A Bridgeport too far

2 comments June 30th, 2008

To quote Mr. Horse from “Ren & Stimpy”: No, sir. I didn’t like it.”

To quote Herman Munster: “Darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn.”

To paraphrase Pop Fisher from “The Natural”: “Don’t you know how much I hate losing to the White Sox?”

To quote me when friends need a few comforting words: “Shake it off.”

This regular-season ride has three months to go.

If Joe Morgan could see that …

Add comment June 29th, 2008

… why isn’t anyone in the Cubs dugout telling Aramis Ramirez that the White Sox were sick of letting him extend his arms and jammed him all night long? At least Trammell could have told Ramirez before he rolled into the 5-4-3 to end the eighth!

Grace was sayin’

Add comment June 29th, 2008

One of the guys who wore No. 17 before Mike Fontenot has some good words to say about the Chicago Cubs.

The Sweet Lou Strut

Add comment June 27th, 2008

The White Sox may have won today. No worries (actually, maybe just a little), not only does Lou Piniella drop a rhyme better than Ozzie Guillen, but the Sweet Lou Strut dance craze is going to sweep the Windy City (Just like the Cubs swept the White Sox last weekend).

Step 1: gain 40 pounds

Step 2: put your hands in your back pockets

Step 3: strut/waddle

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZNGSuuHnS_w" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Ward battle

Add comment June 27th, 2008

I didn’t have a good feeling about Friday’s Cubs-Sox contest when I heard Daryle Ward was going to start in right field. Jeez, I cringe when he’s grabs his glove to play first base.

Maybe the Cubs would have some luck starting this Ward instead.

Cancel the missing person’s report

Add comment June 27th, 2008

It took a seven-run inning from the White Sox to finally unleash one of the Register Star’s usually more vocal Pale Hose faithful to walk by my desk and chirp “Let’s Go White Sox.”

Hadn’t heard a word from him all week. I know he watched last week’s games.

Are Cubs “buying” a pennant?

Add comment June 25th, 2008

A co-worker here  says he hates the Cubs because they can buy anyone they want. He names Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez as examples. That’s weak. Very weak. (At it must sound like blasphemy to all those Cub fans who for more than a decade screamed at Tribune Co. to stop squeezing nickels.)

The truth is, the Cubs rank only seventh in the Majors in payroll, two spots behind the White Sox. The  White Sox have ranked in the top five for three consecutive years. The Cubs, as far as I can tell, have never been in the top five, at least not recently.

And, while the Cubs have only two regular position players who came up through their farm system (shortstop Ryan Theriot and catcher Geovanny Soto), the White Sox have just one (third baseman Joe Crede). And they tried to trade Crede all spring. Of the White Sox’ top 16 players (nine starters, five starting pitchers, closer and setup man), they’ve got exactly two home-grown players in Crede and Mark Buehrle. The Cubs have five, including Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Marmol and their revolving door at No. 5 starter.

 I would argue the Cubs have lost more in free agency (Greg Maddux, who went on to win three consecutive Cy Young Awards as soon as he left the Cubs) than they’ve ever gained. And long-time nemesis St. Louis has signed, or traded for, more star players than the Cubs ever have, adding Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Mark Mulder and Scott Rolen, among others, in their prime.

 Most of the Cubs free agents have been mid-level players such as Mark DeRosa and Ted Lilly. What has made the Cubs so good is they made a couple of players better than they traded for in salary purges by other teams. Usually, those type of players are on the down side of their careers (Jim Thome with the White Sox, Scott Rolen now in Toronto). But Derrek Lee had never batted over .282 in parts of seven seasons with Florida. As a Cub, we’re hugely disappointed if he’s not hitting well over .300. Aramis Ramirez hit .234 his last full year in Pittsburgh. Ramirez had one big year with the Pirates, batting .300 with 34 HRs and 112 RBIs his fourth season. But he hit .235, .179 and .256 in abbreviated action the previous three seasons. This wasn’t the Yankees outbidding everyone for A-Rod. The Cubs got Aramis Ramirez for a song because they were the only ones who really wanted him. They should be applauded for that foresight, not criticized. In four years as a Cub, Ramirez has averaged more than 30 homers and 100 RBIs and batted over .300. The Cubs didn’t import a star. They made one. No, make that two. Both Lee and Ramirez are far greater as Cubs than they ever were as Pirates or Marlins.

Batting stance guy

Add comment June 24th, 2008

If you are like me, you loved to immitate the batting styles of your favorite players as a kid. Well, I found this Web site that does it far better than we ever could. He goes through several teams, including past and present greats. The highlight of his Cubs homage is the immitation of Alfonso Soriano.

Seattle struttin’

Add comment June 24th, 2008

Going slightly off the subject (but at least I’ll stay on a baseball topic).

Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez hit a grand slam in Seattle’s 5-2 win over the New York Mets. Unfortunately for King Felix, he did not qualify for the win after he suffered an injury attempting to cover home plate.

It was dutifully noted that this was not only the first homer in Mariners’ history but also the first grand slam from an AL pitcher in 37 years.

However, it was NOT the first grand slam by a pitcher in Seattle history. That honor goes to Fred Talbot, who got the honor and the complete game decision July 9, 1969, in the Pilots’ 8-0 victory over the California Angels. (That’s what 78 readings of Ball Four will do to you.)

Monday night’s game also marked the first time that Mariners manager Jim Riggleman and Mets skipper Jerry Manuel locked horns since the final game of the 1999 Crosstown Classic on July 11, a 6-3 Cubs’ win over the White Sox. Riggs would find the unemployment line at the end of the season. Manuel would be a season away from an AL Central title.

Amends with Edmonds

Add comment June 23rd, 2008

I know I’m not the only one who owes Jim Edmonds an apology. After the latest installment of the Crosstown Classic, Edmonds has earned my full respect. He’s proving why he’s playing the game: for the love, not the money.

When San Diego cut the former Cardinal in May, he could have easily taken the rest of the year off to sit around and collect hefty pay checks from San Diego and St. Louis. Instead, he took pocket change from the Cubs (much to the dismay of all Cubbie Nation) to prove he can still play at a top level.

I was at Saturday’s game where Edmonds hit two homers in a 9-run fourth inning, and the above picture doesn’t begin to portray the love Wrigley showed him. When Edmonds jogged back on field in the top of the fifth, he had the entire center field bleachers on their feet bowing in praise and left the entire White Sox contingent speechless.

So, here’s to Edmonds, a Cub who is hitting .299 in 26 games (after hitting .178 in 26 games with San Diego) and a player I will fully defend when St. Louis fans give him an ear-full on July 4.