Let's Catchup: Cubs Rumor Roundup

With the countdown to the Cubs Convention and Andre Dawson posts, we haven't had much of a chance to check to rumor mill and other Cub news this week. Let's do that now!

Bruce Levine Chat
Well, the best place to start for rumors is Mr. Chicago Baseball. He chatted Cubs and White Sox Tuesday as always on ESPN Chicago.com. Here are the Cub-related notes from the chat:

• Jim Hendry likes OBP guys, but he doesn't live and die with that stat.
• The Cubs have talked with Casey Close, who is the agent for Ben Sheets. He is looking for between $7 and $8 million. The Cubs would be interested in Sheets if the asking price went down a lot.
• Levine mentioned John Smoltz and Jose Contreras as guys that fit just as well as Sheets.
• Andres Blanco is the better defensive player than both Fontenot and Theriot. Bruce is sure he'll have a job as an infield backup on the Cubs Opening Day roster.
• Ideally, on a great team, Marlon Byrd is a fourth outfielder. At this point, the Cubs are not a great team.
• The Ryan Spilborghs trade that Levine has mentioned before is still on the table.
• Bruce doesn't ever see Fontenot as a full time starter calling him a part-time player that can be productive.
• When asked who would get the most playing time at second base this year for the Cubs, Bruce said that there might be someone who is not yet on the team. Ryan Theriot is also a possibility to move to second if Castro comes up. Starlin "isn't all that far away in management plans".
• The problem with Carlos Zambrano is not his offseason regimen, it's the way he let's himself slip away during the season.
• Hendry wants to add to his bullpen and add another start if he can. Bruce called a backup outfielder "a must", but he is not sure how much will get done before the Convention.
• Rudy Jaramillo should be a great addition to the team.
• The Cubs would consider guys like Contreras and Garland to fill in for Lilly to start the year in the rotation.
• The Blue Jays would want pitching in return for Jason Frasor. They've expressed some interest in Angel Guzman. No way!
• "I feel the Cubs' talent can pass St. Louis if people like Soto and Soriano return to form," Bruce said.
• Kosuke will probably be the Cubs lead-off man on Opening Day.
• How much more the Ricketts family will allow Hendry to spend this offseason is still up in the air.
• Brad Snyder has made a big impression on the Cubs. They don't think his major league career is that far off.

More Rumors & Other Notes

• Brandon Bianowicz has put together an excel spreadsheet taking a look at Jim Hendry's trade history as the Cubs' GM.
• Cubs manager Lou Piniella will receive the Thurman Munson Award on February 2 at the 30th annual benefit dinner to remember Munson.
• The Cubs Spring Training broadcast schedule should be coming out any day know. (Maybe today). Yesterday, the South Siders Spring broadcasts schedule was released on Whitesox.com. Sunday March 7 the Cubs VS Sox game will be on WSCR radio. The Cubs against the Cubs on March 13 (in Las Vegas) and March 19 will be Sox broadcasts on Comcast Sports Net. I'll update when the full Cubs broadcast schedule comes out.
• Andre Dawson is still waiting to find out what cap he will go in to the Hall wearing. Fred Mitchell has been told that he would prefer to sport a Cubs' hat.
• According to MLB.com, former Cubs reliever Scott Eyre has retired after 13 seasons in the big leagues.
• Chicago Cubs Online posted a very informative recap of Jim Hendry on XM Radio.
• We're planning on having a special Q&A here on Everything Cubs on Monday afternoon I will have a post up with more information tonight or tomorrow.

More later...

Countdown to the Cubs Convention: 7 Days

The Cubs Convention is a week from today!

Today let's finish up the Sports Central guests schedule from past years first. We started this earlier this week.

Len Kasper poses to Carlos Zambrano (who can be seen to the right) at the '09 session that discussed Z's no-no. The picture is so-so at best, but the session was one of the best.

2006 (with Kap & Waddle):

7:00-7:30: Ryan Dempster, Scott Eyre, Michael Barrett, and Mark Prior

7:30-8:00: Jim Hendry and Dusty Baker

8:00-8:30: Ron Santo, Pat Hughes, and Glenn Beckert

8:30-9:00- Juan Pierre and Derrek Lee

2005 Convention Segment (with Kap &Waddle)

7:00-7:30: Dusty Baker and Jim Hendry

7:30-8:00: Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, and Matt Clement

8:00-8:30: Todd Hollandsworth, Derrek Lee, Todd Walker, and Michael Barrett

8:30-9:00: Glenn Beckert, Randy Hundley, and Ron Santo

You can find many years of the Sports Central at the Cubs Convention Segment on Sports Central audio archives. I would expect Kap to be joined by Hendry and Piniella for the first half hour, Cubs players from 7:30-8:30, and then Pat & Ron for the final segment. I would really recommend this session, but there's also a lot of great stuff on Friday night and you basically have to pick. I'll have a full Friday rundown posted possibility sometime this weekend.

Speaking of WGN Radio, Kathy and Judy, the former morning host on 720, host a very popular "Not for Women Only" segment every year. It's one of the silliest sessions, but always good for a laugh. Since last year's Convention, Kathy & Judy have left WGN Radio, so I'm not sure if they'll have this session at all this year and if so who will host it.

Should be getting some more info sometime this weekend as far as the schedule of events and list of attendees.

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!

Countdown to the Cubs Convention: 10 Days

The fact that the 2010 Cubs Convention is only ten days away might make you feel a little warmer on this cold winter day in the Chicago land area.

Yesterday, there was minor news on the Convention front. According to the WGN Radio programming schedule, David Kaplan will once again broadcast Sports Central live from the Convention. Last year, the Sports Central segment was recorded on Friday and then played on Saturday night because of a Black Hawks game being broadcast on WGN Radio, but this year there is no Hawks game on Cubs Convention Friday, so they show will be live on WGN Radio AM 720 from 7-9. The guests that will join Kap and the rest of the Cubs Convention schedule have not yet been announced, I'll post when I hear something.

Here are the lists of guests that have appeared on Sports Central year-by-year:

2009 (with David Kaplan)

6-6:30: Lou Piniella, Larry Rothschilde, & Jim Hendry

6:30-7: Jim Hendry & Oneri Fleita

7-7:30: Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, Reed Johnson, & Aaron Miles

7:30-8:00: Len Kasper, Pat Hughes, and Bob Brenly

2008 (with Kap)

7-7:30: Derrek Lee, Mark DeRosa, and Alfonso Soriano

7:30-8: Jim Hendry & Lou Piniella

8-8:30: Ryan Theriot, Ted Lilly, and Ryan Dempster

8:30-9: Pat Hughes, Ron Santo, Rick Sutcliffe, and Glenn Beckert

2007 (with David Kaplan & Tom Waddle)

7-7:30: Ryan Dempster, Mark DeRosa, and Scott Eyre

7:30-8: Jim Hendry, Lou Piniella, Pat Hughes, and Ron Santo

8-8:30: Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Michael Barrett

8:30-9: Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, and Ted Lilly

Post on Sports Central Segment will be continued tomorrow with more guests from past years, guesses as to who will join Kap this year, and links.