Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
Big news in the Alfonso Soriano household… he’s a daddy again. Angel Soriano was born last Wednesday. He’s the third child in the family. Speaking of Soriano, good news for Cubs fans… the Missus will let Alfonso off of diaper duty for the weekend of January 19-21 so he can attend the Cubs Convention.
Big news in the Alfonso Soriano household… he’s a daddy again. Angel Soriano was born last Wednesday. He’s the third child in the family.
Speaking of Soriano, good news for Cubs fans… the Missus will let Alfonso off of diaper duty for the weekend of January 19-21 so he can attend the Cubs Convention.
This will be my last posting before Christmas so I wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays! If you’ve got the holiday blues and you’re missing some real baseball rather than everyone just TALKING about it, don’t forget: Pitchers and catchers report in 53 days First Illinois game in 62 days First Spring Training game in … Continue reading “Happy Holidays!!”
This will be my last posting before Christmas so I wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays!
If you’ve got the holiday blues and you’re missing some real baseball rather than everyone just TALKING about it, don’t forget:
Pitchers and catchers report in 53 days
First Illinois game in 62 days
First Spring Training game in 65 days
First Illinois home game in 94 days
First Cubs game in 100 days
and first Cubs home game in 107 days.
take heart, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Merry Christmas!
-TBZ
Christmas came early for The Baseball Zealot. I got my Cubs Convention tickets in the mail. Of course, I didn’t get them through the normal channels. Try as I might, the tickets sold out in 12 minutes the day they went on sale. No, I bought these on Ebay. Luckily, I didn’t pay too much … Continue reading “Cubs Christmas”
Christmas came early for The Baseball Zealot. I got my Cubs Convention tickets in the mail.
Of course, I didn’t get them through the normal channels. Try as I might, the tickets sold out in 12 minutes the day they went on sale. No, I bought these on Ebay. Luckily, I didn’t pay too much over retail price.
Didn’t they have a good photo of Piniella with a Cubs hat on yet? Then why cut him off at the forehead hiding the team logo? That’s my theory.
Update: I’ve been asked who exactly will be at the Cubs Convention this year. According to Cubs beat reporter Carrie Muskat, they won’t announce that till the Sunday before the convention.
I noticed this on MLB Radio’s web page today: I wonder where that puts Jim Hemond…
I noticed this on MLB Radio’s web page today:
I wonder where that puts Jim Hemond…
The MLB.com article headline says, “Pie could start Opening Day at center”. And there are precious few real details after that. One thing we know is that management is “‘divided” about bringing him up for the start of the season. On our podcast two weeks ago, I insisted the Pie would not be ready till … Continue reading “Felix Pie to possibly start at opening day??”
The MLB.com article headline says, “Pie could start Opening Day at center”.
And there are precious few real details after that. One thing we know is that management is “‘divided” about bringing him up for the start of the season.
On our podcast two weeks ago, I insisted the Pie would not be ready till halfway through 2007. According to this article, it looks like I could be wrong. Or not.
If that does happen, this puts to rest any speculations that Soriano would be playing center. Nobody really believed that, did they?
Cubs’ skipper Lou Piniella has it all planned out… …before the Winter Meetings are even over. According to this MLB.com article, he pretty much has the lineup set, one through nine with the exception of the 2nd and 8th spots. And you know Izturis is going in one of those. My pet peeve, he has … Continue reading “Piniella’s got it all figured out”
Cubs’ skipper Lou Piniella has it all planned out…
…before the Winter Meetings are even over.
According to this MLB.com article, he pretty much has the lineup set, one through nine with the exception of the 2nd and 8th spots. And you know Izturis is going in one of those.
My pet peeve, he has Soriano leading off. Soriano, who hit 46 homers this year and is notoriously bad at getting on base,
Interesting that he has Jacque Jones pegged for the 5th hole. Interesting that he has him pegged ANYWHERE. I thought he might be used as trade bait.
And finally, the word on Felix Pie is that he needs more work in the minors before making the bigs. That shouldn’t surprise any Cub fan.
Teddy Ballgame sent me a copy of Wait ‘Till Next Year which is billed as “The saga of the Chicago Cubs”. I put off watching it simply because I simply didn’t have the time. Well, I found the time tonight. Thanks a lot, Teddy. Why don’t you just come in my house and beat me … Continue reading “Wait ‘Till Next Year: A Cub Fan’s Burden”
Teddy Ballgame sent me a copy of Wait ‘Till Next Year which is billed as “The saga of the Chicago Cubs”. I put off watching it simply because I simply didn’t have the time. Well, I found the time tonight.
Thanks a lot, Teddy. Why don’t you just come in my house and beat me senseless with a thunderstick? This film relives in quite vivid detail the failures of the Cubs organization.
Seriously, I did enjoy the video though it brought back bittersweet memories (and I’m not even old enough to remember the ’69 season). The video had some good footage, and decent interviews both with baseball people as well with regular ol’ joes.
But I’m looking forward to the 2007 video. The one where they’re the World Champions
thanks Teddy..
How is Al Yellon from Bleed Cubbie Blue spending is off-season? Doing a daily countdown the top 100 Cub players. A daunting task if there ever was one. I’m linking to #89 Jerry Morales because I remember having that very baseball card as a kid. Git that caterpillar off your face, Jerry! I miss the … Continue reading “Counting down during the offseason”
How is Al Yellon from Bleed Cubbie Blue spending is off-season? Doing a daily countdown the top 100 Cub players. A daunting task if there ever was one.
I’m linking to #89 Jerry Morales because I remember having that very baseball card as a kid.
Git that caterpillar off your face, Jerry!
I miss the ’70’s when players could hit .290 with 11 homers and still bat in the heart of the lineup.
The Cubs have inked Alfonso Soriano to a hefty eight-year, $136 million deal and most Cub fans I know are pretty gleeful about the whole thing. The plan is to put Soriano in center and hope for the best. I’m an optimist. I like to think that with the off-season to work on it, he’ll … Continue reading “Cubs get serious about their desire to win”
The Cubs have inked Alfonso Soriano to a hefty eight-year, $136 million deal and most Cub fans I know are pretty gleeful about the whole thing.
The plan is to put Soriano in center and hope for the best. I’m an optimist. I like to think that with the off-season to work on it, he’ll do ok.
Now his bat… we won’t have to worry too much about his bat.
All the reports I’m reading are putting him in the leadoff spot. Maybe I’m off here but I just don’t think a 46-homer guy with his kind of on-base belongs up there.
To his credit, he improved his OBP to .351 in 2006. But in the years before that, it was .304, .332, .338, .324, and 2005’s .309. Yick.
Regardless, I’m thrilled as a Cub fan. With Soriano, Lee and Ramirez, this gives the Cubs three legit power threats.
In other Cub news, the Cubs acquired Neal Cotts from the Sox in a trade. They gave up David Aardsma and minor leaguer Carlos Vazquez. The media touted this as the two Chicago teams trading relievers but the rumors are Cotts is going to give the starting rotation a try. Cotts did very well during his starting pitching gig in AA ball. This trade should work out well for the Cubs.
+ + Get the above picture? Anyway, got a voice mail from a buddy of mine who’s a Cubs fan. He asked me how I felt about the Cubs signing Wood for $1.75 mil (with incentives for up to $6 mil). I heard a bittersweet tinge in his voice. I know for a fact he … Continue reading “Cubs news: Get your Wood up”
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Get the above picture? Anyway, got a voice mail from a buddy of mine who’s a Cubs fan. He asked me how I felt about the Cubs signing Wood for $1.75 mil (with incentives for up to $6 mil). I heard a bittersweet tinge in his voice. I know for a fact he has a Wood jersey that he pretty much had to store in his closet all summer. Have heart! Maybe you’ll
wear that jersey once again.
Rumor has it that the incentives are based on time on the active roster, appearances, and games finishes. Hmm… I guess that determines his role eh?
I had no doubt that Hendry was going to re-sign Wood all season. Hendry has an personal interest in Wood and doesn’t want to see him go. A low base salary with incentives is way to go. Let’s face it, what Cub fan wouldn’t be willing to loosen the purse strings should Wood put out?
Power Pitcher
In other Cub news, Carlos Zambrano has been giving the term Power Pitcher a new meaning. Last week, he won the 2006 Silver Slugger award for NL pitchers. Of his 11 hits this year, six were for homeruns. That total ties the club record. Fergie Jenkins also had six taters in 1971. He was one short of the league record by pitchers set by Don Newcombe (1955), Don Drysdale
(1958, 1965) and Mike Hampton (2001).
The MLB record of 9 was set by Wes Farrell in 1931.
Zambrano is a switch hitter and hit 3 homers from both sides of the plate. For the year, he hit .151 with a .397 slugging percentage and 11 rbis and 9 runs.