Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
A Cardinals farm team learned the hard way they need to pay more attention to the books. Because they used Kelly Stinnett, who was ineligible, the Memphis Redbirds had to forfeit a 7-6 win against the Iowa Cubs. Stinnett was placed on the MLB restricted list but was used anyway as a pinch hitter. Stinnett … Continue reading “Memphis Redbirds forfeit game against the Iowa Cubs”
A Cardinals farm team learned the hard way they need to pay more attention to the books.
Because they used Kelly Stinnett, who was ineligible, the Memphis Redbirds had to forfeit a 7-6 win against the Iowa Cubs.
Stinnett was placed on the MLB restricted list but was used anyway as a pinch hitter.
Stinnett singled and drove in a run.
HERE WE GO CUBBIES, HERE WE GO!! HERE WE GO CUBBIES, HERE WE GO! My friend Alex said that last night’s game was key. If we could win the first one against the Brewers, a series victory is guaranteed. My pitcher Rich Hill was going. I can call him “my pitcher” because he’s on the … Continue reading “Piniella celebrates b-day with a comeback victory”
HERE WE GO CUBBIES, HERE WE GO!! HERE WE GO CUBBIES, HERE WE GO!
My friend Alex said that last night’s game was key. If we could win the first one against the Brewers, a series victory is guaranteed.
My pitcher Rich Hill was going. I can call him “my pitcher” because he’s on the starting rotation of my Twin City Thunderchickens in the Illowa APBA League. So when he pitches, the stakes are doubled for me.
Boy, did Hill have his stuff the first two innings. Five strikeouts to start the game! Though he left with the Cubs down by two, the offense came through in the bottom of the seventh with 4 runs. Maybe they were inspired by Bob Uecker’s license with TMOTTBG. I know the fans were judging by their reaction.
Hill ended up with nine Ks and the win. Once again, the Cubs bullpen (in this case, Howry and Dempster) who was so suspect earlier this season, did their job.
Ahh, it’s so nice to be in a playoff race.
Tonight, it’s Zambrano versus Sheets who’s pitching his first start coming off the DL.
Show Notes for Episode 28:
Hosts: Tom, Todd V, and C Luke
Summary: It’s been a while since we’ve had a roundtable discussion so we have regulars Todd and Chuck on to discuss what’s happening in baseball.
Todd came armed to the teeth with his issues with Pirates’ GM Dave Littlefield and how he’s handling the Buccos. Other topics we cover:
– Chuck does his review of ESPN’s Bronx is Burning.
– Tom Glavine’s 300th win and will there be another 300 game winner
– Chuck notes an article he read about moving the HOF to Yankee Stadium after the team moves. We discuss.
– plus the usual Sox-Cub banter and much more!
Thanks for listening!!
Time: 1:05
Date Recorded: 8/19/07
Mark DeRosa: 5 for 5, 2B, 2 runs, 4 rbis Aramis Ramirez: 4 for 5, 2 2B, 2 runs, 2 rbis Jacque Jones: 4 for 5, 2 2B, run, 2 rbis This Cub trio went for an incredible 13 for 15 on Thursday. The Cubs as a team, managed to score their 12 runs against … Continue reading “8/16/07 Linescore of the Day: DeRosa, Jones, and Ramirez”
Mark DeRosa: 5 for 5, 2B, 2 runs, 4 rbis
Aramis Ramirez: 4 for 5, 2 2B, 2 runs, 2 rbis
Jacque Jones: 4 for 5, 2 2B, run, 2 rbis
This Cub trio went for an incredible 13 for 15 on Thursday. The Cubs as a team, managed to score their 12 runs against the Reds with 20 hits without the use of the longball.
It was DeRosa’s first 5-hit game of his career.
Tom Glavine’s 2005 APBA card At 7:05pm CT tonight, Tom Glavine will face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field to make his attempt at 300 wins. It will be a difficult game for me to watch. Of course I’ll be rooting for the Cubs. That’s what makes it so difficult. Tom Glavine has been a … Continue reading “It pains me to say it… 300 must wait for Glavine”
Tom Glavine’s 2005 APBA card
At 7:05pm CT tonight, Tom Glavine will face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field to make his attempt at 300 wins. It will be a difficult game for me to watch.
Of course I’ll be rooting for the Cubs. That’s what makes it so difficult. Tom Glavine has been a favorite of mine for a long time. You see, Tom Glavine is on my team in the Illowa APBA League
I hear some of you snickering out there. Before you judge, consider this. This is no fly-by-night web-based fantasy league. I’ve had Tom Glavine on my Twin City Thunderchickens since he was a throw-in in a trade in 1990. I traded Kirk Gibson (near the end of his career) and Pete Smith (who?) for Glavine. I think Melido Perez was the other player involved on my end.
Of those players, Perez and Gibson played until 1995. Smith didn’t even last a year. And Glavine… well, it’s 16 years later and he’s still a Thunderchicken.
Since then Glavine has become a favorite of mine.
So me being a Cubs fan, you see how difficult this is for me. It would have a hard enough time any other year. But tonight with the added factors of Glavine going for 300 plus the Cubs being 1/2 games back. Yikes!
Oh, Glavine’s career IAL record? He’s 229-174.
Go Cubs!
(Photo:NBC News) A host of Cubs fans are auditioning for a chance to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch at the September 22 ballgame. As many as 2700 fans are auditioning and the organization will narrow it down to 50 semi-finalists which will be voted on by fans. Singing ability will not be … Continue reading “Thousands of Cub fans audition to sing during the 7th inning stretch”
(Photo:NBC News)
A host of Cubs fans are auditioning for a chance to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch at the September 22 ballgame.
As many as 2700 fans are auditioning and the organization will narrow it down to 50 semi-finalists which will be voted on by fans.
Singing ability will not be a pre-requisite:
“Harry wasn’t Pavoratti. It’s not necessarily about singing ability. It’s about passion and enthusiasm for the Cubs and I think you’ve seen that from a lot of our contestants today,” added (Cub’s Jay) Blunk.
That last point can’t be stressed more. Anybody will be better than country singer Kellie “They call that the outfield, right?” Pickler, right?
There’s a new Cubs podcast in town… Cubs Closeup. I recognized one of the hosts, Phil Zuber from the old Big League Baseball Report which used to be one of my favorites till its co-hosts Joe Aiello went on to do The Pitch and Phil got busy with his new Cubs blog, A Cub Fan’s … Continue reading “Podcast review: Cubs Closeup”
There’s a new Cubs podcast in town… Cubs Closeup.
I recognized one of the hosts, Phil Zuber from the old Big League Baseball Report which used to be one of my favorites till its co-hosts Joe Aiello went on to do The Pitch and Phil got busy with his new Cubs blog, A Cub Fan’s Obsession (Cub fans check it out!!).
Phil’s got the mike in front of him again. With co-host Ryan Mendenhall, he is bringing us Cubs Closeup, a (you guessed it) Cubs oriented podcast. And you can’t have too many of these.
I’ve listened to a couple of episodes and Cubs Closeup definitely falls in the intelligent, thinking talk show. You know, the reason I avoid the mainstream radio talk shows.
Check out their website or subscribe to the show iTunes.
I’m not in the habit of agreeing with my Sox fan friends especially when it comes to Cubs/Sox issues but I have to hand it to my good buddy Teddy Ballgame. He’s right about Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson. Someone needs to take his mike away. Don’t ask me why but Sunday I turned on Comcast … Continue reading “Brilliant Show by the Cubs”
I’m not in the habit of agreeing with my Sox fan friends especially when it comes to Cubs/Sox issues but I have to hand it to my good buddy Teddy Ballgame. He’s right about Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson. Someone needs to take his mike away.
Don’t ask me why but Sunday I turned on Comcast to watch the Cubs-Sox game. That was about the time that Juan Uribe was called for interference. I think that Ford Frick nominee Ken Harrelson said “This is BS!” about 3 time then guaranteed that the protest would be upheld. All this, of course, before he even heard what the final ruling was.
I’m not sure what Hawk meant by BS. Maybe he meant Bad Series by the Sox who eventually dropped all three to the Cubs. Or Blundering Shortstop Juan Uribe who committed the interference infraction.
I eventually got smart and changed the channel to WGN. Len and Bob to the rescue.
The Cubs have won 4 in a row (including the one tonight that got away and they roped backed in) and are 14-8 since according to the media Piniella had “lost control of his team”.
Yet, as good as the Cubs are doing, Milwaukee is doing that much better and remain 7 1/2 ahead.
What we need right now…
a Brewers Slump.
Mr Rod Beck, intense reliever yet laid back teammate, is dead at 38. The Shooter signing autographs at the 2007 Cubs Convention I saw the Shooter at this year’s Cubs Convention. Out of all the old-timers signing autographs on the lower level, Rod Beck was one of the more popular ones with the fans. He … Continue reading “Rod Beck no longer Shooting”
Mr Rod Beck, intense reliever yet laid back teammate, is dead at 38.
The Shooter signing autographs at the 2007 Cubs Convention
I saw the Shooter at this year’s Cubs Convention. Out of all the old-timers signing autographs on the lower level, Rod Beck was one of the more popular ones with the fans. He had a friendly way with those waiting in line. With his signature handlebar mustache and longish hair, he stood out.
His cause of death is unknown and is pending an autopsy. I’m not holding my breath and quite honestly, you probably won’t hear about the results here. The results probably won’t be surprising.
That said, Beck’s persona was one of a kind. A pitcher who camps out in an RV beyond a minor league scoreboard is bound to have a little color.
But let’s not forget that the Shooter was once one helluva a pitcher. Yes, he had 286 career saves but he had incredible control too.
In 1994, when he had 48 saves for the Giants, he came in 8th in the Cy Young voting. Cubs fans will remember his 1998 season when they made the playoffs. That year he recorded 51 saves, his career high.
I never understood the “hatin’ on Sammy” thing. Many of my Cub fan friends are bound and determined to think ill of Sosa since he left our team. Not me. Let’s make one thing clear. While I think it’s great Sammy has reached his milestone, I sure wouldn’t have minded if he had waited till … Continue reading “Sammy Sosa and 600”
I never understood the “hatin’ on Sammy” thing. Many of my Cub fan friends are bound and determined to think ill of Sosa since he left our team. Not me.
Let’s make one thing clear. While I think it’s great Sammy has reached his milestone, I sure wouldn’t have minded if he had waited till the Texas’ series with the Cubs was over. The media had a field day with it but I didn’t.
That said, I guess it’s hard for me to get down on any player who contributed as much to my favorite team despite the manner he left it. Let’s face it, in the thirteen seasons he played for the Cubs, he gave us 545 homeruns, 1414 rbis, and 1245 runs. All that for ONE team. My team.
Not to mention he was involved in one of the most exciting homerun races in recent history albeit one that has been tainted slightly. Sosa has recently been maligned about how he handles the press but let’s not forget how exciting he was back then and the press ate him up. He handled that well.
For all that, I’m willing to give Slammin’ Sammy a mulligan for his transgressions in his time near the end with the Cubs.
It is said that Sammy Sosa has big ego. Those who actually know him would say that he is a proud individual. A fine line maybe. Either way, I’m happy for him.
But couldn’t he have waited just a couple of games?