Cubs | The Baseball Zealot

Baseball World Cup underway

Yes, it’s true… there is no off-season. The Arizona Fall League will be concluding its season next week. But before you think that you’ll be getting a break in actual baseball news, here comes the Baseball World Cup held in Taipei, Republic of China. Team USA is doing ok by themselves so far in the … Continue reading “Baseball World Cup underway”

USA Baseball

Yes, it’s true… there is no off-season.

The Arizona Fall League will be concluding its season next week. But before you think that you’ll be getting a break in actual baseball news, here comes the Baseball World Cup held in Taipei, Republic of China.

Team USA is doing ok by themselves so far in the “Road to Beijing”. They’ve won every game save a 6-2 loss to Italy. Every other game has been won convincingly (including today’s 12-1 drubbing of Spain, thanks to Andy LaRoche’s two homers).

Here are the results/schedule.

Davey Johnson, who is on the 2008 ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame, fortunately has something to keep his mind off it. He’s the manager of Team USA. Cub fans will note that OF Tyler Colvin is on the roster.

One more thing of interest… former University of Illinois alum and current Cub minor leaguer, Chris Robinson is starting catcher for Team Canada. Unfortunately for Chris, Team Canada has taken a few tough losses though they crushed Thailand 18-0.

Earlier this year, Robbie was nice enough to grant us at Baseball Zealot Radio an interview while he was at spring training.

One last link… you can get some pretty good on-the spot coverage of the Baseball World Cup at the Countdown to the Olympics blog.

Update: LaRoche keeps it comin’. He goes 3 for 3 with 3 rbis in a Team USA win against South Africa.

2008 Cubs Convention tix on sale Nov 7

My ticket from last year’s convention Cub fans, the 2008 Cubs Convention is only 2 months away. If you’re interested in getting tickets, you can try your luck on Wednesday November 7 when a limited amount of tickets will be on sale. Details on the Cubs website. Last year, I had no luck that route … Continue reading “2008 Cubs Convention tix on sale Nov 7”

My ticket from last year’s convention

Cub fans, the 2008 Cubs Convention is only 2 months away. If you’re interested in getting tickets, you can try your luck on Wednesday November 7 when a limited amount of tickets will be on sale. Details on the Cubs website.

Last year, I had no luck that route and ended up buying them on Ebay for a few dollars over list price.

I had a blast at the 2007 Cubs Convention. You can see my photos and blog posts from that weekend here.

Back in Baseball

Hey, guess who’s back in baseball?? I’ll give you a hint. He used to manage the Cubs in the 80’s and he had a way with the press. That’s right, Lee Elia is the new on-the-field consultant for the Seattle Mariners. Looks like that the Mariners are also trying to acquire Larry Bowa as third base … Continue reading “Back in Baseball”

Hey, guess who’s back in baseball??

I’ll give you a hint. He used to manage the Cubs in the 80’s and he had a way with the press.

That’s right, Lee Elia is the new on-the-field consultant for the Seattle Mariners. Looks like that the Mariners are also trying to acquire Larry Bowa as third base coach.

The Seattle media better be careful. Some reputations are hard to live down.

Update: Bowa will NOT be going to the Mariners. He’ll be joining Torre in LA.

Short stint for Floyd… even shorter for Trachsel

The Cubs said goodbye to Cliff Floyd and Steve Trachsel by declining their options. I can’t say I shed a tear for either one of them. Floyd was productive here and there during 2007 but he just lacked regular playing time and wasn’t able to prove that he could justify it. The move to get … Continue reading “Short stint for Floyd… even shorter for Trachsel”

The Cubs said goodbye to Cliff Floyd and Steve Trachsel by declining their options. I can’t say I shed a tear for either one of them.

Floyd was productive here and there during 2007 but he just lacked regular playing time and wasn’t able to prove that he could justify it.

The move to get Trach was a mystery from the start (at least to me). Sean Marshall was in the rotation and he was just starting to find his groove and put up some good numbers.

Trachsel had managed to put up 10+ wins in 5 of the last 6 seasons. Maybe the Cubs felt he might reach back and give the team some veteran leadership. I know I have my hindsight glasses on now but that would have been a stretch.

The Cubs did exercise an option with Daryle Ward who in very limited play did what he was supposed to do. For the price, he’s worth it.

GO SOX!!!

On a tour of Florida , the Pope took a couple of days off to visit the coast for some sightseeing. He was cruising along the beach in the Pope-mobile when there was a frantic commotion just off shore.

A helpless man, wearing a Chicago Cubs jersey, was struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a 25-foot shark. As the Pope watched, horrified, a speedboat came racing up with three men wearing Chicago White Sox jerseys aboard. One quickly fired a harpoon into the shark’s side. The other two reached out and pulled the bleeding, semi-conscious Cubs fan from the water. Then using (autographed by Paul Konerko himself) baseball bats, the three heroes in Sox jerseys beat the shark to death and hauled it into the boat.

Immediately the Pope shouted and summoned them to the beach. “I give you my blessing for your brave actions,” he told them. “I heard that there was some bitter hatred between White Sox and Cub fans, but now I have seen with my own eyes that this is not the truth.”

As the Pope drove off, the harpooner asked his buddies “Who was that?” “It was the Pope,” one replied. “He is in direct contact with God and has access to all of God’s wisdom.”

“Well,” the harpooner said, “he may have access to God’s wisdom, but he doesn’t know shit about shark fishing…. how’s the bait holding up?”

Soto finishes up 07 with MiLB Offensive Player of the Year award

Cubs catcher Geovany Soto was good enough to make the September roster. Lou Piniella tabbed him to go to the playoffs. Now, Soto has another award to go with his PCL MVP. MiLB has honored him with the Offensive Player of the Year award. Check the PCL leaderboard and you’ll see why. His name litters … Continue reading “Soto finishes up 07 with MiLB Offensive Player of the Year award”

Cubs catcher Geovany Soto was good enough to make the September roster. Lou Piniella tabbed him to go to the playoffs.

Now, Soto has another award to go with his PCL MVP. MiLB has honored him with the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Check the PCL leaderboard and you’ll see why. His name litters the board. Soto, who played for the Iowa Cubs, is in top 5 in batting average, rbis, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and I’m sure I’m missing some.

Not convinced? He’s got quite a glove, too. Soto only had three errors and threw out 31% of potential basestealers.

Lou Piniella likes him too:

“You’ve got to like the young man,” Piniella said. “We’ve had other kids come up here from Triple-A with high averages, but this kid has a high average, a lot of RBIs and a lot of home runs. We liked him this spring. I see a kid here who could be the No. 1 catcher next spring.”

With the recent dearth of talent at catcher, Geovany is coming at the right time. I foresee a lot of playing time for him in the bigs in 2008.

Reds pick up Dusty Baker

AP Photo Don’t this beat all? Dusty Baker was signed for three years by the Cincinnati Reds. To be their manager. Really. I actually had high hopes when he came to the Cubs. To give credit where credit is due, we DID go to playoffs his first year with the Cubs (it’s hard to forget … Continue reading “Reds pick up Dusty Baker”

Dusty Baker

AP Photo

Don’t this beat all? Dusty Baker was signed for three years by the Cincinnati Reds. To be their manager. Really.

I actually had high hopes when he came to the Cubs. To give credit where credit is due, we DID go to playoffs his first year with the Cubs (it’s hard to forget that post season).

But the decline is easy to see. Under his leadership, the Cubs went from first, third, fourth, then last. THAT is not the direction I like to to go.

Baker is generally blamed for two things with the Cubs. Overusing his starting pitchers and over-reliance on veterans (to the detriment of younger players). That said, there have been studies that have possibly proven that his overuse of pitchers is a myth. Tell that to the fans and the media.

Baker is seen as a “player’s manager”. Perhaps to a fault.

Cubs fans are a picky bunch and personally I was one of the last to hitch a ride on the “Dump Baker” bandwagon. Facts are facts. Dusty has a winning record in the MLB (baaarely). He has three first place finishes and a NL championship.

Would I want want him back on the Cubs? Not on your life! It’s a moot question, anyway. The fans and media wouldn’t allow it.

I’d wish him well in Cincinnati but he’s in our division. Just be gentle with the pitchers.

Interesting stat fact about Dusty: His winningest season as a manager (103 wins in 1993 with San Francisco) didn’t even get him into the playoffs.

Already thinking about next year

The 2008 Chicago Cubs (tentative) schedule is out. Hmm.. September is full of intra-division games and we end the season with the Brewers. (hat tip to Bleed Cubbie Blue)

The 2008 Chicago Cubs (tentative) schedule is out.

Hmm.. September is full of intra-division games and we end the season with the Brewers.

(hat tip to Bleed Cubbie Blue)

What now, Cubs?

Christopher Reina from RealGM wrote a decent post mortem on the Chicago Cubs, discussing their situation entering the 2008 season. That said, I hope he kidding about this: I would feel comfortable handing Milton Bradley over to Piniella. He hit .313 with 11 homeruns in 144 at-bats for the Padres before infamously blowing out his … Continue reading “What now, Cubs?”

Christopher Reina from RealGM wrote a decent post mortem on the Chicago Cubs, discussing their situation entering the 2008 season.

That said, I hope he kidding about this:

I would feel comfortable handing Milton Bradley over to Piniella. He hit .313 with 11 homeruns in 144 at-bats for the Padres before infamously blowing out his knee.

*shudder*

Wasted Opportunities ruin the Cubs

The TV at home bore the brunt of my frustrations tonight. I must have thrown three or four of my kids’ toys at it tonight.. starting with Chris Young’s bomb off Rich Hill. I actually turned the television off after Stephen Drew’s homer in the 9th inning. Logging on to mlb.com just now, I had … Continue reading “Wasted Opportunities ruin the Cubs”

frustration2

The TV at home bore the brunt of my frustrations tonight. I must have thrown three or four of my kids’ toys at it tonight.. starting with Chris Young’s bomb off Rich Hill.

I actually turned the television off after Stephen Drew’s homer in the 9th inning. Logging on to mlb.com just now, I had my fingers crossed, of course to no avail.

The Cubs never had it. Not that they didn’t had their chances. Livian Hernandez, however, got out of every jam.

The magic number for the series is zero. That is the number of rbis by Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez for the series combined. Again, wasted opportunities.

I will give the Arizona Diamondbacks their due. If team loyalty wasn’t an issue, the ‘Backs are a team I might have enjoyed watching win. With players like Byrnes, Drew, and Young, they are a scrappy, hustling team with a hunger for victory.

All for now, I’m too drained and frustrated. Later, I’ll do a season wrap-up of the Cubs season.