The Hawk's Day

2010 must be the year of the hawk. In Chicago alone, the Blackhawks took home the Stanley Cup and Andre "The Hawk" Dawson was finally voted into Cooperstown.

Today's the day that Dawson is officially inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Coverage from Cooperstown starts at 11:30 on the MLB Network. This is truly a day set aside for Dawson for several reasons.

1) He is the only player going into to the Hall this year.
2) The Cubs play the Sunday Night Game of the Week, so the fan base can focus on the induction this afternoon.
3) This honor is long overdue.

The rest of the 2010 Hall of Fame class is made up of umpire Doug Harvey, manager Whitey Herzog, broadcaster John Miller, and writer Bill Madden. Dawson will be entering the Hall of Fame wearing an Expos cap, even though he made clear that his first choice would have been to go in as a Cub.

Check out the Hawk4theHall blog where they count down the ten greatest moments of Andre's career. The site did a great job of showing support for Dawson before he was elected. Charley, the writer of Hawk4theHall, also points out that The Hawk could be the last guy ever to go into the Hall wearing an Expos cap.

Other articles to honor Dawson:

• Cubs.com remembers the 1990 season.
• The Sun Times reports that Dawson's speach has been ready for months.
• Phil Rogers counts down ten important things about Andre's road to Cooperstown.
• Barry Rozner of the Daily Herald talks about the bond between Tim Raines and The Hawk.

So once again, congratulations Andre Dawson!

Mid Week Quick Hits: Dawson, Colvin, the Bullpen, and More

• Andre Dawson took a tour of the Hall of Fame the other day. Dawson says he's pretty much done with his HOF speach already.
• Esmalin Caridad pitched a scoreless rehab inning at AAA Iowa. He will work again tomorrow and then the Cubs will decided whether or not he is ready to come off the DL.
• Carlos Silva is dealing with a wrist injury but he will still make his scheduled start on Friday. Silva is only in pain when he swings the bat, not when he pitches.
• The Cubs have reitterated the fact that Carlos Zambrano's bullpen duty is not limited to the 8th inning. We could see him sub for Marmol in the 9th from time to time.
• Alfonso Soriano has homered in each of his last four games. If he goes deep on Wendesday night in Pittsburgh, Sori will tie a franchise record. Hack Wilson, Ryne Sandberg, and Sammy Sosa are the only men who have 5-game home run streaks in Cubs history.
• Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano will both be hitting career long ball number 300 sometime soon. With Alfonso's shot tonight both now stand at 297.
• Carlos Marmol's ERA is 0.71. Wow.
• Before Sunday's game, Cubs relievers had allowed no runs in 7 of the last 9. A huge turn around for a bullpen that was really struggling before the addition of Big Z.
• Tyler Colvin has not been getting that much playing time because of the fact that all of the Cubs' outfielders are swinging hot sticks.
• Now that the Cubs' bats have come around, everyone is jumping on the Jaramillo ban wagon.
• Cubs GM Jim Hendry says that Starlin Castro will join the Chicago Cubs at some point this season. Hendry is talking with Ryan Theriot about a possible position change according to Bruce Levine.
• Matt Capps told Gordon Wittenmyer that he was pretty close to becoming a Cub.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Weekend Roundup: Cactus League Baseball is Near!

• The Cactus League schedule opens this week! The first Spring Training game for the Chicago Cubs is on Thursday afternoon at 2:00 PM CT. Randy Wells will get the nod as the starting pitcher in this game. He will go about 2 innings before the ball is turned over to the bullpen.
• Sean Marshall, J.R. Mathes, Esmalin Caridad, and Mike Parisi will all see action in relief in Thursday's game, which is against the Oakland A's. Former Cubs Jake Fox, Eric Patterson, and Mike Wuertz will all be with the A's for this game at HoHoKam.
• Today's workouts at Fitch Park were cut short because of rain. John Grabow was the only pitcher to toss some BP.
• Angel Guzman threw 25-30 pitches in the batting cages from 45 feet today and says his arm felt OK.
• Lou Piniella will make his ideas about the Cubs' batting order public tomorrow. Carrie Muskat says that we should look to see Alfonso Soriano in the 6 slot.
• Tomorrow is photo day for the Cubs.
• Cubs LHP Ted Lilly will most likely miss the entire month of April according to Bruce Levine. This leaves an extra opening in the Cubs' rotation to start the year, as now the 4th and 5th spots are up for grabs.
• Lilly did some running and playing catch yesterday.
• Larry Rothchild has been working on throwing with outfielder Xavier Nady, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. The rehab is going well, but whether Nady will be ready for Opening Day is still up in the air according to Cubs.com.
• Aramis Ramirez sat out live BP against Carlos Marmol yesterday. Rami doesn't like taking live BP, but instead chooses to hit off pitching machines and coaches.
• Mike Fontenot has been taking grounders at short stop. He wants to be able to handle that position as well as second base.
• Lou Piniella says that there are two jobs open on the Cubs' bench. Koyie Hill, Xavier Nady, and the loser of the Baker/Fontenot competition for the starting second base job will fill the first three spots. ESPNChicago.com reports that there are also four open spots on the pitching staff, 2 each in the rotation and the pen. This means that Grabow, Guzman, Marmol, and Caridad have already been penciled into spots in the bullpen.
• Sweet Lou went to a chapel today and prayed for our Cubbies.
• Many of "the kids" will get a chance early on in Cactus League play.
• Derrek Lee hasn't had talk of a contract extension with the Cubs, so he fully expects to become a free agent at the end of the season according to the Sun Times.
• Jim Hendy is trying to make a move to bolster the bullpen before Opening Day. Bruce Levine has been reporting for at least a month that Jason Frasor and Luke Gregerson are options, but so far nothing has come of those potential trades. With the recent injuries to Gray and Guzman, the need for relief pitching depth has become apparent.
• Gordon Wittenmyer takes a look at the state of the Cubs' minor league system.
• Cubs legend Greg Maddux has been on the field working with pitchers so far, but once games get started on Thursday, Greg will travel with Randy Bush and Gary Hughes to scout opponents.
• Paul Sullivan reports that Kosuke has made a minor change to his batting mechanics.
• Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald breaks down the Baker/Fontenot battle.
• Andre Dawson was on ESPN talking Cubs and Hall of Fame induction!
• Kevin Millar's chances of making the team improve by the day.
• Marlon Byrd told Bob Nightengale that he doesn't like all the comparisons to his friend Milton Bradley.

And now let's dive into some TV and Radio Recaps, starting with Lou Piniella on Mully and Hanley on Thursday:

• Lou likes that fact that the Cubs are not picked to win the division. It takes some pressure of the team.
• Last year, the Cubs couldn't afford too many injuries, and that's what hit them.
• They know their system a lot better now that they got a chance to play some kids last year.
• The pitching was the mainstay of the team in 2009. Randy Wells came out of no where, Carlos Marmol pitched well when he got in the closer's role, and other guys like Caridad and Berg did nice jobs.
• The Cubs need a bounce back year from Zambrano, they need to get Ted Lilly healthy, and "go from there".
• One thing is for certain according to Piniella- the Cubs are going to score more runs in 2010 then they did last season.
• The biggest jobs the Cubs have in Spring Training is sorting out the back end of the rotation and looking for an experienced right handed reliever.
• The more a manager can rest his team, the better.
• Lou really likes this baseball team. "We're gonna be a nice ballclub," he said.
• Carlos Zambrano is his own worst enemy at times.
• Lou says that there's not reason why Z can't win 17-18 or even 20 ballgames.
• Team chemistry is not overrated, but obviously the more you win the more chemistry you have.
• At the start of 2009, there were 11 new faces on the 25-man roster. Then when the rash of injuries occurred, more new people came in. This could have been the cause of the lack of chemistry.
• Piniella is proud of his club for keeping it together last season.
• He watched Starlin hit the other day, and saw that Castro had really nice hands, hitting line drives all over the place.
• Theriot is going to be the Cubs short stop. Castro needs a little more experience.

Jim Hendry joined Bruce Levine and Jonathan Hood on Talkin' Baseball on ESPN Radio Saturday:

• Bruce Levine celebrated his birthday on Saturday, prompting Jim to joke that Levine was one of the oldest guys left in the media.
• Hendry thinks it was unfortunate that they had to go to arbitration, but it's not going to be an issue with Theriot.
• Jim is hoping he won't have to go to a hearing again.
• The Cubs need to swing the bats more consistently this season.
• He is going to keep his eye on bullpen pitchers. The free agent market is thin, but they will try to work out a trade. They will try to make a move before Opening Day if something good comes along, but it won't be a failure if they don't.
• Aramis Ramirez is being counted on to be healthy again. Jeff Baker could shift over to third to backup, and Chad Tracy can also play the hot corner if Rami were to go down.
• Ted Lilly has a little irritation in his knee, and that is normal. Ted is not going to need a procedure.
• Marlon Byrd has become a really good offensive player. Byrd has made a lot of progress the last few years in Texas. Jaramillo gave the Cubs a really good review of Marlon. Byrd also plays good center field and is a great team guy.
• In a perfect world the Cubs would have liked to have added a left handed bat, but Byrd hits righties well.
• Jim is "not really" disappointed in the way that Carlos Silva has reported. Silva knows that he needs to get 10-12 pounds off before Opening Day. Carlos has thrown the ball well.
• Hendy has a great relationship with Lou, but both sides are going to worry about 2010 first. They are not concerned about Piniella's contract beyond this year yet.
• He thinks it's a great idea by MLB Network to do the reality TV show on the White Sox. It will certainly make for a great story.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on everything Cubs as always!

1-31 Radio & TV Recaps

First of all, Xavier Nady has now officially signed with the Cubs. Also, I've updated my Cubs early roster predictions.

Now, let's catch up on some TV and radio recaps relating to the Cubs.

Former Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson joined David Kaplan and company on Chicago Tribune Live on Tuesday after the Cubs signed Xavier Nady:

• Reed thinks the "door is pretty much closed" on his return to Chicago.
• He has nothing but respect for the organization and the city. There's nothing but good things to say about his experience with the Cubs.
• Johnson says that he's only gone on the DL twice because of his back in the last 3 years. In both those situations, he only took 15 days off. He does not see his back as an issue.
• He would still like to work his way back to Chicago in some way.
• Reed says that you pay your agent to take the responsibility of finding a team off you. Johnson is not doing anything differently than he would if he were signed with a team.
• The 2009 locker room chemistry was different. Part of that was the slow start and injuries. Winning cures all problems as far as chemistry is concerned.

After the injury, Dave Van Dyck says that he likes the move to sign Nady, but only if he recovers from his injury. Xavier brings a lot more pop to the bench then Reed would bring. Kap thinks that Nady could end up being the starting left fielder if Soriano doesn't play well. Van Dyck thinks that the Cubs are paying Soriano too much to sit him on the bench. The two Daves argued as to whether or not Nady will end up taking Sori's job.

On Wednesday, Andre Dawson joined CTL on CSN:

• The Hawk was not nervous before the decision as to what cap he should wear.
• The delay in the decision was that his preparation was against what the Hall decided.
• He respects the decision by the HOF, but he is obviously disappointed that he is not going in as a Cub.
• The cap issue was not the determining factor, but it was the Cub fans. Dawson thinks that had he retired as a Cub, it would be a no brainer, he would be wearing a Cub hat.
• Andre thinks that the Cubs fans are the ones who really embraced him, and Chicago was where his career really became a HOF career.
• Dawson doesn't think the cap decision will affect whether or not his number will be retired by the Cubs.
• The Hawk plans to do enough with his speech to make a point, but he wants to do it with class.

Jim Hendry talked about Xavier Nady on CSN:

• When you have a chance to get a guy like this, Jim doesn't think you worry about who's going to be playing where.
• A great doctor did the surgery, and Xavier's bat is expected to be ready to go to start the season.

Cubs TV broadcaster Len Kasper joined the Danny Mac show on 670 the Score on Thursday to talk Cubs:

• The Cubs discussed movie scenes and music first.
• Dan and Matt played a clip from Len singing at the annual Len and Bob Bash.
• Kasper confirmed that Nady prefers his first name to be pronounced eX-avier, not Zavier.
• Kasper likes the idea of platooning Nady and Kosuke. Len expects platoons in right field and second base this season.
• Nady and Tracy are very similar, because they will help backup the corner spots in the outfield and infield.
• If Ramirez or Soriano go down, the Cubs will have a backup plan.
• Len mentioned that Starlin Castro could be major league ready at some point during the 2010 season. We could see Theriot moving to second base if Castro comes up.
• Kasper expects better years out of Fontenot and Soto, and if Jeff Baker can play like he did last year he will be a good piece.
• Dan and Matt don't think the Cubs have had a good winter.
• Len thinks that the Cardinals are still the team to beat. They are basically the same team as last year.
• He doesn't think that it will take 97 to win this division, but if you can get up to 90 or 92 you could find yourself in the playoffs. The way baseball is built, you just have to find a way to get into the postseason, and you have a chance.

Earlier this month Ryan Dempster joined Boers and Bernstein:

• Demp has started a great foundation to help Di George Syndrome, which is the disease his daughter has.
• Riley cannot swallow, but the Dempsters are working on raising money and awareness.
• It's tough to watch a child go through what Riley is going through, but at the same thing it's amazing to see how strong the children are.
• Next the guys moved on to baseball. Boers and Bernstein wanted to revisit the Milton Bradley situation. Dempster thinks that a guy like Milton takes away from concentrating on baseball because you have to answer questions and issues that don't pertain to the game.
• Ryan wished Bradley nothing but the best in Seattle.
• The guys had a hard time understand how a guy like Milton really effects the team on the field. Dempster's answer was that it doesn't. Ryan thinks that as an individual you have to be prepared to help your team as much as you can on a daily basis. The lack of positivity from guys in the clubhouse was what they really bothered Ryan.
• Dempster thought that 2007 and 2008 were such great years in the clubhouse that anything else in '09 would be a disappointment.
• "You just have to go out there and try to have fun everyday."
• Ryan picks up a paper every once in awhile, but he's not a guy who's glued to his computer all winter reading baseball rumors. He likes to see moments like Andre Dawson being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
• He pointed out that the Cubs have a lot of the same players that they had in 2008, which he described as one of the best season's he's ever been a part of. The Cubs have lost some guys, but they gained some key people too.
• Soriano, Soto, and others have worked hard this offseason.
• Ryan never had the temptation to do steroids when he was on the way back from his injuries. "There's no substitute for hard work," he said.

Dave Van Dyck was with Mully and Hanley on 670 the Score last week:

• Van Dyck went from the Cubs to Cardinals to White Sox fan fests in the past few weeks.
• He thinks the White Sox fans are a little less rabid than the St. Louis and North Side fans.
• Dave says you get a little negativity and questioning from fans. At the Chicago fan fests fans ask questions, but at Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up most sessions have just the guests and the host talking.
• This was before the Xavier Nady signing, so the guys asked Dave who he would like A) Nady B) Gomes C) Dye. After joking about "D" non of the above, and saying that Reed Johnson he'd rather have Reed Johnson instead of Dye, Van Dyck says that Gomes would be fine.
• You'd like to get a pretty good player because all 3 of the Cubs' outfielders could go in slumps.

That's it for now!

Mid Week Roundup: Dawson's Cap, Cubs Spring Training, Adding to the Bench, and More

A lot has been going on this week around the word of the Chicago Cubs, so let's dive right into it!

Dawson to Enter Hall An Expo
As first reported early this morning by Fred Mitchell of the Tribune, Andre Dawson will enter the National Baseball Hall of fame as a Montreal Expo. The Hawk played 11 years in Montreal, but some of the most memorable years of his career were while sporting blue pinstripes. Andre said at the Cubs' Convention that he would prefer to enter as a Cub, but the Hall makes the final decision. While many Cub fans believe that Dawson should have been granted his wishes, Phil Rogers supports the Hall's decision. He will join Gary Carter as the only players to wear Expo hats on their plaques. Andre told Mitchell that he is disappointed by that decision.

Cubs To Stay In Mesa
It's official. The Chicago Cubs, as expected, made the announcement today that they will keep their Spring Training home in Mesa. Ricketts confirmed the deal to stay in the valley of the sun during an announcement at Arizona Capito today. Cub camp has been located in Arizona since 1952. A proposal that includes 100-plus acres called Wrigleyville West is possible. The Cubs decision is to stay, but this is dependent on a November referendum of voters in Mesa.

Nady Signs With Cubs (Pending Physical)
As posted yesterday, the Cubs are close to adding Xavier Nady to their outfield mix. Nady missed most of 2009 due to Tommy John surgery. The phsical that Xavier has to take could be more than a minor obstacle because of his recent health issues.

Cubs Ink Tracy to Minor League Deal
The Cubs have signed former Arizona D'backs' infielder Chad Tracy to the mix for bench spots in Spring Training. Chad has agreed to a minor league deal that includes an invite to big league camp. Here is some info on Tracy:

• Full Name: Chad Austin Tracy
• B/T: Left/Right
• Drafted: in the 7th round of the 2001 amateur draft
• MLB Debut: April 21, 2004
• Teams: Arizona (2004-'09)
• 2009 Stats: In 98 big league games, he hit .237 with a .306 OBP, 8 HR, and 39 RBIs.
• Career Batting Average: .280 over 6 big league seasons
• Age: 29
• Career Games by Position: 3B (654), 1B (260), RF (47), DH (8), LF (7)

Cubs Avoid Arbitration with Marshall

Cubs' left handed hurler Sean Marshall has agreed to a 2010 contract with the club. The two sides will avoid arbitration. However, the Cubs still have two arb elgible guys that need to be locked up or else they will go to a hearing: Ryan Theriot and Carlos Marmol. Gordon Wittenmer tweets that Marshall will get $950,000 this year. Sean will compete for a spot in the starting rotation this spring.

Sheets Signs With Oakland

The Oakland Athletics have signed Ben Sheets to an $8 million deal. Sheets had been on the Cubs' radar, and many fans think the rehabbing righty would have been a nice add to our rotation. Jon Garland has signed a $4.7 million deal with the Padres, so you can scratch him off the Cubs' list as well.

Notes from Bruce Levine's Chat

Here's the link to Bruce's full chat from Tuesday, and I'll fully recap all the Cub info we gained right here:

• Nady could overtake Kosuke as the starting right fielder, but unless the Cubs get another top of the order hitter it is unlikely that Fukudome will be benched.
• Levine guesses that Milton Bradley will ask to leave the state of Washington by fall.
• Prior management were the ones who dictated large, free agent signings to Hendry. Because of this, the Cubs do not have the money to add a starting pitcher.
• Levine shockingly stated that he'd put his money on Ryan Theriot to be the Opening Day second baseman, with a good shot for Castro to make the team out of Spring Training.
• Lou Piniella loves offense. If the Cubs' struggle to score runs early in the season, Nady will be given a chance in the starting lineup.
• Rick Ankiel did not sign with the Cubs because they couldn't promise him regular playing time after adding Marlon Byrd.
• The Cubs are out of money at this point, and any other deals will most likely be trades.
• Jim Hendry will now turn his attention to the bullpen. A deal with San Diego for Luke Gregerson seems like a possibility.
• Anything Carlos Silva does for the Cubs will be a bonus.
• Even if Castro makes the team, putting him at the top of the order would be too much pressure for a 20 year old rookie.
• Nady can play first base, so Hoffpauir could be on the bubble. Sam Fuld's status may also be affected by the signing.
• Chad Tracy could be a plus because he is a left handed bat, and it is only a minor league contract. He may steal Hoffpauir's spot on the roster.
• Jeff Gray and Esmalin Caridad will be in the mix as right handed set-up men, but Levine thinks Gregerson or Frasor would be better.
• Strikeouts remain a problem for Hak-Ju Lee, but he is certainly on the fast track to the big leagues right now.
• The Cubs do not have the money to sign Chan Ho Park.
• Brett Jackson should be playing in the majors at some point.
• The Padres have interest in getting Angel Guzman in return for Gregerson.
• Guzman has a great arm and good stuff, but injuries are an issue.
• Lou's future with the Cubs depends on the first couple months of this season.
• Levine likes Randy Wells and his attitude. Wells is still eager to prove he belongs as a starting pitcher in the big leagues.
• More announcements regarding improvements to Wrigley Field are expected to come in the near future.
• When/if Lilly, Ramirez, and Lee leave, the Cubs will have $60M to spend on other guys.
• Luke Gregerson could close if Marmol has a wild spell this season.
• Josh Vitters is at least a year away.
• The Ricketts family really love Derrek Lee. It is possible that he will sign an extension during the season.
• Ryan Dempster will not return to closing in any situation. The Cubs are paying him to be in the rotation.

And lastly, former Cub Rich Hill has signed minor league deal with the division rival St. Louis Cardinals. The deal includes an invite to Spring Training in Florida.

That's it for now, but we'll see if the business of this week continues! I'll keep you posted!

A Little Baseball Before the Football

Let's catch up on the latest Cubs rumors and news from this weekend!:

• Cubs infielder Jeff Baker is prepared to win a starting job in camp.
• The people in Florida still feel that Naples is in the running for Cubs Spring Training, even though most sources are reporting that the Cubs will stay in Mesa.
• Jose Contreras is close to signing with the Phillies. ESPN.com reports that the Cubs had interest in the former White Sox righty.
• Jayson Stark thinks the Cubs have set aside their interest in Ben Sheets, because they are more in need of a bench bat and a setup man.
• Jon Heyman reports that if Johnny Damon doesn't resign with New York, the Yanks would then ink someone off the remaining list of free agent outfielders. Once the Damon situation is resolved, things could fall in to place for the Cubs outfield.
• Phil Rogers wonders if Derrek Lee will be finding a new home after this season.
• In Spring Training, one of the battles that will be really fun to watch is for spots in the starting rotation. Dave van Dyck breaks down the four candidates- Silva, Samardzija, Gorzeallany, and Marshall- that will be competing for two spots.
• Jim Edmonds is interested in playing in 2010, after sitting out the '09 season. Phil Rogers and I agree that the Cubs should pursue the veteran center fielder, who played very well for the Cubs in 2008.
• Rogers added in the same article that he mentioned Edmonds, that nothing has been decided as to which cap Andre Dawson will wear when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame next July. Phil says that if the decision was in the hands of MLB, it would be a "slam dunk" for the Cubs, but unfortunately the HOF get the final say.
• So Taguchi, who appeared in only 6 games for the Cubs last season, has signed to play in Japan this season.
• Mark Gonzales of the Tribune reports that the Cubs have been invited to watch reliever Oscar Villarreal, who underwent reconstructive elbow surgery in April of 2009, pitch. If healthy, Oscar could be a nice piece to add to the Cubs' bullpen.
• David Kaplan of WGN Radio says that Jonny Gomes is the Cubs first choice to add as a fourth outfielder right now.

That's it for now, I'll keep you posted as Spring Training quickly approaches!

Friday Quick Hits: Time for the Convention, CTL Recaps, and More

The Cubs Convention starts tonight at 5:30 with the Opening Ceremonies!

• Cubs manager Lou Piniella chatted with the media on the Cubs Caravan on Wednesday.
• Paul Sullivan takes a look at some of the highlights on the schedule this weekend for the Cubs Convention.
• Sullivan reports that it appears the Cubs are leaning towards moving to Florida for Spring Training.
• Check out the Cubs Convention timeline!
• Cub sources are telling Bruce Miles that the Spring Training decision could come early as today.
• The Cubs could announce the retirement of #8 for Andre Dawson at the convention, or they could announce that he will go in to the Hall as a Cub, or both, but most likely neither.
• Miles also writes that the Cubs remain interested in Reed Johnson and Jermaine Dye. However, Dye would have to take a large pay cut to come to the Cubs.
• Jeff Samardzija worked on his secondary pitches in winter ball in Mexico.
• Bob Nightengale tweets that it appears the Cubs will leave Mesa for Naples.
• Cubs play-by-play man Pat Hughes was named the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year 2009. It was the eight time he's received the Sportscaster of the Year honor, and his 5th in the state of Illinois. Pat is entering his 15th season on WGN Radio with Ron Santo.
• Randy Wells is pumped that Greg Maddux is returning to the organization according to Cubs.com.
• Ben Sheets will throw for four teams next week. The Cubs are expected to be one of the four.
• Ken Davidoff tweets that the Cubs are 1 of 5 teams interested in Jose Contreras.

Len Kasper was on Chicago Tribune Live with David Kaplan on Tuesday:

• The top of the rotation is good with Dempster and Zambrano.
• Kasper would like to think that Randy Wells will avoid the sophomore slump.
• Anything you get from Carlos Silva is gravy.
• Ben Sheets is intriguing and one of the best in the league if he's healthy.
• The Lilly injury is a little troubling.
• Kasper thinks Marlon Byrd will be fine. Defensively he's good in center, his bat is fine, and by all accounts he's a great guy in the clubhouse.
• The theme for this team going into Spring Training is guys needing bounce back years. Len listed Soto, Soriano, and Ramirez as guys that need to come back strong.
• Hendry may not have that much money left to spend, but there's still a lot of guys out there looking for work that you may be able to sign for cheap.
• Starlin Castro may be on the way, and that would allow the Cubs to move Theriot to short.
• Ben Sheets is "very smart pitcher" with a "bulldog mentality".
• Sheets doesn't have the long history of arm trouble like Harden has.

Koyie Hill chatted with the guys on CTL on Wednesday:

• Hill expects the Cubs fans to be there for them win, lose, or draw.
• The guys are looking forward to Spring Training.
• Adding Greg Maddux to the team will help everyone, not just pitchers.
• "There's so much information you can get from anyone with that much experience," Hill said of Greg.
• The only thing that Koyie thinks was disappointing about the 2009 season was the health of the team.
• The strength of the Cubs is still their starting pitching.
• Koyie called the Cubs' staff "a treat to work with".
• Going on the Cubs Caravan is a treat for the players. The players get inspired by the people at the hospitals, schools, and Boys and Girls clubs.

Ryan Theriot was Thursday's guest on the program:

• Theriot is very excited to get to Spring Training.
• Ryan enjoys coaching kids in the batting cage.
• He is excited about bringing Rudy Jaramillo and Marlon Byrd into the Cubs' clubhouse.
• Last year the Cubs had a great club, and things would have been different had they stayed healthy.
• Taking one guy away and adding one guy can make a big difference.
• Theriot thinks Ben Sheets would be a great add to the clubhouse. Ryan would welcome Ben with open arms.
• The Matt Holiday signing surprised Ryan.
• Chris Carpenter is tough to face for a hitter.
• Kaplan thinks the biggest mistake in the 2008 playoffs was not getting Ted Lilly a start.
• Ryan is comfortable playing second base. If Castro comes up to the big leagues, Theriot would be willing to move.
• Theriot played left field during the Cubs 2007 Opening Day game.
• Last year on the first day of Spring Training, a bunch of guys were eating some food at a table together in the clubhouse, but Milton Bradley chose to eat in the corner by himself. From that point forward, the Cubs knew Bradley was a bit of a loner.
• "It wasn't a great fit for either side," Ryan said of Milton.
• Theriot thinks that Jeff Samardzija has a big time arm, Marshall is consistent, and Gorzelanny did a good job last year. That mix should be enough for the back end of the starting 5.
• Phil Rogers points out that Ted Lilly could be one of those guys that's most appreciated when he's gone.
• Lilly has played through injuries that nobody knew about. The players appreciate when I guy gives everything he has.
• When asked who the Cubs team leader was, Ryan didn't hesitate in answering "D-Lee."
• Theriot called Lee a silent force, and says he takes the term "lead by example" to another level.
• Knowing that he will be the lead-off man going into Spring Training will change his approach this spring.
• Leading off fits Ryan a little better.
• Theriot likes to just "go". He has a problem conserving enegery.
• The Cubs team has the ability to steal bases.
• Ryan thinks this could be a big break out year for Mike Fontenot.

Frankie O. from Harry Caray's restaurant came on the show and listed 5 reasons the Cubs will win the World Series:

• 5. Ricketts family ownership
• 4. Mark McGwire's admission
• 3. Harry Caray's Restaurant
• 2. No More Milton
• 1. Because Next Year is Here

Time for me to head out to the Hilton for this weekend's Cubs Convention! I'll have my laptop with me, so I'll be blogging from the Convention throughout the weekend. Email at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com if you have any questions or comments!

Tuesday Roundup: Maddux, Cubs Spring Training, Another Live Q&A, the Cubs Convention, and More

Countdown to the Cubs Convention... 3 Days!
The Unofficial Opening Day is just a few days away! I've been posting countdown posts for the last 20 days here on this blog, a finally the big weekend is almost here! Follow the up to the second countdown on the right sidebar!

Yesterday, the Cubs Convention full sessions schedule was posted on Cubs.com. Here is the list of events:

Friday, January 15 (All times Central)

• 5:00-5:30 pm: Opening Ceremonies
• 6:-6:45: Autograph Treasure Hunt
• 7-8:30: Cubs BINGO!
• 7-9: WGN Radio's Sports Central Live

Saturday, January 16

• 9-10 a.m.: Meet the Owners
• 9:30-10:30: Baseball Longevity
• 10-11: Meet Cubs Baseball Management
• 10-4pm: Chicago Cubs Photo Experience
• 10:30-11:30: 25 Yeares- A Celebration of the Cubs & Cubs Fans
• 11-Noon: Call to the 'Pen
• 11:30-12:30pm: Think You Know These Guys?
• Noon-1:00: Leaders of the Pack
• 12:30-1:30: Vineline- Covering the Cubs for 25 years
• 1-2: Major League Days
• 1:30-2:30: Meet Cubs Business Management
• 2-3: Lief on the Big Screen
• 2:30-3:30: Lou Piniella: My Life in Baseball, Continued
• 3-4: Cubs Jeopardy!
• 3:30-4:30: Baseball in the Dominican
• 4-5: For Kids Only Press Conference
• 8-Midnight: Rock 'n' Roll Revue

Sunday, January 17

• 9-10am: The Essence of Being a Cub
• 9am-Noon: Chicago Cubs Photo Experience
• 10:30am-11:30: Down on the Farm Presented by Vine Line

Greg Maddux back with Cubs

Former Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux will return to his first club, the Cubbies, to serve as an assistant to GM Jim Hendry. Maddux will assist the Major and Minor League coaching staffs in Spring Training, help the development of Minor League pitchers during the regular season, and aid Hendry in talent evaluation. According to Cubs.com, he "doesn't have aspirations to manage or be a pitching coach right now" and this job will "allow him to spend quality time with his family".

Cubs Looking at Sheets

According to the report from Carrie Muskat, the Cubs will be among the teams watching Ben Sheets, but his contract demands do not appear to fit into their budget. The Cubs are more focused on finding a veteran right-handed reliever than another starter. Paul Sullivan says that Sheets would like to pitch for the Cubs.

Will Dawson's Number be Retired?

Fred Mitchell of the Tribune reports that Andre Dawson's number will be retired by the Cubs if goes in to the Hall of Fame with a Cub cap on. The Hall still has not made their decision as to whether Dawson will be sporting a Cub cap or an Expos cap when he is enshrined. In my opinion, either his play in Chicago was good enough to get his number retired or it wasn't. The fact that Dawson may where go in as an Expo, the team he got his start with and played for the longest, should be a nonfactor in the decision.

Cubs Spring Training Update

Yesterday, I hosted a Q&A with Nick Gandy of the Florida Sports Foundation right here on this blog. We discussed the possible move of Cubs Spring Training to Naples, Florida. The Naples people seem to think a decision will be made during the month of January. One of the most interesting things Gandy pointed out is that 16 of the last 19 World Series winning teams have trained is Florida. In the end, winning a World Series in the top priority.

Carrie Muskat provided us with some more details on Florida's proposal to the Cubs:

• The facility will be leased and maintained by the Cubs under a 20 to 30 year contract.
• It will consist of a 15,000 seat stadium, practice fields, Major and Minor League clubhouses and the Cubs baseball operations headquarters.
• No county sales tax or ad valorem tax is proposed to fund this project.
• Outside of Spring Training, this complex will host adult and Little League softball tournaments, concerts, art festivals, and special events.

In the mean time, Arizona cannot afford to lose the Cubs according to the Arizona Republic.

Bruce Levine Chat Recap

Today, Bruce Levine on ESPN Chicago chatted Cubs and White Sox in his weekly session on ESPNChicago.com. Here's the recap of all the Cubs info that we learned from Bruce:

• Greg Maddux has not interest in becoming a pitching coach. However, after a few years in his new role, be may become a manager.
• Angel Guzman will most likely be traded to either bring back an outfielder or another setup man!
• "Don't think for a minute what (Greg Maddux) says won't have impact on the major and minor league levels," Levine said.
• Bruce thinks that there's only about a 10% chance of the Cubs inking Ben Sheets.
• We will get an update on how Ted Lilly is progressing at the Cubs Convention.
• The decision to lock up Derrek Lee for a few more years will be an ownership question, not a Jim Hendry question.
• The Cubs liked Ryan Church is the past, but he had a few down years.
• The addition of Marlon Byrd makes the Cubs defense "a heck of a lot better".
• Levine is a big fan of Jermaine Dye, a former White Sox outfielder, but he doesn't see where he would fit on the Cubs defensively because there is no DH in the NL.
• The Cubs don't feel that Jeff Samardzija is a bullpen guy. He will be given a good shot to be a starting pitcher in Spring Training.
• If everything works out, Ted Lilly could joined the rotation the second or third week of April.
• The Rockies want a bullpen arm back for Ryan Spillborghs.
• The Cubbies are "keeping their fingers crossed" that Alfonso Soriano will bounce back.
• The impact of Matt Holiday will be felt when the Cubs meet the Cardinals this year.
• It appears that the lead off man is going to be Kosuke and Theriot at this point.
• Aramis Ramirez, who is one of only 3 Cubs that will not be at the Convention, is working hard on conditioning strengthening.
• Neal Cotts was going to be offered a minor league deal by the Cubs, but at this point in his career he'd have a better chance making the Pirates out of Spring Training.
• Koyie Hill proved himself last season. He is the Cubs' backup catcher without a doubt going into 2010.
• Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, and Ted Lilly are all free agents after 2010.
• Not too many teams are interested in Orlando Hudson at this point.
• Levine would prefer to spend money on a guy like John Smoltz or Jon Garland than Sheets.
• A Cub source told Bruce that they have no interest in Felipe Lopez. "Keep in mind the Cubs will end up with 3 second baseman when Castro becomes the starting SS."
• If Lilly, Soriano, and Soto all do well, Bruce thinks the Cubs will be a 90-win team.

Owners' Meetings

In addition to the Cubs Caravan and Convention, this week is also the owners meetings in Phoenix. For the first time ever, all 30 GMs are at these meetings, which could be like a mini-Winter Meetings. Levine closed his chat with this nugget, "When you get them (the GMs) together for 24 or 36 hours, things are liable to happen."

Andy Masur Q&A

Tomorrow, I will be hosting another live Question and Answer session right here on this blog! This will be the second live chat this week! Andy Masur, former Cubs broadcaster with WGN Radio and current Padre voice, will join us to talk baseball, broadcasting, the Padres, and the Cubs. The Q&A will start at about 12:30 PM Central Time. If you have a question for Andy, you can join us live at 12:30 and submit to question, or you can send it to me at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com, or leave a comment on this post.

Maddux on CTL

The newest member of the Cubs front office, Greg Maddux, joined David Kaplan and company on Chicago Tribune Live yesterday:

• It feels great for Greg to get back into the game.
• Chicago is a great city and a great organization. Wrigley Field is the best place in baseball to go.
• Maddux plans to help in any way he can with the organization and learn about what the front office side of baseball is like.
• If he can pass on his experience to the younger players, hopefully it will make them better baseball players.
• Young players have to understand that there is more to the game than just locating your fastball and changing speeds. They need to learn to field, get bunts down, and improve on their pitch selection.
• Right now Maddux wants to be able to get back into the game very slowly. He has two kids that he still wants to be able to spend a lot of time with.
• "If the guy was skinnier in the on deck circle, you realized you had to talk your chances with him," Greg said of pitching in the steroid era.

Other Notes

• New Iowa Cubs manager and former Cub great Ryne Sandberg met with the media yesterday and was introduced as the new I-Cubs skipper.
• In some sad news, the brother of Cubs pitcher Angel Guzman was shot to death Venezuelan yesterday. Everything Cubs Blog send our condolences to Angel and his family.
• Cubs pitchers and catchers will report for their first workout on Thursday, February 18, and the first full squad workout will be Tuesday, February 23.
• The Cubs will make an official announcement with all the non-roster invitee names by the end of the month.
• The Cubs Spring Training broadcast schedule should also be released soon.
• The Cubs Caravan is Wednesday and Thursday. I'll have a post or two up about that event during that time.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted! Don't forget, a Q&A with Andy Masur will be tomorrow at 12:30 PM CT.

Cubs Sign Brian LaHair

The Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with first baseman Brian LaHair. He has spent his entire pro career with Seattle, mostly in the minors. Last year, he didn't appear in the majors, but hit .289 at AAA. In 2008, LaHair played in 45 big league games with the Marines hitting .250 with 3 homers and 10 RBIs.

Brian, who's 27, is a left handed hitter. He is very similar to Micah Hoffpauir, and the two are expected to compete for a roster spot in Spring Training. LaHair's contract includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training.

Paul Sullivan reports that Brad Snyder, who has been resigned by the Cubs, will also be in the mix for a bench role.

A few more tidbits:

• The decision on what hat Andre Dawson will wear when he goes into the Hall of Fame has been delayed until next week according to Cubs.com.
• Phil Rogers says that the Cubs still like Heath Bell, who would help the bullpen.
• A full list of non-roster invites is expected in the next few weeks.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted.

More Dawson Reaction

The guys talked about Dawson on Chicago Tribune Live. Fred Mitchell called the "blank contract" good theatre for the beat writers because contract negotiations were usually behind closed doors. This made good stories for the journalists. Dawson and the Cubs finally reached a contract despite some difficulties. Andre new he wanted to play in Chicago. He loved day baseball and playing on the grass in the big city. Fred said at the time "it seemed too go to be true" for the Cubs fans when a player of Dawson's caliber played for the Cubs for $500,000. Steve Stone joined the guys to talk about the Hawk:

• Dawson epitomized what you what of a Major League Baseball player.
• He can represent your team well on and off the field.
• Stone called Andre's first year with the Cubs magnificent. It was unfortunate that the team still finished lost.
• Steve doesn't think Dawson would have done "some of the things that the players in the 90s did" even if Hawk played during that time period.
• The only thing that Rice did better than Andre was pure hitting, but every aspect of The Hawk's game was sensational.
• Fred and Steve liked the facts that Dawson did the little thing. Stoney said, "He would do everything he could to help the team win."
• In the 1989 playoffs, Andre couldn't put any weight on one leg but still played.
• "Let's hope there's a Cub cap on Andre's head when he goes in," well said by Stone.

Andre Dawson had his live press conference earlier today in New York City. Here are some notes:

• Jack O'Connell, the BBWAA treasurer, spoke highly of Dawson. He is the 109th player elected to the Hall of Fame. "Today he is second to none," he said.
• This year was the first time they had a third recount because the voting was so close.
• Jeff Idelson, the Hall of Fame president, said that one of every 100 MLB players make it to Cooperstown. The Ford C. Frick award (by the way) will be announced February 1.
• Idelson said they called Andre "the manager's dream".
• Next Jeff put Dawson's jersey and cap on him for the final time. (They were the National Baseball Hall of Fame jersey and cap).
• Dawson made the following brief remark prior to the Q&A session- "I must say that the last 24 hours have been very emotional and quite overwhelming. Upon my retirement in 1996, after 20 years of Major League Baseball, there was one other uniform I wanted to put on, and it was this one." Then he thanked the BBWAA saying that he is enthusiastic and excited beyond words.
• Once Andre had the left knee done, his right knee felt a great deal better. The announcement of what cap he would be made later in the day, according to Dawson at this time. Idelson said that the final decision will be made by the HOF, but they always consider what the player wants.
• Andre worked very hard at both offense and defense, but he is move enthusiastic about the Gold Gloves.
• "Yeah they got a pretty good deal," he said when asked about the famous blank contract.
• He wanted to play in the United States and get off the turf in Montreal. It was not about the money for Dawson, it was about his love of the game.
• Andre made the offer to two teams, Atlanta and the Cubs. The Cubs were his first choice.
• Dallas Green was shocked when Dawson took the $500,000 contract.
• If he would have stayed in Montreal, his career would have been a lot shorter. Andre was happy to get the chance to play at both Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.
• Dawson didn't like playing in the American League. He wasn't a fan of being the DH, and he realized that he better retire before someone had to carry him off the field.
• The person who had the greatest influence on his baseball career was his grandmother. She was the one who made him go to college instead of straight into the big leagues.
• Andre was a little more optimistic this year because he had no one left in front of him to hurtle, but you can't be too certain. He new that the only possible first ballot guy was Alomar and there had never been a year when nobody went in.
• Today would have been his mother's birthday. She died in 2006. Dawson thought of his mother a lot yesterday while waiting to find out whether or not he was going into the Hall. He visited her grave sight prior to getting home for "the phone call".
• Dawson is grateful that both the Expos and Cubs gave them the chance to play for them. He got his start with the Expos, but playing at Wrigley Field was "amazing" and it "rejuvenated his career". The way the Cubs fans embraced him the first year propelled him to win the MVP award.
• Andre thinks he owes the Cubs' organization a lot.
• He played in Montreal for ten years and had a wonderful time there.
• Dawson admitted that he had "a very painful career (because of his knee)". The problem started with a high school football injury. He had to take medicine "almost daily".
• The Hawk focused on his work ethic to get past the injury.
• He doesn't regret not making it the the World Series, but that's pretty much was you work for every year. He was on teams that were a player or two short of getting to that.

Len Kasper was on the Danny Mac Show today:

• Kasper called Dawson "a class act". He always acted like he had been there before, he never treated a home run like it was his first. The Hawk only had a few "blow ups" and they were understandable.
• You have to put his numbers in context with his era. He was just before the steroid era.
• Andre doing it naturally, being a great teammate, and the knee thing could have all factored in to some votes.
• Mac says "honestly as a baseball fan I don't care whether the guy is nice or not". Mac doesn't think the BBWAA writers should have given Roberto Alomar a "slap on the wrist" for the spitting an the umpire thing.
• Len doesn't think it will take anything from Dawson as a Cub if he goes in with an Expos hat on. Trying to be objective, Kasper said that he thinks The Hawk is an Expo first.
• Andre could keep the Expoes dream alive! The guys joked that they never knew that the odd looking letter on the hat was an M.
• Kasper agrees that it should be the Hall's choice. He would be surprised if it is not an Expos hat.
• Len talked more about the Len & Bob Bash for Cubs charities. This will be the fourth year of the bash. Kasper and B.B. will get up on stage, and Matt (Mac) from 670 will get up there as well. You can still get tickets to the event, which will kick off the Cubs Convention.
• The discussion turned to the Cubs offseason. Kasper thinks Marlon Byrd will play really good defense. He's not a great hitter, but he is a good hitter. If he's healthy, he'll be fine. The Cubs need help "up the middle".
• Kasper thinks chemistry comes from winning, not the other way around. The clubhouse was weird with Bradley last year, but not bad.
• When teams are bad, it's no fun to be in the clubhouse whether you love everybody or not.
• Tyler Colvin is "a forth or fifth outfielder if he's a major leaguer at this point".
• Len thinks this team can do it in 2010.
• Patience is a virtue during this offseason. There are going to be solid guys who sign minor league contracts because of the economy. Len would be shocked if Jim doesn't add a veteran type guy for cheap who can compete for the rotation. A caller motioned Ben Sheets.

Keith Moreland joined Waddle and Silvy today to talk about the Hawk and college football. We'll focus on the former of those two topics:

• At some point, Zonk thinks Lee Smith will be a Hall of Famer as well.
• Dawson really understands the game of baseball. He will steal a base when you need him too.
• Andre was the best high ball hitter that Keith has ever seen. The only one close is Albert Pujols.
• Moreland says that there's no doubt that Roberto Alomar will be in. Keith thinks it is totally wrong that 5 voters turned in their ballots completely empty.

That's it for now, I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

Countdown to the Cubs Convention: 8 Days

Yesterday, it was announced the former Cub great Andre Dawson will be going into the Hall of Fame. Shortly after, the Cubs released (via Muskat's blog) the Dawson will be at the Cubs Convention!

I'm looking forward to seeing The Hawk at the Hilton next weekend. I'm sure he'll be getting thunderous applause, he may even surpass Ron Santo for the loudest cheer when introduced at the Opening Ceremonies (well, maybe not, but both will be loud.)

They'll probably have a special session to honor Dawson.

Also released yesterday was some info on two events that are always associated with the Convention: the Cubs Caravan and the Len & Bob Bash.

The Cubs have announced the list of attendees for the caravan. Click here for the schedule of events which was released a few weeks back. Here are the list of Cubs that will be on the tour with what tour they're on and what day(s) they'll be on.

January 13 Group One:

• Lou Piniella (A.M. only)
• Rudy Jaramillo
• Bob Brenly (A.M. only)
• Oneri Fleita
• Alan Trammell
• Koyie Hill
• Micah Hoffpauir
• Andres Blanco
• James Adduci
• Welington Castillo
• Brett Jackson
• Elio Benitez
• Hector Febregas

January 13 Group Two:

• Randy Bush
• Larry Rothschild
• Mike Quade
• Lester Strode
• Jeff Samardzija
• Randy Wells
• Justin Berg
• Esmalin Caridad
• Andrew Cashner
• Len Kasper

January 14 Group One:

• Bush
• Fleita
• Jaramillo
• Quade
• Strode
• Hill
• Hoffpauir
• Wells
• Berg
• Blanco
• Adduci
• Cashner
• Dave Otto

January 14 Group 2:

• Piniella (A.M. only)
• Rothschild
• Trammell
• Ryan Dempster
• Tom Gorzelanny
• Jeff Gray
• Esmalin Caridad
• Welington Castillo
• Brett Jackson
• Pat Hughes

Since the are on going on the Caravan, I would expect Gray, Gorzelanny, Dempster, Wells, Hoffpauir, Hill, Samardzija, Blanco, Caridad, the coaches, the broadcasters, the front office people listed, and a few of the minor leaguers listed to go to the Convention. Last year, I don't think there was anyone who went on the Caravan but didn't go on the Convention.

Caravan info link from Cubs.com.

Tickets are still available for the January 14 Len & Bob Bash at the House of Blues in Chicago.

I full list and schedule for the Convention should be coming out any day know. As soon as I hear something, I'll post it. Unless their is other news to report, our series on the Sports Central segment will be concluded with tomorrow's post.

More posts to come soon! I'll have more on Dawson, the latest from the Cubs rumor will, and more posted tonight & tomorrow.

Andre Dawson to the Hall of Fame

Former Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson finally got the call from Cooperstown today. Everything Cubs blog would like to congratulate "The Hawk" for his well-deserved and long overdue honor.

Dawson received 77.9% of the vote, and was the only player to be elected today. Surprisingly, Bert Blyleven (72.2%) and Roberto Alomar (73.7%) fell just short.

Other former Cubs on the ballot who did not make the cut: Lee Smith (47.3%), Fred McGriff (21.5%), Eric Karros (0.4%), and Todd Zeile (0%). Also currently Cubs bench coach Alan Trammell came up short with 22.4%. Smith, McGriff, and Trammell reached the 5% mark that will put them on the ballot for next year.

Ron Santo was ranked #1 today on the MLB Network's "Prime 9" list of guys who should be in the HOF. Ronny will have another shot on the veterans committee in December.

Now, the question for Dawson is which hat to wear. Andre played for the Montreal Expos from 1976-1986, the Cubs from '87-'92, and then spent 2 seasons each with the Red Sox and Marlins to finish out his career. Carrie Muskat of MLB.com says Dawson hinted to her that it would be a Cub cap, but the only problem is that the decision does not belong to The Hawk. Since 2001, the National Baseball Hall of Fame has had control of what team each player goes in as. I really think they need to change this so the player can pick. It seems equally likely that Andre could go in as an Expo. We should find out in the next couple of days.

After the live announcement, Andre joined the guys on the MLB Network:

• Dawson was at home today when he got the call.
• He was optimistic that he might get the call this year.
• The announcement was at 2:00 (Eastern) so he was a little worried when he hadn't received a phone call yet at 1:40.
• Right now he really can't explain how good he feels.
• The process has taken awhile, but it's the greatest feeling an individual can have.
• He definitely thinks Tim Raines will be in the Hall someday. Raines deserves it.
• The Hawk didn't envision being in the HOF when he was playing the game. Towards the end of his career, which was a tough time for him, he felt like he had played long enough and gave it his all.
• When Bob Costas asked what cap he would wear, Andre said that it would be determined at a later date. Dawson will talk with the people from the Hall of make that decision.

Dawson was also on Waddle and Silvy on ESPN 1000 before the announcement was made:

• Andre slept like a baby last night.
• He would like to get in when he is as young as possible.
• Each year he "hopes that that is the year." Typical Cub.
• Dawson wasn't planning on sitting by the phone today.
• Last night he prayed and crossed his fingers.
• He is disappointed that it took this long for him to get in.
• Waiting for to get in "can get frustrating over the years".
• He listens to the "supposedly experts and critics" and some of it makes sense but a lot of it doesn't.
• Andre thinks one of his major cons is his low OBP. He says the on base percentage is just a small part of the big picture, pointing out that he didn't go up there looking for a walk.
• The only player he's played with that are in the Hall of Fame are Ryne Sandberg and Gary Carter.
• When Rice was elected, he did feel that his vote totalled might be boosted in the future.
• "Never in a million years" would Dawson have expected Sandberg to a manager.
• Andre wouldn't say whether or not he would be willing to be a part of Ryno's coaching staff when/if Sandberg becomes the manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Check out Hawk 4 The Hall blog that did a great job gaining support for Dawson.

More on this in the next few days!

Once again, Congratulations Andre Dawson.

Will the Hawk Get the Call?

Update: Andre Dawson is in the Hall of Fame! He recieved 77.9% of the vote! I'll have more later...

We'll find out today at 12:30! The announcement will be broadcast live on MLB.com and MLB Network.

Lee Smith and Alan Trammell are also included in the group of others up for election.

Dawson's page on Baseball Reference.com

Lee's page on Baseball Reference

Trammell's page on Baseball Reference

A quick look at Andre's history on the Hall of Fame ballot:

• 2002: 45.3%
• 2003: 50%
• 2004: 50%
• 2005: 52.3%
• 2006: 61%
• 2007: 56.7%
• 2008: 65.9%
• 2009: 67%

I'll update with the results later!

Numbers Breakdown: Andre Dawson VS Jim Rice

Last year, Jim Rice was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Tomorrow, Cub great Andre Dawson hopes this is finally the year for him. Don't get me wrong, I think Rice belongs in the HOF, but if he's in, should the Hawk be in too? Let's find out...

First of all, Jim Rice played 16 seasons, while Dawson played a whopping 21 seasons. We will not use stats that would be affected by the amount of year played, although a do feel Andre deserves some credit for lasting five more years than Rice. All stats are career wise.

Batting Average
Rice: .298
Dawson: .279

Point Rice

OBP
Rice: .352
Dawson: .323

Point Rice

OBS
Rice: .854
Dawson: .806

Point Rice

K/BB
Rice: 1423/670
Dawson: 1509/589

Point Rice

Fielding %
Rice: .980
Dawson: .983

Point Dawson

All Star Games
Rice: 8
Dawson: 8

No Point

Silver Sluggers
Rice: 2
Dawson: 4

Point Dawson

MVPs
Rice: 1
Dawson: 1

No Point

Gold Gloves
Dawson: 8
Rice: 0

Point Dawson

Career Steals
Rice: 58
Dawson: 314

Point Dawson

So, right now are number breakdown is at 4-4. Jim Rice hit for a higher average and on base percentage, but the Hall of Fame is not all about numbers. Dawson brings so much more to a team including his speed, his stellar defense, and his heart. Both guys were very similar, both were great players, and both belong in Cooperstown.

Remember, the Numbers Don't Lie!

Monday Roundup: Sheets, Garland, Cotts, and More

Ben Sheets to the Cubs?
The big rumor going around the Cubs blogging world today is that rehabbing pitcher Ben Sheets could be on his way to the Windy City. All of the speculation started with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports predicting that Sheets will end up with the Cubs. Rosenthal says the former Brewers hurler makes sense for a high revenue club that can absorb the injury risk. Bruce Miles, of the Daily Herald, says not so fast. Miles points out that the Cubs are hoping to have enough money to sign a reliever and outfielder first. If been doesn't sign by around the time pitchers and catchers report, Bruce thinks the Cubs could offer some sort of deal with a low base pluse incentives.

Cotts Signs with Pirates
Speaking of rehabbing pitchers, the Cubs let Neal Cotts go when he was non-tendered last month. Today, the lefty signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. Cotts was shut down for the year last July when he underwent Tommy John surgery. Neal has spent his hole big league career in the city of Chicago, 4 years with the White Sox before his 3 years on the North Side. He went 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA last year in just 19 games, and had a 4.29 ERA in 50 games in '08.

How about Garland?
According to Bruce Levine of ESPN 1000 the Cubs could have some interest in Jon Garland. Bruce feels that Garland still has a lot to offer and would be a fit for the Cubs. The former White Sox hurler went 11-13 in 2009 with a 4.01 ERA. Jim Hendry is looking to add to the bullpen via trades this offseason.

Muskat's Tidbits
Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports via her inbox that player like Tyler Colvin will "let the Cubs know when they are ready". Carrie thinks the fact that Carlos Silva is a sinker ball pitcher should help him at Wrigley Field. There have been 37 different Cub second baseman since Ryne Sandberg retired and 118 different third baseman since Ron Santo retired. Muskat expects the Cubs list of non-roster invitees for Spring Training to be released soon.

All Decade Cubs
As we enter the new decade, we continue forming the All-Decade Cubs from the last ten years. This week, be sure to vote on the Cubs starting pitcher of the decade on the right sidebar! Lots of choices, but please vote for only one. Feel free to comment on this post with your thoughts. Thanks so much to all of your who voted on our last poll.

Cubs Convention Updates
Check out today's Countdown to the Cubs Convention post. As expected, David Kaplan of WGN Radio will host his annual "Sports Central Live" on Friday, January 15 at the Cubs Convention.

Also, Cubs Spring Training Tickets go on sale tomorrow!

Hall of Fame Announcement
Wednesday at 12:30 on the MLB Network and live on MLB.com the MLB Hall of Fame Announcement will be made. Cubs legend Andre Dawson should finally get the call. Lee Smith is also up for the Hall. I'll have a number breakdown on "The Hawk" up sometime tomorrow.

I'll update this post if I hear anything else tonight!

Theriot on SC, Hall of Fame Votes, and More

Ryan Theriot was on Sports Central Monday for his weekly visit with David Kaplan:

• Theriot has been at the batting cage since 3:00.
• His kids have PCS (post-Christmas syndrome).
• Houston likes trains, Pirates, guns, and swards so his Christmas was great.
• Ryan finally got a washer and dryer for his house.
• Theriot got his wife a painting studio for Christmas.
• Neither Kaplan or Theriot are very good at art. David Kaplan got an F in art in 7th grade. That was the only class Kap ever failed.
• Ryan also failed one class, and economics class is college. The teacher he had didn't like athletes at all.
• The Riot got good grades in college (except the economics class).
• Ryan thinks Mark DeRosa is worth more than 2 years $12 million, but Kaplan says "not in this economy. Theriot would still like to have DeRo back.
• He will come up to Chicago a few days before the Cubs Convention.
• Theriot has been working out with his wife.
• He got a new riffle for Christmas. Kap doesn't like hunting. David has never fired a gun in his life, and has never gone hunting.
• Theriot likes to shoot targets and hunt animals. He mainly hunts ducks and deer.
• He thinks the riffle is a cool gun to have even though he will probably never shoot an animal with it.
• Ryan likes being among nature and breathing the fresh air. He calls it a stress reliever.
• Two nights ago was the last craw fish night.
• Last night was the Theriot's 7 year anniversary. He and his wife dropped the kids' and Grandma's and went out for a nice night.
• The guys discussed whether or not a grizzly bear could outrun a horse. I'm not sure how that fits on "Sport Central" or on "Everything Cubs blog".
• Theriot sounded surprised when Kap said Jose Contreras.
• Paul Sullivan hasen't cut his hair since the Cubs last game. The Riot and Kap want Sully to do an extreme makeover at the Cubs Convention. Theriot is a fan of Sullivan's glasses.

Speaking of Sully, he was on Chicago Tribune Live and briefly discussed the Cubs:

• The Cubs didn't want DeRosa back. They didn't even look at him.
• Mark got about what he was worth.
• If Paul was the GM of the Cubs, he would consider signing DeRo once again.
• The Cubs are looking to move Theriot to second base eventually, and if you sign DeRosa to a 2 year deal, it means you're keeping Mark at second and keeping Castro in the minors for the next two years.
• Sullivan said Jeff Baker paid really well as a Cub.
• Guys like DeRosa and Henry Blanco were "glue guys" for the '08 Cubs (they held everything together).
• The Cubs didn't want to bring Mark back, because when you bring guys back it's never the same as the first time. They did it with Fergie and Holtzman, and it just wasn't the same.
• The players the guys got in the DeRosa deal last year were talked about. Mark Carmen (who was also on CTL) wasn't too excited about the 3 minor league pitchers, calling them average. Sullivan says John Gaub looks pretty good, but he's unsure about Jeff Stevens.

Hall of Fame: If You Voted for Dawson, Please Stand Up?

Next Wednesdays is the day we find out whether or not Cub great Andre Dawson is going to be inducted into Cooperstown next July. Dawson need to be in, there's no doubt. Former Cub closer Lee Smith and current Cub bench coach Alan Trammell are also on the ballot. Cubs beat writer (and friend of this blog) Bruce Miles has revealed the 9 guys that he voted for. Miles voted for Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven, Dawson, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Jack Morris, Tim Raines, Smith, and Trammell. As of December 4, Carrie Muskat had already checked Andre Dawson. White Sox beat Writer Mark Gonzales is voting for "The Hawk" as well as Barry Larkin, Bert Blyleven, and Roberto Alomar. Teddy Greenstein has a check mark next to the names of Dawosn, Alomar, Blyleven, Dawosn, Mattingly, and Smith. Philip Hersh is giving Alomar, Blyleven, Dawson, Larkin, Martinez, Mattingly, Morris, Smith, and Trammell his vote. Fred Mitchell is voting for Alomar, Blyleven, Dawson, Larkin, McGriff, Morris, Raines, and Smith. Phil Rogers checked the following names: Alomar, Baines, Blyleven, Dawson, Morris, Raines, and Trammell. Cub beat writer Paul Sullivan will vote for Alomar, Baines, Dawson, Raines, and Smith. Dave Van Dyck is only voting for 3 guys, but "The Hawk" and Smith are both in that elite group, along with Roberto Alomar. So far we have 9 votes for Andre Dawson, and no writes who left the box next to Dawson's name unchecked. Gordon Wittenmyer for the Sun-Times says Dawson is on his ballot, which brings us up to ten votes. Jon Heyman tweeted that he too voted for Dawson. Ken Rosethal voted for Hawk, Lee, and Alan.

We could go on and on a possible even find out if Dawson made it or not by looking at all of the BBWAA voting member blogs and twitters. However, there's over a hundred. Let's just wait 8 more days to find out. I'll have a numbers breakdown up about Dawson over the weekend. The announcement is made a week from tomorrow (Jan. 6) at 1:00 PM CT on MLB.com & MLB Network.

Len & Bob Bash

Tickets for this year's Len & Bob Bash are on Sale! Click here for more.

Minor League Update

Cubs prospect Robinson Chirinos was mentioned in the list of best minor league games of the year for his 2 grand slam game on May 31.

Cub Plays of the Year

Check out the videos of the top Cubs plays of 2009, and then vote on your favorite on Cubs.com!! I like Reed's catch and Piniella's craftiness. It's fun to remember that there were some good moments this past season!

Rumor Updates

The acquisition of Jose Contreras is unlikely according to Chicago Breaking Sports.com, because Carlos Silva will fill the role of spot starter/bullpen man. Contreras should get better offers from teams that are looking for starters. Brining back popular Reed Johnson could be a better option that trading for Ryan Spillborghs. Troy Renck of the Denver Post talked to a major league source who downplayed the Cubs' interest in Spillborghs. Troy's "gut tells him that the Rockies' asking price will be too high to get a deal done."

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted with just 2 days left of 2009...

Catching Up Quick Hits after the Holiday

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays! Let's catch up:

• Matt Capps has signed with the Washington Nationals, so the Cubs are still in search of a reliever and right fielder.
• Ben Sheets and Joel Pineiro are on the Cubs' radar.
• Bruce Levine says that the Cubs are not involved in Jason Bay or Matt Holliday.
• The Cubs did have a chat with the Yankees, but Carlos Zambrano is not going anywhere.
• Carlos Zambrano's agent told Bruce that "Big Z is not interested in being traded". Zambrano has a no-trade clause, so that's that.
• Carlos and Ryan Dempster are both living in Chicago this offseason.
• Dave Van Dyck says that even Kevin Gregg could be an option for the Cubs!
• TCR's 2002 season in review
• "Santo" Claus likes to give during the holidays.
• Kiko Calero is the type of guy that the Cubs are really looking at according to Levine on Talkin' Baseball.
• Jose Contreras could be an option for the Cubs as a fifth starter until Ted Lilly comes back.
• Andre Dawson is waiting for his HOF call.
• Check out some funny Christmas Cubs parody pieces via the links in this Bleacher Nation article.
• The Cubs sale was on the list of "Top Chicago Business Stories of 2009".
• Bleed Cubbie Blue had the 'Twas The Night Before Cub Christmas".
• CCO did their annual familiar carol with a Cub Twist.
• Thanks to Chicago Cubs Online for this one- citing Jim Duquette of XM Radio as their source- The Cubs are very interested in adding Johnny Damon to play center field.
• Jonathan Hood said that Jim Hendry will probably make another trade or two.
• Replacing the innings Carlos Zambrano eats would be hard to do for the Cubs. .
• Levine thinks that the Cubs using Zambrano as a pinch hitter and letting him run the bases the way he does when he hits is a mistake.

Cubs TV Announcer Bob Brenly was on the Danny Mac Show on 670 the Score earlier this week:

• Brenly's daughter got engaged over Thanksgiving and his son did so a week later.
• Bob's offseason is going good so far.
• Milton Bradley is a very talented player when he lets his play do the talking and keeps his mouth shut.
• Brenly thinks that Bradley "had to go" calling him a "huge disruption in the clubhouse."
• He is not sure what Silva will bring to the team. Carlos' role is still unknown.
• The Free Agent class this year is not the strongest, but there are some role players out there that could increase the Cubs chances to win next year.
• Bob says that we need the guys we have on the roster to perform at the level that they are expected to in 2010. Ramirez, Kosuke, Soto, and Soriano all need to stay healthy and bounce back.
• Brenly thinks Zambrano will be back next year even though he hasn't achieved the kind of success that he should so far in his career with his talent level.
• The Yankees might not have the prospects the Cubs would need in return for Zambrano. If they were to pull off a trade, it would have to be a 3-way deal so the Cubs can get some solid prospects back.
• Kosuke is out of his comfort zone in center field. He's much more comfortable in right field.
• Bob would not like to see Felix Pie back in the Cub uniform. The combination of Reed Johnson and Sam Fuld could be enough.
• The Cubs would still like to get a guy who could play center every day and lead off, but if that guy is not out there, Reed and Fuld isn't the worse thing that could happen.
• B.B. thinks Carlos Marmol will be similar to Mitch Williams as Cub closer. The Cubs need a guy like Matt Capps who would be a plan B if Marmol were to stumble.
• Bob Brenly doesn't step across the line in dealing with Michael. It's a little bit of a balancing act because Bob has to be an employee and a father.
• The younger Brenly made great strides defensively in 2009.
• B.B.'s looking forward to the Len and Bob Bash.

That's it for now, I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always as the weekend moves along.

Friday Roundup: Hendry on Sports Central, Crane Meets Media, Trade Reaction, and More

Post Trade Talk

• Yesterday the Cubs sent Jake Fox and Aaron Miles to Oakland for Jeff Gray and 2 prospects.
• Gray has been added to the Cubs 40 man roster, which now stands at 37.
• Jim Hendry "feels good about the two or three things the Cubs have done since the season ended.
• The Cubs head into the Winter Meetings still looking to tweak the bullpen according to Cubs.com.
• The Cubs like Jeff Gray's arm strength. Hendry compared him to Angel Guzman. Gray will compete for a spot in the bullpen in Mesa.
• Milton Bradley's contract is the next order of business. Van Dyck says that it will most likely be addressed at next week's winter meetings in Indianapolis.
• "Aaron will be better served going elsewhere after a very, very tough year for him," Jim said. Also, Fox will fit better on an AL team, where he can DH.
• Oakland took on $1.7 of the $2.7 million owed to Miles.
• Starlin Castro was not a factor in the trade.

HOF Ballot

Bruce Miles has received his Hall of Fame ballot, he will seriously consider voting for the following:

• Robby Alomar
• Barry Larkin
• Bert Blyleven
• Andre Dawson
• Jack Morris
• Mark McGwire
• Tim Raines
• Lee Smith
• Alan Trammell

Carrie Muksat's ballot is in as well. She has already checked Andre Dawson.

Levine talks to Hendry

• Hendry is still looking to trade Bradley.
• The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets are the top teams interested in Bradley.
• 3-4 teams could be involved in the deal for Milton.
• Luis Castillo and Pat Burrell are still being tossed around.
• The Cubs are looking for a left handed hitting center fielder and right handed platoon outfielder like Reed Johnson.
• The Cubs will seek guys like Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel, Mike Cameron, and Coco Crisp.
• J.J. Putz and Ben Sheets our options for the Cubbies.

Rehab Updates

Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal told Carrie Muskat that Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramiez, and Geovany Soto are sticking to their rehab routines and are making progress. Ted Lilly will be re-examined after Jan. 1, then start a rehab program is all goes well.

Off the Field Updates

Crane Kenney addressed some Cubs topics at Wrigley Field today.

• Don't expect a dramatic increase in ticket prices in 2010.
• The Cubs will have 700 new season tickets next year. There are about 120,000 people on the waiting list right now.
• The Cubs should have an announcement in January about whether they will keep their Spring Training in Arizona or move to Florida. Naples has become "a very viable option".
• There is currently some work being done to upgrade Wrigley.
• The Cubs are going to get the "triangle building" project going.
• An ice rink in the parking lot west of Wrigley is being built. It will open this winter.
• All Good news!!

Hendry with Kap

Cubs GM Jim Hendry joined David Kaplan on Sports Central to preview the Winter Meetings and talk Cubs baseball!:

• Hendry doesn't think it matters where the Winter Meetings are held.
• There are always scout or affiliate dinners at night.
• Having it in Vegas last year didn't really make sense, because Jim like to stay at the hotel the whole week.
• The Cubs are going to have 25-30 employees at the Meetings.
• There is a big meeting room next to the hotel room that Jim is staying in, and each guy from the organization will get an assignment as to what team to meet with.
• It's an action packed 4-5 days.
• Jim likes the meetings. "It's a fun time and a chance to get a lot done."
• Tom Ricketts has a lot of faith in him.
• The Cubs don't need a lot of different players to be much better next season.
• They are looking to make 2-3 good moves in the next couple months.
• Hendry would like to get a couple things done before the end of next week.
• Jim thinks trades are better for the game of baseball than free agent signings. He hopes that trades pick up in the next few weeks.
• Tom has been very friendly. The family have a lot on their plate right now on the business side.
• The top thing on the Cubs wish list is to be a little more creative instead of going out and buying a free agent. This winter is going to be more of an add here, subtract there type of thing.
• There is still a chance Reed Johnson returns. Jim loves Reed, and had nothing but good things to say about him.
• The Cubs would like to add some more depth to the bullpen. A veteran presence will help a young 'pen. Re-signing Grabow was a key move.
• "Who wouldn't want him," Jim said of Roy Halladay.

Miles Chat

Yesterday I chatted with Bruce Miles right here on this blog! In case you missed it, here's a recap of what he had to say:

• Bruce started his offseason with a vacation to Europe. Now he's getting ready for Indy.
• He expects the Milton Bradley trade to be done next week if the money issues can be worked out. There is no scenario where Bradley will be back with the Cubs right now.
• Texas or Tampa Bay seem like the best bets right now.
• The Cubs would love to move Kosuke to right field.
• Sam Fuld will compete in Spring Training, but probably not for the starter's job.
• In these days, there really is no offseason for any sport. You have to block out your vacation time and comp time and take it, according to Miles.
• Marlon Byrd and Mike Cameron are options the Cubs will explore.
• The Cubs will wait for the non-tender deadline to see if they can pick up a bargain or two.
• As far as the Rule 5 Draft, the Cubs protected everybody that they felt they needed to so they won't feel stung if they lose a player. It's hard to tell what players are at-risk of being lost by the Cubs.
• Miles likes Alan Trammel a lot as a possibility to take over as Cub manager in 2010 if Piniella retires.
• Bruce likes having a family own the team. It will be a welcome change.

Piniella at Redsfest

Lou Piniella was at the kick-off of the annual Redsfest this evening. What was he doing at a division rivals fan fest? Piniella was the manager of the 1990 World Champion Cincinnati Reds. This is the 20th anniversary of the team, and many of the members of that club have gathered at Duke Enegery Center this weekend.

"20 years, that's a long time isn't it. It almost seems like yesterday. It's seeing the player that got it done. Unfortunately, not all of them are here, but those that are, they bring back some pleasant memories. What a great group of young men. They were dedicated, talented, and got the job done." Lou told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.

"I'll tell you what, I enjoyed my 3 years in Cincinnati. Nice people, great fans. I didn't realize how big baseball is in Cincinnati until I got here," he added. Lou received a personal invite from owner/CEO Bob Castellini. The first night of the Redsfest was full of fun, similar to the Cubs Convention. Players signed autographs, there was wiffleball, kids could play video games, there was a rock climbing wall, and much more.

Oh and Dusty was there too...

"There's a lot of excitement," said manager Dusty Baker. "This is the most buzz I've seen in the city for a long time. From being in California in the winter, I've been watching the Bengals, UC football and basketball -- the town is buzzing and winning. I've been there before in Los Angeles and the Bay Area when we all won -- college and pro sports. I feel it happening. It's been coming. We're getting better."

Other Tidbits

• The Tigers appear unlikely to sent Granderson to the Cubs, according to one source (mlive.com)
• Be sure to check out the Dawon for the Hall Twitter Blitz. I'll have more on this next week.
• Henry Blanco has signed with the Mets.
• The Braves have signed Takashi Saito, whom we heard earlier this week that the Cubs were interested in.
• Baseball America ranks the Cubs farm system 18th.

It's been a busy week on the Cubs front...

much more to come this weekend as we get ready for the winter meetings, which start Monday in Indy.

Tuesday Cubbie Fun & Games

It's December Cub Fans!

Last Week's Answers

The last Tuesday Fun & Games Post we had was November 17. Here's the answers:

Trivia- of these four catcher who have started for the Cubs in the playoffs, who had the most productive offensive regular season?

Answer- D, Scott Servais, 1998

Name that Cub- Casey McGehee

Cubbie Birthdays

Former Cubs that have birthdays this week...

Today- Tom Filer & Cal McLish

Tomorrow- Andre Rodgers

Thursday- Damon Berryhill & Mike Martin

Fri.- Lee Smith

Sat.- Mike Mahoney & Bobby Mattick

Sun.- Larry Bowa and Tommy Brown

Cubs Trivia

In 2007, who did the Cubs trade for Jason Kendall?

A) Henry Blanco

B) Michael Barrett

C) Rob Bowen

D) Koyie Hill

Name that Ricketts

1. What is the first name of the bald man to the far left?

2. What is the name of the taller man that is in the middle?

3. What is the women's name?

4. What is the name of the man to the far right?

Quote of the Week

"I don't know why we bought the Cubs. We already had a perfectly good company softball team."

-Robert Verdi after the Chicago Tribune Company bought the Cubs in 1981.

Random Cubs Fact

In 1942, tired of watching his slugging outfielder Lou Novikoff take so many pitches for strikes, Cubs owner PK Wrigley offered Novikoff $5 for every time he struck out swinging.

Link of the Week

Hawk 4 The Hall blog does a great job at looking at reasons why Andre Dawson should be in the Hall of Fame. Dawson is on the ballot again this year!

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