Results tagged “chicagocubs”

There is a time and a place for everything. Cubs fans watching the interview between Len & Bob and Erik Estrada last night learned that a 7th inning interview might not be the best place for a conversation about seeing "a lot of child pornography" as well as bringing up - in a complimentary manner - the best known part of Ron Jeremy.

Despite the fact White Sox fans outnumber Cubs fans on this site (though a Cubs fan is in charge), we have to take time to acknowledge a historic game played within the Friendly Confines 25 years ago today. It was on June 23rd, 1984 that the baseball world saw what a young player with the goofily-spelled first name of "Ryne" could do.

Our two beloved baseball teams face off this week for the first time this season, and as usual the hoopla and hype over the series begins well in advance of the first pitch. Never one to shy away from taking the first shot, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen let his true feelings for the Friendly Confines be known on Sunday: "One thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there." He continued, "That's just to be honest. And if Cub fans don't like the way I talk about Wrigley Field, it's just Wrigley Field. I don't say anything about the fans or anything now. But Wrigley Field, they got to respect my opinion. That's the way I feel."

Curses sure are a hard thing to shake, and the one hanging over the Cubs may have reared its ugly head again this weekend [Ed's Note: Benjy, I've told you that curses aren't real! - M.G.]. The Cubs have lost their ace for a while, with word coming Monday afternoon that Carlos Zambrano is headed to the 15-Day DL for an injury suffered on the basepaths. This trip to the disabled list comes after Zambrano injured his hamstring trying to beat out a bunt on Sunday. He'll likely miss his next three scheduled starts.

Despite prior beliefs that baseball season would bring with it rainbows and clear skies and flocks of birds and 60+ temps and spring cleavage and all the majesty and glory that goes along with baseball, here we sit in dismal Chicago greyness and chill. No matter! The Chicagoist Podcast Series has the joy of springtime in its heart, and you can hear it in our voices as we sing zip-a-dee freaking doo-dah into today's (and tomorrow's) games.

The Chicago Cubs firmed up their bullpen with today's announcement that Kevin Gregg will start the season as the team's closer instead of Carlos Marmol. Gregg, acquired during the offseason from the Florida Marlins, was 7-8 with a 3.41 ERA and 29 saves in 38 save opportunities last year while Marmol, primarily a set-up man behind then-closer Kerry Wood, was 2-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 7 saves in 9 save opportunities, though he did look shaky at times compared to his stellar 2007 run as the Cubs' set-up man. Besides more major league experience, Gregg's better statistics throughout Spring Training seem to have given him the edge. Though as the Trib's Paul Sullivan points out, the closer position shouldn't be an issue as between Gregg's experience and Marmol's potential, the team should be fine; it's the middle relief men that's causing some worries with only one left-hander (Neal Cotts) in the bullpen. [Tribune]

Safely away from Chicago, Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney mentioned the team's desire to play a total of 50 night games, an increase over the current 30 allowed in an agreement between the club, the city and the local Wrigleyville residents. Speaking to the Marco Island (FL) Sunrise Rotary Club, Kenney explained, "Players like a routine," and that additional night games would relieve the players of playing day games after arriving from road trips in the early-morning hours. In 2009, the Cubs have just one game that falls into that category -- their home opener on April 12 following a night game in Milwaukee.

The Cubs announced this week that on May 3, they will retire jersey #31. And while they will be increasing the number of numbers from four to five, the club of honorees will be increasing by 50%. This retirement ceremony will be unique, in that two players will be having the number retired in their honor. Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux -- perhaps the best two pitchers ever to wear Cubs pinstripes -- both wore the number during their days in Chicago and will see it hung at Wrigley in their honors.

Despite the fact the Tribune Company has picked a buyer for the Chicago Cubs, it doesn't look like they'll be rid of the team by Opening Day as had been originally hoped. Cubs chairman Crane Kenney said talks to hammer out an official deal continue and that the negotiations will likely continue even as the Cubs' April 6th Opening Day comes and goes.

Some think they're a key element of Wrigley's "ballpark in a neighborhood" charm. Others hold them in disdain for the way they turned a quirky fringe benefit of living near Wrigley into a business, making money hand-over-fist from a stolen product. Sure, the rooftops surrounding Wrigley Field now pay a fee to the Cubs. But they still howl over any proposed enhancements to the ballpark that might limit their sight lines even if it might improve the cash flow for the team that's actually paying the players' salaries.

He may be known as "Sweet Lou" to Cubs fans, but Lou Piniella sure doesn't feel that way towards EPSN's baseball analyst Steve Phillips after his recent comments on Chet Coppack's radio show. Appearing on ESPN 1000 with Coppack, Phillips accused the Cubs skipper of lacking patience with Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome last season.

At this year's much-discussed NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, two jumbotrons were erected in the outfield bleachers to give fans with questionable sight lines a chance to see some of the action. But now one rooftop owner, furious over the fact that the video screens blocked the view of the ice for his customers, is refusing to pay the Cubs a 2008 profit-sharing payment out of protest. The owner is Anthony Racky, who owns Lakeview Baseball Club (3633 N. Sheffield). Per the Sun-Times:

Single game tickets for the 2009 season go on sale this Friday, but if you want to get seats from the Wrigley Field box office, you'll first need a numbered wrist band. Wrist bands will be distributed at at Wrigley Field from 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday and from 7:00 .a.m - 10:00 p.m. on Thursday. The starting number will be randomly drawn and announced on WGN (720AM) shortly after 6:00 a.m. on Friday and tickets will be sold starting at 8:00 a.m. at the box office (10 a.m. online).

We don't care what that rodent in Pennsylvania says, spring starts as soon as pitchers and catchers report. That means spring is here because the Cubs pitchers and catchers arrive in camp later today, while the White Sox battery mates arrive on Sunday.

Continuing to re-work their roster ahead of the start of Spring Training in two weeks, the Cubs traded away two once promising pitchers in separate deals on Monday. The team announced that they traded the once promising lefty Rich Hill to Baltimore in return for a player to be named later. And to think it was only two years ago, the Cubs considered Hill to be one of their few untouchable pieces after he went 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA in '07. But then he lost his ability to throw strikes, which is apparently important when one's a pitcher, and spent the bulk of 2008 in the minors.

Following a search that has taken almost two years, the Cubs may finally have their new owners. The Tribune Co. selected the bid from the Ricketts family as their favored bid yesterday. It's by no means a done deal, however, as the Ricketts will have to secure financing and pass hurdles with MLB and other team owners. But hopes are to have the deal closed by Opening Day.

With 2009 rolling around, many of us made New Years resolutions -- go to bed earlier, save more money, eat better. For the Cubs, apparently, their resolution was giving up Pie. The North Siders traded Felix Pie, their onetime center fielder of the future, to the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend in return for two pitchers. In return for Pie - who will perhaps be best remembered for his twisted testicle - the Cubs landed left-handed pitcher Garrett Olson and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson. Olson was just 9-10 with a 6.65 ERA in 26 starts for Baltimore last season.

Coinciding with the start of 2007 baseball season began, Sam Zell purchased the Tribune Co. and announced that he was putting the Cubs up for sale to help pay down the company's debt. Two full seasons later, the team remains part of his now bankrupt media empire. But this seemingly endless process of determining the winning bidder may be over soon. From an initial pool of at least 10 interested parties, the Cubs have asked three bidders to polish up their bids as the team decides which to accept. The three finalists are: Tom Ricketts, Marc Utay and Hersch Klaff.

As we mentioned earlier today, the Chicago Cubs could be close to being officially sold. Meanwhile, one man who many fans and players favored for the team was Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who's bid took a hit with the announcement last fall he was being investigated by the S.E.C. for insider trading. Today, Cuban took to his blog to discuss the Cubs, his proposal, the obstacles to his bid, and the credit crisis. An excerpt is below, but you can check out the whole thing here.

My sense of the entire situation was that whoever the new owner of the Cubs would be, it was in the Sox best interest for things to stay business as usual. Published TV ratings and other published measures showed that the Cubs were more popular than the Sox, yet before I even started looking at the Cubs, I knew from my discussions with people in the NBA that the Cubs and Sox were treated as equals in their business dealings. That was great for the Sox, not so good for the Cubs. Im guessing the people in the Sox organization knew, that if I bought the team, particularly at the price point that was being suggested in the papers, there was no way I would just accept parity in future business dealings. I was going to have to try to negotiate the very best deals possible for the Cubs, even if it was at the expense of the White Sox.

Continue reading "Mark Cuban Blogs About The Cubs"

Just as the nation prepares to swear in a new president, the Chicago Cubs could learn the identity of their new owner by the time Obama sets up his personal radio in the Oval Office. Or, the Tribune Company might just pull the team off the market altogether. Such is the process of selling a major sports franchise. A "source" tells the Trib that the winning bidder could be announced within the next seven to ten days. However, the Cubs may not be sold at all. Another "source" "cautioned that the process of narrowing the auction to one bidder still could be derailed, and Tribune Co. could pull the team and its landmark stadium off the market."

Once the winning bid is chosen, the deal is far from completion. Tribune Co. plans to enter into negotiations with the prospective buyer to work out a sale. Tight credit markets make it more difficult to obtain loans to finance a transaction that could approach $1 billion.

The Cubs on Monday announced that they had reached an agreement with outfielder Milton Bradley on a three year, $30 million deal. Did the Cubs make a bold move toward addressing the need for an upgrade in right field and a left-handed bat (Bradley's a switch hitter)? Or will the team be "Sorry"? We haven't a "Clue."

So does Sweet Lou have to fear for his job? Not quite yet we suspect, but the North Siders have promoted former Cubs great Ryne Sandberg to manager of their Double-A affiliate, the Tennessee Smokies. Ryno had previously managed the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, guiding them to 71-68 and 60-78-1 records in '07 and '08. That's all it takes to earn a promotion in the minors? Of course, we're sure his Hall of Famer status and high profile within the organization means he's cut a little slack.

Image via the Tribune