Pirates Off Season Recap, Caribben World Series final standings

Each day this week we'll take a look at what another team in the NL Central team did this winter. We start today with the Pirates:
12-5-08: Signed Daniel Haigwood to a minor league deal with invite to Spring Training.
12-8-08: Signed Brian Slocum to a minor league deal with a invite to Spring Training. .
12-10-08: Traded Ronny Paulino to the Phillies in exchance for Jason Jaramillo.
12-11-08: Selected Donald Veal from the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft.
12-12-08: Signed Denny Bautista to a minor league deal
12-19-08: Denny Baustista to a minor league deal with invite to Spring Training.
12-22-08: Signed Garrett Jones, Juan Mateo, Andy Philips, and Jeff Salazar to minor league deals with invites to Spring Training.
1-6-09: Signed Pedro Lopez and Anderson Marchado to minor league deals with invites to Spring Training.
1-13-09: Signed Craig Monroe to a minor league deal with invite to Spring Training.
1-21-09: Signed Erik Kratz to a minor league deal w/ invite to S.T.
1-26-09: Claimed Virgil Vasquez off waivers from the Padres.
1-30-09: Signed Eric Hinske to a one-year contract.

I'd give the Pirates off season a 5 out of 10. They didn't really do anything to improve, and lost Ronny Paulino.

The Caribbean World Series took place all last week in Mexico and was televised on the MLB Network. Venezuela won the series. Here is the final standings:
Venezuela 5-1
Mexico 3-3
Dominican Republic 2-4
Puerto Rico 2-4
The MLB Network did a great job with the games, at it was great to see some live baseball in early February. It also was a little preview of what we'll see in the World Baseball Classic next month.

Don't forget chat Wednesday at 7 PM CT.
More posts to come...

Venezuala 3, DR 2

Wow! It's great to see live baseball again. The Venezuelan team won the first game of the Caribbean World Series today over the Dominican Republic by a score of 3-2. No players in the Cubs organization appeared in the game. DR lifted their pitcher when he had a no hitter going in the 7th. The new pitcher allowed a 2 run homer right off the bat to tie the game, and Venezuela took the lead with a run an inning later. Puerto Rico will meet host Mexico at 9:00 CT tonight. I'll report on that game tomorrow night.

Don't forget, Chat Wednesday night to discuss all the latest Cubs new. Get you questions ready for an hour of Q&A right here on this blog starting at 7:00 CT.

Aragua Advances to Caribbean World Series

Tigres de Aragua, of the Venezuelan Winter League, will be apart of the Caribbean World Series next week because they defeated Caracas 7-3 on Friday. Here's what the guys with "Cubs Connections" did in the VWL Championship Series game 7:
Aragua:
Sam Fuld- 0-5
Ronny Cedeno- 0-5

Caracas:
Jose Ascanio- 2.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

For the full schedule and info on all 4 teams that and their players with Cubs Connections, click here.

I will be having a recap of each game this week. There will be 2 games a day one at 5, and one at 8 or 9. I'll have a recap of the 4:00 game that night, and have the recap of the later game the next day. My recaps will include the final score and stats from all the players who are either current Cubs or former Cubs. Ronny Cedeno, Felix Pie, and Rich Hill will all be playing in this so we will get a chance to see how the 3 guys that the Cubs have given up on do. And of course, I'll also have all the Cubs rumors, news, and more this week.

Enjoy the Super Bowl today, my pick to win is the Steelers, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Cardinals pull of an upset. I know you Bear fans won't be to happy about this, but I am a Green Bay Packers fan. They'll be back next year just like the Cubbies!

Only 13 days until pitcher and catchers report!
Join me for my Cubs Chat this Wednesday at 7:00 PM CT (chat will be up at 6:45 so you can start sending in your questions!

Cubs sign Paul Bako, Caribbean World Series next week

Cubs.com reports that Paul Bako has signed a one year deal with the Cubs. He will earn about 750,000 dollars. Bako will compete for the back up catchers job with Koyie Hill this spring. The Rich Hill trade is not yet official, so the 40-man roster is now full.

Next week, we'll have a chance to see some live baseball on the MLB Network. Four teams will compete in the Caribbean World Series. Here's the schedule (all times Central);

Mon. (2-2)- Venezuela VS Dominican Republic 4:00
Puerto Rico VS Mexico 9:00
Tues.- DR VS PR 4:00
Mex VS Ven 8:00
Wed.- Ven VS PR 4:00
Mex VS DR 8:00
Thu.- DR VS Ven 4:00
Mex VS PR 8:00
Fri.- PR VS DR 4:00
Ven Vs Mex 8:00
Sat.- PR Vs Ven 4:00
DR VS Mex 8:00
former Cub Dan Plesac will call the Wed. & Sat. 8:00 games for MLB Network.

We know 3 of the teams that will be in. The 4th will be determined by a Game 7 of a series tonight night to see who will represent Venezuela. We will see some Cubs and former Cubs in action. Here is a list of the teams we know are in and the players with Cubs connections.
Mexico:
No players from Cubs organization, but 20 players in big league systems.

Dominican Republic:
Carlos Marmol (Cubs pitcher)
Welington Castillo (catcher)
Jake Fox (catcher, 1B)
Billy Petrick (former Cub)
Felix Pie (former Cub, traded to Baltimore)
Craig Monroe (former Cub)
Fransis Beltran (former Cub)

Puerto Rico:
No current players in Cubs organization
Angel Pagan (former Cub, now with Mets)
Ramon Martinez (former Cub)

Game 7 Coming Up Tonight to determine Venezuelan team that will advance. Here are the teams and lists of player from Cubs organization:

Aragua:
Rich Hill (close to being traded to O's)
Justin Berg (minor league pitcher)
Ronny Cedeno (traded to Sea)
Sam Fuld (OF)
managed by Buddy Bailey (Cubs minor league manager)
Caracas:
Jose Ascanio (pitcher)
J.R Mathes (minor league pitcher)
Matt Murton (former Cub, now with A's)
Josh Kroeger (former Cub, now with White Sox)

Next week I'll have posts with scores from every game, and stats from these players. I'll update this post tonight after the Caracus/Aragua game with info on who won and stats from the listed players.