Welcome to the greatest day of the year for a Baseball Fan, Opening Day.
Lot's of games today, including the Chicago Cubs hosting the Milwalkee Brewers, the two teams that battled it out for the division last year.
Real quick, here's an update to yesterday's game. The best record in Major League Baseball belongs to the Washington Nationals! You read that right. (The worst record in the majors belongs to the Atlanta Braves. I have a friend who will find that a fun little fact.)
Wash 3 Atl 2 F
The big story for the Cubbies today is how will Carlos Zambrano fare in the Opening
Day start?
Last season, the Cubs faced the Cincinatti Reds. Big Z gave up 5 runs on 6 hits through 5 innings. He also walked 5 and gave up two long homeruns to Adam Dunn in getting the loss.
Two seasons ago, the Cubs and Reds faced off and Zambrano gave up 5 runs on 6 hits through only 4 2/3 innings, walked 5 and gave up 2 homeruns (only one to Adam Dunn this time). Luckily, the Cubs had a 7 run 6th inning to get the win.
Three seasons ago was Carlos Zambrano's first opening day start, and the closest he came to getting a win, this game against the Arizona Diamond Backs. He left with a lead that would hold up, but he wasn't able to get through the five innings required to qualify for the win. Through 4 2/3 he gave up 3 runs on 7 hits, walking 4 and giving up 1 homerun.
So, today, Carlos Zambrano looks for his first Opening Day win in his fourth consecutive Opening Day start.
A little Cubbie history, the last Cub to get four consecutive Opening Day starts was the great Rick Sutcliffe.
Pitching for the Brewers today is Ben Sheets, the Brewers injury prone ace.
The game starts at 1:20pm Central Standard on ESPN2 (the Dos).
All the other games today? Get them right here.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
2008 Preseason Picks
Okay, technically I recognize that the season has already begun at the time of this post (although I'm not sure how many people outside of Red Sox and A's fans recognize that) due to the two games played last week in Japan, but when a team plays two regular season games, then a couple more Spring Training games, something is wrong with the system.
So, I move that we ignore what's wrong with the system and concentrate on what is right, and that is the slate of games occuring tomorrow, Baseball's True Opening Day.(Although I'll probably watch tonight's game in our Nation's capital pitting the Braves vs. the Nationals.)
In honor of that, today I will give my preseason predictions for both leagues. We'll start in the American.
EAST
Boston Red Sox 92-70
Toronto Blue Jays 89-73
New York Yankees 88-74
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 80-82
Baltimore Orioles 72-90
CENTRAL
Detroit Tigers 95-67
Cleveland Indians 92-70
Chicago White Sox 79-83
Minnisota Twins 78-84
Kansas City Royals 69-93
WEST
Seattle Mariners 85-77
Los Angeles Angels 84-78
Texas Rangers 82-80
Oakland Athletics 77-85
AL WILD CARD- Cleveland Indians
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers
AL CY YOUNG - C.C. Sabathia - Cleveland Indians
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Ron Washington - Texas Rangers
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Jacoby Ellsbury - Boston Red Sox
PLAYOFFS
Tigers over Mariners
Indians over Red Sox
ALCS
Tigers over Indians
(For World Series Results see after National League Predictions)
Moving on to the Senior Circut (National League for those non-baseball termers out there)
EAST
New York Mets 95-67
Philidelphia Phillies 89-73
Atlanta Braves 85-77
Florida Marlins 75-87
Washington Nationals 72-90
WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks 90-72
San Diego Padres 88-74
Colorado Rockies 88-74
Los Angeles Dodgers 75-87
San Francisco Giants 61-101
And the moment you've all been waiting for, the National League Central home of your Chicago Cubs.....
CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs 94-68
Milwalkee Brewers 88-74
Cincinnati Reds 79-83
St. Louis Cardinals 72-90
Houston Astros 70-92
Pittsburgh Pirates 63-99
NL WILD CARD Philidelphia Phillies
NL MVP - Derick Lee - Chicago Cubs
NL CY YOUNG - Johann Santana - New York Mets
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Lou Pinella - Chicago Cubs
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Kosuke Fukudome - Chicago Cubs
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
Cubs over the Phillies
Mets over the Diamond Backs
NLCS
Cubs over the Mets
WORLD SERIES
Cubs over the Tigers
(Did you really think I'd pick something else?)
There you go, if you're a Red Sox fan or an A's fan, how was opening day (or should I say morning) for you? I slept through it, sorry. I did watch the replays at work. For Nationals fans (sorry guys) and Braves fans, enjoy this evening.
For everyone else, see you tommorow on the most glorious day of the year.
Opening Day.
Let's Go Cubs.
So, I move that we ignore what's wrong with the system and concentrate on what is right, and that is the slate of games occuring tomorrow, Baseball's True Opening Day.(Although I'll probably watch tonight's game in our Nation's capital pitting the Braves vs. the Nationals.)
In honor of that, today I will give my preseason predictions for both leagues. We'll start in the American.
EAST
Boston Red Sox 92-70
Toronto Blue Jays 89-73
New York Yankees 88-74
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 80-82
Baltimore Orioles 72-90
CENTRAL
Detroit Tigers 95-67
Cleveland Indians 92-70
Chicago White Sox 79-83
Minnisota Twins 78-84
Kansas City Royals 69-93
WEST
Seattle Mariners 85-77
Los Angeles Angels 84-78
Texas Rangers 82-80
Oakland Athletics 77-85
AL WILD CARD- Cleveland Indians
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers
AL CY YOUNG - C.C. Sabathia - Cleveland Indians
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Ron Washington - Texas Rangers
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Jacoby Ellsbury - Boston Red Sox
PLAYOFFS
Tigers over Mariners
Indians over Red Sox
ALCS
Tigers over Indians
(For World Series Results see after National League Predictions)
Moving on to the Senior Circut (National League for those non-baseball termers out there)
EAST
New York Mets 95-67
Philidelphia Phillies 89-73
Atlanta Braves 85-77
Florida Marlins 75-87
Washington Nationals 72-90
WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks 90-72
San Diego Padres 88-74
Colorado Rockies 88-74
Los Angeles Dodgers 75-87
San Francisco Giants 61-101
And the moment you've all been waiting for, the National League Central home of your Chicago Cubs.....
CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs 94-68
Milwalkee Brewers 88-74
Cincinnati Reds 79-83
St. Louis Cardinals 72-90
Houston Astros 70-92
Pittsburgh Pirates 63-99
NL WILD CARD Philidelphia Phillies
NL MVP - Derick Lee - Chicago Cubs
NL CY YOUNG - Johann Santana - New York Mets
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Lou Pinella - Chicago Cubs
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Kosuke Fukudome - Chicago Cubs
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
Cubs over the Phillies
Mets over the Diamond Backs
NLCS
Cubs over the Mets
WORLD SERIES
Cubs over the Tigers
(Did you really think I'd pick something else?)
There you go, if you're a Red Sox fan or an A's fan, how was opening day (or should I say morning) for you? I slept through it, sorry. I did watch the replays at work. For Nationals fans (sorry guys) and Braves fans, enjoy this evening.
For everyone else, see you tommorow on the most glorious day of the year.
Opening Day.
Let's Go Cubs.
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Magic and Wonder of WGN (The Sports Super Station)
Growing up in Chicago, I watched a lot of WGN. After all, it was the channel that Bozo the Clown was on, and I loved that show. As I got a little older (about 6 or 7) and got into sports, WGN became even more awesome, because it showed the Cubs games, and Harry Caray, I discovered, was even more entertaining then Bozo!
When we moved from Chicago, luckily WGN came with us, although no longer as a local station (number 9 on our television sets, number 1 in our hearts) but as a CABLE SUPER STATION (you should read that as if it is being said by Deep Anouncer Voice Guy, you know, the one who always says, SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY).
Back when I was growing up, practically every Cubs game was on WGN, but slowly as time has gone by, that is no longer the case.
In 1999, the Cubs signed a deal with FOX Sports Chicago, and many of the games began to be broadcast there (which I had no access to living in Texas). Later, the deal switched to Comcast Sports Chicago (which, still, no access to in Texas).
I understand the Cubs reasoning for such a move (the same as most everything these days, MONEY), but there are other things that you got from showing all of the Cubs games on WGN.
Have you ever been to a Cubs away game? If you have, you'll know what I'm talking about. No matter where you go to a Cubs away game at (I've been to plenty of them, I've seen the Cubs more in Houston then I have at Wrigley) there will be a sizeable amount of Cubs fans present. Partly that is because in areas without a baseball team to call their own, fans would adopt the Cubs because they could see all of their games on WGN. Then, when the Cubs would travel to where ever the closest baseball team was to those fans, they would make a trip specifically to see the Cubs, because driving to Houston for a baseball game from say, Arkansas (for example), is much easier then driving to Chicago (although many fans will make that trip at least once, and trust me, you haven't seen a baseball game until you've seen one from Wrigley.)
Slowly, that magic is fading. Partly because every Cubs game is no longer available on WGN, but partly because thanks to the Extra Innings package on DirecTv, Dish, or Cable and partly because of the greatness of MLBtv online (which is what I use now).
Anyway, this whole nostalgic post was brought up by this article at the Tribune. It's a good read on the history of the Cubs and WGN. Enjoy. And only three days to go!
When we moved from Chicago, luckily WGN came with us, although no longer as a local station (number 9 on our television sets, number 1 in our hearts) but as a CABLE SUPER STATION (you should read that as if it is being said by Deep Anouncer Voice Guy, you know, the one who always says, SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY).
Back when I was growing up, practically every Cubs game was on WGN, but slowly as time has gone by, that is no longer the case.
In 1999, the Cubs signed a deal with FOX Sports Chicago, and many of the games began to be broadcast there (which I had no access to living in Texas). Later, the deal switched to Comcast Sports Chicago (which, still, no access to in Texas).
I understand the Cubs reasoning for such a move (the same as most everything these days, MONEY), but there are other things that you got from showing all of the Cubs games on WGN.
Have you ever been to a Cubs away game? If you have, you'll know what I'm talking about. No matter where you go to a Cubs away game at (I've been to plenty of them, I've seen the Cubs more in Houston then I have at Wrigley) there will be a sizeable amount of Cubs fans present. Partly that is because in areas without a baseball team to call their own, fans would adopt the Cubs because they could see all of their games on WGN. Then, when the Cubs would travel to where ever the closest baseball team was to those fans, they would make a trip specifically to see the Cubs, because driving to Houston for a baseball game from say, Arkansas (for example), is much easier then driving to Chicago (although many fans will make that trip at least once, and trust me, you haven't seen a baseball game until you've seen one from Wrigley.)
Slowly, that magic is fading. Partly because every Cubs game is no longer available on WGN, but partly because thanks to the Extra Innings package on DirecTv, Dish, or Cable and partly because of the greatness of MLBtv online (which is what I use now).
Anyway, this whole nostalgic post was brought up by this article at the Tribune. It's a good read on the history of the Cubs and WGN. Enjoy. And only three days to go!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
FOUR DAYS AND COUNTING
Opening day is around the corner and this is the year.
I was born in the city of Chicago in the winter of 1977 and have been a Cubs fan since 1984 when I first really got into baseball. That is also the season that the Cubs were within 5 outs of making the World Series for the first time since 1945, but proceeded to lose the next three games to the San Diego Padres. I haven't forgiven the Padres since.
The next year, the Cubs failed to make the playoffs.
Of course, the Cubs were within five outs again in 2003. Most people (sports fans at any rate) know what happened next. Mark Prior (now a Padre, damn Padres) got a fly ball in foul territory which Moises Alou was tracking when a fan (who shall remain nameless in this blog) reached out and kept Alou from making the catch.
Although, I don't blame the He Who Shall Not Be Named Fan completely for the collapse, because with a runner at first and one out in the inning, the next pitch from Prior induced a ground ball to Alex Gonzales for what should have been an inning ending double play. Gonzales booted the ball, unforgivably. While I'm not happy with the Fan Who Shall Not Be Named, I am even less happy with Gonzales, and immediately traded him from my team on my XBOX Baseball game. Thankfully in the next season, the real Cubs followed suit.
In that next season, the Cubs failed to make the playoffs.
Last year, the Cubs once again won the Central Division and have had a productive offseason (even if much of it was spent on speculation that has so far proved unfruitful on the possibility of aquiring All Star second baseman and leadoff man Brian Roberts from the Orioles.) So, the question becomes, can the Cubs do what they haven't done in 100 years?
I know what most of you are thinking, "Win the World Series", and sure, that is part of it, but in order to accomplish that, they will have to do something else that they haven't done in 100 years, make the postseason in consecutive years.
The last time they accomplished this was 1907 and 1908.
This year they will try again on the quest to win that elusive World Series Title.
This blog will chronicle that quest from a fan's perspective.
I was born in the city of Chicago in the winter of 1977 and have been a Cubs fan since 1984 when I first really got into baseball. That is also the season that the Cubs were within 5 outs of making the World Series for the first time since 1945, but proceeded to lose the next three games to the San Diego Padres. I haven't forgiven the Padres since.
The next year, the Cubs failed to make the playoffs.
Of course, the Cubs were within five outs again in 2003. Most people (sports fans at any rate) know what happened next. Mark Prior (now a Padre, damn Padres) got a fly ball in foul territory which Moises Alou was tracking when a fan (who shall remain nameless in this blog) reached out and kept Alou from making the catch.
Although, I don't blame the He Who Shall Not Be Named Fan completely for the collapse, because with a runner at first and one out in the inning, the next pitch from Prior induced a ground ball to Alex Gonzales for what should have been an inning ending double play. Gonzales booted the ball, unforgivably. While I'm not happy with the Fan Who Shall Not Be Named, I am even less happy with Gonzales, and immediately traded him from my team on my XBOX Baseball game. Thankfully in the next season, the real Cubs followed suit.
In that next season, the Cubs failed to make the playoffs.
Last year, the Cubs once again won the Central Division and have had a productive offseason (even if much of it was spent on speculation that has so far proved unfruitful on the possibility of aquiring All Star second baseman and leadoff man Brian Roberts from the Orioles.) So, the question becomes, can the Cubs do what they haven't done in 100 years?
I know what most of you are thinking, "Win the World Series", and sure, that is part of it, but in order to accomplish that, they will have to do something else that they haven't done in 100 years, make the postseason in consecutive years.
The last time they accomplished this was 1907 and 1908.
This year they will try again on the quest to win that elusive World Series Title.
This blog will chronicle that quest from a fan's perspective.
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