Pre-Christmas Cubs Roundup

Happy Holidays Cubs fans! The Cubs have been pretty active this week leading up to Christmas Day, so let's get you caught up!

Corpas Signs with the Cubs
The Cubs have signed 29-year old RHP Manny Corpas to a one year contract. Corpas did not pitch this past season after having Tommy John surgery in September 2010. He is expected to be used out of the Cubs bullpen. Corpas had a 4.62 ERA in 56 games and picked up ten saves with the Rockies two seasons ago. Many feel that with another right hander added to the bullpen, Jeff Samardzija could get a chance to move into the rotation.

Marshall Deal Official
As expected, the Cubs have officially sent left handed reliever Sean Marshall to the Reds for starting pitcher Travis Wood. The two other players acquired by the Cubs in the deal are outfielder Dave Sappelt and 19 year old Ronald Torreyes. Sappelt hit .243 in 38 games with the big league team last season. He will compete for a spot on the team in Spring Training as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

Holiday Cubs Coverage
If you need a wintery Cubs fix, you can get it the next few days if you're in the Chicagoland area. WGN Radio will airs its special "Christmas with the Cubs" show on Christmas Eve at 9pm and Christmas Day at 2:00. Comcast Sports Net Chicago will replay the Cubs game against the Dodgers from April 23, 2011 at 1:00 on Christmas Day. That will be followed by Inside Look: Tom Ricketts at 4:30. On Wednesday, January 4 WGN Radio will host Cubs Corner at Wildfire Chicago featuring Theo Epstein. You can buy tickets to the luncheon or tune in to the broadcast at noon.

Up Next on Everything Cubs Blog
Next week we'll review the top Cubs stories of 2011, have my updated Cubs Opening Day roster predictions and check in on the latest from the rumor mill. Tomorrow our annual "Naughty & Nice" list will be posted. And of course, we'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always.

What are Cubs Fans Thankful For?

It was a tough year, but there are still some things for Cubs fans to be thankful for!

• We can get our baseball fix this holiday weekend as a Cubs Classic airs on Comcast Sports Net at 11am today.
• The minor league system is full of bright young stars.
• Only two months until the Cubs Convention.
• Only three months until Spring Training.
• The MLB Network has great baseball coverage all year around.
• Site like Bleed Cubbie Blue, Chicago Cubs Online, and The Cub Reporter where Cubs fans can come together to discus their favorite team.
• Larry Rothschild is gone!
• The Cubs play the Pirates on Opening Day at Wrigley... sounds like a W!
• The Cubs get to play the Red Sox and Yankees next season, which will make for some fun series.
• Our roster includes talented players like Marlon Byrd, Carlos Marmol, Tyler Colvin, and Starlin Castro.
• We have the greatest fan base in all of professional sports. Someday we're going to go all the way.

Go Cubs Go!!! Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Friday Rumors and Notes

• Reed Johnson will be honored at the Comcast Sportsnet awards next Monday as the Cub player of the year. John Danks, Bobby Hall, Patrick Kane, Brian McBride, and Drew Gooden will also be honored.
• On Sunday night at 10:30 (PM CT) Comcast Sports Net will air a Cubs special. They will breakdown the Cubs bullpen and rotation. It will be hosted by David Kaplan and Len Kasper.
• Gail Fisher will have live reports from Cubs camp every night in Mesa starting on Friday Feb. 13 (next Friday) on Sport Nite on CSN.
• Cory Provus of WGN Radio could be leaving the booth. Cory is the leading candidate to replace Jim Powell in the rivaled Brewers radio booth. Provus, who does the 5th inning and pregame show on radio, joined the Cubs broadcasts in 2007 when Andy Masur left for a job with the Padres.
• Former Cub Matt Murton has been traded to the Rockies. He's back in the NL, so we could face him this year.
• Kevin Millar appears to be close to signing with the Blue Jays.
• Bruce Levine still thinks the Cubs have to add a right handed bat off the bench. Right now, Reed Johnson would be the only guy on the bench that hits right handed.
• Lots of sources think Nomar Garciapara could be a fit to come back to the Cubs. Right now his best offer is a minor league deal with the Phillies.

More posts to come including a look at what the Cubs have done this off season. And of course, I'll keep you posted.

Cubs 2008 Naughty and Nice List

Well, tomorrow's Christmas Eve and it's time to put together our 2008 Cubs Naugty and Nice lists. Here's what I got:

Nice:
Ryan Dempster- for leading the team in wins
Jim Hendry- for adding Reed Johnson, Jim Edmounds and Rich Harden
Sweet Lou- for winning manager of the year
Geo- for winning Rookie of the Year and for having a great year
Mark DeRosa- for having the only Cubs playoff HR and for dealing with the trade rumors for 2 year in a row
Mike Fontenot- for being the most underrated guy on the Cubs.
Carlos Zambrano- for tossing a no-no
Jeff Samarjiza- for having a great first few months in the Bigs
Pat Hughes- for being such a great play-by-play man
All the Cubs fans who are still loyal despite the lack of winning
Henry Blanco- for accepting his role even thought he got little playing time
Sam Fuld- for signing lots of autographs in Spring Training
Jason Marquis- for no good reason
Ted Lilly- for being the best 4th starter in the game of baseball
Carlos Marmol- for being a great set up man
Adam Dunn- for wanting to be a Cub

Naughty:
Jim Hendry- for letting Kerry Wood go
Derrek Lee- for grounding into so many double plays
Alfonso Soriano- for choking in October
Aramis Ramirez- for choking in October
Matt Sinatro- for getting lost when he drove to Cincinnati with Lou
Kosuke- for falling apart after the first 2 months of the year.
Joey Gathright- for jumping of cars
Felix Pie- for never proving himself
MLB Veterans Committee- for leaving Ronny out, again
-The Cubs fans that say they won't follow the team as closely any more because of the sweep to end the season.
Rich Hill- for have a "lost" season
Ronny Cedeno- for taking up Matt Murton's spot on the 2008 Cubs roster
Micah Hoffpauir- for waiting his turn
Bob Brenly- for not getting that managers job
Raul Ibanez- for signing with the Phills
Dave Otto- for being boring when ever he fills in for Ron Santo
MLB Network- for stealing Dan Plesac and his train
TBS- for giving the Cubs bad luck in the playoffs

Well what do you think? Leave a comment!

Trivia Answer: Reed Johnson did gymnastics as a child.

The Next 2 Days Comcast Sports Net will be reliving the Cubs and White Sox 2008 seasons. Here's the schedule:
Christmas Eve:
7:00 PM CT- CSN Rewind: 2008 Chicago White Sox
Christmas Day-
10:00 AM- Repeat CSN Rewind: 2008 Chicago White Sox
Noon- Sox Classic; Cle @ CWS Sept. 28, 2008
2:30 PM- Cubs Classic; Mil @ Cubs Sept. 18, 2008
7:00 PM- CSN Rewind; 2008 Chicago Cubs

Check out the holiday episode of Cubscast from yesterday.

And listen to "Harry Caray" visiting with Steve Cochran of WGN Radio on Christmas Eve 2004.

Well, I'm going to take a break the next few days to enjoy Christmas. I'll be back with an update on the Cubs on Friday.
Everyone, have a very Merry Christmas.
☺ Brandon