Best Len and Bob podcast yet

I just watched this episode of the Len and Bob’s Weekly Podcast from WGN, and you should know that this is a video podcast all about the Chicago Cubs. More so, it’s the two guys who do the TV play-by-play for the club, and I’ve been subscribed to it for a while.

Like all podcasts that are done by mainstream entities who have dove into the podcasting realm, it’s slightly rehashed formulas that are put to podcast. Big whoop, right?

But this is the stuff that I want to see more of! These guys walk through the tunnels of Wrigley Field, taking a dark tour of the route you have to make in order to go from the visiting team’s clubhouse to the dugout. Five minutes long, and now I am posting about it to help spread the word about this thing I just saw to the world. Now, you can go watch it, too. Can’t do that with live TV unless someone tapes it an tosses it on YouTube, but WGN is giving it to you in full, on demand quality. I like that a lot.

Opening day: 2007

CubsOfficially, the opening day for the season was yesterday. However, today is the first day for the Chicago Cubs, so that makes this the real opening day.

This year, I don’t know what to expect. Lou Piniella and a fleet of new faces are on the team this year. The same thing that has been said every year is happening again, but now we actually have hope. Not only that, but reason to hope. And not only that, but Ronny Cedeno made the opening day roster? The boy has become a man.

Fingers crossed, let the season begin.

A whole new ball club for the northside

So far, Lou Pinella has been a good addition to lure some big talent for the Cubs. GM Jim Hendry is doing his fair share, but I’m leaning towards Big Lou’s appeal as a guy who likes to win as to the reason for getting some of the new guys coming in, not to mention getting Ramirez to stick around.

Cubs complete blockbuster with Soriano

CHICAGO — Alfonso Soriano’s 40-40-40 season now equals $136 million.

The Cubs, who have been signing players at a dizzying pace, locked in the free agent outfielder on Monday to an eight-year deal believed to be worth $136 million. It’s the richest deal in Cubs history, topping the five-year, $73 million contract that third baseman Aramis Ramirez inked one week ago.

It’s also the fifth-largest package ever given to a Major League player, behind Alex Rodriguez ($252 million for 10 years), Derek Jeter ($189 million for 10 years), Manny Ramirez ($160 million for eight years) and Todd Helton ($141.5 million for 11 years).

The power has definitely shifted in the National League Central.

“They [Cubs] are stacking it,” Brewers manager Ned Yost said. “You look at Soriano, Ramirez and [Derrek] Lee, and they’re going to have quite a team. We’re not going to be able to match their thump, so we’re going to have to have good pitching and defense to compete. They’re looking pretty good right now.”

When general manager Jim Hendry named Lou Piniella the new Cubs manager on Oct. 17, he promised the team would provide the resources to turn things around after a 66-96 season and a last-place finish in the National League. He’s done just that.

So far, the Cubs have re-signed Ramirez, pitcher Kerry Wood (one year, $1.75 million), catcher Henry Blanco (two years, $5.25 million) and pitcher Wade Miller (one year, $1.5 million). The Cubs also have signed free agent infielder Mark DeRosa to a three-year, $13 million deal and traded for left-handed reliever Neal Cotts. They still have some issues to address, such as completing the starting rotation. [mlb]

Being a lifelong fan of baseball, it’s deals like this that make me shake my head at hockey fans complaining about how much money the guys in the NHL are making. You can’t even compare the two sports, but baseball is far less vicious than hockey. Some guys in the NHL get more injuries in a season than a baseball player will get in his whole career.

That being said, why in the world did they resign Wade Miller? He barely played last season, but the guy can pitch well when he’s healthy. Kind of sounds like another guy that they resigned, but could this coming season be the beginning of seeing Kerry Wood in a closer roll? That makes me excited, but I must be missing something about Miller.

Most off seasons for Cubs fans, we’re excited about a single, big trade that is bound to make this year the year. And as we all know, that goes to crap. I’m not singing that tune just yet, but these movements leave my mouth hanging open a little bit. I’m not used to this.

Now they just need to play some interleague ball in Seattle so I can bleed some Cubbie blue on the west coast.

Lou, Lou, Lou for the Cubbies

Lou PiniellaI’m totally late to the game here, but the baseball season, for me, was officially over on September 30th. Technically, you could say, as a Cubs fan, the season was over in July. Whatever.

The point is, Dusty’s out, Lou Piniella is in. I take his three year contract in Chicago with mixed feelings, mainly because he’s replacing an outstanding guy like Dusty Baker. Lou is a much different manager, and that’s probably why the Cubs went for him. We want to win, and that can’t be said more than getting this guy to take the helm.

When I think of Lou Piniella[wiki], I always picture him getting pissed off and yelling until his face goes blue. You can tell me that I’m completely off base on that remark, but these are the things that I remember growing up as a kid. What you can’t argue with is the fact that he is the most ejected manager in the history of baseball. This should tell you that 2007 is going to be quite the ride in the friendly confines.

Maybe things have changed. Maybe Piniella has aged like fine wine, and conniption fits will be kept to a moderate level. I really doubt it, but I’m envisioning a vastly different look on the bench next season compared to the smooth look of Baker gnawing on a toothpick. And those rumors of Alex Rodriguez[wiki] wanting to leave the Yankees to come play for Piniella, for the love of god, better not be true. A-Rod can keep his pepsi loving butt in the Bronx.

Oh, and the Cards won the series. Good for them.

Good Bye, Dusty

Dusty Baker is out as the main man on the bench for the Cubs.

CHICAGO (AP) – Dusty Baker is out as the Chicago Cubs’ manager following a last-place finish and a failure to take the team to the World Series in his four-year tenure.

The Cubs made the announcement Monday, a day after team president Andy MacPhail resigned and the club finished with a 66-96 record.

“I wish we could have (got) it done but we didn’t,” Baker said. “You see four years come to pass very quickly.”

Baker was in the last season of his deal – worth over US$14 million – and had hoped to resurrect the franchise that hadn’t been in the World Series since 1945 and hadn’t won one since 1908. The Cubs got within five outs of the Series in 2003, but never came close after that.

He compiled a 322-326 record during his time in Chicago. [tsn]

It’s tough to be a fan here in Vancouver, but I think I followed the team nicely this season. However, this year has been so up and down, and I would probably say that it’s been more down than up. Baker isn’t the guy to completely blame here. He has had great guys come into the organization, but the amount of injuries has been the constant problem. Shortly after the all-star break, I didn’t keep up with the guys on TV as much as I did before that. Reading the wires and catching a few podcasts, I wasn’t missing a whole lot.

I’ll miss seeing Dusty on the bench. He’s a serious manager, but the emotions you get out of him was a part of the fun. So many managers are stone faced and almost robot-like. Baker would jump off the bench, smack his hands together, and give out a audible yell on a great play. Can’t forget that we won’t see his kid sitting on his lap as he gives post-game interviews anymore.

So long, Dusty. You did your best, and I was always a fan, no matter what the record was.

It’s just been one of those years

Cesar Izturis is now, officially, a Cub.

The Chicago Cubs on Tuesday placed shortstop Cesar Izturis on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.

Izturis left Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh inning with the injury.

Acquired in a trade-deadline deal that sent four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Izturis is batting .246 with one homer and 17 RBI in 49 games this season. [tsn]

Welcome to the the black hole, Cesar. Wrigley Field seems to be the place where talent is sucked out of your soul. Gremlins move at the speed of light to do all that they can in order to make sure that you are never healthy, and that is only after the evil overlord deems you to be having a decent season. You’re an even bigger target if the word “prospect” or “hope” is mentioned in reference to your name.

October came early this year

I knew the season wasn’t going well for the Cubs, but this is the nail in the coffin. Declare the season over and get ready for next season. Maybe Maddux[wiki] and Normar[wiki] can compile notes to write a book on the black hole that seems to hover over Wrigley Field[wiki].

The Chicago Cubs dealt Maddux to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Cesar Izturis ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline, agent Scott Boras said.

Maddux waived his no-trade clause to join the Dodgers.

Maddux began the season with a 5-0 record but the 40-year-old has won just four games since. He is 9-11 with a 4.69 earned-run average in 22 starts.

Maddux started his career with the Cubs before leaving after the 1992 season as a free agent to join the Atlanta Braves. He spent 11 years with Atlanta, where he won four Cy Young Awards as the National League’s best pitcher, before rejoining the Cubs in 2004. [cbc]

Start warming up your chops now. Ready? Now say it with me… Next year is- ah just forget it.

Edit: I missed the news of Todd Walker being traded to the San Diego Padres[tsn] in exchange for a minor league pitcher.  Good luck, Todd.  You served us well, but why a minor league guy?  Rumor had it, we almost got Morgan Ensberg from Houston for Walker.

Some one hit the reset button

Carlos ZambranoI’m not one who gets full on into blogging about sports, but as a Cubs fan, it’s a little hard not to. And being all the way up in Vancouver, I think I’ve been doing a fairly good job paying attention to what’s been going on. Combining the powers of RSS feeds and podcasts, it’s easy to see that this season is turning more and more painful.

First, it was the broken wrist of Derek Lee. That should have clued all of us in as to what we were in store for. Wood and Prior have been nothing but a bag of problems, having something constantly dragging them down. I love them as pitchers, but kids, let this be a lesson to you. Being a pitcher can really mess your shoulder up, especially if you start throwing curve balls and junk at a young age.

Mark PriorI had a buddy growing up that could throw the most wicked curve, sinker, and slider, all at the age of fifteen. It was shortly after that age that I developed a disliking for organized sports in school, focusing more on the arts, but that other guy went on for just a few more seasons until struggles with tendinitis and reoccuring shoulder pain was common, all before we graduated high school.

When Woody and Prior are healthy, they are great, but this is another chapter in a growing list of problems for both of the guys. I’m not too sure that the Cubs should keep investing so much in the two of them if these problems keep happening. I don’t want to see them cut or traded, but at what point do you say enough is enough?

And to almost add even more crap onto what is turning into a crappy season, there’s Zambrano’s recent mishap.

In a bizarre accident, Zambrano’s right elbow was struck by the bat of a White Sox coach during the American League’s batting practice before Tuesday’s All-Star Game. […]

Zambrano was doing interviews with members of the Venezuelan media when he backed up into the swing of White Sox third base coach Joey Cora, who was hitting infield grounders.

The fungo bat slammed into Zambrano’s right elbow and he was taken to a local hospital, where X-rays were negative, according to a source close to the situation. The extent of the injury, and any effect it might have on Zambrano taking his turn in the rotation, is unknown. [mlb]

There’s talk of firing Dusty Baker, but is he really to blame? Look what they guy has to work with. People were starting to wonder about Juan Pierre and why the Cubs ever got him. Once Lee was back, he’s been producing some good numbers and the fans love him again, saying we need to sign him for next year already.

Cubs fan cryingEverything is seeming to be too little, too late. When certain things are going well, others aren’t. Listening to the CubsCast not long ago, they were going through a list of players from around the league that we should be watching out for in terms of next season. Next season?! Is it time to give up already?

Well, at 34-54, fifth place in the N.L. central, and 14.5 games out of first, there is a hell of a lot that needs to start going the right way. Never try to out guess the all-star break. It can do magical things to teams, good and bad. Let’s hope for good, eh? 

Wireless is a big deal to baseball, Cubs

A major milestone for baseball, the Chicago Cubs, and folks like me that dig it.

The Chicago Cubs and Motorola, Inc. will unveil the League’s first wireless bullpen communication system on June 13, 2006 at historic Wrigley Field, Major League Baseball’s second-oldest ballpark. Motorola developed the MOTOTALK(TM) system in cooperation with the Chicago Cubs, ushering in a new era for bullpen phone communication.  [tmcnet]

I’m all for new technology doing cool things, but this is a tad nutty for a new way to talk to the bullpen, not to mention that you could almost yell down to it from the dugout if you wanted to.

Installation of the new phone system is being treated as history-in-the-making. Major League Baseball and the Hall of Fame will be in attendance to witness the first wireless call to the bullpen by Cubs Manager Dusty Baker or Houston Astros’ Manager Phil Garner, according to the press release. And following the game, the Motorola i580 phone will be taken to Cooperstown, home of baseball’s Hall of Fame, and placed on display.  [cnet]

Another season, another year

ZambranoNot everything has been dismal this season, but it hasn’t been that great either.  Wood and Prior are back on the mend, but I swear I’ve heard that story before.  Our big man, Lee, gets hurt just as the weight of the team tosses itself on his shoulders.  Pierre was the answer to our Patterson prayers only to have a weak start to the season.  And we bid farewell to a usually solid Harriston Jr., bringing in a bigger bat from Texas the hopes that the offense can be stronger.  I know for a fact that I’ve heard that story more than a few times.

All isn’t lost just yet.  The road to a respectable season is totally there, but the playoffs are turning into a crapshoot.  Sure, the all-star break hasn’t even gone by, but the way this year is panning out, it’s not looking very hopefull.  I’m not giving up, and you can bet that I am completely prepared to eat my words.

Lots of teams have risen to the challenge, battling their way back into contension.  How many times have we looked at this team only to think that there is no way we can’t have a great season this year?  And then, they start getting picked off one by one.  Injuries, slumps, and so on.  It’s the heartbreak of being a Cubs fan.  I wouldn’t want to be anything else.