Cubs Spring Training Broadcast Schedule Released

The full Cubs Spring Training broadcast schedule can be released! This could only mean one thing... baseball is right around the corner. For the second consecutive year, nearly all Cubs Cactus League games will be carried on either MLB.com or WGN Radio. Mick Gillispie of the Tennessee Smokies and Len Kasper of Cubs TV will handle the MLB.com broadcasts. Pat Hughes and Keith Moreland will be on the air for the first time on March 5, while the first televised game with Len Kasper and Bob Brenly is on WGN-TV on March 10.

Here is the full Spring Training broadcast schedule.

Sunday March 4 VS Oakland 2:05 on MLB.com
Monday March 5 VS Oakland 2:05 on WGN Radio
Tuesday March 6 VS Colorado 2:05 on WGN Radio
Wednesday March 7 @Kansas City 2:05 on WGN Radio
Thursday March 8 VS Seattle 2:05 on MLB.com
Friday March 9 @CWS on MLB.com
Saturday March 10 @Milwaukee 2:05 on WGN-TV & WGN Radio
Sunday March 11 @LAD 3:05 on WGN-TV and MLB.com
Monday March 12 VS Cincinnati 3:05 on WGN Radio
Tuesday March 13 @San Francisco 3:05 on MLB.com
Wednesday March 14 VS Milwaukee 3:05 on MLB.com
Thursday March 15 VS Arizona 3:05 MLB.com
Friday March 16 VS San Francisco 3:05 MLB.com
Sunday March 18 VS CWS 3:05 MLB.com
Monday March 19 @Seattle 3:05 MLB.com
Tuesday March 20 VS Texas 3:05 MLB.com
Thursday March 22 @Texas CSN & MLB.com
Friday March 23 @Colorado 3:10 MLB.com
Saturday March 24 VS San Diego 3:05 WGN-TV and WGN Radio
Sunday March 25 @Cleveland 3:05 WGN-TV & WGN Radio
Monday March 26 VS San Diego 3:05 on MLB.com
Tuesday March 27 @Cincinnati 3:05 on MLB.com
Wednesday March 28 VS Cleveland 3:05 on MLB.com
Thursday March 29 @San Diego 3:05 on MLB.com
Friday March 30 vs LAD 3:05 on MLB.com
Saturday March 31 VS LAA 3:05 on CSN & WGN Radio
Sunday April 1 @LAA 3:05 on MLB.com
Monday April 2 @Arizona 3:10 on MLB.com
Tuesday April 3 VS Milwaukee 2:05 on WGN Radio

A few other notes-

• The Cubs have re-signed Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league contract.
• Alfredo Amezaga and Jason Jaramillo have also officially been inked to minor league contracts. All three men are invited to big league camp.
  
• Carlos Pena has agreed to terms with the A's.
• Matt Garza field for $12.5 million in arbitration, while the Cubs offered just $7.95 million.

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

Ron Santo Statue Dedication Recap

Last night was a special night for the Cubs organization and the family of Ron Santo. Ronnie's statue was unveiled at the corner of Addison and Sheffield in an emotional ceremony before the Cubs game against the Nationals. August 10, 2011 was deemed Ron Santo Day at Wrigley Field.

Len Kasper was the emcee for the ceremony. Tom Ricketts, Ernie Banks, Fergie Jenkins and Billy Williams all spoke before the unveiling. Pat Hughes shared his thoughts and then was at the microphone while the actual unveiling took place. Randy Hundley and Glenn Beckert assisted in the statue unveiling. Ron's wife Vicki and son Jeff spoke after the statue was revealed. Vicki said that Ron got a call during the summer of 2010 from Crane Kenney informing him that his Billy Williams' statue would be done in September and his the following season. Ronnie knew about the statue and he was so excited about it.

The statue itself was really cool. Cubs colors of blue and red were mixed in with the bronze. It was of Ron making a throw from third base. It is the first of the four statues at Wrigley to be of player playing defense. The statue looks just like #10. Most of the Cubs players paid their respects by showing up to the unveiling even though it was just before a game.

Here are some links for more Santo coverage!

• Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald's blog


• Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune- w/ video of Santo family singing stretch


• Carrie Muskat's blog- Cubs players and manager remember Santo's passion


• Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun Times- Statue a touching tribute


• WGN Radio audio coverage of statue dedication


• Cubs Corner Ron Santo special- full audio


• Video & Article from WGN-TV

I great job by the Cubs organization and the guys that constructed the statue. I only wish that Ronnie would have been there to see it.

Which Cubs legend would you like to see honored with a statue outside Wrigley next? Vote on the poll on our right sidebar.

Well, that does it for our week full of Ron Santo coverage! I'll take a few days off from posting and then return with more Cub related posts. If news breaks, I'll keep you posted as always!

Crosstown Showdown- Broadcaster Style

With the Crosstown Series Part II between the Cubs and White Sox set to start tomorrow, I beg the question: Which team has the better broadcasters?

For all three games this weekend the White Sox radio team will be on 670 The Score and the Cubs radio team on WGN-720, so if you are in your car you will have to pick between the two. On Saturday you'll be stuck with FOX-TV if you're at home, but on Friday the Sox TV guys will be on CSN and Cubs on WGN, and Sunday it will be the opposite on TV.

Now I know this is a Cubs blog, so most of us are going to the favor the North Siders when I ask this question. But let us really think about it.

TV Play-by-Play
Ken "Hawk" Harrelson is as big of a homer as they come. If you aren't a White Sox fan, chance are you cannot stand the guy. If you are a Sox supporter, you probably love yelling "You can put it on the board... YES!" along with Hawk. He is very entertaining, but I would rather have colorful color analyst than a colorful play-by-play guy. Len Kasper has grown on me since he took over in the Cubs booth in 2005. He does a good job of letting Bob do his job and building the excitement went necessary.
Point: Len Kasper

Radio Play-by-Play
Pat Hughes is one of the best in the business. He is very fair, has a great voice and has a way of making every game seem exciting. In addition, his sense of humor is unique and hilarious. I miss the magic that occurred in the booth for 15 years when Pat was teamed up with Ron Santo. I haven't heard much of Ed Farmer, but I do know that he's no Pat Hughes.
Point: Pat Hughes

TV Color Commentary
Steve Stone and Bob Brenly both have great baseball minds. They are both very insigthful. I believe that BB is easier to listen to and sounds more natural on the air. However, due to Stoney's popularity on the North Side while working with Harry Caray, I believe that most Chicago fans would take Steve over Bob. Just to be fair we'll give this one to the Sox.
Point: Steve Stone

Radio Color Commentary
Keith Moreland was faced with the difficult assignment of having to fill the shoes of Ron Santo this year. Keith is a great guy and provides some insight into the WGN booth, but it is simply not the same as having Ronnie on the air. His mispronunciations and southern accent are my only complaints. When Pat takes his fifth inning break, I wish Judd Sirott would do the play-by-play and Keith would continue doing color, but they have it the other way around. Darrin Jackson, who played for both the Cubs and White Sox, was very popular when he was on TV with Hawk but unfortunately was demoted to the radio booth. I've always liked DJ.
Point: Darrin Jackson

CSN Pre/Post
Everyone love when Dan Plesac did the pregame and postgame shows for Comcast Sports Net, but Holly has stepped in and done just as good of a job. I like having David Kaplan with Holly this year. I find Bill Melton a bit on the boring side for the White Sox pre and post.
Point: Todd Hollandswoth

All and all I think that all eight broadcasters that we have in Chicago are very good. The only one who I do not care for is Hawk, but if he was a Cubs guy that might be different. Thoughts?

Quick Hits Before the Holidays: Searching for Pat's Partner, Kap's New Show, The Cubs Convention & More

Here's the latest Cubs news and notes:

• Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune says that the field for the Cubs radio analyst is wide open. Former Cubs are preferred but others will be considered.
• The search for Pat's new partner will be a joint effort between the radio station and the Cubs.
• Lou Piniella has no plans of going back into broadcasting. Another guy unlikely to take over for Santo is ex-Cubs broadcaster Steve Stone, who is now with the White Sox.
• Click here for a breakdown of candidates and be sure to vote on our new poll on the right sidebar.
• Pat Hughes' input will be considered but he will not have the final say. The station is hoping to have a decision by the Cubs Convention next month.
• Speaking of the Cubs Convention, a partial list of attendees has already been released. Kerry Wood will make his return while Carlos Pena is welcomed to the Cubs.
• Mike Quade will be there for his first Convention as the skipper and Aramis Ramirez is scheduled to make his first visit to the midwinter gathering.
• Other guys expected to return include Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Marmol, Starlin Castro, Tyler Colvin and Marlon Byrd.
• Chris Archer, Jay Jackson, DJ LeMahieu and Chris Carpenter will all attend and take part in the minor league session on Sunday.
• The 2011 Cubs Caravan luncheon is set for Jan. 12. Mike Quade, Andrew Cashner, Koyie Hill, Sean Marshall, Randy Wells and James Russell will all be at the luncheon, which is emceed by Len Kasper.
• WGN Radio's weeknight sports show will return to the airwaves tonight. Sports Central received the boot last April, but now David Kaplan returns with "Sports Night" when the Hawks and Cubs don't play. The show will be three full hours (7:00-10:00 CT).
• Len Kasper will be one of the rotating cast of co-hosts, a group which also includes Glen Kozlowski, David Haugh, Brian Noonan, Dave Eanet and Phil Rogers. The show will focus on the Hawks, Cubs and Northwestern since they all play their games on WGN-720. Jim Hendry and Mike Quade will be frequent guests on the program.
• The Cubs signed former Astros farmhand Polin Trinidad, a left handed pitcher.
• The team is still looking for pitching. They are still in the mix for Brandon Webb and Matt Garza.
• Pat Hughes was given a five year contract extension by WGN Radio through 2015.
• David Kaplan recently inked a new contract with Comcast Sports Net that includes hosting duties on the Cubs pre- and postgame shows.

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

Radio Recaps: Talkin' Z on The Score

It's our 700th post here on Everything Cubs Blog! Let's get into some radio chatter from this week so far.

Ken Rosenthal was on 670 the Score with Mully & Hanley yesterday to talk about Big Z:

• The ideal solution would be to trade Carlos Zambrano immediately.
• The idea that Zambrano cannot be traded isn't accurate. Ken cited the Milton Bradley trade as a situation where the Cubs saved money on a guy that was considered untradeable.
• If Zambrano comes back, he will pitch in the bullpen. Then, they will work feverishly to trade him.
• The only way Rosenthal could see a trade happening is if there's another big contract like Carlos Silva out there for the Cubs to swap for Z. He thinks there could be a few others out there that match.

Len Kasper was on the Danny Mac show to talk about the situation:

• Brian Schlitter does not have a fork ball or else it would be a Schlitter splitter.
• Just about every game Zambrano pitches Kasper is asked the question, "How do you think he'll be today?"
• The team meeting on Saturday could help this club to relax more.
• Len is not convinced that the Lou blowup in 2007 caused the Cubs hot streak, and he is not convinced that this incident will help this team play better.
• Kasper didn't like the fact that Zambrano was not showing emotion towards himself, he was yelling at everyone else.
• In the case of Z VS Lee, Derrek gets the benefit of the doubt.
• D-Lee didn't want to fight Zambrano, he just told him to calm down and shut up.
• There were issues with Carlos even before the Cubs gave him the big contract.
• Len thinks that Zambrano was moved to the bullpen the first time because he fit there, not as a punishment. This time around, it is more of a punishment.
• Kasper has never had an issue with Z off the field, and gets along with him great.
• Walking into the clubhouse and saying "Hey guys, I'm sorry," might not cut it this time.

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

Quick Hits: Road to Wrigley, Len & Bob in the Bleachers, and More

• The annual "Road to Wrigley" game will take place the Friendly Confines for the third consecutive year. The Peoria Chiefs, the Cubs' Class-A affiliate, will play there for the second time. They once again meet the Kane County Cougars in a rematch of the 2008 Road to Wrigley game. The Iowa Cubs played in the game last year against the Las Vegas 51s. The Famous Chicken will join the mascots of both clubs for on the field entertainment during the game, which will take place on July 7 at 7:05 CT.
• Carrie Muskat reports that the Cubs will not be making a trade any time soon.
• Ryan Theriot sat out today with a hamstring injury. It is not serious and Ryan is expected to be back at second base on Friday when the Cubs open a series against the Pirates.
• Muskat also reports that the Cubs think Starlin Castro will settle in fine at short stop for the Cubs.
• Len Kasper and Bob Brenly are going to broadcast from the bleachers on Sunday against the Pirates. The game will be on the WGN-TV at 1:20.
• Jim Hendry had nothing but good things to say about manager Lou Piniella today according to Bruce Miles.
• The Chiefs' not only announced that they will be playing at Wrigley, but they also decided that they'll retire Greg Maddux's jersey on June 11. The Cubs legend, Maddux, will attend the event with his family.

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

Wednesday Radio Recaps

Todd Hollandsworth on Waddle & Silvy today:

• Holly agrees that Opening Day left a bad taste in a lot of Cubs fans mouths.
• The Cubs did not get their 2008 "swagger" back on Monday.
• There were a lot of errors and mental mistakes in the game.
• The bar is not set too high for Carlos Zambrano. Big Z is getting payed a lot of money, so he needs to step up and be the number one starter.
• The question is, "Will the next 33 starts be quality?" You cannot lower the bar for Z.
• If he can't step up, you have to find somebody else to be that guy.
• Hollandsworth thought Zambrano's stuff on Monday looked "flat".
• Todd still thinks that it's "between the ears" with Zambrano.
• He thinks that the Cubs are already starting to feel the pressure. The pressure is coming from new ownership, the fan base, and the fact that some guys are nearing the end of their contracts.
• 83 wins is not going to get it done this year.
• The players understand that the rope may not be all that long. Soriano knows that he cannot get off to a slow start and keep his position.
• Tyler Colvin is a kid who needs at bats. You don't want him getting rusty.

Len Kasper was on Afternoon Saloon Yesterday

• Kasper got out of Turner Field as quickly as possible yesterday.
• The disappointing thing about Jeff Samardzija is that he was very good during Spring Training. He was not throwing enough strikes yesterday.
• Justin Berg was also all over the place and he's usually a strike thrower.
• Len likes the Cubs young bullpen because when the guys go through struggles you can send them down the minors to get stuff worked out.
• It's been proven that you should not overspend on middle relief pitching.
• He likes Marlon Byrd, but he does not expect him to be a star who carries the team.
• The Cubs have had a different Opening Day center fielder each of the last six years.
• Sean Marshall is in the perfect role for him. His ERA as a starter is around five, and out of the pen it's in the low threes.
• Marshall is simply better in relief. Len doesn't think you should mess with him if he's having success.
• Mike Fontenot and Geovany Soto need to contribute a lot more production than they did last year.
• Lou is not going to hesitate to put Tyler Colvin into the lineup.
• Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny each will have two starts to prove that they need to stay in the rotation. Kasper thinks the Gorzelanny will probably stay so that Silva can be a sixth or seventh inning guy. The Cubs need someone from the right side in the pen.

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

Tuesday Quick Hits & Radio Recaps

• Today Aramis Ramirez returned the lineup as the DH in a game against the Royals. Ryan Dempster's outing was solid, but Carlos Marmol came in an allowed a 2 run homer. The Cubs bullpen couldn't hold on to several leads, and the game ended in a 5-5 tie.
• Ted Lilly will start in a minor league game on Saturday. If there are no setbacks, Lilly could be into the Cubs' rotation by mid-April. He is expected to start the year rehabbing with a farm club.
• Xavier Nady will not start the season on the DL. He should be playing some outfield in the next 10 days.
• The Chicago Tribune reports that Jeff Samardzija will likely start the season in the bullpen. It appears that Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny will get spots in the rotation. Lou will announce his final rotation decision on Friday after he gets one more look at Marshall and Gorzelanny.
• Lou Piniella met with his staff on Sunday night to discuss the roster. He likes the way things are shaping up.
• Right now the Cubs have 40 guys in camp, but that number will be cut down to the 30 by the end of the week.
• Greg Maddux has been contributing to the team in a variety of ways this spring.

This past weekend Len Kasper joined the Danny Mac show to talk Cubs:

• The Cubs offense needs to pick it up in 2010. They have hit the ball very well this spring.
• The hitters seem to be responding to adjustments made by Rudy Jaramillo.
• The area of concern has switched to the pitching staff with the injuries to Guzman and Lilly.
• Len likes to wait to get enthusiastic about a young kid until he is in a big league uniform, but Starlin Castro stands out and looks like a major league ready player.
• Kasper thinks that Marshall and Samardzija can help the club best as relievers, and you'd like to be able to get as much value out of Carlos Silva as you can.
• The most likely scenario is Silva and Gorzelanny in the rotation.
• He is not sure how much of an effect a hitting coach can have on veteran players, but some hitters mesh with certain hitting coaches and clash with others.
• Len would like to think that Jaramillo will have positive effect on this team. Rudy spending 15 years on one coaching staff shows you how good he is. Larry Rothschild is in his 9th year on the Cubs' staff.
• Lou Piniella thinks the game 24 hours a day. Nothing gets past him even though he sometimes acts as if he doesn't see things.

Mike Fontenot joined Waddle and Silvy this morning:

• Fontenot had fun watching the Saints win the Super Bowl this offseason.
• The guys are having a good time, but they are looking forward to the start of the season. Other than some rain, it's been a good spring.
• Last year did not turn out the way Mike wanted it for him at the plate, but he is going to try to learn from it and not put any extra pressure on himself.
• In 2009 he didn't adjust very well to pitchers and things like that. "It just kind of snowballed," he said.
• Rudy is always very aware of what is going on. He's made a few adjustments to Mike's swing.
• The Cubs have some great guys in the clubhouse this year. Everyone is having a lot of fun in camp.
• Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, and Tyler Colvin are guys who have looked especially good to Fontenot this spring.
• Starlin Castro is going to be a good player.

Bruce Levine was also on Waddle & Silvy on ESPN 1000 today:

• If Alfonso Soriano plays 135 games, you should pencil him in for 30 home runs and 90 RBIs.
• Soriano is going to have less pressure on him and more people on base to drive in hitting sixth.
• Levine thinks that they'll be men on base on front of Sori and that will work to his advantage.
• We'll find out the rotation situation on Friday. There is still a question as to whether Samardzija will go to bullpen or AAA-Iowa if he does not make the starting five.
• The battle between Micah Hoffpauir, Chad Tracy, and Kevin Millar will likely go all the way to the end of camp.
• Jim Hendry said that the Cubs will not let Tyler Colvin rot on the bench. Colvin will likely start the year getting every day playing time at the minor league level.
• The Cubs are counting Mike Fontenot and Kosuke Fukudome to hit well from the left side.

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

Groundhogs Day Quick Hits: Gregg and Johnson Stay in Blue

• Sorry for the misleading title. Reed Johnson has signed a 1 year deal with the LA Dodgers worth $800,000 plus incentives. In my opinion, this is a steal, and the Cubs should have gave Reed this offer.
• Kevin Gregg, another '09 Cub, also fell today agreeing to a $2.75M deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. The deal also contains options and incentives.
• Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the Cubs are one of four teams keeping track of RHP Kris Benson this winter.
• Jon Heyman said last week on MLB Network that the Cubs are the most likely destination for free agent pitcher Chan Ho Park.
• Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune says that reliever Joe Nelson is interested in joining the Cubs.
• Check out CCO's great Q&A with Cubs play-by-play man Len Kasper.
• In other former Cub news, Mark Prior is still working on a comeback. Will the Cubs sign him to buddy with Carlos Silva?... ah nevermind.
• Xavier Nady doesn't think it will take him to much time to get back to 100% (coming off Tommy John).
• The Cubs are going to take their time with Nady, because they want him to be healthy for years to come once he does come back.
• The Cubs front office is split on the upcoming Super Bowl. General Manager Jim Hendry is a Colts fan, while assistant GM Randy Bush roots on the Saints. Click the link for a great article by Bruce Miles.
• Muskat gives us the latest on Marmol and Theriot.
• Thanks to TCR for this one- Andrew Cashner is gunning for a spot in the starting rotation.

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!

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!

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!

Cubs Caravan Info, Bruce Levine Chat, and More

The Cubs Caravan tour is coming up! The stops for each tour have been announced!

Tour 1
Day 1 (Wednesday January 13):

• Hospital Visits- Northwestern Hospital
• Cubs Care Luncheon (sold out)- Harry Caray's Restaurant
• Cubs Spotlight on Reading- De Duprey/Von Humboldt Schools
• P.L.A.Y. Program

Day 2 (Thursday January 14):

• Cubs Spotlight on Reading: Lincoln Library & Museum
• Peoria Chiefs Fan Fest- O'Brien Field/River Plex

Tour 2

Day 1 (Wednesday January 13):

• Cubs Spotlight on Reading- Alexander Hamilton Elementary
• Cubs Spotlight on Reading- Uplift Community School
• Cubs Care Luncheon (tickets sold out)- Harry Caray's Restaurant
• Cubs Spotlight on Reading- Crispus Attucks Elementary School
• P.L.A.Y Program- Northwestern Boys & Girls Club Gary, IN

Day 2 (Thursday January 14):

• Cubs Spotlight on Reading- James Blaine Elementary School
• Cubs Spotlight on Reading- Hawthorne Scholastic Academy
• Cubs Spotlight on Reading & P.L.A.Y. Program Waukegan School District
• Private Event at the Naval Training Center- HUSO Illisnois

The participants in the caravan have not yet been announced for this year, but I'll post them on this site as soon as they are. Last year Tour 1 featured Lou Piniella, Bob Brenly, Jim Hendry, Len Kasper, Dave Otto, Oneri Fleita, Matt Sinatro, Lester Strode, Ivan DeJesus, Darwin Barney, Jeff Samardzija, Kevin Hart, Neal Cotts, Micah Hoffpauir, Kevin Gregg, Felix Pie and Joey Gathright; while Randy Bush, Pat Hughes, Cory Provus, Oneri Fleita, Larry Rothschild, Alan Trammell, Mike Quade, Gerald Perry, Brandon Guyer, Kevin Hart, Carlos Marmol, Kevin Gregg, Jeff Samardzija, and Sean Marshall were on Tour 2 a year ago.

That week will be a busy one for the Chicago Cubs because Len Kasper and Bob Brenly will be hosting their 4th annual Len and Bob bash, which will be Thursday night. Len and Bob will "reprise their role as honorary rock stars" this year for a few songs, after taking a year of from performing last year. All proceeds benefit Chicago Cubs Charities.

In addition, the Cubs will have the Cubs Convention which starts on Friday (January 15) and runs through Sunday at the Hilton Chicago. The annual gathering of Cubs fans is the highlight of the offseason for any big Cub fan who attends.

Some more Cubs stuff going around tonight:

• According to Nationals beat write Bill Ladson, Matt Capps will sign with either the Cubs or Washington. He is expected to make his decision tomorrow (Wednesday) night.
• The Royals signed Brian Anderson today. Scott Merkin says the Cubs were also interested in Anderson.
• We've heard the past few days the a four team trade that would have sent Bradley to Tampa Bay fell through before the Cubs shipped Milton to Seattle. The Cubs would have gotten Pat Burrell and Luis Castillo, and the Angels would have sent Gary Matthews Jr. to New York.
• The New York Yankees have sent outfielder Melky Cabrera, who the Cubs had interest in, to the Braves for Javier Vazquez. The Cubs have lost out on yet another outfielder: Granderson, Cameron, and now Cabrera. Marlon Byrd and Rick Ankiel are now their best bets.
• Chip Caray will return to the Braves broadcast booth. The former Cub broadcaster was recently sent packing from TBS.
• Former Cub pitcher Jason Marquis has signed with the Washington Nationals.
• The Cubs Reporter reviews the 2001 Cubs season.
• John Grabow wants Capps on the North Side.
• An MLB.com Q&A with Aramis Ramirez

Carrie Muskat had her Cubs Inbox earlier this week:

• Reed Johnson could still come back to the Cubs, but it depends on who Jim Hendry is able to acquire.
• Kosuke is an excellent right fielder and an average center field, so the Cubs are looking to get stronger up the middle by moving him to right.
• Marlon Byrd and Scott Podsednik are both option for the Cubs, and it may come down to which player fits better on the payroll.
• Starlin Castro is not the far away from the big leagues.
• The Cubs feel that a combination of Mike Fontenot, Jeff Baker, and Andres Blanco will do the job at second base.
• The core of the team that won 97 games is still in place. The Cubs are depending on better performances from Soriano, Fontenot, Zambrano, and Soto.
• Carrie thinks it could be Double-A Tennessee's turn to play at Wrigley Field.

Bruce Levine chatted Chicago Baseball today. Here's what he had to say:

• Johnny Damon is looking for at least $11-12 million per season on a multi year year deal right now. That isn't going to work for the Cubs, but if his demands become more realistic the Cubs may listen.
• Jeff Baker probably won't be the Opening Day starter at second base unless to opponent is a strong left handed pitcher.
• The Cubs rotation is solid. Right now, whether Randy Wells is a 15-game winner or a 9-game winner is the question.
• Look for Starlin Castro mid to late season, depending on whether or not the Cubs are competing.
• The Cubs are looking at rehabs like Kelvim Escbar and Ben Sheets.
• The North Siders may not be able to afford Aroldis Chapman.
• Levine thinks the Cubs have listened on Kerry Wood trade ideas from Cleveland, but "that ship has sailed".
• Look for the Cubs to be very active over the next 10 days (don't we always hear that?). They could sign Capps sometime Wednesday.
• The Cubs feel good about Marlon Byrd, and they are seriously considering signing him. Rudy Jaramillo worked with Byrd in Texas.
• Carlos Silva will be given every chance with the Cubs, including in the bullpen.
• First and foremost the Cubs are looking at CF and the bullpen. After that, they may look for bench help. Reed Johnson could be brought back to solidify the bench.
• Hendry may sign both Capps and Byrd. The organization definitely has enough money for both of them.
• When asked about Carlos Zambrano trade talk, Levine said two word, "It's over."
• Jim Hendry has made mistakes, but it's time to move on.
• The Cubs like Orlando Hudson, but he's not their first priority right now.
• Jaramillo and Soriano worked very well together with the Rangers.
• "Look for Jim Hendry to bee extremely aggressive, even during the holidays." Interesting- maybe we'll get a big Christams Present from Hendry.
• Jim is still looking at some veteran pitchers. A guy like Jose Contreras might be considered.
• Who knows what Lou Piniella will do in Spring Training. Once he sees Starlin Castro's talent, he may end up being our Opening Day short stop. You never know.
• The Cubs would love to trade Kosuke, but there's not much of a market for him.
• Josh Vitters is going to hit. However, he is not a finished product at third base. He may end up at first.
• The Ricketts family really likes Ryne Sandberg, but ideally the GM names the manager. Piniella's contract expires after 2010.
• Bruce expects Geovany Soto to return as a better conditioned athlete when he reports to Mesa in mid-February.

Len Kasper joined the Danny Mac show today on WSCR 670 The Score:

• Len thinks it's possible that Milton Bradley could have a good season in Seattle.
• The "other stuff" besides Bradley's play on the field is what got him sent packing.
• Kasper has no idea how Carlos Silva could help this team.
• Carlos throws strikes, but he gives up a lot of hits.
• Silva will get a chance because Lilly will start the year on the DL.
• Milton was baffled as to why writers wanted to talk to him so much. He didn't understand that he would be in the spotlight no matter what. For whatever reason, Bradley doesn't like the spotlight.
• Len called Bradley an independent guy, a loner, and very smart and sensitive.
• Milton is not a good fit for a big market like Chicago.
• Kasper is 99.9% sure that Carlos Zambrano isn't going anywhere. He's the Cubs number 1 starter, Ted Lilly has gone down, and Big Z had a better ERA in 2009 than '07 and '08.
• Winning the Cy Young may never happen for Zambrano, but if he stays in Chicago his whole career, he could become the greatest Cub starter in terms of longevity and wins since Fergie Jenkins.
• The NL Central is 100% up for grabs. It doesn't take much to get back to the top of this division for the Cubs.

That's it for now, I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always as the Cubs could be making a move just before the holidays!

Loads of Cubs links

• Corey Provus chats with Jeff Samadzija
• Corey catches up with Sean Marshall
• WGN TV page includes video from Cubs Convention and Spring Training Broadcast Schedule
• 670 the score click on Bob Brenly to hear his interview with Mully and Hanley.
• Click on Crane Kenny, Jesse Rogers, or Len Kasper to hear some Cubs talk.
• Kap talks with Tom Verducci of SI.com.
• MLB.com talks about Pie trade.

Plenty of good stuff to come.

Len Kasper and Ameet Sachbev on Sports Central

Big news: David Kaplan reports that the Cubs sale should be done by the end of the week.

Len Kasper talked with David Kaplan on Sports Central:

• Len says that Milton Bradley gets on base a lot. Len likes that he is a switch hitter who can split up Lee and Ramirez in the lineup.
• Kasper is hopeful that the Cubs offense could be even better than last year.
• Kap thinks that chemistry in the locker room is a bit over-rated at times.
• Len pointed out that nobody wanted to see Wood and DeRosa go, but pointed out that DeRosa is a free agent at the end of next year and Woody would have cost a lot of money.
• They pointed out that the core of this team has not changed.
• Len sees Hoffpauir filling Ward's role.
• Kasper really likes platoons and says Lou will use a platoon at second base and in center.
• He thinks that Lou will have more options off the bench in 2009.
• Kaplan thinks Andy Pettitte makes a lot of sense. Len agrees and says that Andy would be a 1 year deal and not cost you any players in a trade.
• Len points out that lots of guys don't have contracts yet for 2009.
• Dave and Len both watched the Cubs-Pirates game that was played on the MLB Network last night.
• The Len and Bob Bash is on Thursday night. The guys will have several good bands this year and says tickets are still available but going fast at hob.com.

David Kaplan is hearing that the Clap Group and the Rickets Group are out in front. He says that the Tom Rickets is most likely to get approval by baseball. The Rickets family is #1 in the running right now. Tom Rickets has been a big Cubs fan for a long time.

Kap had Ameet Sachbev of the Chicago Tribune on the show to talk about the sale of the team.

• Sachbev says there is more urgency to sell the teams since the holidays are over.
• He says that there is a push to get final bids in by Friday.
• Ameet thinks that the winner in the auction could be determined by the end of the week.
• He says the Trib. will be very careful before selling the team.
• Kap says that MLB could reject any owner that they don't want no matter who bids what.
• Sachbev says he thinks it would be very difficult for baseball to reject any of the 3 finalist who are bidding on the Chicago Cubs.
• Ameet doesn't want to give his opinion and favor any of the 3 candidates.
• He thinks that going back to last summer, the Rickets family is a very appealing bidder because they will keep family control of the Cubs and they want this to be a lasting generational investment for their family.
• Tom Rickets met his wife a Wrigley Field, Hersh Clapp also is a Chicago sports guy who has kept a low profile but he has a love of sports and the Cubs.
• Sachbev thinks Cub fans should be happy to get an owner who are fans of the team.
• The use the term "coming down to the wire".

Plenty coming up throughout the week.

I'll keep you posted.

The Latest Cubs Rumors

• The Rockies remain interested in Jason Marquis. Tracy Ringolsby says that the Cubs are anxious to move him to ease their rotation overload.
• XM Radio says that the Cubs could receive pitcher Jason Hirsh for Marquis.
• Paul Sullivan says that the Cubs are considering inviting 2 Japanese left handed pitchers to compete for jobs in spring training; Ken Kadokura and Shigeki Noguchi.
• Bleacher seats for the Cub-Yanks exhibition games will cost only 25 cents and it will be 1.10 to sit in the grandstand. Yes you read that right. Click here for the full story from the Daily Herald.
• Bleed Cubbie blue likes the idea of Adam Dunn going, I agree with what they say.
• Tom Krasovic says that Jake Peavy will likely remain a Padre despite the many trade rumors this off season. He added that Kevin Towers will still listen to offers and said that a potential deal with the Cubs has fall through.
• The Len and Bob Bash is set, but Len and Bob won't be singing this year! Len talks about the Bash in his recent entry to his blog on the WGN website.

This week schedule for my blog:

Sunday- will be busy, might not get a chance for an update

Monday- Will return, update any new links, news, and rumors; will have a CD recommendation for Cubs Fans; and Will have Trivia answer from the question earlier today.

Tuesday/Wednesday- Get Set for the Launch of the MLB Network and the Hawks game at Wrigley.

Thursday/Friday- My thought on Winter Classic and MLB Network

So, thanks for reading, please comment and vote on our new poll!

Len Kasper on Mac, Jurko, and Harry

Cubs play-by-play man Len Kasper was on the Mac, Jurko, and Harry show on ESPN 1000 yesterday.

• Len says that Joey Gathright rounds out the bench. He can play defense, run, and be a 4th or 5th outfielder.
• He doesn't think that they'll be that much more turn over before spring training.
• Kaper thinks the Cubs will go out and sign a starting right fielder.
• He thinks Reed Johnson is a grinder but he doesn't think he's an every day guy at this point.
• Kasper bought 2 tickets in the bleachers to the see the Blackhawks at Wrigley on New Year Day.
• Len and Bob will be at the House of Blues January 15 for the Len and Bob Bash. Len says the guys aren't going to perform this year but they'll just let the performers do their job.
• Len says he thought that Bob would get the job as the manager as the Brewers but he is trilled to have Bob back as his partner.

Raul Ibanez signs with Phillies

Today Raul Ibanez signed a 3 year deal with the Phillies. Milton Bradley is now clearly at the top of the Cubs list for left field, even with his bad temper. Also, today the Cubs resigned pitchers Neal Cotts and Chad Gaudin to one year contracts avoiding salary arbitration. The team also announced that it would tender the contracts of a group of players including Ronny Cedeno, Reed Johnson, Michael Wuertz and Kevin Greg.

Len Kasper and Bob Brenly will hold the 3rd annual Len and Bob Bash on January 15 at the House of Blues. They will raise money for charity.

Here's the Cubs rumors for today:

• The Cubs join the Rays, Dodgers, and Angels as the 4 teams interested in Abreu.


• Paul Sullivan says that Lou was upset at the thought of losing Mark DeRosa.


• Chris De Luca says that Kevin Towers kept putting Sean Marshall on the table, but the Cubs never agreed to it. He says that the 2010 Cubs payroll was the real sticking point.
  

That's it for Peavy, so the Cubs the Cubs will focus on acquiring a left handed bat. Feel free to vote at the bottom of the blog page on who you would like to see the Cubs aquire for right field. Let's hope they end up with a bat that can balance out the line up a little and has some power. Sources say the Cubs are still trying to trade Jason Marquis. I'd say if they do they'll end up with Randy Johnson. Who would you prefer Johnson or Marquis. I'd say the former. Anyway that's it for now, I'll keep you posted.