Chicago Cubs Headlines for Sunday
Do dogs whisper to Phil Rogers, too?
There's not really anything jaw-dropping in this week's edition of
Crazy Uncle Phil is hearing whispers again. But with precious little else to report, we'll hop on the crazy train and take a ride till the next stop.
The Aroldis Chapman
market is going to be interesting to judge. The Mariners are the latest
team to jump seriously into the bidding, possibly hoping to have
another front-line arm so they can deal Felix Hernandez before he reaches free agency. The Cubs and White Sox have expressed interest, but it's unclear if they have the resources to compete with the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals, Mets, Tigers, Orioles and others for the Cuban with the 100 mph fastball. ...
Does anyone think the Cubs have any realistic shot? Consider the fact that everyone in the organization has said they don't have room to add much payroll. Just a hunch that he won't be signed by the Cubs. Also, Phil's hearing whispers from Arizona.
White Sox center fielder Jordan Danks and Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro are tearing up the Arizona Fall League. But no one is hotter than A's outfielder Grant Desme ,
who opened 2009 at low-A Kane County. Desme was 23-for-53 with 10 home
runs and 22 RBIs in 13 games. Props to Baseball America for saying he
was so hot he might "combust." The Cubs need to be careful rushing
Castro, but Lou Piniella is going to love him next spring.
And I'm starting to get on the
Starlin Castro bandwagon. They're throwing around a lot of grand comparisons, but I just hope he's good enough to be better than Ryan Theriot at short. They've worked him some at second, but his first position is shortstop, and he seems to like it better:
"I'm pretty good at either position," Castro said. "I've played a lot more at short, most of the time at short."
Fleita is all for flexibility.
"We feel like it can only benefit him to learn other positions," he
said. "No one has a crystal ball. Trades and acquisitions happen all
the time, so there's no guarantee the position you played in the minors
is where you will wind up."
And he has no shortage of confidence, which I like in a young prospect.
So when will Castro suit up at Wrigley Field? His reply is quick and direct: "Next year."
Fleita is more circumspect.
"I can't put a timeline on it," he said. "But hopefully when he gets
here he'll be here to stay and will be a big part of our future."
Lastly, we'll highlight a bit about our dear leaders, those Rickettseses. We've all been asking for weeks, months or years how they became Cubs fans.
Now we know:
How did this family from Omaha, Neb., develop a love for the Cubs? Pete
attended the University of Chicago in 1982 and lived near Wrigley
Field. Tom joined him in Chicago, and they attended many games in the
bleachers. Todd moved to Chicago in the late '80s and enjoyed the
playoff run in 1989.
"You really get sucked in," Todd Ricketts said about the Cubs experience.
Laura lived on the South Side of Chicago but spent a summer living with Tom and Pete near Wrigley.
"Being immersed in Wrigleyville on game day with the sights and
the smells and the fans and the energy, and just the whole feel -- the
Cubs are bigger than us as owners," she said. "They're bigger than
Wrigley itself. They're an emerging character. I think that being
immersed in that, I had no choice but to become a Cubs fan. It was
really overwhelming."
Pete apparently used to sleep outside the bleachers to get an
early spot in line for tickets and the siblings did back up the story
that Tom met his wife there.
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29 Comments
cubbiejulie said:
Halftime tribute to Sweetness at today's Bears game.
(have tissues ready)
baturkey said:
So the Bears are at least going to be able to beat the Browns, right?
millertime said:
........................maybe?
millertime said:
Does anyone else dislike hunter hillenmeyer? I know he's "smart, heads up player", but he seems especially good at not being athletic enough to play football.
cubbiejulie said:
I agree. I think we're better off with him on IR.
millertime said:
I don't think Lovie understands the challenge system.
millertime said:
I'm pretty sure the Beatles did not want their songs to be used to sell Blackberry's.
And a sexy girl in short running shorts does not make me want to buy shoes. No matter how much of "lets joke about sex in advertising" there is. Too much sex appeal in an ad is still offensive, even if you're just joking about it.
Reebok must have Jeff Dunham planning their ads.
baturkey said:
I love that ad.
cubbiejulie said:
She makes me want to buy those shoes.
Those commercials are for women, not men.
baturkey said:
It pains me to want the Vikings to win this game.
secdelahc said:
Is there baseball tonight?
baturkey said:
Game 4 in a few minutes.
cubbiejulie said:
i usually don't have a problem understanding people with accents, but i can't undertstand a damn word Ozzie says.
Umbra said:
Lucky.
cubbiejulie said:
*snort*
cubbiejulie said:
Way to go Blanton, you idiot.
baturkey said:
Both sides warned? Only one team has pitched so far!
cubbiejulie said:
Yes! Warnings to both sides!
Fight fight fight fight fight!!!!!
millertime said:
Kill the Kraut!
cubbiejulie said:
Ha ha. Damon didn't notice he got hit because the ball hit him in the head.
cubbiejulie said:
CC in? Girardi should have gotten up Gaudin to plunk somebody, THEN put CC in.
millertime said:
Ain't this the kind o' weather
For smackin' leather
For playin' baseball
The kind o' weather makes a man
Hit, like hell!
Umbra said:
Dear Chase,
I feel like I can call you Chase because you and me are so much alike. I would love to meet you someday. It would be great to have a catch. I know I can't throw as fast as you, but I think you would be impressed with my speed. I love your hair. You run fast. Did you have a good relationship with your father? Me neither. These are all things we can talk about, and more. I know you have not been getting my letters, because I know you would write back if you did and I hope you write back this time and we get to be good friends. I am sure our relationship would be a real home run.
baturkey said:
You put stickers on it!?!
Umbra said:
Chase Utley is a power-hitting 2nd baseman. Do you know how rare that is, Dee!?
millertime said:
Why do we never play nightcrawlers anymore, huh?!?
Umbra said:
Tie game on a Pedro Feliz solo home run! This is a great game!
Umbra said:
ARod with an RBI double in the top of the ninth to put the Yanks ahead.
Aaron34 said:
I'm glad people are focusing more on the farm system. This is where we need to develop talent and get prospects. I'd take a team of green rookies than one Milton Bradley. I can't wait for the day when they finally send Soriano down to Iowa and after two weeks there he comes back re-energized and awesome. Side note, check out the sweet website about all things Wrigleyville, Mywrigleyville.com
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