The Miami Marlins are the only team that is known to have talked to Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes so far, and while they say they want him, they don't think they have to have him. In other words, if the price is right, "Yeah, we'll take a chance."Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen mentioned on ESPNChicago.com the team sent an entourage to watch him play. While Guillen thought he had some skills, it didn't sound like he came away overly impressed:"We went to the Dominican Republic, myself and 10 guys. He's pretty impressive. They compare this kid with a lot of people. ...
Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, former Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade's name appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times reacting to the comments new manager Dale Sveum made about his teams' lackadaisical play last year. It must have a slow day in the newsroom, so Daryl Van Schouwen from the Times reached out to Quade while he was fishing in his hometown in Florida. Sveum was quoted previously talking about the effort or lack thereof put out by the team Quade managed last year, saying, "[w]hen you lose that many games, there are obviously problems." "Not running a ball ...
All you ever hear about in Chicago is how the city is all about the Chicago Bears.You hear it on the radio. You read it in the newspapers. You hear fans and other Chicagoans say it.But, let me be the one to tell you that they're all wrong.You have two baseball teams in Chicago—the Cubs and the White Sox. But, there is only one football team.So, theoretically, everyone is a Bears fan. While that might be true, the difference is in the game. Nobody would argue that if you're talking baseball only, it's a Cubs town. For a while, some ...
With Prince Fielder leaving for the safety of Detroit (Am I kidding?), following in the footsteps of Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa both abandoning the St. Louis Cardinals, there can no longer be any doubt that Chicago Cubs GM Theo Epstein has put the fear of God in the team's competitors.
Not only did Fielder and Pujols leave the NL Central Division — they left the league entirely so as not to be embarrassed by the Cubs' budding dynasty.
It was even worse for former Cardinals manager LaRussa. He figured it was better to quit then go up against Theo and the boys.
Without making any major deals for big-name ...
Every day there is something new about Cuban "sensation" Yoenis Cespedes. According to ESPN, the Chicago Cubs have shown him the most interest so far, and I would like to know why. He has been compared to Marlon Byrd. I don't want the current Byrd, so I'm not terribly excited about getting a younger version of him. Byrd is an average hitter and baserunner, and a decent fielder with not much power. Cespedes supposedly has more power, and some say he's a better centerfielder than Byrd. Cubs Vice President of Scouting and Player Development Jason McLeod said on ESPN Chicago in Bruce Levine's column, "It's ...
The most important aspect of the Theo Epstein regime—outside of the fact that he's not Jim Hendry—is the culture change he's bringing to the Chicago Cubs.
It appears players' late-night carousing will no longer be tolerated. Team officials said as much at the love-fest that is known as the Cubs Convention, where they mentioned there are certain standards expected of the players.
That's something that wasn't done previously.
I remember a friend telling me about running into former Cubs pitcher Kyle Farnsworth at a party several years ago. Farnsworth was still there the next morning at 9 AM, even though the Cubs had ...
With a flare for the dramatic, Theo Epstein pulled a Kerry Wood out of his hat, appeasing the throng of Cubs fans on hand at the annual Cubs Convention. Theo really knows how to play a crowd, but this move smacked of the past regime throwing the fans a bone.
Listening to Epstein talk, I thought he was above pandering, but now I'm not so sure.
Cubs fans universally love Kid K, but he's no longer the phenom who struck out 20 Houston Astros in just his fifth major league start.
If you watched him pitch that day, you would have assumed the ...
I listened with bittersweet emotion as I heard the news this morning that the Chicago Cubs great third baseman Ron Santo was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. While he obviously deserved it, he should have been elected years ago when he was alive and could have enjoyed it.
To be voted in posthumously was something he said he never wanted.
I remember throughout the years listening to the radio waiting to hear the voting and see if Ron finally made it in. He never did, and then the reporters would interview him and you could see the disappointment written all ...
With the new management team in place for the Chicago Cubs, I think it's time for a housecleaning of losing traditions from the past. Dallas Green came up with the slogan "Building a New Tradition" when he took over as the GM of the team in the early '80s. It worked for awhile, but he was soon out the door when the Tribune Company decided they really didn't want to win after all if it was going to cost them money. My suggestions won't cost anything, other than ridding the team of the bad karma from the past. First to go ...
After hearing new Cubs manager Dale Sveum at his press conference on Friday, I'm having second thoughts about my comments about him the other day. There is nothing I hate more than someone who says one thing one day and something else the next, so let me spell it out for you. He still was not my choice. I clearly said I wanted Mike Maddux and would have settled for Sandy Alomar Jr. That being said, I like the way he came across in the interview session. He impressed me with what he had to say, especially about holding players accountable and playing hard. ...
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