As those of you who have been around for a while know, we here at LOHO are tired of being left out of the playoffs. In 2009. we auctioned off our post-season fandom to the highest bidder. In 2011, we had fans of each playoff team write impassioned pleas for our support.

This year, we put it to a vote.

Check out each team’s campaign platform below. Then vote.

The winning team gets our unwaivering support until they’re out of the playoffs. Let’s just hope this year’s team lasts longer than the Twins did.

Behold: the candidates.

The Rangers: 

10.  How can you not love Ron Washington?  Coke and all…

9.  Our #2 starter (Derek Holland) nicknamed himself “The Dutch Oven”.

8.  Everyone loves home runs.  The Rangers hit 210 of them this year…2nd on to the Red Sox, and, hey, you can’t cheer for them.

7.  CJ Wilson is damn good looking.  Guys and girls can agree on that.

6.  Josh Hamilton.

5.  They wear the same colors as the Cubs…no need to invest in more attire.

4.  If you don’t cheer for them, Nolan Ryan will come after you like your Robin Ventura.

3.  The Rangers franchise history should give the Cubs hope (first WS appearance in ’10, had never won a playoff game until ’10, only 5 playoff appearances).

2.  They’re not the Yankees.

1.  They’re not the Cardinals.

It’s okay, the 2011 Cubs are gone. You can come out now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl8IA_guvtk

We’ve got lots doing on LOHO today. We have to pick our playoff team. We’ll have a review of “Catching Hell” for those of you who didn’t get clearance from your therapists to watch it. Of course, Wrigley Talk Friday is up today at 1:00 pm CT. And we’re officially on “GM watch” here at LOHO headquarters.

Big Day. Make sure you keep checking back so you don’t miss anything.

Let’s start with some not-so-fun news this morning:

A spectacular collapse, an unbelievable comeback and a Hollywood box office hit all could factor into the Cubs‘ general manager search, potentially leaving the Cubs without three ”A-list” candidates.

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and the A’s Billy Beane both shrugged off questions about the Cubs’ GM opening in separate news conferences Thursday, while the Rays’ Andrew Friedman was focusing on his team’s playoff opener Friday in Texas.

All three are expected to be on the Cubs’ wish list of potential replacements for Jim Hendry. Chairman Tom Ricketts‘ search process already is underway, but he has declined comment on it.

Why do I have this sinking feeling that we’re all going to be getting know Ned Colletti better next season?

» Continue reading “Cubs Friday Headlines: Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are”

First, the good from last night: Starlin Castro.

Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro ended the season as the youngest player ever to lead the National League in hits, finishing with 207.
Castro was hitless until the eighth inning Wednesday when he led off with a double to left, extending his streak of reaching safely to 40 straight games.

And the bad: Ryan Dempster.

“I certainly don’t like ending the season that way,” said Dempster, who was tagged for nine earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in a 9-2 loss to the San Diego Padres in Wednesday’s season finale. “But I’m proud of the way I battled all year. I certainly had a tough one today. And it’s been a rough season for us. So we should all just go home and take a little breather and be ready for next year.”

Dempster has the option on the final year of his contract. Might he turn down the $14 million the Cubs have to pay him next year?

Asked if he had thought about coming back, he said: “I don’t know. I haven’t even thought about that. I’ll just try to relax and then take a look at things. Those things will just work themselves out.”

He then added: “Are you kidding? Why would I turn down $14 million after this shitstorm of  a season I just had?”

» Continue reading “Cubs Thursday Headlines: 2011 Cubs Mercifully Put Down”

No song better sums up my feelings about the 2011 Cubs than this Weird Al song:

In a little over 5 hours, we bid adieu/good riddance to the 2011 season. And not a minute too soon.

Tonight Ryan Dempster will take on Wade LeBlanc (4-6, 4.83) at PetCo Park starting at 7:35 pm CT on . . .  WCIU?

I wish I had more to say. Alas, I, like you, am just waiting for this season to be put out of its misery.

» Continue reading “Final Cubs Live Thread of 2011: One More Minute”

Matt Garza was one of the consistently bright spots for the Cubs this year. After the trade that sent half the farm system to Tampa, I think we all needed  a good season from him. He finished up in fine style last night.

Garza ended the season with 198 innings pitched and 197 strikeouts with a 3.32 ERA. There’s no question he should have won 17 or 18 games. His teammates blew seven games after Garza left with a lead in 2011.

His other numbers on the season surpassed what he did in 2010 in Tampa, except for the 15 wins, as he earned his 10th for the Cubs on Tuesday night.

“It was good,” Garza said. “But I missed my goals by two innings and three punch-outs. It is what it is. I’m really just learning and breaking into what I’ve got. I’m just pretty excited about this offseason. I just look forward to strengthening what I can strengthen and get ready for next season.”

The Fonz hit a three-run go-ahead home run in the 8th to give Garza the win. Could today be his last game as a Cub?

“I don’t think about it,” Soriano said. “I have control over it. But if they want to trade me, I hope it’s to a contender. If not I want to be here and win here.”

Well, I watched it.

Was it painful? Unbearably.

Was it cleansing? Not really.

How do I feel now? Depressed. Especially comparing the 2003 team to the 2011 team.

But I still don’t think Alou would have caught it.

I will say this. Steve Bartman, wherever you are, I hope you’re happy and fulfilled in your life.

With the pain from 2003 still raw, we have two more games to go before 2011′s fresher, duller pain is over.

Tonight Matt Garza makes his final start of the season. He’ll face Anthony Bass (2-1, 1.66) tonight at PetCo Park. I don’t know who AJ Bass is, but he has a better ERA than anyone in the entire Cubs organization, so I’ll reserve any snarky comments.

» Continue reading “Cubs Game Thread: I Can’t Believe I Watched The Whole Thing.”

Last night, in a hilarious presser in which he got away with at least two (that I caught) f-bombs on Comcast Sports Net’s three-second delay, Ozzie Guillen announced that he “asked to be released from his contract” by the White Sox.  Kenny Williams was only too happy to comply with said request.

The White Sox announced they have released Guillen from his contract after Monday night’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jays so he can pursue other managerial opportunities despite being signed through 2012. General manager Ken Williams said the Sox have agreed on compensation with an undisclosed team — believed to be the Marlins – but that Guillen is free to negotiate with any team.

The line of the entire press conference went as follows:

Q: Ozzie, are you taking your coaching staff with you?

Ozzie: Hell no, they got me fired.

Don’t stop believing, Ozzie.

I bet you’re wondering why a story about the White Sox is heading up a Cubs site this morning. Well, it’s because of this:

RYNE SANDBERG IS A CANDIDATE TO TAKE OZZIE’S PLACE

We are not amused.

Oh, and it gets so much worse:

Perhaps the only positive of the night for the Cubs was White Sox manager Ozzie Guillenleaving to ostensibly take the same job in Florida, which means the Cubs have a ready suitor to take Carlos Zambrano off their hands this offseason.

Zambrano has one year remaining on his contract, but Chairman Tom Ricketts has already said that it’s unlikely he’ll play again for the Cubs. Zambrano is close friends with Guillen, and there’s a good chance they could both take their talents to South Beach in 2012.

So, to recap: We are looking at the possibility of a Marlins organization that will include the following:

• Ozzie Guillen
• Jeff Loria
• Logan Morrison (aka @LoMoMarlins)
• Carlos Zambrano
• Oney Guillen

Tonight, in San Diego, we bid a not-so-fond farewell to Casey Coleman and his 6.64 ERA. I’d love to say “see ya next year,” but I’m really hoping we don’t see him at all. Ever.

Casey’s worthy opponent tonight will be Matt Latos (8-14, 3.60).

If you’re looking for something interesting to watch tonight, the Wild Card races in both divisions are hot as a Calgary brush fire. St. Louis and Tampa Bay are 1 game back of Atlanta and Boston, respectively, with only 3 games left to play. Can you feel the excitement? I knew that you could. If you can’t get pumped up over keeping the Southern Beer Team out of the playoffs, then you can’t get pumped up about anything.

Go Braves.

» Continue reading “Cubs Game Thread: And Then There Were Three”

Randy Wells has had an up-and-down season, but mostly down after getting hurt in his first start of the year. He only gave up three runs yesterday, one of which happened to be Rafael Furcal’s game-winning home run in the 8th.

‘‘My last two starts before this were pretty brutal,’’ said Wells (7-6), who gave up a tying home run to Y adier Molina in the seventh and the winning home run to Rafael Furcal in the eighth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals.

‘‘But I feel like I’ve come a long way from the injury and all the BS that went on in between there. I feel like I bounced back pretty good. Other than this one, I feel pretty confident going into spring training.’’

I wonder what “all the BS that went on in between there” was. I seem to remember Randy blaming us for something recently, but I don’t recall what it is. Either way, Mike Quade is looking forward to sinkerball Randy pitching in his 2012 rotation.

Manager Mike Quade said Wells’ performance, which included 13 ground-ball outs for the sinkerball pitcher, is almost exactly what the team needs to see out of him in the future — even if the late home runs left a ‘‘bad taste’’ in the pitcher’s mouth.

‘‘He can have success here doing what he did [Sunday],’’ Quade said, ‘‘if we get him a few more runs.’’

Also interested in rotation spots in 2012 are Andrew Cashner and Jeff Samardzija.

“I have no idea on my schedule in Arizona,” Cashner said. “From what I’ve been told now, I’ll go to the Fall League as a reliever and pitch one or two innings every time out. But we’ll see how it goes when I get there.

“They haven’t told me what my future is going to be yet. I’d like to start. I hope to get a chance to start. I feel I can help this team as a starter. But I have to stay healthy first.”

Samardzija, coming off a solid season in the bullpen, is eager to start as well. He has proven to baseball talent evaluators this season that he can pitch in the big leagues.

“He’s really improved since I saw him in May,” Philadelphia Phillies scout Charlie Kerfeld said. “He’s not the same pitcher. This guy’s fastball command and presence have really come along.”

(snip)

“I really feel I have evolved as a pitcher,” Samardzija said. “Everything has kind of kicked in for me this year. With the help of [Mike Quade] he’s allowed me to extend out and bounce back when I’ve done poorly.”

» Continue reading “Cubs Monday Headlines: Wells Doesn’t Completely Suck”

There was another spectacular Carlos Marmol implosion in St. Louis yesterday.

Carlos Marmol‘s season has been marred by some horrendous endings, including Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Marmol blew his 10th save of the season by walking three straight batters, forcing in the tying run and then throwing a wild pitch that allowed the winning run to score in the ninth inning.

It was in stark contrast to the Marmol who struck out two and walked one in wrapping up the Cubs’ 5-1 victory on Friday night.

“Today was a different day for me,” Marmol said. “I didn’t throw strikes.”

Don’t forget, he has two years left on his contract!

After signing a three-year, $20 million contract in the offseason, Marmol has had a disappointing 2011. It’s been downhill for Marmol recently. After a stretch of 13 1/3 scoreless innings, Marmol has allowed 23 runs in 32 1/3 innings in his last 35 outings.

“I really don’t like my year,” Marmol said.

We don’t either, Carlos. But at least you weren’t blowing saves for a contender.

» Continue reading “Cubs Sunday Headlines/Game Thread:”