Cubs Convention Recap: Off the Field, Off the Cuff

This year, John Williams and Nick Digillio hosted the popular session that gets personal with Cubs players. The victims were former Cubs Mike Bielecki and Todd Walker as well as current relievers Sean Marshall and John Grabow.

• Bielecki missed the Convention a couple of years because he had booked cruises. The Cubs were mad that he missed the '89 reunion, but he is back in the good graces.
• Sean Marshall said that you try not to pay attention to stats during the season.
• Todd Walker remembers seeing his batting average at .180 on the huge Yankee Stadium scoreboard.
• It is hard to hide from your stats when they are posted at the stadium in large print.
• A lot of times guys trying to pitch through injuries lead to poor stats.
• Marshall said that it is frustrating for a pitcher when your arm is sore and you are trying to battle through it, but people watching the game do not know that you are hurt.
• Mike says that the bullpen is a lot harder for a lot less glory. He talked about how warming up on days when you do not end up pitching can be taxing for a pitcher's arm.
• John has a set routine that he sticks with when he is pitching well.
• Walker had some silly things that he would do before he went up to the plate when thing were going well. One of his superstitions was putting one sunflower seed in his mouth.
• All of the guys agree that stepping on the chalk lines on the way on/off the field is a no-no.
• Walker said that if someone was pitching a no-hitter, players really do not talk to them.
• Starting pitchers do not want to be messed with on the days they are pitching.
• Players like to go to different cities to see the stadiums and try the restaurants.
• The guys talked about the game played after dinner where everyone tosses their credit card in the hat and the one pulled out had to pay for the huge meal.
• Bielecki said that when he played rookies never paid for dinner.
• Guys with huge paychecks usually pick up the meal.
• The team gives each player envelopes with spending money for each trip.
• Walker loves New York, but he hated travelling there to play baseball. It was a "tough deal" for him.
• Todd loved coming to Chicago even when he was not a Cub. "Chicago is the greatest city in the world. The fans here, they love you as they could tell last night (during the opening ceremonies," he said.
• Mike's favorite place to pitch was LA because the weather was always great, the field was always great and the mound was always perfect.
• He did not like pitching in Colorado because he could not escape without giving up 5-6 runs.
• Marshall's favorite place is San Diego because he has family out there and because the wind usually blows in. In addition, it is a great city with good people. Sean's last favorite is Colorado as well.
• Last year, the Rockies got 13 hits in a row against Marshall, Cashner and Schlitter. The next day, he gave up the walk-off cycle-completing home run.
• Grabow does not like going to New York either.
• Players usually cab themselves over to the ballpark. Guys usually get to the park at about 2:00 for a night game on the road. They get some work in before batting practice at 5:00.
• For day games at Wrigley, the players have to get up early to get to the park.
• A lot of guys will bring their PS3s or X-boxs on the road. Marshall likes to play NHL '11.
• Sean is a "gamer", he likes to play video games.
• When Mike was playing, most of the guys arrived at the ballpark early. The better the team is doing, the earlier the guys get there. The only people on the 5 o'clock bus were the starting pitcher and guys that went out the night before.
• Marshall does not see anyone tweeting or texting during the game.
• When Todd played, he would take a mental break during October, November and December. He would run and hit the streets, but he was not in the cage and throwing everyday until January.
• Mike signed 14 one year contracts, so he spent the entire offseason working to try to stay in shape.
• Usually Grabow would take about eight weeks off from throwing and then start throwing and hitting the weights in December.
• Sean usually takes about a month to get away from baseball and relax. Mid-November or so, he starts running and throwing again. Right now, Marshall is getting back into shape at throwing again.
• A lot of the Cubs played catch at Northwestern University on Thursday.
• Walker does not think that the day baseball is a massive deal, but it does make a little bit of a difference.
• When you play 81 games like that, it starts to take its toll. You have to be extremely disciplined to be a Chicago Cub. You have to be able to go "cut yourself off" and get to bed early on the nights before day games.
• "The best thing they got going this year is that baseball is all about pitching," Todd said.
• The pay is great, but the lifestyle of a big leaguer (being away from the family) is not easy.
• Last year was a big adjustment for John, who had his first child. Grabow has a boy named Nolan.
• Marshall got married about a month ago and has a little boy on the way. He is due at the end of April, so they will figure out how to adjust this season.
• Sean thinks the Cubs have a great group of Latin players. There is no barrier between the Spanish speakers and English speakers.
• Marshall thinks that this team really came together when Quade took over last August.
• Grabow thinks that guys were a little more prepared when Mike took over. Guys knew when they were going to pitch and when they were going to play.
• When Lou Piniella stepped down, it came as a huge surprise for the entire team.
• The guys were "pretty stoked" when Quade was named the interim manager. Marshall described Lou as "tough and stern", but he thinks that Q is more approachable.
• Marshall thinks that Lou was pretty rough on Andrew Cashner because he had so much good stuff but he walked too many guys.
• Mike remembers older Twins players making him wear bright red Reebok that looked like clown shoes for two weeks.
• A few rookies in the bullpen have to carry the Barbie backpack to the pen that is filled with snacks.
• Alcohol in the clubhouse has been cut out on travel days, but there are still beers there on some days but everybody knows to "be cool about it."
• Marshall has his mind set on throwing the pitch that he wants to throw no matter what the catcher calls for. He will shake off Soto or Hill until he gets what he wants.
• Most of last season, the catchers were on the same page with Sean. He did not have to shake them off as often because they knew what he wanted to throw.
• It is tough for players to face guys who they are friends with, especially ex-teammates.
• Mike hated facing Mark Grace.
• Sean Marshall loves when fans are on their feet screaming.
• Grabow doesn't think you can take anything away from what the Cubs did in September. They were still playing against big league clubs and it is something to build on.
• The Cubs had a tough September and they were able to ruin the seasons of a couple of teams.
• John Williams wants the Cubs to play the Pirates tough this year.
• Nick D. thinks that the hot end of the season will carry over into 2011.

That's it for now!

Recap of Meet Cubs Management

WGN Radio did the Meet Cubs Management session at the 2009 Cubs Convention featuring Jim Hendry, Crane Kenney, and Randy Bush. The session was hosted by Dave Eanet and John Williams. Here's my recap:

• Hendry is frustrated that the Cubs have lost 6 post season games in a row.
• Jim says that we are "very close to a championship situation."
• He said that when you lose you all ways try to analyze it. "I don't think we lost our focus," "They want to win so much that the guys got worried and stressed after they lost the first game.
• Crane was asked for an update about the ownership situation. Kenney think we'll have an owner by opening day.
• The Cubs have played 2 full seasons being "for sale" but they have won the division both years.
• Everyone wants to see the ownership situation concluded, including the club.
• Kenney says that the economy is effecting all 30 clubs in baseball.
• The Cubs are one of the unique clubs that has a fan base that will support them even when it is a tougher time.
• John asked how difficult it was to let DeRosa go. Jim said that Mark was a good player and a terrific guy. Hendry's explanation was that the Cubs are trying to get more left handed.
• The 3 places on the field the Cubs can play a left handed hitter at is right field, center field, and second base. They traded DeRosa to create that 3rd position.
• The Cubs are going to keep doing what they can until they have a parade.
• Randy said that the Cubs are really thrilled with their system. He said that Lou has done a nice job of getting the young guy in their when they are brought up. Mitch Atkins, Darwin Barney, and Wellington Castillo are 3 guys that could help the team in the near future.
• Jeff Samadzija has been told to be prepared to start in Spring Training.
• They took questions from the crowd. The first question was about Peavy. Jim said that he cannot comment on Peavy because he is a member of another club.
• Hendry said the Cubs will continue to keep their eye out for starting pitching.
• "Hopefully we will continue to go out and get big name players," Hendry said.
• The Cubs are going to be in the top 5 payroll in the big leagues again this year, however the Cubs still do have a payroll.
• Hendry says that the Cubs really got 3 good players from the Indians.
• John asked if anyone has asked Bradley to behave a certain way. Hendry said that Bradley is allready a good teamate, and is a good guy to have in the clubhouse.
• Jim thinks Bradley "has reached a point in his life where he has matured".
• Hendry said he's never seen a player want to go to a certain team like Bradley wanted to come to the Cubs.
• The Cubs anticipate that Milton is going to be the everyday right fielder. Jim would be happy with 100-135 games.
• The Cubs got a positive response from all the players when they signed Bradley.
• Jim says he never gets caught up in what the other Cubs have done. He mentioned that there are a lot of good players still out there that could end up in our division.
• Hendry said that the 2004 team was the best team in the NL on paper, but 7 guys were on the DL by the end of May.
• The Cubs are not going about their bussiness thinking that winning the division is a lot.
• Crane says that having a priest bless dugout was one of the dumbest 3 things he's done with the Cubs. He says that if he could do it again he wouldn't have.
• The Cubs 2 goals in the off season were 1.resign Dempster, but 2.Try to get the lineup more flexible. They think that Milton Bradley brings a lot of good things to the ball club.
• Jim met with Bradley originally in November.
• Hendry described Dempster as a "gamer", "the real deal", and a "10 human being". Jim says he took less money to sign early with the Cubs.
• They guys think the team has real good balance. Jim says Lou likes versatile players, and speed game type players.
• Jim says that the Cubs bullpen has gotten very deep.
• He doesn't know were things are going in the next 7 weeks, but the Cubs are always open for business. He hopes that by opening day the ball club will be much better than last year.
• Hendry describe the Rich Hill situation as "very unfortunate". Hill has lost total command of the strike zone. Hill is out of options, and Jim says that he doesn't know whether Hill will get his stuff back in time to make a difference, and mentioned a change of scenery.
• Jim says that Jose Ceda was still a ways away from coming up to the big leagues and pitching in the 8th and 9th inning like Kevin Gregg can.
• He described that Marlins organization as "very good baseball people."
• Carlos Zambrano has the ability to be the postseason ace that the Cubs need. Big Z is still very young for all the experience he has.
• Crane Kenney says that Sam Zell has been a great owner. Crane has went to Sam and asked to do a lot of things and everything has been approved. Kenney compares Sam to Lou Pinellia, he expects results.
• Kenney and Zell had one argument.
• The guys don't seem to think that you can build a team for the postseason.
• Hendry said that you can't explain what happens in the postseason. He said that if you win the division every year eventually you break the door down.
• It is a collective decision if someone goes on the DL or is just day-to-day. He says that if someone has to sit out longer than 4-5 days, sometimes it is better to put the guy on the 15 day DL, and then call someone up so that you don't have to play with less than 25 guys.
• Jim says he's never had a relationship with a player like he has with Kerry Wood.
• Hendry says that he felt that a 3 year deal was not in the Cubs best interest. He says that a one year deal was never discussed.