The Chicago Cubs

It's going to take a lot more than faith

2005-04-09T09:08:00.000-04:00

Friday was the turning point. The Cubs returned home after festering in the desert for 2 months. Kerry Wood was back and the team was ready to really start the season. Unfortunately, the mighty Brewers got in the way and all of the hope flooded out of the ballpark and the season.

It's obvious that all the faith in the world isn't going to help a team that doesn't have the relievers to bail out the starting pitching that have yet to notch a win or the end of the 6th inning...

The Cubs gave up 3 runs in the first 9 innings. The first came on a 2 out walk. The second came after walking the second consecutive batter with 2 outs in the inning on a 3-2 count. The third came with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 9th inning which was compounded by having Hollandsworth boot the ball in left field.

The Brewers then iced the game in the 12th with 3 2-out runs after a throwing error and a hit batsman kept things alive.

The Cubs pitchers threw 240 pitches and only 130 were strikes. Hawkins has already blown a save. The pitchers only threw 3 1-2-3 innings in 12 innings.

On the offensive side of the ball, the cubs managed 7 hits in 12 innings against the vaunted brewers pitching staff. They went without a baserunner in 5 innings.

2 more times the Cubs failed to score a runner from 3rd with less than 2 outs, either of which would have still won the game.

Baker's favorite pinch hitters - Perez & Macias are 1-8 without a meaningful hit and Hairston is rotting on the bench and has started 0-7. Overall, the team is now down to .288 and falling fast. They are 4th in K's and yet 9th in BB's.

Yes, this is your father's Cubs team.

It doesn't appear that the Cubs can hit in the clutch, they certainly can't pitch and they're having a tough time fielding. Execution was the problem last year and it appears its going to be the problem this year again.

I guess the good news is that, at this pace, we'll be able to stop watching by the end of May again this year...

The Cubs Fan Perspective

2005-04-07T12:02:00.000-04:00

The problem with being a Chicago Cubs fan is that you watch Chicago Cubs' games. This is certainly not a profound statement but I think it bears some investigation. When you watch Cubs games you draw conclusions about how the game is played and how teams execute in relation to the Cubs but this doesn't mean that all games are played that way.

If you only watch Cubs games here are some of the things that you might think:

Scoring a man from 3rd with nobody out is a VERY difficult thing to do. Having the bases loaded with nobody out means that the next batter will strike out or foul out and the runners will all end the inning stranded.
It is important to try and pull every pitch, even if it means that you roll over it for an easy ground out.
2-0 and 3-1 counts mean that you must swing at the next pitch. Taking a walk is the worst thing you can do as a batter
When throwing a ball from the outfield it is important to show how far you can throw it even if it goes 30 feet in the air to get to home and all the runners on base can advance on your throw.
Swinging as hard as you can is the best thing to do in any situation at the plate.
When you have 2 strikes on you, it is important to watch any close pitch and hope the umpire gives you a ball - which gives you time to reflect after walking back to the dugout.
Only opponents can pitch around batters or change their pitches from one at-bat to another.

There are also some things that the Cubs players have picked up from only 'playing' in Cubs games:

The Cubs pitchers watch their own batters swing at anything that comes within 3 feet of home plate so they continue to throw the ball out of the strike zone assuming that opposing batters will strike themselves out swinging at balls way outside the zone. Unfortunately, only Cubs batters continually swing at these pitches and as a result Cubs pitchers end up with a lot of walks and a LOT of pitches early in the game which leads to an early departure.
The Cubs batters watch the Cubs pitchers and assume that with a 3-2 count the pitcher will miss the zone so they should watch that pitch go by. As a result after swinging wildly at the first 2 strikes they strike out while watching the last pitch.
Since the Cubs batters never advance runners or hit with 2 outs, the Cubs pitchers can throw anything up to the plate when there are 2 outs. Last night against the Dbacks, the Cubs stranded 7 base runners in the first 4 innings while the Dbacks scored 7 runs with 2 outs - 5 of which were base runners that weren't even on base with 2 outs.

Some of the other frustrations that happen only to the Cubs but not their opponents:

Giving up a lead-off walk means that this runner has to score
Once there are 2 outs, the inning is over
The manager likes to use the same 3 pinch hitters over and over even though they don't have a single hit while the 2 most effective bench hitters are left to watch
There are huge gaps in the infield when the Cubs are fielding that are tailor made to let grounders through
Cubs batters continue to swing early and swing often which gives the pitcher extra at bats and innings.
Cubs pitchers meanwhile get knocked out early because they can't continually throw strikes and get deep into too many counts.

After watching the first series in Arizona all of the euphoria after the first game is gone.
The Cubs are already 0-1 in 1-run games.
The Dbacks scored 19 runs on 32 hits
Not a single starter has a win
Not a single starter has seen the 6th inning
The vaunted pitching staff has a team ERA of 6.84 which is better than the Dbacks who lead the series 2-1...
There are 6 Cubs pitchers with an ERA over 5
The Cubs have stranded 23 baserunners in 3 games

At this point it looks like the critics are absolutely correct: If Prior and Wood don't make 35 starts each and win a total of at least 30 games the Cubs won't even sniff the playoffs. Maddux will improve but won't dominate, Dempster looks soft when he can't get the final out and Hawkins is still giving up runs late in the game.

The offense is NOT going to keep up a .333 batting average so something better change or there are going to be a lot more nights where Cubs fans turn off the game and go to bed early...

Go Cubs...

Chicago Cubs 1-0

2005-04-05T12:01:00.000-04:00

WOW...

All of my preseason concerns were shattered on a record setting day where the Cubs pounded out 23 hits (17 singles, 4 doubles & 2 home runs) and scored 16 runs (eclipsing the previous Cubs opening day record of 15). The Cubs scored their first 9 runs without the aid of a home run. They scored their first run with a single hit! Corey reached base 3 times - including his first walk of 2005 (including spring training) and scored twice. Perhaps he was just working on his swing in spring training and he won't be the K machine from last year. Although he did K in the 3rd after swinging at 2 fastballs around his chin...

This was a day to quell all the disparaging talk that surround this team during the offseason and spring training.
Can the Cubs score without Sosa and Alou?
Can Patterson lead off?
Can the Cubs manufacture runs when necessary?
Can the defense hold up? (only a potential error by Zambrano on the day)
Can the Cubs keep up the offense throughout the game?

Every Cub starter had a hit and although Zambrano was all over the place and failed to stay in the game long enough for the win, he managed to get through 4.2 innings and only give up 3 earned runs on a day when 5 other pitchers saw their ERA open the season over 7.

The hero of the day was D Lee who had 5 RBI's on a 4 for 6 day including 2 doubles and a 3 run blast in the 6th.

Not to be outdone, the newest 'rich' Cub - Aramis Ramirez - went 3 for 4 with a walk, a double a 2 run HR, 4 RBIs & 4 runs scored. It certainly makes Hendry look smart for getting a contract done before game time!

As we all know, it's only 1 game, but what a way to exorcise the demons of 2004 than to blast a team that caused the Cubs so much grief last year...

Go Cubs!

Final Innings

2005-04-04T19:50:00.000-04:00

Bottom 6th
somebody get Counsell out!!!!! this is ridiculous
nothing like running the count full with 2 outs to get the base runner a head start.
why can't the Cubs make this easy...
base hit - of course.
THROW STRIKES ALREADY!!!!!!!

ok - missed a little but the Cubs keep scoring!

Bottom 8th - Counsell is up again. get him out!!!!!
grounds out to 3rd and D Lee picks a throw out of the dirt to get him out - way to go!

well, they made it interesting but the CUBS WIN CUBS WIN!!!

nothing like being 1-0

2005-04-04T18:31:00.000-04:00

3rd inning - nothing too exciting but Corey is still swining at pitches around his eyes. 2 straight high fastballs K's Patterson.

Bottom of 3rd
Zambrano's pitch count is getting high- 44 pitches to get through 2 innings. It looks like the Cubs 'vaunted' bullpen will have to come in to the rescue...

Zambrano gives up his first walk. He's effective today but is all over the place - certainly not hitting Barrett's glove.

Top of 4th
another nice stretch of singles and the Cubs score another run (although unearned on a dp by Ramirez)

Bottom 4th - Zambrano enters with 61 pitches. He needs a quick inning.
Green draws a walk. This is a great example of how to get rid of an overpowering pitcher - take a LOT of pitches. Make the pitcher throw strikes which Zambrano hasn't shown he can do consistently. He'll improve with some more time this season...

now he's cooking. quick strike out gets him out of the inning.

top 5th - Barrett is still the only hitless Cubs but he laces one to left - right to Gonzalez
COREY WALKS!!! Somebody check the temperature in Hell!
another 2 out rbi - this is fantastic
it's time to start saving some for tomorrow...

bottom 5th - Counsell opens with a hit - why can't the Cubs keep him off base...
after 2 k's glaus pulls one down 3rd.
After 2 walks (and a forced in run) Zambrano is done with no decision. He battled hard and later this season he'll get the win but for now he did a great job and the Cubs should win.

top 6th - after 2 consecutive hits D Lee clears the bases for a 12-3 lead. this is a dream opening day...
c'mon michael - get a hit! - DAMN! hard liner to counsell...

2005-04-04T18:18:00.000-04:00

Corey gets on twice and scores twice - as long as he can keep getting on base, the Cubs offensive machine should humm.

4 runs and not a single home run. Is this really the Cubs?

5 straight hits - 6 runs without a home run - Nomar & Aramis with 2 RBIs... WOW!!!

and one more to bring the total to 7 runs after 2 innings. not a bad start

Zambrano on the mound

2005-04-04T18:03:00.000-04:00

Zambrano doesn't 'breeze' through the first but nobody reaches base and he's executing pitches when he needs to.

once the adrenalin settles down he'll be doing great.

It Keeps Getting Better

2005-04-04T17:59:00.000-04:00

With 2 outs in the first the Cubs put together 3 straight hits for another run...

Ramirez
Burnitz
Lee

Everybody's smiling!

Go Cubs!

Nice Start

2005-04-04T17:57:00.000-04:00

I can't imagine a more fitting first run of the season than a single by Corey Patterson who advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, 3rd on a deep fly to center and scored on a ground out to 3rd.

Everything the Cubs did wrong last year came together.

Maybe this is the year...

Opening Day Lineup

2005-04-04T17:09:00.000-04:00

Today we're featuring:

Patterson - CF -L
Walker - 2B - L
Garciappara - SS - R
Ramirez - 3B - R
Burnitz - RF - L
Lee - 1B - R
Hollandsworth - LF - L
Barrett - C - L
Zambrano - P - S

Quite a balance lineup for a Cubs team!

It's Opening Day! It just doesn't get any better than this

2005-04-04T17:03:00.000-04:00

Spring Training has been fun but now it's about winning and not just practicing so it's time to focus.

The best news is that the Cubs have agreed to a 'long' term deal with 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez. Reported at 4 years $42 mill with an option for Ramirez to opt out after the 2006 campaign. This could end up getting expensive for the Cubs if he continues to improve like he has, but it's a better deal than getting locked into a longer term deal and having him continue with the errors and get complacent.

Today Zambrano is getting the first of what will most likely be numerous starts in his career. This should be a great series to test the mettle of the team. The Diamondbacks have historically caused problems for the Cubs but without Randy Johnson and Steve Finley the Cubs should have a good chance.

If the Cubs can take 2 of 3 in this series with Maddux (who usually takes longer to hit his stride) and Dempster (who is still coming around) it would set a great tone for the season.

Let's Go Cubs!!!

Spring Training Update (8-8)

2005-03-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

We've just reached the halfway point of Spring Training and it's time to review the good and the bad.

Good news -

Sammy is going through the Congressional hearings as an Oriole
The new (big-league) Cubs are looking good:

Burnitz - batting .304 with 7 RBIs in 11 games
Hairston - batting .333 with only 2 k's in 24 at bats
Dubois - batting .375 with 3 hr in 24 ab
Mitre - 2.25 ERA over 8 innings
Guzman - pitched 3 very strong innings vs the hated Sox
Fox - 3.60 ERA over 8 innings

The returning Cubs are looking good:

Ramirez - .467 ba with 6 doubles
Garciaparra - .423 ba with 3 doubles & 2 home runs
Zambrano - 0.00 era over 9 innings with 6k's
Hawkins - 1.42 era over 6.1 innings with 7 k's and 0 bb's
Borowski - 2.25 era over 4 innings with 4 k's
Dempster - 10 k's over 8.2 innings

The Cubs are scoring runs without the home run 13 hr / 81 runs (almost twice as many runs scored per home run over last year)
The team ERA for the projected staff is 3.35 with 63k's and 26bb's and only 3 unearned runs
The big leaguers are batting .335 with a .532 slugging pct

Bad News

The pitchers are still walking too many lead-off batters
The defense is still giving up too many unearned runs - 12 in 16 games
The offense is still leaving guys in scoring position too often
Patterson is batting .226 and swinging at everything - which of course is leading to too many k's
Walker has been sick and improving of late, but he's gotta pull it together to keep the starting position
Rusch isn't looking as sharp as last year but it's early
Wood has had shoulder problems already
Prior is having elbow problems
The baserunning hasn't improved yet - 2 steals out of 10 attempts and a couple of runners getting picked of first and doubled up on line drive outs
The batters are getting hit - 10 times in 16 games (luckily nothing major yet)
The Cubs aren't winning more

All in all this looks pretty good and after looking closely at the numbers for the projected big league roster the only major concerns seem to be Prior and Wood's arms.

Go Cubs!

It's Just Spring Training...?

2005-03-13T13:34:00.000-05:00

I keep reminding myself that. The announcers keep reminding me of that. My girlfriend keeps reminding me of that.

Yet somehow, where they see potential I see the same recipe for disaster that has been hauting the Cubs for a couple of years.

Saturday's loss against the Angels contained a perfect micro-cosm of what Cubs fans have been watching for too long.

In the bottom of the 7th inning Corey Patterson led off with a triple - man on 3rd NOBODY out.

The next 3 Cubs batters didn't even get the ball into play. Strike out, foul pop out & another strike out.

Then in the top of the 8th, Cubs pitcher Eddie Oropesa walked the first batter and then booted a double play ball on the 2nd. Before he was pulled he gave up 6 runs and didn't get a single out.

One of those runs came when the Angels had a runner on 3rd with nobody out. Of course that runner came home...

If you watched every game last year (as I did) you know all too well that execution is not the Cubs strongest suit. Perhaps I just notice it because I see so many Cubs games, but somebody would have to show me some strong data to convince me that the Cubs aren't the worst situational hitting team in the majors.

Sure it's great to see a ball land on Waveland but wouldn't it be nice to have somebody hit a ground ball to the right side when a runner is on 2nd or 3rd? Wouldn't it be nice to get a deep pop up to score that man from 3rd?

I don't remember the dates, but there were 2 games in a week last year when the Cubs had the bases loaded with nobody out and didn't score a single run - not 1!!! It's just mind-boggling to me that 6 batters came up with the bases loaded and a pitcher not wanting to give up a walk and couldn't get a sacrifice fly or a base hit.

OK, OK, OK - I'm calming down. I just would like to see a Cubs batter adjust his swing based on the situation. No more mammoth swings from the heels, just contact and a base runner moving from base to base.

After all, isn't this the time of year to practice that? It's spring training...

Where Are They Now

2005-03-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

If you were wondering what has happened to our 'lost' Cubs, here are their stats so far this year:
Sosa:
3 hits in 9 AB with 1 HR (solo in lopsided loss) 1 K, 1 ejection and 1 subpoena
Alou:
.182 avg
Grudzielanek
.500 avg in 10 AB

Clement
5 IP, 2 runs, 3K, 1BB 3.60 ERA
Farnsworth
2IP, 0.00 ERA, 1K, 2BB
Mercker
2IP, 13.50 ERA, 3K, 2BB

Grudz is having his typical solid numbers. He's the one guy I think we might miss this year. He could really turn the double play and always had solid numbers. Hopefully Walker will make us forget about him.

Sosa, however, continues to be the aging joke. He hasn't contributed to the team in anyway except to run his mouth and get ejected. I'm sure he'll hit his 30+ home runs but will any of them actually matter...?

What Have We Learned So Far?

2005-03-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Pitchers:

Carlos is looking VERY sharp.
Angel Guzman will be pitching in the Big Leagues before the end of the year
Sergio has matured since last spring
Joe is looking like Joe
Hawkins is afraid of the 9th but a stud in the setup role
The starting pitchers (except for Carlos) are being 'hidden' which may be great but is always a little concerning (because we're cubs fans...)
Ryan Dempster looks like he's going to contribute this year - one way or another.
Team pitching ERA is 3.05 with 36 Ks & 18 BBs in 62 innings (remove Rohlicek and it's 2.56)

Position Players:

Angel can hit spring training pitching - but is he going to go the way of McClain after his great spring last year?
Dubois has a commanding lead over Kelton for an outfield spot
Hollandsworth is doing a great job of making a claim at a starting outfiel spot
Burnitz is not
Corey is still swinging at too many pitches but at least he's hitting a larger percentage of them
Aramis is now in charge...
Hairston is making people think that the Cubs got the better part of the deal
Nomar looks solid despite getting hit in the wrist in the first game
Walker and Nomar look like a good double play combo
Lee can hit, run & field - let's save some of his energy for late in the season
The team is batting .286 and is striking out at just over a 10% rate
The team has batted in 33 runs but only have 6 home runs
Henry Blanco likes spring training pitching

Overall:

The Cubs still like making things difficult - wild pitch 3rd strikes, lead-off walks, missing cut-off men but in general are looking good
The players are hitting clutch 2-out hits and driving in men from 3rd when given the opportunity.
The Cubs will still hit a lot of home runs this year
If our pitchers stay healthy, we're going to win a LOT of games this year...

Spring Stats Update

2005-03-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

Spring Training doesn't count...

Players are working on things and there are a lot if minor leaguers out there.

BUT - it's still fun. So here are the Cubs stats so far this spring:

Player	ab	r	h	bi	so	2b	3b	hr	sf	bb	sb	cs	hbp	Slg	Avg	OBP
A Echevarria	11	1	4	3	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	.727	.364	.417
D Kelton	11	1	2	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.273	.182	.182
P Bergeron	11	3	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.364	.364	.364
T Walker	11	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.182	.091	.091
A Ramirez	10	1	5	2	0	2	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	1.000	.500	.583
C Murray	10	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.300	.300	.300
C Patterson	10	2	3	1	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.400	.300	.364
D Lee	10	2	3	1	2	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	0	.500	.300	.417
J Dubois	10	2	3	1	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.600	.300	.300
J Hairston	9	2	4	2	1	1	0	1	0	2	0	1	1	.889	.444	.583
J Macias	9	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.111	.111	.200
M Fontenot	9	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.111	.111	.111
N Perez	9	2	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333
A Greenberg	8	2	3	0	3	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	.500	.375	.444
M Barrett	8	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.125	.125	.125
N Garciaparra	8	1	2	2	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	.625	.250	.333
R Cedeno	8	2	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	.500	.500	.556
D Hansen	7	1	2	3	1	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	1.000	.286	.375
R Cancel	7	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.286	.286	.286
T Hollandsworth	7	2	3	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	.857	.429	.556
C Ransom	6	2	1	1	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.500	.167	.167
D Klassen	6	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	.000	.000	.333
H Blanco	6	1	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.500	.500	.571
J Burnitz	6	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	.000	.000	.250
C Kopitzke	4	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	.500
G Soto	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.000	.000	.250
M Murton	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
S Mcclain	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.400
C Rojas	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	.500
J Reyes	2	2	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1.500	1.000	1.000
B Dopirak	2	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	.500
B Sing	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
S Fuld	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	.500
J Koronka	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
J Van Buren	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
E Patterson	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
F Pie	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1.000	1.000	1.000
R Harvey	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
S Moore	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
M Craig	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	.000	.000	.667
M Hoffpauir	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.500
C Fox	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
C Zambrano	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
E Oropesa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
G Rusch	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
J Anderson	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
J Leicester	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
K Wood	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
L Hawkins	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
M Wuertz	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
R Dempster	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
R Novoa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
R Rohlicek	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
S Mitre	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
S Randolph	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
T Wellemeyer	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
W Ohman	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	W	L	S	ERA
A Guzman	2	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0.00
C Fox	2	4	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	9.00
C Zambrano	5	1	0	0	2	4	0	0	0	0	0.00
E Oropesa	3	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.00
G Maddux	2	3	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.00
G Rusch	5	7	2	2	2	1	0	1	0	0	3.60
J Anderson	4	6	3	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	6.75
J Borowski	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0.00
J Koronka	2	2	1	1	2	1	0	1	0	0	4.50
J Leicester	3	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.00
J Van Buren	4	3	1	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	2.25
K Wood	2	2	0	0	1	2	0	1	0	0	0.00
L Hawkins	2	4	1	1	0	2	0	1	0	0	4.50
M Wuertz	4	5	3	3	0	2	0	0	0	1	6.75
R Dempster	2	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0.00
R Novoa	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
R Rohlicek	2 1/3	3	4	4	4	4	0	0	1	0	15.43
S Mitre	5	5	1	1	1	3	0	1	0	0	1.80
S Randolph	3	5	3	1	1	2	1	0	0	0	3.00
T Wellemeyer	4	2	1	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	2.25
W Ohman	3 2/3	3	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	2.45

Chicago Cubs (1-0)

2005-03-03T17:14:00.000-05:00

Cubs score 2 runs on 5 hits and 0 errors
2 run homer by Aramis Ramirez after Nomar gets hit by a pitch
Oakland scores 1 run on 4 hits with 0 errors
Sergio gets a win
Wuertz gets a save
and Blanton takes the loss

See you next time...

Can the Cubs hold on???

2005-03-03T16:16:00.000-05:00

The Cubs try a double steal and fail (completing their lack of execution day) but it's good to see them see what the players are capable of.

we've reached the middle of the six without much news of interest. The broadcasters are struggling with the names of the new players but otherwise, it's kinda boring right now.

This makes it easier to actually do my job...

2nd straight 3 up, 3 down inning for Cubs pitcher Jimmy Anderson. Are we going to have to make room on the 40 man roster for this guy? Probably not. We'll let him go and another team will have a leftie reliever who will end up with a 2.10 ERA...

it's tough being a Cubs fan.

Jason Dubois time...

strikes out swinging on a high fast ball. This guy has 'everyday Cubs starter' written all over him...

Will Ohman's turn to pitch for the Cubs...

gives up a first pitch single. at least it was a strike...

The Cubs continue to turn double plays. It's going to be hard to knock the infield this year.

going to the bottom of the 9th. it sounds like i didn't miss anything while I was away, but despite themselves the Cubs are in position to win their opening spring training game.

I know what people say about spring training games, but if you look at spring training records overall, teams that do well in spring training do well in the regular season. It's important to start that winning attitude. It's contagious and it helps the team bond.

Go Cubs!!!

Michael Wuertz in for the save

strike out - 1 down

single up the middle (i'm looking at the espn scoreboard to see if they show who's pitching and I notice they have a -1 noted for Oakland in the 7th. That would be very impressive...)

grounder to 1st. Angel bobbles the ball but gets the runner at 1st. Could have been a double play but at least they got an out.

2 outs - guy on 2nd - Cubs up 2-1

2-0 count - when will we get ahead of hitters...
3-0... it's not like a walk would put the winning run on base - YEAH IT WOULD!!!
3-1 - good fastball
3-2 - fastball fouled off
Ronnie is calling for an off-speed pitch
ground ball to 2nd, hairston picks it up and underhands it to 1st.

CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!!

can we quit now?

We've survived 3 innings - down 1-0

2005-03-03T15:45:00.000-05:00

Garciaparra hit by pitch on the arm and is on base for the 2nd time but is being replaced - so much for staying injury free.

Ramirez hits the Cubs first home run of the year and the Cubs are back on top. Now, if they can just keep from giving away too many runs this year.

Cubs 2, A's 1

Burnitz pops up to left - at least he hasn't struck out yet. Already we're better without sammy...

The Cubs lead 2-1 going to the bottom of the 4th. Let's review...

All of the A's runs have come because the Cubs couldn't execute. All of the Cubs runs have come via the home run.

I have an amazing sense of deja vu...

The Cubs get through the 4th without any further damage but at this point there aren't too many players in who are recognizable without your program.

Not a bad start for the first game of the season but as any Cub fan will tell you, there were way too many similarities to last year already...

Let's tighten up the execution and work on moving some runners...!

Play Ball

2005-03-03T14:56:00.000-05:00

Corey leads off and swings at the first pitch - somethings never change - foul ball
(no you're not going to get a play by play but it's the first batter!)
Corey strikes out...

the more things change, the more they stay the same...

Walker grounds out

Pat Hughes gives his condolences to Ron about the hall of fame and on cue Nomar belts a single. c'mon Nomar, it's time to take the lead.

Aramis steps up and gets robbed with a great grab at 3rd. Nice contact though. The middle of this lineup is going to be dangerous. If only Corey and Todd can set the table...

Here comes Carlos...

get his first out with a variety of pitches. it sounds like he's all around the plate right now.

it's Kendall time. We just can't seem to get away from this guy. At least we won't have to deal with in the regular season.

Ramirez makes a great play at 3rd and throws out Kendall at first. Carlos is cruising. We'll see if he can get through 3 innings today.

and just like that Carlos walks a batter...

Corey runs down a fly ball and we're on to the 2nd.

Burnitz grounds to 1st but Ronnie is excited about Burnitz's arm strength. It'll be nice to have an outfielder who can cover ground and throw. That's worth a number of runs this year anyway.

Lee grounds to short. It certainly doesn't seem like the Cubs are working the count...

the more things change, the more they stay the same...

Base hit up the middle for Todd. I'm excited about him this year. IF he can stay healthy, he's going to be a great asset for the team this year.

Barret pops up a lazy out and here comes Carlos again.

Carlos covers 1st and gets the out after a toss from Lee. It's good to see the pitchers playing smart. Let's keep the pitcher errors down this year!

Swinging strike out. Carlos is getting his groove.

ground out to 2nd and Carlos is through the 2nd.

3 up and 3 down but some good contact and it is the first game...

Sergio Mitre steps in...

Dropped 3rd strike on a wild pitch and the batter is on 1st. Is it possible that the Cubs will get this stuff out of their systems early this year...?

Sergio hits the next batter - are you kidding me? men on 1st and 2nd (the 8th and 9th men in the order - this could get ugly)

Sergio is getting behind in the count. which, of course, can only happen if the batters are patient - are the Cubbies watching???

double play - 4-6-3. We'll have to wait to see if Walker can make the pivot but Nomar certainly can!

man on 3rd - 2 outs

liner to left and Hollandsworth dives and misses the ball. Kendall drives in a run and continues to kill the Cubs. It sounds like Todd may have taken the ball to the head - I guess there's way he'll stay healthy - but he's ok.

the Cubs first run allowed this year comes from a wild pitch / dropped 3rd strike that was pushed into scoring position on a walk and driven in on a 2 out hit. Can you say 'omen'?

Kendall on 2nd - 2 outs

pop out to 3rd - that was painful...

Pre-Game

2005-03-03T14:32:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2005 spring training!

Today's game features the Cubs at the Oakland Athletics with Carlos Zambrano slated to start and Sergio Mitre to come in next.

Unfortunely we'll be stuck listening on the radio but there's nothing like Ron Santo to get you in the mood for Cubbie baseball. Today's discussion is starting on Ronnie's denial by the hall of fame (a crime) but he's excited about the team and the season (isn't he always...)

Hopefully this year Santo is right with his predictions. The rotation is going to stay healthy - which we all know will be the strongest in baseball. The bullpen is going to come together. The youngsters are going to come into their own and the veterans are going to lead the way.

World Series here we come.

Ron is now hosting Dusty Baker - I hope he keeps the toothpick out of his mouth...
Today's line up is:
Corey Patterson - CF - L
Todd Walker - 2nd - L
Nomar Garciappara - SS - R
Aramis Ramirez - 3rd - R
Jeromy Burnitz - RF - L
Derek Lee - 1st - R
Todd Hollandsworth - LF - L
Michael Barrett - C - R
Dave Hansen - DH - L

This is pretty impressive. When was the last time the Cubs had 5 left handed bats in the lineup at the same time - or even on the roster?!?

Carlos should be fun to 'hear' today. Dusty mentioned that nobody has wanted to face him in batting practice so Carlos must be doing something right!!!

Interview with Jim Hendry...

Jim Hendry is excited about fielding a healthy team this year. So far the only casualty is Dusty's shoulder and I doubt that should affect his ability to stand on the steps and chew his toothpick.

Is Corey right to lead-off? Corey is ready to do whatever the team needs out of him. He certainly excelled when he first took over the lead-off duties and this year he will be more prepared to handle that job.

When will Zambrano get an extension? the team is going to try to get things done before the end of spring training.

is Jason Dubois ready? He's going to get a chance to win a spot on the team but he's going to have to earn it. It's not going to be given to him.

Is Angel Guzman finally ready to explode into the majors? He's looking great and looks like the same guy who dazzled the league 2 years ago in spring training.

...National Anthem...

Play ball!!!

Looking For Cubs Tickets

2005-02-22T12:37:00.000-05:00

Individual game tickets go on sale this Friday (February 25) but once again I am likely to have to resort to a ticket broker if I want to see any games at Wrigley this year.

In order to get tickets to any of the weekend games this year, you will have to be at the Wrigley Field box office at 8 am CT holding a wristband with a number that closely follows the random number that will be drawn on Friday morning at 6 am.

Unfortunately, I will be 800 miles away in Raleigh, NC trying to keep my job while simultaneously dialing 2 phones and working the internet for tickets that go on sale 2 hours later - after all of the good games (and bleacher seats) are sold out.

Don't get me wrong. Despite my unhappiness with this process, I actually think that this system is better than most.

Here in Raleigh, we were fortunate enough to have our hockey team (yes - we have a hockey team) go to the Stanley Cup Finals a few years ago. When tickets were being sold, they were available locally, on the phone and on the internet at the same time.

Ultimately, a large percentage of the tickets were bought by people from out of town and many of us locals who had supported the team all year were stuck watching on tv.

The Cubs systems rewards those who live locally and/or who are dedicated to take time off work on Thursday and Friday to try and get tickets. I unfortunately still can't justify that time and expense for a 'chance' at getting the tickets I want. It will ultimately be cheaper to just spend $150/ticket to buy them from a broker next week...

An unforunate side effect of this ticket selling system is that the people who have the most time to go through the process at Wrigley are the ticket brokers and their employees. They make a living off of these tickets and as a result, a good many of the people in line on Friday morning will be there buying tickets for the businesses that I will have to visit to get my tickets.

I guess that's the price of free enterprise. There's no way to 'judge' who the fans really are and to make sure they get tickets, so many of us will have to resort to paying 3-5 times the face value of the tickets to get in.

I fondly remember the days of my youth when the bleacher tickets went on sale on game day. We would skip out of school and get in line early in the morning to sit out in the bleachers with the rest of the people playing hooky from their jobs or classes and route on the Cubs.

It's a shame that this system went away when the Cubs realized that these were the most sought after tickets in the stadium and that they would be snatched up within hours of going on sale.

Well, that's just progress I guess...

Either way, count on me being in Chicago on June 10th-12th and save me a good seat in the bleachers...

Go Cubs!!!

Catching Up With the Cubs

2005-02-20T17:07:00.000-05:00

Most years I can go skiing in February without missing any activity. Trades used to get done by the end of January and not much happened until the mythical day - Pitchers and Catchers report day...

It seems more and more, teams (and particularly the Cubs) are working improving right up to spring training. Three of the biggest impact transactions occured after mid-January (with all due respect to signing Nomar to a one year deal).

Sammy gets traded to Baltimore

Jeromy Burnitz is signed to play right field

Farnsworth gets traded to Detroit

Now, in two of those situations I use the word 'trade' because technically speaking the Cubs received players in exchange for Sammy and Kyle. However, if you look at the players received it certainly seems like there was more going on than trying to improve the team with players that fill needs.

Unless of course, the 'needs' are to ship out some mal-contents that, as Cubs fans, we are supposed to blame for last years troubles. Without a doubt, there are countless instances where Sammy and Kyle blew their opportunity to contribute to the team, but they certainly weren't the only guys striking out with men on 3rd or walking the go ahead run on base.

The only thing we can do now is hope that Hendry and Baker have accurately identified last year's problems and have done everything they can to repair them. As players report to spring training they are all saying the right things. They talk about team unity and fundamentals. They talk about their off season conditioning and their focus on improving each of their individual weaknesses.

Personally, i can't wait until the games start. Then we'll finally be able to answer the important questions:

Can Corey lead off?
Can Hollandsworth pick up where he left off before getting injured?
Can Nomar make a difference with an entire year at Wrigley?
Can Walker play defense and turn the double play?
Can Burnitz repeat the numbers he had with Colorado and not what he did with the Mets?
Can Barrett manage the top staff in the majors?
Can anybody close a game?
Is Borowski back?
Will Ramirez continue to improve into one of the game's best players?
Can Prior regain his dominance?
Will Zambrano continue to improve?
Can Baker control the clubhouse?

It's going to be a fun year!

Go Cubs!!!

The Sammy Saga goes on tour

2005-01-31T13:55:00.000-05:00

I came in from skiing on Saturday evening and was immediately informed that the Cubs had traded Sammy Sosa. Naturally, I assumed that I was suffering from some combination of dehydration, high altitude sickness and fatigue (which was probably true...) but lo and behold it was true.

Unfortunately (not really) I was in a cabin in the woods so I was precluded from investigating this until I returned home late last night and was reunited with my trusty high-speed connection. Over the past 16 hours I've read through commentary from national sources, Chicago sources, Baltimore sources and anybody else who had an opinion. And after all of that I have come to the conclusion that 2 things are obvious:

1 - The Cubs want somebody to blame for last year's loss.
2 - The Orioles are desperate for some news coverage.

I say this because I just don't see the benefit of paying $12.5 million dollars to have Sammy play somewhere else. Yes, it saves the team $9 million ($4.5 for this year and $4.5 buyout) but the Cubs got nothing in return.

I suppose it could be argued that this frees up money for a trade but can you actually get anybody better than Sammy for $9 mil? Why not just take the chance that Sammy will play for his next contract and his pride and give it to him. At worse case, send him home and you're not in any worse a condition than you are now.

It's also possible that any or all of the three players being received for Sammy will produce, but I'd rather roll the dice with Sammy shaping up than one of these three producing this year.

It's beginning to seem like Sammy is being used as a scapegoat so that the fans will return again in record numbers. It doesn't seem possible that Sammy is really such a bad influence that it's worth paying him to play somewhere else for nothing in return. It'd be different if he had 5 years on his contract but it's one year either way - play here or play there but we're going to pay you either way.

Unless there was some horrendous actions going on behind closed doors that Cubs management hasn't been sharing (which is unlikely based on what they HAVE shared) it just doesn't make sense.

I also have to assume that Baltimore is just looking for some press. Why else would you take on a player for $9 million who has performed the way Sammy has over the past few years. Even if you are absolutely convinced that he has changed his ways off the field (which is HIGHLY unlikely) how can you spend $9 mil on a player with his stats. Plus it is likely the player's association will make the Orioles offer an extension so that the $18 million 2006 salary isn't 'lost'. This likely makes this a 3-year commitment at ~$10 million/year.

Here are some numbers from last season. Sammy's numbers from August 1st forward (which gives him enough time to have fully recovered from his injury) are:
.227 Avg (putting just BELOW Carlos Zambrano at .229)
13 HR
30 RBI
57 Ks

Over a season this projects to 40HR, 92 RBI, 174Ks - not exactly $9mm/year territory.

The other outfielders who came closest to these stats are Richard Hidalgo and Mike Cameron. These 2 players made $5mm and $4.3mm respectively. However, both of these players can actually field their positions. Sammy has limited range and absolutely can not throw in from right field any more.

You could argue that the publicity of having a 600 home run guy on your roster (don't forget he only needs 26 to reach this number) is worth the extra $5 million per year, but how do you justify the next 2 years?

If Sammy continues to produce at the clip he has the past few years he will continue to strike out in record numbers and will quickly fall out of favor with the Baltimore fans. He will sulk and management will have the same issues that the Cubs have. The only way this works out for Baltimore is if they can sell enough tickets this year to pay for the entire Sammy contract.

Plus it's almost a lock that Sammy will never see the playoffs again as an Oriole. Not with the Yankees and Red Sox firmly planted above them in the division.

Yeah - I just don't get it. I sure hope I'm wrong and that the Cubs are indeed an entirely different team this year. I hope that Hollandsworth and Dubois explode into major league stars and make us all laugh at the defensive struggles of Alou and Sosa. Either way, it's gonna be another fun year being a Cubs fan...

Go Cubs!

Why is everybody so anxious to dump Sammy?

2005-01-27T11:05:00.000-05:00

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out"
"Good riddance to bad rubbish"
"Don't go away mad, just go away"

These seem to be the consensus messages for dear old Sammy Sosa from the majority of Cubs fans and journlists. I can certainly sympathize with all of these sentiments. Hell, I probably have thought most of them a few times myself.

But as the offseason plays out, it is apparent that the only way we will be issuing these fond farewells is for the Cubs to pay Sammy's salary while he plays for another team. No other team is going to take on Sulking Sammy or his albatross contract. And I can't blame them.

Whether it's the guaranteed extension that a trade brings or the promise to have to restructure his contract to keep him around for 3 or more years - there's no upside to the risk of bringing Sammy onboard. No matter how much he works to change his image this year, the fact is that Sammy is getting older and will never be the power performer he once was. On top of his falling power numbers, he has shown that he is a sub-par defender and doesn't really have his team's best interests at heart.

The Cubs (and the rest of us fans) should accept that he's coming back and start to lay the groundwork for what it's going to take for him to be accepted back in the fold.

I don't care if Sammy comes back and sulks. I don't care if he comes back and doesn't apologize. I don't care if he complains to anybody within earshot.

Just come back and play. Play like you did when you were 16 and the game was all that mattered to you. Play like you're getting paid an astronomical amount of money to play a game. Play for all the fans who will still be in right field cheering you on when you charge out of the dugout. And if you can't do it for them, do it for yourself. Play for your legacy.

Years from now, do you want to be remembered as the player who dragged down your teammates into your mire or the one who hit over 500 (and possibly 600) home runs and was a member of a world series team?

Hopefully all of this will dawn on our aging slugger because there is no point in paying Sammy to go somewhere else. Sammy is no dummy. He realizes that this is a contract year and if he doesn't shape up, next year his contract will be closer to the league minimum than to the $18 million he's making this year.

So bring him back and let's see if he can bring back our memories of 1998 and be a part of history.
Finally, Baker has to step up and lay some ground rules. Sammy no longer runs the team and he needs to accept that he is just a minor piece of the puzzle. Baker says he won't take away the captain's 'C' because he didn't issue it, but not only should he take away the captain's 'C' but he should also be prepared to take away the Cubs 'C' because I'd rather have him sitting at home collecting his salary than ruining what promises to be a fantastic year for the Cubs in 2005!

Go Cubs!

2005 Chicago Cubs Individual Tickets on Sale Feb 25

2005-01-25T11:08:00.000-05:00

Chicago Cubs Tickets
The Cubs have announced that individual game tickets will go on sale on Friday February 25th.

At this point they have not released the plan for selling the tickets, but if last year is any indication then tickets will go on sale at Wrigley Field an hour before becoming available via the Internet or phone.

Prospective buyers will be able to pick up a 'number' the day or two prior to the 25th and on that morning, the Cubs will draw for the number that will start the line at the Wrigley Field box office.

If last year was any indication, the bleacher seats for all of the weekend games will be gone before the Internet and phone sales even begin which means you better be in line yourself or know somebody who's willing to get tickets for you.

Personally, I'm probably going to be stuck on the phone and Internet again this year and ultimately will have to scalp a couple of seats for the weekends that I can get back up to Wrigley.

The price we pay for being an out of town Cubs fan...

The Chicago Cubs Sammy Sosa Saga

2005-01-23T14:37:00.000-05:00

Everybody knows Sammy Sosa. For years he has been one of the cornerstone baseball players in the Major Leagues and he is widely credited for helping bring baseball back during 1998 when he and Mark McGuire chased down Roger Maris' legendary single year home run record.

Since 1993 Sammy Sosa has hit more home runs than any other player in baseball - yes, even more than Barry Bonds. He has surpassed 60 home runs in a year 3 times (frustratingly the only years that anybody else has surpassed 60 and Sammy's total - relegating him to eternal bridesmaid status...). He has started every game in Wrigley field by racing out to right field and saluting the fans who come out win or lose to support the Cubs.

Now, everybody wants him to leave. After spending 10 years building Sammy into this mythical creation, they are shocked when he behaves like he's special and plays by his own rules. For years we've heard about the 'Sammy Rules'. The special rules that signal that he is the centerpoint of ths Cubs team and that everybody else is 2nd (or lower).

The past 2 years Sammy has started showing signs of mortality. He is getting injured. His batting average is plummeting. He seems be standing in the next county over from home plate. He steadfastly refused to change his attitude at the plate, regardless of the situation. He apparently thinks the cut-off man stands somewhere near the visitors on deck circle. And he continues to think of himself as one of the great players in the game.

.253 BA, 35 HR, 80 RBIs does not make you one of the great players. In fact it places you 138th in BA, 19th in HR and 73rd in RBIs. Now, granted, having those home run and RBI totals in an injury shortened year is commendable, it just doesn't warrant the special treatment any more.

I don't begrudge the $18million Sammy is going to earn this year. He is being rewarded for his performance over the past decade. Years when he was a bargain. However, the attitude and performance are now starting to drag down the entire team. 10 years ago this wouldn't have mattered. The team would have been so low to begin with that the home runs would have been one of the few exciting moments of the season. But now, with the collection of talent on the field, the Cubs need a leader who is not more important than his team mates.

It seems that most of Cub-dom would like to see Sammy traded. Even if it costs most of his salary to do it. I think this is a mistake. Sammy is a proud man and a warrior of a player - and this is a contract year. Would you rather have him reigned in by another organization and producing while the Cubs still pay him or would you rather take a chance on him while wearing the Cubs 'C'?

I say - straighten him up. Hold him accountable to the same standards of his team mates. Bat him where his approach and talent warrant. Rest him when he's getting tired. Let him lead the team, but make him lead it by example. Slap the ball to right field to advance a runner. Hit the cutoff man to hold the runners. Step up and take accountability for your actions and recognize that you made some mistakes. If there's anything Americans love, it's somebody who admits their problems and works to overcome them.

Today in the Chicago papers are a number of articles talking about what the Cubs should do with Sammy -
"Baker hopes Sammy will rebound with big year"
"Unloading Sammy remains the Cubs' best option"

At the end of this year (and possibly before) one of these two articles will be proven right. I'm hoping for the former. I'm hoping that Sammy arrives at spring training without the chip on his shoulder and without a replacement boom box and displays the leadership that warrants wearing the captain's 'c' on his shoulder and that he leads the Cubs to the goal that every 'believer' has - the World Series.

Phi Arvia from Chicago's Daily Southtown has a column titled "Apologize? One of Sammy's teammates must face music, too"

He points out that following the final game of last season that one of Sammy's teammates smashed Sosa's infamous boom box with a bat and that this teammate owes Sammy something.

I agree. I think the teammates should come together like the climactic scene of "Murder on the Orient Express" and tell Sammy that they all took a swing. That the demise of the boom box came at the hands of every member of a united Cubs team and that they welcome him back into the team with open arms. That they want him to join a team and not just be a player. Then, together, they can focus on the task at hand.

And just so Sammy doesn't have to sit in silence they should replace his boom box

with an IPod.

Believe in the Cubs

2005-01-23T14:36:00.000-05:00

"Believe"

That's the word on the new Cubs marketing promotion. The Chicago Cubs are selling 'cubbie blue' rubber bracelets to fans who want to show their support and their belief. The bracelets cost $2 and the proceeds go to Cubbie Care, the charitable arm of the Cubs organization.

As soon as I can get one, I'll shell out my $2 and pick one up - because I believe. When I was in high school I had a sweatshirt with the famous Cubs 'C' on the chest with the words below it: "If It Takes Forever". It's the attitude you have to have if you're a Cubs fan. It's a blind love for the team that inhabits the greatest party venue in sports.

I grew up in Chicago (not all so long ago) in a time when bleacher seats went on sale on game day. When the ideal Friday afternoon consisted of skipping school or work and hitting Wrigley field for a happy hour that started just after lunch and eventually spilled out into the local neighborhood. The Cubs game was the event but the party was the reason people went. Win or lose, it was a great time and to this day I try to get back to Chicago every year for at least one happy hour weekend.

In between, I watched WGN and as many Cubs games as I could and I believed. On a typical year, the belief was drained by late May and I was forced to believe in next year.

Then, a few years ago, a strange thing happened. The Cubs started to improve. Not like in the past where there was a one year anomoly where they'd surprise everybody, make the playoffs and quickly exit not to be heard from again for 5-10 years. No, they actually were putting a good team on the field built around a young stable of stud pitchers who could overcome any offensive deficencies that the team had. This new team seemed to actually have a chance to win. To overcome the curse. To overcome the Tribune Company owners who were happy with a full ballpark every weekend and a profitable bottom line. To overcome 96 years (and counting) of frustration.

This weekend is the high point of the year for us 'beleivers' - The annual Cubs Convention. The owners and managers and players talk about how this is the year. This year the players will be healthy and the offense will click and the pitching will dominate and the Cubs will go to, and win, the World Series! Well, I believe. Hell, we're tied for first place right now!

This year I want you to believe too! Go out and buy a bracelet (details to follow when they're available) and believe! Join the best fans in sports and live and die with every wild pitch and every swing for the fences. Enjoy every win, bemoan every loss and if nothing else, get yourself to the Wrigley Field bleachers for a Cubs game some afternoon to find out why - once you're a believer, you'll always be a believer.

GO CUBS!!!