tremendous stuff. Yet he spent most of 2009 struggling with his command before finally overtaking the departed Kevin Gregg for the closer's job. Will Marmol be a reliable closer, or will he be a walks machine that can't seal the deal? John Grabow should be a solid set up man, as should Angel Guzman. But beyond them, who can the Cubs count on at this time? Esmailin Caridad, Jeff Gray (who arrived in the Jake Fox and Aaron Miles trade with Oakland), and a yet to be added veteran arm all will be in the mix but the depth in the bullpen has to be a concern.

There are still 82 days before Opening Day. There is still time to add another relief pitcher and a bench bat who can help out in the outfield. Most importantly, the Cubs must add another starter to strengthen the most important part of any team that has post season dreams. Jim Hendry, the ball is in your court.

Attention All Cubs Fans!!
Note: I will be in attendance tomorrow night (Thursday January 14th): at Billy Dec's awesome Rockit Bar and Grill in Wrigleyville which is hosting: 
A new night at Rockit Wrigley, 3700 North Clark, on Thursdays - Cub-aholics Anonymous. Apparently during off-season feelings of listlessness, abandonment and general malaise fill the hearts of Cubs and Wrigley Field fans, so Rockit Wrigley is launching a Cubs Fan support group. Join a lively Cub-friendly social scene to celebrate all things Cubs with sports media, ball players, giveaways and a nice view of Wrigley Field across the street. Hope to see you there! Kap

I recently spent some time with a good friend who I will call Al. Al is a former police officer who is now retired. Al had one of those very first satellite dishes, you know, the ones that were enormous and you had to have built in your backyard?

Back then if you were watching TV via a satellite dish, you not only got the program you wanted, you also got the off camera interaction while the station you were tuned to was playing commercials.

What you are about to watch is never before seen footage of former CBS anchor Johnny Morris, as he anchors a post game show following a Bears victory over the Minnesota Vikings. The date is October 9, 1988, and the win moved the Bears to 5-1 with a game against the Dallas Cowboys coming up the next week.

Sit back and enjoy, and don't miss the ending, because it's classic! Please forward this on to your friends. They won't believe it when they see it. (Note: there is explicit language.)

As the first decade in the 21st century comes to a close, let's take a moment to reminisce about the best and worst moments and athletes of the past ten years in Chicago Sports.

Best Team: 2005 Chicago White Sox

Only one Chicago team could call itself champions in the first decade of the 2000s, and that team plays at 35th and the Dan Ryan.  The White Sox magical run to a world championship in 2005 erased an 88-year drought of glory on the south side.  Everything went right for Ozzie Guillen's club that year, as his starting staff of Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, Jon Garland and Freddy Garcia each won 14 or more games in the regular season, leading the club to a 99 win campaign.  Playing "Ozzie Ball", the Palehose used speed and timely hitting to scratch across runs with Scott Podsednik changing the team's offensive strategy.  The White Sox stormed through the playoffs, going 11-1 in October, which included a sweep of the then-defending champion Red Sox, and the Astros in the World Series.  Their bullpen was rock solid all year, as Bobby Jenks burst onto the scene as a bona fide closer, and earned the save on October 26, 2005 to earn the Sox a ring.

Worst Team: 2000-2001 Chicago Bulls

After a historic run of six world championships in the previous decade with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, things went very bad and very fast for the Bulls after the nucleus of the team left the Windy City.  The team did have Elton Brand, who averaged 20 points per game, Ron Mercer, who could still contribute, and Ron Artest--who by his own admission--was drinking on the job.  The team went 15-67, bad enough for a miserable .183 winning percentage, and ranked dead last in the NBA in points per game (87.6).  Need any further proof this team was a disaster?  This team only had three players average double-digit scoring, and Ron Artest barely qualified in double-digits with just over 11 points per game.  Also, how about these names that contributed minutes to Tim Floyd's club that year:  Dragan Tarlac, Khalid El-Amin, Dalibor Bagaric, A.J. Guyton, Jake Voskuhl.  Need I say more?

Best Athlete: Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears

Say what you want about Urlacher's attitude, or problematic character at times.  It's no question this city could have embraced him far more than they did over this past decade.  But when it comes to the best athlete in Chicago sports over the last ten years, Urlacher takes the cake.  After being drafted in the first round out of New Mexico in 2000, Urlacher immediately emerged as a standout linebacker for the Bears and quickly vaulted to the top of the NFL.  He had more than 800 tackles in the decade, 37.5 sacks, and 17 interceptions.  He was one of the most feared defensive players in the league for the majority of the decade, and led his team to multiple playoff appearances including a Super Bowl berth in 2006.  Note: Honorable Mention goes to White Sox ace Mark Buehrle, for a consistent and successful decade.

Worst Athlete: Corey Patterson, Chicago Cubs

Corey Patterson had a three good months as a Chicago Cub.  That's it.  Otherwise, his career as a Cub could really only be described as a debacle.  The 3rd overall pick in the 1998 draft figured to solve the Cubs center field problem for the long haul.  All we read and heard about him coming up was that he had great speed, great power, and could be a five-tool superstar type player to anchor the Cubs outfield.  Instead, he was a free-swinging, undisciplined, stubborn liability for the Cubs for parts of five seasons.  Other than the 83 games in 2003 in which he hit .298 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs, he was detracting from the team's success.  (And funnily enough, when Patterson got hurt the Cubs acquired Kenny Lofton, who was a catalyst and a big reason why the Cubs nearly reached the world series that season.)  In 2004, he was a microcosm of the team's shortcomings, and his 2005 season was one of the worst statistical seasons put forth by an everyday player in history.  He's still toiling around baseball, last seen with the Brewers this past season.  The Cubs traded him to Baltimore before the 2006 year, and the Cubs have still not found a long term solution for center field.

Yahoo Sports has gone public with their take on yesterday's Gar Forman media session in which the Bulls GM did absolutely nothing to support Vinny Del Negro, his embattled head coach.

Here is the latest report from Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski:

Once Forman finally came out of hiding Tuesday night, his coaching staff expected him to honor his private insistences with a public acknowledgment. That was the plan. Vinny Del Negro's boss had a chance to make a most minimal pledge: management supports its coach.

Forman sputtered, danced and deflected. The words wouldn't come out of his mouth. For the first time, two sources with direct lines to the coaching staff said Del Negro finally realized what he refused to believe: Yes, the GM wants him out.

"To say the least," a close associate of Del Negro said, "the staff was disappointed by Gar's failure to step up in an embattled moment."

As far as textbook undermining goes, Forman has delivered a clinical performance. The players were listening on Tuesday night, and the message was unmistakable: Despite the back-to-back wins since Tyrus Thomas' return, the coach is a short-timer.

Forman has sworn to people that he hasn't made one call about a replacement, and multiple sources insist that simply isn't true. Just Tuesday, Forman was on the phone asking about exiled NBA coach Eric Musselman.

He's telling people he needs a long-term solution for the Bulls. He had already called the Nets two weeks ago on Lawrence Frank. Another report linked the Bulls to Doug Collins.

The article goes on to criticize Forman for how he has handled the Del Negro situation, and for painting the picture that the Bulls should be better than they are despite a sub par roster and a number of key injuries.

Is Vinny Del Negro a great coach? No, not at this point in his career. But the man works hard, is prepared, and his team is hanging in there. He hasn't complained one time to the media about how he has been left to twist in the wind. The man just shows up and does his best every day.

Management owes him better treatment than they have given him so far.

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard is reporting tonight that the Bulls have already decided to fire coach Vinny Del Negro, but are waiting to make an announcement until they decide who the next coach will be.

Broussard also says that former Bulls coach Doug Collins was contacted to gauge his interest in the job, but reportedly is not interested. So if Collins doesn't want the job, then who is available that would interest the Bulls, and would provide them with a quality name that could help them lure a star from next summer's free agent class? In addition, what "name" coach can the Bulls hire that can help accelerate the development of Derrick Rose, who the franchise is hoping to build around and to use to attract a marquee name next summer?

Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott, and Avery Johnson are all currently out of coaching but to land one of them would be very expensive. The Bulls are still paying former coach Scott Skiles, who is now the head man in Milwaukee, and if they fire Del Negro they will be on the hook for the rest of this season and 2010-11. That means they would be paying several million dollars to two coaches who wouldn't be with the organization. Add in the big contract it would take to land one of the big names mentioned above, and you can see why the Bulls would be proceeding with caution before they commit millions more to yet another coach.

What do I see happening? I believe that the Bulls will indeed fire Del Negro and I believe that they will hire a proven name as their head coach. Who that will be remains to be seen, but I don't think that we have heard the last of the Doug Collins speculation. Only time will tell. 

Tonight at 5:30 on Chicago Tribune Live on Comcast SportsNet we will be joined by White Sox GM Kenny Williams and his newest acquisition, outfielder Juan Pierre who was acquired in a trade this morning from the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor league pitchers.

Tonight at 7:00 p.m. on Sports Central on WGN Radio we will have an in depth discussion about the Chicago Cubs with three well known bloggers including Andy Dolan of Desipio.com. We will take calls and look at the 2010 season and the remaining free agents that the Cubs might have interest in.

**Please note that new Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly will join me on Sports Central on Thursday evening.

In 2003, the Chicago Cubs payroll was $80 million. In 2004, coming off a run to the NLCS, the Cubs payroll escalated to $90 million. 2005 saw the team shave the number to 87 million, and not until 2008 did the player payroll crack the 100 million dollar mark. So how did the Cubs go from spending 99 million dollars in 2007, to roughly 145 million, which is where their payroll is estimated to reach in 2010? 

I read Phil Rogers column in the Chicago Tribune yesterday and came away scratching my head at the premise that Phil is using-- that the Cubs should have traded for Curtis Granderson because the Yankees didn't need Granderson as badly as the Cubs. They already have Derek Jeter to be their leader and ambassador.

Phil, Granderson had a lousy 2009 season. He hit .183 against left-handed pitching. He had an on base percentage of .327, and he struck out 141 times. Yes, he is an outstanding defensive player and a wonderful human being. But the Cubs have to get better players in their clubhouse, not just better people.

The Cubs don't have the financial flexibility that the Yankees do, because the Yankees have $60 million more to spend on their payroll. The Cubs were interested in Granderson, yes, but not at the expense of trading a handful of their best prospects to acquire a guy who is a better person than he is a player.

The Yankees are planning on starting Granderson in center everyday, but he will not be their lead off man. The Yankees hitting instructors evaluated his swing by looking at tapes of his at-bats against left handed pitching in 2009, and compared it to his swing in previous seasons when he was much better against left handers. They now believe that they can correct what's wrong with his swing, and the tremendous talent that surrounds him in New York will make his transition to the World Champions that much easier.

He was much better against right handed pitchers in Detroit and in Yankee Stadium as a pull hitter with a short porch to right field he could have a much better season. It wasn't a fit for the Cubs given the price tag the Tigers set.  Phil, you don't trade a lot of your best young talent just to get a leader in your clubhouse. He has to fit as a player as well and the fit is much better in New York than it would have been in Chicago.

The New York Yankees spent the better part of Monday at the Winter Meetings trying to acquire Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, who is available because Detroit is looking to cut payroll. The proposed deal was a three team swap that also included the Arizona Diamondbacks. But as of Monday evening, it appears that the Yankees were having reservations about the amount of young talent that they would have to include in the swap to acquire Granderson.

The Cubs are on the fringe of the discussions, hoping to hang around and see if the price falls a bit, so they can take a run at acquiring the outstanding defender and Chicago native. However, the Tigers reportedly are asking for Cubs top prospect SS Starlin Castro and two more good players in exchange for Granderson, and the Cubs are balking at including Castro in just about any deal.

The Cubs are also hot on the heels of CF Mike Cameron, who played for Cubs manager Lou Piniella in Seattle. He's not only a great defender, but he is considered one of the best clubhouse leaders in baseball. Jim Hendry told me last week that he can make moves even if a trade or signing puts him over the payroll limit set by ownership, as long as he meets his budget number by Opening Day. That was not the case in 2005, when Hendry was forced to let Moises Alou leave via free agency, and to pass on several other moves, because he had not yet moved the contract of Sammy Sosa. 

It was an interesting past week in the sports world with the Tiger Woods scandal hitting new levels each and every day. Not a day went by that we didn't hear about another woman who was allegedly sleeping with the Tiger. Who knows where this whole sordid mess is headed. Here is the latest information on a deal that Tiger reportedly made to keep a story about an affair from being published.

In addition, the lurid details about his sex life are now surfacing which has turned the intensely private Woods into a late night talk show punch line. And with the count of women coming forward now at six who knows when this story will leave the news and allow Tiger and his wife some time to work on repairing their relationship.

Then you had the Bears who were coming off of an embarrassing blowout loss to the Vikings. Well, on Sunday the beloved Bear finally put a game into the win column by beating the completely inept St. Louis Rams 17-9 at Soldier Field.

The Bulls finally won a game after they beat the Detroit Pistons at the United Center earlier in the week. However, they were drilled both Friday and Saturday by the Cavaliers and Raptors respectively with the latter winning by 30+ at the United Center.

The Blackhawks won 2 of 3 this week with an 11 round shootout deciding a tough win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday evening before the Hawks lost to Nashville on Friday night at the United Center. However, the Hawks bounced back quickly beating the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 in OT on Saturday evening.

Baseball now grabs center stage with the Winter Meetings officially underway in Indianapolis. Both the Cubs and the White Sox are expected to be very active participants with the Cubs hoping to move Milton Bradley while the Sox are considering dealing closer Bobby Jenks.

So who makes our week in pictures? Check em' out because we have the stars of the week and the women who are reportedly chasing a Tiger.

Enjoy and get ready for our updates of the Winter Meetings which are in high gear through Thursday and where we have a ton of great sources. Also, please make sure you tune into Chicago Tribune Live at 5:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet and Sports Central on WGN Radio at 7 p.m. Have a great week! Kap

There is no better city in America for sports than Chicago and with the end of the year fast approaching it is time to ask for your help to vote for the best in Chicago sports in 2009.

Each year on Chicago Tribune Live we award The Kappy's to honor excellence among Chicago athletes. Click here to vote now! Your help is greatly appreciated!

Here is Part Two of our post on the hottest baseball wives and girlfriends. There were so many candidates that we had to separate them into two posts because all of the pictures wouldn't fit into one!

Enjoy!

Tonight is the deadline for clubs to offer salary arbitration to their free agents. And for the Cubs, that means they have decisions to make on a handful of players, including starting pitcher Rich Harden and closer Kevin Gregg.

I have learned that the Cubs have informed Harden and Gregg as well as outfielder Reed Johnson that they will not be offered salary arbitration meaning that if those players sign with another club the Cubs will get no draft pick compensation.

The Cubs have elected not to offer salary arbitration to starting pitcher Rich Harden whose injury history made it likely he would have accepted it putting the Cubs on the hook for a big salary.

The Cubs had an opportunity to trade both Harden and Gregg to the Minnesota Twins at the end of August but felt that being only 5 games back in the Wild Card race they did not want to wave the white flag of surrender. That was a tactical mistake because now the Cubs will lose both guys for nothing when they could have had a couple of prospects from the Twins.
Their competitiveness to stay in the race was admirable but misguided because the Chicago Cubs had no chance of contending in September of 2009.

What a great weekend of intrigue if you are a sports fan, especially a sports fan in the Chicago area. With the Notre Dame job now officially open, the speculation is starting to intensify as to who will replace Charlie Weis.

Then you have our Chicago Bears, who were so completely dominated in every facet of yesterday's 36-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that it is now painfully obvious that the entire front office of the team has to be cleaned out and overhauled. The same goes for the coaching staff, which has seen a Super Bowl team in 2006 slide into oblivion at astonishing speed.

Finally, the weekend's most bizarre story comes courtesy of Tiger Woods, who was involved in a one car accident as he was leaving his home in Florida. First reports indicated that his wife, Elin, had rescued him from the wreck by taking a golf club and smashing out the windows in Tiger's 2009 Cadillac Escalade. Then, we started to hear that perhaps his facial lacerations were not from the accident, but from the wrath of his wife after she reportedly found out about another woman in his life.

Here is the latest on the Woods story courtesy of the fine folks at TMZ.com. which just seems to keep getting stranger every day.  Tiger reportedly told a friend that he needs a "Kobe Special", which refers to the enormous ring that Kobe Bryant bought his wife Vanessa after his episode in Colorado a few years ago.

A great topic of debate is who are the best athletes in Chicago Sports history. But how do you ask that question? Is it the best athlete? Or is it the most individually dominant in terms of statistics? Or perhaps you ask is it the guy who has won the most championships?

So here is how I have decided to ask the question. If you had to carve a Mt. Rushmore of Chicago sports who would be the four men who would have their likenesses carved into your tribute to their greatness?

Below I have pictures of the players that I have nominated. Am I missing someone? Please post a comment with your nominees and your thoughts. Soon I will have a competition to crown the winners based on your voting. However, I have to make sure that the ballot is correctly done. And for that I need your help. So please weigh in. Thanks, Kap

While I am on vacation with my wife, I decided to bring my laptop out to watch the Bears game while catching some sun. Through the awesome invention known as a Slingbox I was able to have my NFL Sunday Ticket right on the beach with me and I sat down hoping to watch the Bears harass Kurt Warner into another turnover filled day like he had a week ago against Carolina.

However, from the Cardinals first possession, it was obvious that the defense had no chance at slowing down Warner and Co. and that was without All-Pro wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who was sidelined with an injury. The Cardinals ground game came into the contest averaging an embarrassing 65 yards per game, and ripped the Bears apart for 182 yards. In fact, the Cardinals set their season high in yards on the ground in the first half.

It was a thorough butt-kicking and one that proved the Bears are a lousy football team. In fact, if Jeff Reed and Olindo Mare make a couple of field goals, the Bears could be sitting here today as a 2-6 team, with their only wins over Detroit and Cleveland. The Bears are nowhere close to being a contending team, and they need to spend the rest of the 2009 season evaluating which players should stay and go as they attempt to build toward the future.

That starts with the head coach, who is so out of touch with reality that it's laughable. I have never been a fan of Lovie Smith, because of his inability to display any sense of honesty in his dealing with the fans and media. When his team plays poorly he refuses to ever call out a player or unit for poor performance. I am not asking him to be Mike Ditka, because he doesn't have that type of personality. But his failure to hold people accountable and his willingness to give out jobs to players before training camp and before they have earned is one of the reasons the Bears are where they are now.

So how do you fix it? You start by firing the head coach and hiring a no-nonsense guy who has a proven reputation as a winner. He must possess an ability to connect with the fan base and the media, and a willingness to roll up his sleeves and contribute years of expertise in personnel matters. Furthermore, he must be able to evaluate personnel well enough to take some of the responsibilities away from current GM Jerry Angelo.  I'm not asking for the new coach to necessarily be the "architect" of this team, but Angelo has done a very poor job during his 8+ seasons in Lake Forest.

Angelo is under contract through 2013, so the thought that the Bears would pay both he and Smith is probably fantasy. So here's what I would do: fire Smith the day the season ends so I could have all available coach options available to me right away. I would also call Jerry Angelo into a meeting where he will be offered the chance to stay as GM, but he will also be asked to relinquish some of his power to the new Head Coach/Football Operations boss. Should he balk then he can quit. However, with a ton of money owed to him for four more seasons, I would be surprised if he walked away.

Bill Cowher would be a great choice as the Bears next coach.

Then, I would offer Bill Cowher whatever it took to land him, and I would make it clear that Chicago Bears football is back and is changing its image, effective immediately. Cowher is a proven winner, he would energize the fan base, and he is a tremendous motivator. With the right moves next spring, the Bears could put some of the necessary pieces in place around standout quarterback Jay Cutler. And they could start to rebuild a team that is obviously not responding to Lovie Smith.

More to come as we get the Pittsburgh point of view on Cowher next. Have a great day! Kap 

It's amazing to see the reaction anytime I write about Carlos Zambrano and his performance as the ace of the Cubs rotation. If I point out anything negative about Big Z his supporters come rushing to his defense. If I say something nice about "Z" those who don't like him become very vocal.

Yesterday, I talked about free agent starter John Lackey of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and his credentials which should earn him a huge contract this winter. I immediately heard from the Zambrano fan club who think that if I point out Z's shortcomings I must have a vendetta against him.

Look, I am not a Zambrano fan because he is lazy and he doesn't get the most out of his abilities. However, I agree that he is a tremendously talented guy who should be a staff ace if he could ever learn to control his emotions and would report to spring training in shape and would work hard enough during the season to stay that way.

Let's compare the statistics in a handful of key categories between Zambrano and Lackey since Z signed his 91.5 million dollar extension on August 17, 2007. The rankings are for all starting pitchers who are regular members of a rotation in either league.

                              Zambrano                                                Lackey
Innings pitched          406.1 (47th)                                              402.1 (52nd)       
Strikeouts                 320 (T-38th)                                              322 (T-37th)
Complete Games       2  (T-39th)                                                5 (T-8th)
K/BB Ratio                1.84 (115th)                                              3.35 (23rd)
Baserunners/9 IP        12.49 (85th)                                             11.57 (37th)

So in the categories of innings pitched and strikeouts the two pitchers are just about even but in the all important stats of strikeouts to walks and base runners per 9 innings pitched Lackey is far superior. Does that mean he is worth 12-15 million dollars a year? Probably not, but he will probably sign a deal somewhere in that range. Is he a true #1 starter? Again, probably not but his big game experience and tenacity does intrigue a number of teams and that should create a solid market for his services.

The Cubs are starting to see the fruits of their labor to improve their farm system, as a handful of top flight prospects are nearly ready to play at the major league level. SS Starlin Castro is probably the closest position player to the big leagues, with 3B Josh Vitters not far behind, especially offensively.

So with Castro on the fast track to the Cubs everyday lineup, incumbent shortstop Ryan Theriot will be moved to 2nd base when Castro arrives. If Castro is being penciled into the starting lineup for Opening Day 2011, or perhaps sooner, why not move Theriot to 2nd base now? Rather than have two middle infielders in new surroundings when the 2011 season begins, why not let Theriot play there in 2010 and sign a veteran shortstop to a one year deal until Castro is ready?

What about a one year contract for Orlando Cabrera, who played very well for the Minnesota Twins down the stretch? The former White Sox has had a solid big league career for the past 12 seasons. He is excellent defensively, hits for average, runs fairly well and would not cost a ton of money to sign. Cabrera plays nearly every day, and brings a ton of postseason experience.

That would allow Theriot to play 2nd base, where he would be a better fit, and it would allow him time to get comfortable with the position before he has to help Castro with his transition to the big leagues in late 2010 or at the start of 2011.

The Cubs have announced today that Ted Lilly had shoulder surgery yesterday afternoon and probably will not start the season in the Cubs rotation. Here is the press release that the Cubs issued today:

TED LILLY UNDERGOES LEFT SHOULDER ARTHROSCOPY AND DEBRIDEMENT

CHICAGO - Ted Lilly yesterday afternoon underwent a left shoulder arthroscopy and debridement performed by noted orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles.  During the surgery, Dr. Yocum found no major damage to Lilly's shoulder and the procedure consisted of a washout and clean up of the shoulder.  The procedure took approximately one hour to complete. 

Lilly will immediately begin an aggressive range of motion and strengthening program.  After the first of the year, Lilly will be re-evaluated and the club will establish a timetable for him to begin his throwing program in preparation for the 2010 season.  Typically, recovery time for a procedure such as this would place Lilly's return to the Cubs rotation within the month of April. 

"We are pleased that Ted's surgery was a success and are eager to see him begin his rehabilitation program," said Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry.  "After Ted's re-evaluation following the first of the year, a determination will be made as to when he will begin his throwing program.  At this point in time, it is too early to precisely project Ted's return to the Cubs rotation; most estimates would place that return within the month of April.

"At the conclusion of the 2009 season, Cubs team doctors prescribed a conservative approach to managing Ted's shoulder in preparation for the 2010 season and, following a second opinion, Dr. Yocum agreed," Hendry continued.  "At the end of last week, Ted decided that undergoing a surgical procedure was the course of action he wanted to pursue, a decision the club supported.  We're glad the surgery did not reveal any major damage to Ted's shoulder and look forward to his return to our rotation."

<