tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57140212011-04-21T14:44:08.928-05:00Creeping Inexorably Toward A Worthwhile Sub-Heading.Dereknoreply@blogger.comBlogger1321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1084894425429629922004-05-18T10:33:00.000-05:002004-05-18T12:14:08.953-05:00

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've finally gone and done it. The Big Red C is moving, and you can find it at www.bigredc.com. From now on, all new postings will appear at the new site. This spot will remain operational until Blogger decides to make it go away, which likely means it'll be around in perpetuity, so if you'd like to check out any posts from before today, this is

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1084649478559175442004-05-15T14:30:00.000-05:002004-05-15T14:31:18.560-05:00

I've never had a problem with the Padres. Lately, I've even liked them a bit. I don't have any hard feelings about their comeback victory in the NLCS 20 years ago, mostly because I was young in my Cubfandom at the time, so my personal investment level wasn't nearly as high as it is now. However, something about seeing them sport the uniforms they wore in 1984 - the year they dashed Cub

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1084477593666443182004-05-13T14:44:00.000-05:002004-05-13T14:46:33.666-05:00

This is the team fielded by our boys today, in the order they appear at the plate. Goodwin CF Macias 2B Alou LF Ramirez 3B Hollandsworth RF Lee 1B Martinez SS Bako C Zambrano P Is this some sort of twisted challenge lineup? Dusty says, "Well, Carlos, you had our best start of the year last time out, so let's see if you can win with this offense! Don't complain, I'm trying to get

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1084475285454055692004-05-13T14:07:00.000-05:002004-05-13T14:08:05.453-05:00

Have I mentioned that I hate the SoCal trip? I just can't bring myself to comment on the travesty unfolding in the Silicone Valley, so I'll get after some odds and ends. Two Out Wha?!? There's been a lot of gabbing on the Cubs' television broadcasts about the team's "two out magic," so I thought I'd take a moment to use the considerable angst I've built up over the last couple games to rip

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1084386059010576762004-05-12T13:20:00.000-05:002004-05-12T13:30:29.040-05:00

Is it coincidence that the day after Kerry Wood experiences "tightness" in his triceps that my copy of Saving The Pitcher arrives? While there may have been a game played last night - one in which the Cubs were thoroughly spanked - Wood's injury was the story of the contest, and unfortunately, I don't have much to add to the cacophony except to say that we should all follow the advice of the

Dereknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1084303318978361572004-05-11T09:57:00.000-05:002004-05-11T14:21:58.976-05:00

I'm in a bit of a post-familial-visit-haze, and I saw very little of the four games since my last post, but here are a couple of things I noticed in my side-view mirror. It's still too early to say this for a fact, and his 5 for 5 game has clouded the picture a bit, but Derrek Lee's .406/.513/.625 in the first nine games of May is making me think he's turned his annual corner. This is

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083864342867576052004-05-06T12:25:00.000-05:002004-05-06T12:28:56.030-05:00

I'm tired and cranky, so I'll take some time to wonder aloud about the apparent decision to use the Cubs' offense in a remake of Swing Kids. I hear Bill James will be assuming the Kenneth Brannaugh Memorial Sneering Nazi Villain role, as he attempts to oppress the Cubs' swinging ways and force them to control the strike zone. Corey Patterson will reprise Robert Sean Leonard's masterful turn as

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083617045197239722004-05-03T15:44:00.000-05:002004-05-03T15:47:00.653-05:00

I didn't feel like trying to put together a cohesive piece with an actual through-line, so in my fit of laziness I bring you my in game notes. Nice play by Maddux to get the first out of the game against Tony Womack. He's always so prepared to field his position, and this was no exception, as he needed all six inches of his vertical leap to snag Womack's line drive up the middle. After

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083533684187896882004-05-02T16:34:00.000-05:002004-05-02T16:37:53.436-05:00

There's not a lot to say here. It was a fantastically pitched game for the most part, with Matt Morris holding the Cubs down for nine innings, and Big Z throwing as well as I've ever seen him for seven. LaTroy Hawkins did a wonderful job getting out of a couple of tight spots - one created by Kent Mercker, and one of his own making - to throw two very important late, scoreless innings. In

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083512588303191682004-05-02T10:43:00.000-05:002004-05-02T10:46:17.090-05:00

I was notable in my absence yesterday, and it was due primarily to an unfortunate lack of an internet connection. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but by the time the unnamed service provider (I'll give you a hint: rhymes with BOMBAST) got the issue fixed, it was close to game time. Besides, as I hungrily trolled for other's takes, I found that Brian Gunn at Redbird Nation had said most of

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083338103769047682004-04-30T10:15:00.000-05:002004-04-30T15:39:49.763-05:00

Yesterday, the Cubs made a trade with the Detroit Tigers, sending 22 year-old fireballing lefty, Felix Sanchez, to the Puddy Tats in exchange for 20 year-old lefty control artist, Jon Connolly and a player to be named. The exchange of players itself might not be terribly significant. Sanchez has a great arm, but as was pointed out in Bryan Stroh’s report on the Cubs’ Top 30 Prospects at the

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083271392128450972004-04-29T15:43:00.000-05:002004-04-29T15:46:18.123-05:00

The Cubs narrowly avoided being swept in a three game series for the first time since September 24-26, 2002 - a series in which they scored two runs against the Cincinnati Reds. Victory was theirs despite blowing a 3-1 lead, giving up three home runs to Steve Finley, and generally looking confused and out of sorts against Casey Deagle. I'm just thankful that the club squeaked by with a win,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083153434896548632004-04-28T06:57:00.000-05:002004-04-28T07:05:16.233-05:00

guh

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1083082188578197672004-04-27T11:09:00.000-05:002004-04-27T11:12:52.826-05:00

I have a confession to make. I stopped watching the game after five and a half innings. This was due to a combination of factors: 1) The seven runs the Cubs had given up to that point 2) The complete, undeniable dominance of Randy Johnson 3) My daughter's unexpected presentation of a window of opportunity for sleep None of these factors on their own is usually enough to put me off a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082931488636170262004-04-25T17:18:00.000-05:002004-04-25T17:21:51.216-05:00

Other than Kerry Wood, there is no Cub pitcher I enjoy watching when they've got their "A" game going more than Matt Clement. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing Prior dominate while seeming to expend the level of effort I put into brushing my teeth with a Sonicare, and it's great fun to witness Big Z howling at the heavens while doing untold damage to the real estate market for infield-dwelling

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082919207717650612004-04-24T22:14:00.000-05:002004-04-25T14:04:00.373-05:00

During six starts against New York from 2001-2003, Kerry Wood has posted a 3-1 record, with 24 hits, 3 home runs, 19 walks, 42 strikeouts and a 1.71 ERA in 42 innings. Today, his domination continued with a stellar seven inning shutout performance, allowing only 4 hits, 2 walks, and striking out 9 helpless Minions...er...Mets. Kent Mercker and LaTroy Hawkins finished the job, and the Cubs got a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082818164458099892004-04-24T09:49:00.000-05:002004-04-24T09:52:25.090-05:00

I think it's pretty cool that this site has reached the point where I get asked my opinion about certain things from time to time. That anyone trusts my judgement and insight at all is flattering, but I need to do a better job of recognizing when someone has basically handed me a suject for a post. Such is the case with a question I received in the comments from reader PD the other day. While I

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082764610970016032004-04-23T18:56:00.000-05:002004-04-23T18:59:51.700-05:00

We all got a chance to see the Greg Maddux we'd been waiting for today, and boy, was it fun to watch. The Professor has reached the point in his career where he needs to be spot on with his control in order to get the job done, and except for a couple exceptions, he was on target all day. I realized after his last outing that to get an idea of what you were in for, all you had to do was watch

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082655292640844332004-04-22T12:34:00.000-05:002004-04-22T12:37:51.716-05:00

Note on the sidebar how many pitches the Cubs saw per plate appearance last night. You're not hallucinating, it indeed says that the club saw 4.48 balls every time at bat. Again, let me say that this is not a predictor of success on an individual game basis (an example from last night, the Astros saw 3.90 PIT/PA to the Cardinals 3.59 PIT/PA, but still lost 12-6. As I said when I introduced

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082565119312731002004-04-21T11:31:00.000-05:002004-04-21T11:34:57.233-05:00

When I think of the things I could have offered my Kingdom for - $1 billion, world peace, a full night of sleep - you'd think I'd be a little disturbed at the relatively paltry return on investment. Yet big, obvious Cub victories may be the exception rather than the rule this season, so I'm extremely satisfied. I observed these games in fits and starts - or rather, in between fits and starts -

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082381496134845452004-04-19T08:31:00.000-05:002004-04-22T12:39:27.496-05:00

I swear, one day I'll write a cohesive piece again; taking a single idea, laying out a comprehensive argument, then wrapping it up and tying a bow on top. Those days will come again, but for now, just figuring out how to turn my computer on is a major step, so fragmented thoughts held loosely together by the literary adhesive known as the "bullet point" are likely to be the staple around here

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082253258716281612004-04-17T20:54:00.000-05:002004-04-17T20:57:13.500-05:00

I know that over the course of 162 games, exciting late wins and heartbreaking late losses will tend to even out, but I'd like to lobby for a respectful distance between the two. One day after a thrilling ninth inning victory at home, a team shouldn't have to suffer the opposite fate to the same opponent. It just isn't right. It doesn't matter what I think, though, as the Reds, who were down

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1082165702445431132004-04-16T20:35:00.000-05:002004-04-16T20:38:27.496-05:00

Boys and girls, ladies and gents, puppies and kitties, it's good to be back. We'll see how long I can keep it up, but I'm in this thing today. Since I've been out so long, I'll go with the long notes format. Top of the 1st It's Mitre vs. Harang today, and it should be interesting to see how many balls fly out of the park for the Cubs, as it's nearly 80 degrees, the wind is blowing out

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081992037760570632004-04-14T20:20:00.000-05:002004-04-15T08:42:09.466-05:00

Some of you may have noticed that I've been strangely silent the last couple of days (which figures, because I've suddenly received a ton more visitors due to a surprising but flattering link in an article on Slate.com; and a hearty welcome to all who came through there, I might add!), and while I'm sorry to have been missing in action, I hope the headline begins to explain it. But I should be

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081715761231203542004-04-11T15:36:00.000-05:002004-04-11T15:38:49.233-05:00

I made a plea at the end of the game notes from last evening's contest for a "good outing from Wood and a shelling of Ortiz," and while the big run totals didn't come until after Russ left, the spirit of my request was honored by the baseball gods. The Cubs got an outstanding outing from Kerry Wood and finally put a game well out of reach in a 10-2 victory, sealing the series with the Braves,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081685243384397322004-04-11T07:07:00.000-05:002004-04-11T07:10:11.450-05:00

I'm obsessed. So are you, if I might boldly use your visit to infer a personal character trait. In fact, it's very likely that we share an obsession about baseball in general, or the Cubs in particular. However, I've added a layer of detail recently, and if you've been reading along the last couple of days, you may have noticed. I've become fixated on the number of pitches Cub hitters see in

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081683605459550642004-04-11T06:40:00.000-05:002004-04-11T06:42:53.030-05:00

Of course, there were plenty of offensive issues last night, and despite my belief that the lack of production is as much to blame for the ensuing debacle as anything else, I'm not going to spend time on that here. This time around there were two decisions that I really had an issue with, and by gum, I'm going after them. Issue #1: Using Andy Pratt in the 8th with a man on and a one run lead

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081605451164566582004-04-10T08:57:00.000-05:002004-04-10T09:00:17.610-05:00

I don't know about you, but after Joe Borowski's second frightening save of the year, sealing a victory for the Cubs in what can only be described as a standoff at high noon - or in this case, midnight - to see who would stop blowing their offensive opportunities first, I just had to go to bed and sleep the whole thing off. After some much needed rest and some time to think, here's what I've

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081522521709297232004-04-09T09:55:00.000-05:002004-04-09T10:19:40.483-05:00

I don't ask for a lot. A healthy, loving family, the company of good friends, a roof over my head. You know, the basics. However, I'd like to add something, though not at the expense of the above. I want the Cubs to see more pitches. I'm not asking for the world, here. I'd never say, for example, that I wanted the club to lead the league in walks. That would be like a little girl asking

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081434584258032832004-04-08T09:29:00.000-05:002004-04-08T09:32:29.186-05:00

Have you ever been watching a game that was scoreless after one inning, and after that single blank frame, found yourself certain of the outcome? That was exactly my experience last night, as I watched the Cubs go down in the top half on nine pitches from Paul Wilson, while the bottom half featured Greg Maddux plunking two guys in the same inning for the first time in his career. From then on

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081353093213997202004-04-07T10:51:00.000-05:002004-04-07T10:54:16.810-05:00

As I spend the day staving off wave after wave of hyperventilation brought on by anticipation of this evening's All American Tribute to Prodigality, it seems as good a time as any to go over some of last night's events. The NL Central has one team sitting atop it, and that team is the Milwaukee Brewers. I was going to do some time consuming, but fun, poking around on

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081287681169742832004-04-06T16:41:00.000-05:002004-04-06T16:44:04.140-05:00

Have I mentioned that I hate this day? Let me be clear: I am not referring to April 6, 2004, in the specific. Actually, there's lots to like about this particular turn of the calendar. It's been a beautiful day so far (being near sixty in Chicago in April is always positive), I've got some fantastic homemade mac 'n cheese waiting at home, and the Cubs won yesterday. That's all good stuff, and

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081221908070119392004-04-05T22:25:00.000-05:002004-04-05T22:27:50.576-05:00

So much for the "new and improved" Kerry Wood. It was a prototypical "Bad Kerry" Sundae, with 5 innings of 95 pitch flavored ice cream, 4 earned runs of hot fudge, and a wild pitch third strike for a cherry on top. In past years, the rest of the team would dig into this culinary abomination with the zest of Cartman's fat farm flunkies, gorging themselves into sedentary oblivion while their

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1081115813890158532004-04-04T16:56:00.000-05:002004-04-04T16:59:34.640-05:00

It doesn't show up on any transaction wires that I can find, but buried in a Sun-Times piece on Aramis Ramirez is news that, in an apparent effort to acquire every jackstraw infielder on the open market, the Cubs signed Benji Gil to a minor league deal on Friday. Gil plays fine defense at second and short, but like Damian Jackson and Jose Macias, he can't hit a lick. Yet, I'm not going to

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080932083683484772004-04-02T12:54:00.000-06:002004-04-02T12:57:22.310-06:00

Yesterday's news that the Cubs had signed Glendon Rusch to a minor league contract elicited a reaction from me that would have been described by our President as "nuculer." Yes, I became a Weapon of Mass Derision, and now with a night's sleep between myself and the offending event, I figure I owe it to Glendon to examine the issue with at least a soupcon of objectivity. In my rush (rusch?) to

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080855594242986602004-04-01T15:39:00.000-06:002004-04-01T15:42:32.170-06:00

The Cubs have signed Glendon Rusch and Damian Jackson to minor league contracts and assigned them to Iowa. Boy, I'd love to put a positive spin on this, but I see no good coming from these moves. The day has long since passed when anyone could look at Rusch as a vessel of unfulfilled potential. Yes, sir, he's full vessel now, but decorum prevents me from detailing the contents. Like many

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080839500777202682004-04-01T11:11:00.000-06:002004-04-01T11:14:18.903-06:00

Both the Sun-Times and Daily Herald are reporting today that the Cubs are likely to go with twelve pitchers until Jose Macias returns from his DL stint, with the last spot most probably going to Mike Wuertz. I'm torn on this one. As I stated in part B of the Astros' preview, I have a preternatural loathing of carrying twelve pitchers. In most cases, there just aren't enough innings to go

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080755645045160102004-03-31T11:54:00.000-06:002004-03-31T11:56:41.610-06:00

I have no desire to talk about the Mark Prior situation. There's no analysis to be made, no new facts to report, just an opportunity for Sturm und Drang, and if you've read enough of my stuff, you'll know it's not my forte. Yet, someone out there is gonna yank my blogging license if I don't spew forth on the subject, so here goes. The waiting is the hardest part Every day you see one more

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080609737143356972004-03-29T19:22:00.000-06:002004-03-31T09:33:20.890-06:00

It's later than I had hoped, but here's the second part of the Astros piece, and the final part of the Know Your Enemy series. I've enjoyed writing and learning about the teams the Cubs will be primarily competing against this season, and I hope it's been fun and useful for you as well. So, without further ado, enjoy! Starting Pitchers The Houston front office correctly identified that

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080251715876844232004-03-25T15:55:00.000-06:002004-03-25T16:03:21.983-06:00

Looks like the long running saga of Juan Cruz is over, at least in a Cub uniform. According to the announcers on the Oakland feed of today's Cub vs. A's tilt, a deal has gone down with the Braves sending Cruz and lefty Steve Smyth to Atlanta, while the Cubs get back minor league lefty Andy Pratt and minor league infielder Richard Lewis. This trade is simpler than it appears at first. Richard

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1080221045808293242004-03-25T07:24:00.000-06:002004-03-25T07:26:36.700-06:00

Prospects were rosy for the 2003 Astros as they rounded the stretch. After the games of September 20th were played, Houston held a 1.5 game lead on Chicago, with eight games remaining for the Texans, and seven for their rivals. Their destiny was in their hands, and that's all a team can ask for as a season winds down. Unfortunately for Houston's fans, that destiny was slippery as a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079995524196515792004-03-22T16:45:00.000-06:002004-03-22T16:47:52.123-06:00

I was laying about on Saturday afternoon, trying to avoid doing anything around the house or falling into the deadly trap laid every year by the fine folks at the NCAA, and I had the good fortune of running across an old baseball game on ESPN Classic. Not just any baseball game, mind you, but one of the all-time great games of Cub lore. June 23, 1984: the Ryne Sandberg two home run game. I

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079701404735286222004-03-19T07:03:00.000-06:002004-03-29T19:17:51.763-06:00

Here's part two of the St. Louis preview, breaking down the starting rotation, bullpen and bench. Part one, covering the starting position players, can be found immediately below. Have a nice weekend, everyone! Starting Pitchers This group is certainly more talented than the motley crew assembled to buttress the dynamic duo of Morris and Williams in 2003, but the spectre of fragility will

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079630748785804472004-03-18T11:25:00.000-06:002004-03-19T09:11:17.530-06:00

These have been getting awfully long, so in the interest of eye strain prevention, I've broken this week's installment into two parts. Today, we have the Cardinal position players, and tomorrow, the pitching staff and bench. Enjoy! The St. Louis Cardinals haven't made the same splashy offseason moves that their main competitors in Houston and Chicago have, and many are using that fact as an

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079364571640251502004-03-15T09:29:00.000-06:002004-03-15T09:31:52.483-06:00

A little gossip and rumor-mongering to get your Monday morning started. I Know Something You Don't Know Buried in Matt Clement process pieces in both the Sun-Times and Tribune is this little gem from the articles' subject. He's speaking of Mark Prior, and I've used the Sun-Times' version below: "The most important thing is that he's healthy," Clement said. "If he misses two starts [in

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079292520527467912004-03-14T13:28:00.000-06:002004-03-14T13:31:00.560-06:00

I hope as many of you as possible got to watch yesterday's ballgame. It was spring, but it was still baseball, it was still a win, and it was still against the White Sox. A couple of observations: Carlos Zambrano wasn't terribly sharp, but he managed to get through 5 innings on about 73 pitches (that's my count, I haven't been able to find an official number). That puts him right around

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079096111841583082004-03-12T06:55:00.000-06:002004-03-12T06:57:29.250-06:00

Since moving to the National League in 1998, the Milwaukee Brewers have never won more than 74 times in a season. The last two years have seen them finish last in a relatively weak NL Central, winning 56 and 68 games respectively. Sure, last season was an improvement from the previous year's pathetic output - the worst winning percentage in franchise history; worse even than the singular and

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1079045573596026862004-03-11T16:52:00.000-06:002004-03-11T16:55:49.340-06:00

If you didn't check out the Cubs Blog Army Roundtable over at the Cub Reporter, do yourself a favor and take a peek. But here, in the ultimate act of hubris, is the complete text of my answers to the questions posed. Naturally, they were edited the first time around (I am about to post a 3,300 word essay on the freakin' Brewers tomorrow, after all), so enjoy them in all their original, verbose

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078933826022245532004-03-10T09:50:00.000-06:002004-03-10T11:28:30.890-06:00

Trolling through the rags this morning, I noticed this quote from Todd Walker in a Chicago Tribune piece: "I'm hoping to stick with this team for a long time," Walker said. "If after this year [Moises] Alou is not back, maybe I'll have an opportunity to play left. If [Mark] Grudzielanek is not back, I'll have an opportunity to play second. For me, personally, it's a good deal. It gives me more

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078869301852580702004-03-09T15:55:00.000-06:002004-03-09T15:58:02.670-06:00

Check out the first two parts of the Cubs Blog Army Roundtable, running over at the Generalissimo's home base, The Cub Reporter. Part 1 can be found here, and part 2 here. The third and fourth parts run tomorrow and Thursday, with the same questions being asked of a different cast of characters, including yours truly. I had a blast doing this, as I'm sure everyone else did, and I hope all

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078774761237212752004-03-08T13:39:00.000-06:002004-03-08T13:42:12.670-06:00

I'm sure you're all aware by now that Mike Remlinger will be starting 2004 on the disabled list. In the long term, this is a good thing. He spent the entire season in pain last year, and while he performed admirably considering, I'm not interested in having anyone on the pitching staff "gutting through" an injury, particularly in the early going. The Cubs will need all hands on deck and

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078490987653150852004-03-05T06:49:00.000-06:002004-03-05T09:58:04.140-06:00

Blackbeard, Bluebeard, even Captain Morgan was hanging his head in shame. Pirates pillage, pilfer, and plunder. It's part of the job. But these Pirates of Pittsburg were being robbed blind. By Cubs. Arrrg! In July of 2003, the Cubs called "parley," and the Pirates honored the request, allowing the team to board and neglecting to lock everything down. By the time they left, the Cubs had

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078433388832839442004-03-04T14:49:00.000-06:002004-03-04T14:51:59.076-06:00

I've only seen the first two innings of the game, but since I'm unlikely to see more until I watch my recording of it tonight, and there won't be many regulars playing the rest of the way, now's a good a time to post some quick thoughts. Happy Things Despite giving up three runs, Matt Clement looked good. It was a tough lineup for him, with only two hitters facing him from the right side,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078422476527058352004-03-04T11:47:00.000-06:002004-03-04T11:50:06.280-06:00

Okay, that's not entirely true. I'm putting the finishing touches on Part II of the Know Your Enemy series, and that will show up first thing tomorrow. Rest your eyes, because it looks like it's a long one. I had started to write something on the growing performance enhancer controversy (I think there's a clause in the "Baseball Blogger's Code of Conduct" that says when a story gets this big

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078262191751317382004-03-02T15:16:00.000-06:002004-03-02T16:05:36.700-06:00

Another day, another awesome post from Alex Ciepley. Me, I can't think of an angle on Prior's injury, so I leave it alone. Alex, he just wakes up and nails it, then throws in some bonus stuff just to rub it in. If you're here, you've probably read it already, but if you haven't, go do it now. I mean right now. Stop reading this. Seriously, just click the link. Do it! Fine, then I'll go.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1078249976243998192004-03-02T11:52:00.000-06:002004-03-02T11:55:03.873-06:00

I'll be doing a full preview of the Pirates for the Know Your Enemy series on Friday, but I couldn't let this pass without comment. It's the work of Brian O'Neill of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known as The Stats Geek. In my previous, though limited, exposure to his work, I'd found him to be a welcome change; his occasional use of logic easily separating him from other fishwrap scribes.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077993058091563822004-02-28T12:30:00.000-06:002004-02-28T15:29:17.030-06:00

It appears the Cubs have signed Derrek Lee to a three year deal. More to come when specifics are available, but with the way things have been going of late, I'll be shocked if I don't like this deal. Jim Hendry is having one of, if not the best offseason ever for a Cubs GM. UPDATE: Here's the scoop. Lee's contract will pay him $22.5 million over three years. He'll receive $5.5 million

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077915351501993162004-02-27T14:55:00.000-06:002004-02-27T14:57:55.186-06:00

To the shock of only the most hardened pessimists, the Cubs got a multi-year deal done with Kerry Wood today. I can see why it took some time to do, because it reads like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-Book. In the interest of our collective sanity, here's the relevant passages from the AP story: His new agreement calls for a $3 million signing bonus, payable at $1 million annually over three

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077886644447039592004-02-27T06:57:00.000-06:002004-02-27T06:59:27.826-06:00

Welcome to the Know Your Enemy series. Over the next five Fridays, I will present a preview of each of the Cubs' NL Central opponents. By the time I'm through, we should all have a better idea of what we're up against in 2004. Optimism ruled the day in Cincinnati on the eve of the 2003 season. Two young guns and a favorite son sparked speculation of an All-League outfield. The infield

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077886573611355352004-02-27T06:56:00.000-06:002004-02-27T09:45:57.733-06:00

Looks like Dusty's already hung a nickname on Derrek Lee. What does everyone think? Rodan, huh? I don't know if I get it, but I think I like it.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077818274774559212004-02-26T11:57:00.000-06:002004-02-26T11:59:58.153-06:00

No, this is not a State Of The Hairline Address (and for your information, I remain fully folicled). Rather, it's a status report on my patience. Anyone reading this on purpose is likely experiencing similar feelings, and anyone who has read my recent posts can surely see the strain. I'm cranky, snarky, and full of malarkey, and while I've yet to present a public danger, for the love of all

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077769843069619552004-02-25T22:30:00.000-06:002004-02-25T22:34:30.670-06:00

Turk Wendell's not very bright. Colorado, Wendell's current team, will play the San Francisco Giants nineteen times this season. Ten of those contests will be at Coors Field. Why, then, would he make a statement like this in print: "If my personal trainer, me, Turk Wendell, got indicted for that, there's no one in the world who wouldn't think that I wasn't taking steroids," the veteran

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077732433496689292004-02-25T12:07:00.000-06:002004-02-25T12:09:15.793-06:00

I've noticed I'm a bit touchy today, so why not take it out on some (not so) innocent baseball scribes? Nitpicking - Do Your Job Edition Do they have editors at the Sun-Times? Or even dictionaries? (I'd ask for writers, but I'm trying to remain realistic) Here's this beaut from Mike Kiley in the requisite piece about Sammy Sosa dealing with media questions on the "steroid" controversy.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077566012100759972004-02-23T13:53:00.000-06:002004-02-23T13:57:40.890-06:00

I'm working on a series of longer pieces that I intend to post on consecutive days, and since my goal is to not have the massive gulfs between related posts that was the plague of the Assuming the Position series, I'm trying to complete most of the work before I start serving them up for general consumption. As a result, I am bereft of baseball material, and the lack of news beyond what

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077309387458285392004-02-20T14:36:00.000-06:002004-02-20T14:38:24.450-06:00

My mind is still floating seven inches northeast of my body, and as a result, my thoughts can best be described as stumpy and sporadic. I hope to be capable of extended episodes of lucidity after the weekend, but until then, you're stuck with my scattershot nuggets of nonsense. Prodigality will do that to you. Cashing In The Cards pulled the trigger on the big money deal they knew they

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077124947099392252004-02-18T11:22:00.000-06:002004-02-18T11:24:22.140-06:00

The original headline was "My Hall of Famer Makes More Than Your Hall of Famer!" but that was concocted in the heady days of mid-January when the Cubs' original offer to Greg Maddux appeared to be a response to Houston's signing of Roger Clemens. Now, while the Clemens deal feels as relevant as the Dean campaign, the Cubs' move still throws a gauntlet in the face of the Astros and hollers, "You

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077076043162118462004-02-17T21:47:00.000-06:002004-02-17T22:08:14.950-06:00

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution is reporting tonight that Greg Maddux will return to Chicago. According to the article, an official announcement has yet to be made, but is expected sometime tomorrow. No other details are available, and I haven't seen it on the wire services, but since the AJC is a disinterested party, I'm inclined to buy the story. If this turns out to be true it will be,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1077045198697253512004-02-17T13:13:00.000-06:002004-02-17T13:15:12.950-06:00

According to a single report coming out of a New York television station, the Yankees have made an offer to Greg Maddux and will soon be fitting him for pinstripes. *yawn* Let's talk about this rationally for a moment. Maddux has repeatedly stated his desire to remain in the National League, so much so that he rebuffed overtures of affection from the suddenly free-spending Orioles.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076955158524033192004-02-16T12:16:00.000-06:002004-02-16T12:18:10.546-06:00

So...................................... How was your weekend?.................. Anything going on?........................................... I hear the Lakers won the All-Star game.......................... Okay, Fine. FINE! I'll comment on this weekend's "shortstop situation." I don't want to. After all, enough has been said already. However, I'm learning there's a certain

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076699292066330542004-02-13T13:08:00.000-06:002004-02-13T13:10:02.356-06:00

Some little amusements to get me through a slow Friday. A Blind Man and a Dart Board Want to know why the Cubs keep avoiding arbitration? Look no further than here and here. Any process that will give Jack Wilson $1.85M, but won't give Nick Johnson $1.65M, involves a degree of randomness that smart clubs should find unacceptable. This is not an indictment of the arbitration system. To

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076601793989881102004-02-12T10:03:00.000-06:002004-02-12T10:06:39.450-06:00

Alright, I know this isn't about the Cubs, and it's not even about baseball, but I couldn't resist this news item about this website. If politics make you queasy, just scan beyond the tags. [POLITICS] The new weapon in the fight against terror, the burning searchlight in the quest for WMD, is a secure online form and fabulous prizes. The CIA recently created an area on their website

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076597193679230502004-02-12T08:46:00.000-06:002004-02-12T08:48:22.250-06:00

L'Armée De Blog D'Petits Ours continues to bring new recruits to the cause. Please extend a hearty hello to Rooftop Report, and welcome him to our family!

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076544987030405572004-02-11T18:16:00.000-06:002004-02-11T18:18:15.390-06:00

Once again, the Cubs manage to avoid arbitration (is any other team even close to being this allergic to arb hearings?), and settle on a one-year, $1.4M deal with Kyle Farnsworth. That splits the submitted figures right down the middle, which is what always seems to happen when the parties settle just before their hearing date. So, why not just meet in the middle two months ago? Anyway, it's

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076518705667067542004-02-11T10:58:00.000-06:002004-02-11T11:00:13.140-06:00

If any of you think the Maddux/Cubs saga hasn't gone on too long, I saw the clinching argument that it has last night. ATA, the airline to fly when you're done caring, stepped into the fray with a television ad. I missed the first bit as I flipped by, but coming back I saw a shot of an ATA jet's nose, with the text of an open letter to The Professor typing itself onto the screen. It listed

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076448124679691782004-02-10T15:22:00.000-06:002004-02-10T15:23:51.826-06:00

I love comedy. Especially when it's unintentional. Take this example from the February 7th Cincinnati Post: You can say their prospects for the coming season are bleak. You can say their payroll is too low, their owner is too cheap and their pitching is too soft. You can say they have about as much chance of reaching this year's World Series as Janet Jackson has of reaching next year's Super

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1076353795136052212004-02-09T13:09:00.000-06:002004-02-09T13:11:41.326-06:00

Like castrating a eunuch, laying a hammer to the work of Phil Rogers is absurd and unnecessary. His indolence requires no comment. His failures jump from the page like crack-fueled frogs. However, there are occasions when the regular diet of sloth gets overcooked and becomes a crock of....well....you know. No matter how hard guys like Kerry Wood, Derrek Lee and Edgar Renteria try to downplay

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1075919154905681362004-02-04T12:25:00.000-06:002004-02-04T12:42:31.326-06:00

For the second off-season in a row, the Cubs have spent a hefty portion of their energy and money on improvements to the bullpen. Last year’s efforts raised the relief corps from the very worst in the majors, to a passable group worthy of the term mediocre. This year, additions (LaTroy Hawkins, Kent Mercker), and addition by subtraction (Antonio Alfonseca) have combined to create a bullpen that

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1075827910446956622004-02-03T11:05:00.000-06:002004-02-03T11:58:43.826-06:00

There’s nothing going on that I feel like giving exclusive treatment to, so here’s a couple observations on another fine day for the democratic process. If you’re in a state with a primary today, stop reading this and go vote! I’ll be here when you get back. If you’ve voted already, thanks for playing. Now, on with the show. Amazin’! - Good for Eric Karros. He signed on with the A’s

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1075739859890472132004-02-02T10:37:00.000-06:002004-02-02T10:39:18.590-06:00

Although no one has called me on it yet, I realized that I may have given a false impression with some of what I wrote in my last post. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and having reread it this morning, believe it needs a little clarification. I was writing about abandoning an attempt to do a breakdown of a Phil Rogers column. Here’s a quote for context: So, you won’t see that

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1075498598474168432004-01-30T15:36:00.000-06:002004-01-30T15:39:46.686-06:00

I so completely lack anything of interest to write about that I actually started penning a piece that picked apart, bit by bit, a recent Phil Rogers column. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but resorting to a trick like that is akin to taking your sister to prom. Sure she looks the part, but it takes the scrubbing power of Comet and tubful of holy water to wash away that first slow

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1075149803530098382004-01-26T14:43:00.000-06:002004-01-26T14:53:22.653-06:00

In this, the ninth and final installment of the Assuming the Position series, I'd like to spend some time with the guys who make sure that everyone coming in from the field between innings has a nice warm place to sit, and since the Cubs are part of a league where the pitchers hit and the hitters field, that can only mean one thing: The Clubhouse Staff The Bench. Last year, the Cubs' bench

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074719031046916872004-01-21T15:03:00.000-06:002004-01-21T15:07:03.246-06:00

The Cubs have signed Ryan Dempster to a one-year contract with a team option for 2005. Dempster had a ligament replaced in his elbow in August, so he is unlikely to be in play this season unless a series of cascading unspeakable events occur. I'm not familiar enough with the current protocol for rehab on this type of surgery to make a definitive statement, but I believe it's possible he could

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074627272450143212004-01-20T13:34:00.000-06:002004-01-20T13:39:57.356-06:00

I'd been thinking about doing this for a couple of days, and then I got a request from a reader on the same subject, so spurred by the feedback, I went ahead with my plan. I've added direct links to each part of the Assuming the Position series to the sidebar, so now, you too can see, with tremendous ease, how spectacularly wrong I was just two short months ago about the fate of Hee Seop Choi

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074548811094537812004-01-19T15:46:00.000-06:002004-01-19T15:48:15.966-06:00

The Cubs continued to display their organizational aversion to arbitration today by signing Derrek Lee to a one-year, $6.9M deal. This appears to be another situation, similar to Kerry Wood's, where both sides are likely to agree on a long-term deal before the start of play, but with the deadline for submitting arbitration figures looming, there was a need to buy some time and avoid the

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074440589508112312004-01-18T09:43:00.000-06:002004-01-18T09:50:32.250-06:00

Um....so.....anybody, uh.........see.....my dog ate, uh.........and there was this FLASH, see, um..........ah..........and then.........ELVIS (yeah, yeah, that's it!), Elvis said I should wait AT LEAST a month after talking about the rest of the infield to do a piece about third base. Really. Truly. I also hadn't a clue what to write, but that hasn't stopped me before, so away I go. The

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074301408615509842004-01-16T19:03:00.000-06:002004-01-16T19:08:54.733-06:00

The Cubs and Kerry Wood agreed to a one-year deal today, worth $9.75M. This, by no means, indicates that a multi-year deal won't get done. In fact, just the opposite. Here's the breakdown. Yesterday was the deadline for players to file for arbitration, and it was necessary for Kerry to do so in order to keep negotiating with the club. The deadline for exchanging salary figures for the

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074193109817192542004-01-15T12:58:00.000-06:002004-01-15T12:59:50.436-06:00

The Cubs just signed Joe Borowski to a two-year deal worth $4.3M, plus some performance incentives based on games finished. I don't have any analysis of this, just a pat on the back for JoBo. To go from being cut by the Reds in 2000, to pitching in Mexico, and eventually to the closer's role and a multi-million dollar deal is a fantastic story, made all the better by the fact that Borowski

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1074101366168243932004-01-14T11:29:00.000-06:002004-01-14T11:34:11.076-06:00

According to a variety of sources, the Cubs have offered Prodigal Son Greg Maddux™ a two-year deal valued somewhere in the $13-$15M range. Before anyone gets too excited/annoyed, there are also reports that he has several more lucrative offers on the table from other teams. The stated origin of that information is "Major League sources," but an attribution that vague could mean it's

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1073943216891457662004-01-12T15:35:00.000-06:002004-01-12T15:57:05.450-06:00

After an absolutely appalling year from the relief corps in 2002, the Cubs went on a massive spending spree in the offseason to improve the bullpen product, and it brought forth....well....mediocrity. Certainly an improvement, but in a year where a good bullpen could have taken a lot of pressure off an overworked starting staff, not quite improved enough. In order for the Cubs to be viable this

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1073933825169193732004-01-12T12:57:00.000-06:002004-01-12T13:01:56.420-06:00

The Astros have finalized their deal with Roger Clemens, bringing him and his six Cy Youngs to Minute Maid Park, apparently to form a Western Yankee Annex (see Pettitte, Andy). Besides giving the Houstons an obvious psychological boost, Clemens gives them badly needed innings at an above average level of performance. No one will confuse Roger with the Rocket of yore, but he's still an

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1073742086194619722004-01-10T07:41:00.000-06:002004-01-12T11:47:51.530-06:00

Will Carroll is reporting over at his blog that Roger Clemens is about to sign a deal to pitch next season with the Astros. I’ll comment more on this when it’s finalized, but for now, head over to Will’s site for any details and discussion of the implications. EDIT 1/12/2004: It's official. More on this later.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1073589515473662882004-01-08T13:18:00.000-06:002004-01-08T13:20:37.436-06:00

If you needed any more proof that the world is going straight to H-E-double-hockey-sticks in the proverbial hand-basket, look no further than The View From the Bleachers and note that this very blog made the finals in their "Best Cub Blog (Not Written By Christian Ruzich) 2003" contest. I'm honored that anyone voted for this blog at all, so, thanks Mom (I'll get you some medicine for that carpal

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1073488155790835392004-01-07T09:09:00.000-06:002004-01-07T09:11:20.450-06:00

I know this is a day late, but I had a long diatribe in the works about how I didn't understand the HOF voting process, how the concept of what I refer to as "vote creep" (where a deserving player who is acknowledged to be an eventual Hall of Famer starts the process short of the votes necessary for enshrinement, then creeps up over a period of years until he hits the magic 75%, as if the passing

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1073266560612127812004-01-04T19:36:00.000-06:002004-01-05T16:27:25.186-06:00

The story of the 2003 Chicago Cubs was written on the arms of the pitching staff. Without the outstanding contributions of the starters, particularly the front three, there would have been no NLCS defeat to mourn. What can we expect for 2004? Mark Prior - There is no single player on the Cubs roster who is more important to the present and future success of the franchise than Mark Prior. He

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1072303484319675202003-12-24T15:59:00.000-06:002003-12-24T16:05:44.043-06:00

Well, I didn’t see that coming. Hell, I don’t think Jim Hendry did, either. But when Todd Walker comes knocking on your door, willing to sign a one-year deal for $1.75M, making it clear to you that he just wants to come play for a winning team whether he starts or not, I think you shake his hand, show him his locker, and figure out what it means later. So, smart guy, what does it mean?

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1071802076161873142003-12-18T20:47:00.000-06:002003-12-18T20:57:30.060-06:00

Figures I'd be getting ready to get out of town just when the Cubs sign their fourth outfielder. Todd Hollandsworth has been inked to a one year deal worth (paging Mike Myers) ONE..........MILLION..........DOLLARS!!!!! This looks pretty solid to me. His splits against righties for the last three seasons are pretty nice (.298/.356/.505), if Coors enhanced. Last year he hit .255/.321/.429

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1071777545247134052003-12-18T13:59:00.000-06:002003-12-18T15:44:13.123-06:00

Those of you who have stopped by before (Hi, Mom!) will notice that I changed the look of the site a bit. Obviously, I think it's a little nicer, but I welcome any feedback or suggestions. I figure this whole exercise will be a work in progress until I'm not doing it anymore, so as far as I'm concerned, change is always good. Some business: The Smart Family's annual Great Northwest Holiday

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1071618770037572262003-12-16T17:52:00.000-06:002003-12-18T15:53:21.076-06:00

Looks like Christian Ruzich has his fingers on the pulse of the Cubs front office. This is from a post on Saturday at The Cub Reporter, by the Generalissimo of the Cubs Blog Army himself: Don't expect to see Javy or Pudge in a Cubs uniform anytime soon. Michael Barrett seems much more realistic. Now, I like to think I'm pretty bright, and when I saw yesterday that the A's had acquired

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1071519699037243922003-12-15T14:21:00.000-06:002003-12-15T15:12:07.310-06:00

I'm not sure how I missed this, or when this talk started, but it appears the Cubs are after Jeromy Bernitz to fill the fourth outfield spot. You'd think he could find a starting job somewhere, but maybe his last two seasons have taken the bloom off the rose just enough to scare teams away. Granted, he does come with some hefty risk. He's going to be 35, and he's really only had one good

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5714021.post-1071360149300275382003-12-13T18:02:00.000-06:002003-12-13T18:12:46.966-06:00

Continuing my recently established trend of skipping blithely around the diamond with little regard of whence I came or whither I go, I bring you a breakdown of the Cubs' outfield situation. The Obvious Right Field - Sammy Sosa While he has definitely begun the decline phase of his career, I'm not sure we won't see a bit of a rebound next year. He spent a long period before his toe

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0