On yesterday’s episode of Wrigley Talk Friday, we discussed the  . .  uh . .  lack of stimulation we feel when watching this year’s Chicago Cubs. Which I suppose is a nice way of saying that we find this team really boring. It got even more boring yesterday, when the Cubs sent Brett Jackson and Anthony Rizzo, two of the only reasons to pay attention to Spring Training games, back to the minors.

Despite waiting months for Spring Training baseball, I find that I’m just not into the game so far this year. I’m zoned out by the bottom of the second, using the game more as background noise than anything else.

Is this because the games don’t count yet? Maybe, but I think it’s something more.

Cubs fans are more than on-board the rebuilding/renovation going on at Clark and Addison. God knows it needed to be done. And most fans understand that the Cubs probably aren’t going to be competitive this season. Maybe not even next season.

However, I think most Cubs fans were hoping that, in watching this team not compete, we’d at least get a glimpse of what was coming. In other words. .  . we want to see the kids. Instead, we’re getting a hefty dose of what I call the “placeholder” players: the guys who aren’t part of the future, aren’t all that good at present, and are on the roster mainly as a body until the Cubs find someone better to put there. Perhaps I’m being unrealistic, but I really can’t take another season of Blake DeWitt, Jeff Baker, Marlon Byrd, James Russell et al. Add one David DeJesus, a Bryan LaHair, and an Ian Stewart to the mix, and you have a recipe for not-very-exciting baseball.

» Continue reading “Cubs Saturday Musings: On Rebuilding and Placeholders”

We’ve hit that news vacuum in between Cubs Con and Spring Training. You know, the one that leaves us so starved for information that we get excited about the little things . .  like the Cubs signing Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league deal.

CHICAGO — The Cubs have signed pitcher Rodrigo Lopez to a Minor League deal, and he will be at Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.

Lopez, 36, was 6-6 with a 4.42 ERA in 26 games with the Cubs in 2011. He helped fill the gaps created by injuries to Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells. In a four-game stretch last June 28-July 18, Lopez was 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA, posting three quality starts.

The right-hander signed with the Braves one year ago but did not make their roster out of Spring Training. He was traded to the Cubs in May, pitched in long relief and made 16 starts.

It’s a real testament to what fun last season was that a guy who didn’t even make the Braves’ roster wound up in the Cubs’ starting rotation.

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted yesterday that Matt Garza’s arbitration request “greatly complicates” any interest other teams had in him as a trade target. And that was BEFORE we found out that his arbitration request was actually $12.5 million, not $10.5 million.

Way to screw everything up, Matt.

» Continue reading “Chicago Prepares for Snow . . . And Rodrigo Lopez!!!”

Get it? A magazine? Because we all have to kill time waiting for something to happen. .  . GET IT?

First, I am happy to announce that I researched and wrote this entire post on my brand-spakin’ new Verizon Xoom tablet, which I am in loooove with.*  The 4G LTE speed is heaven when trying to keep up with rumors on twitter and MLBTR. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

Believe it or not, I did manage to scrounge up two rumors today, which should at least fill up some space on this page.

First, over at ESPN, Buster Olney tells us (from behind the Insider firewall), that the Nationals and Red Sox are interested in Cubs’ centerfielder Marlon Byrd, who is owed $6.5 million in 2012. Moving Byrd would make room for the highly-touted Brett Jackson, who has been recently anointed ”Future Savior” of the Cubs. Congrats to Brett! That honor has worked out really well for Felix Pie, Mike Harkey, and Corey Patterson in the past. Enjoy it!

Meanwhile, our friends over at MLBTR tell us that the Cubs COULD be involved in a three-way trade that results in the Rays flipping first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs.

» Continue reading “Cubs Friday Headlines: Anyone Want A Magazine?”

With the title of my post being “A Cornucopia Of Links”, you might expect a tremendous bounty of fresh, exciting news. But that’s just not going to happen today. It was just the best way I could think of to dress up a bunch of boring stuff.

Since it’s Sunday, we’ll start with Crazy Uncle Phil, who publishes his dog’s whispers this day each week. Uncle Phil has a good one for us today.

The Angels believed they were about to sign Alfonso Soriano when then-President John McDonough and Crane Kenney threw an eight-year offer on the table before the 2007 season. They could make a play for him again this winter but only if the Cubs take on Vernon Wells, who also has three years left on his contract.

What does this accomplish for either team? Trading one horrible contract with three years left for another one? Maybe they can trade for Vernon Wells, then trick the Angels into taking him back?

We learned yesterday that Ryan Dempster is returning to the Cubs. One player who’s happy about that is Marlon Byrd.

“Dempster’s a bulldog,” Byrd said Saturday on ESPN 1000’s “Talkin’ Baseball.” “He’s a guy that, when he’s on the mound, you always know you have a chance to win. And he’s going to go out there and give you everything he has.”

Leadership, good guy, blah blah blah.

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs Sunday Headlines: A Cornucopia Of Links”

We’re at that point in a losing season where there’s really not that much to talk about, and the Chicago beat writers are making that abundantly clear. With yesterday’s off-day, we’re still stuck on Mike Quade, Aramis Ramirez, and Starlin’s quest for 200. Since I chose the photo of Quade, let’s start with him. Is it possible for him to be not as delusional and just as delusional as we thought, all in the same quote?

“The contract has nothing to do with it,” Quade said. “I’m not sitting here comfortable because I have a contract next year. I like doing this and I think I’m good at doing it, and that’s the way I look at it. Whether I have a one-year deal or a two-year deal or a five-year deal, that’s the way I look at it.”

He’s not comfortable because of his contract next year, he’s comfortable because of his talent as a manager. Another person with a contract for next year is Marlon Byrd. In case you haven’t noticed, he hasn’t been all that good this year.

“I’ll be ready for the 2012 season,” Byrd said. “Hopefully I’m here. I have another year on my contract, but at the same time, if they feel it’s time for them to start over and come with the younger guy and get another piece for me, that’s just the business part. … My whole thought process going into the offseason is being a Cub next year.”

In other words, “God, I hope they trade me.”

» Continue reading “Cubs Friday Headlines: Headline-less Headlines”

You may have heard yesterday that Carlos Pena had been put on waivers, and had been claimed by the Yankees. Don’t expect him to be going anywhere.

“It’s very flattering to see the interest, but it’s even more flattering to see how the Cubs pulled back and retained me,” Pena said after the Cubs’ 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

(snip)

“We were able to talk today,” Pena said. “The conversation was to reassure me how much they think of me. I told him how much I appreciate being a Cub and how much pride I take wearing the uniform. Regardless of what people were saying or what I was hearing, I said that I’m wearing this uniform and that’s my entire eternity right here.”

Entire eternity? Wow. Carlos is dedicated. What does it mean that the Cubs don’t want to save a million dollars for the rest of the season? Not that any of us were still holding out hope, but it probably means we can kiss any chance at Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols goodbye. Keeping Pena now appears to mean that the Cubs hope to retain him next year. I suppose there are worse options if they’re not going all in for Fielder or Pujols.

In other news, Randy Wells didn’t suck last night.

“This one feels pretty good,” said Wells (5-4), who missed two months with the injury. “I still won’t make any excuses for it, but it definitely was a hard thing to come back from. I think the biggest thing obviously is the physical health, but besides that the confidence, cutting the ball loose and having the confidence that it’s going to carry and stay on the line that you want it to. Every start the confidence starts to come back and start to feel better.”

Way to go, Randy!

» Continue reading “Cubs Live Game Thread: Pena Stays Put”

Yesterday was Mike Quade’s one-year anniversary as manager of the Cubs. In a fitting tribute, the team lost a one-run game to the Braves. So, Mike, has it been as wacky and wild as you expected?

“Yeah, for sure,” Quade said. “But that’s what we’ve been up against here. We’ve gotten through a lot of tough times. We’re going to keep working to make them better. I felt that last year when I took over, and I believe that now. I wish the record was better. There’s nothing we can do about that now. We’re going to try and make them better from here on out.”

Quade was asked by another questioner what he was proud of.

“Self praise is poor praise,” he answered. “There’s plenty of stuff I’m happy with. There’s plenty of progress that I’m happy with. But like I say about players, I’m never satisfied. The record’s not good. Now, we’re just trying to get better.”

Having rallied from a 6-2 deficit, the Cubs were ahead 7-6 in the eighth, on the verge of winning 8-in-a-row. Then this happened:

Marshall, one of the most dependable relievers in the game, made a good pitch on Joey Votto leading off the eighth and got Votto to pop the ball into short center field.

Shortstop Starlin Castro initially called for the ball, but center fielder Byrd raced in and called Castro off, only to slip and fall. The ball dropped for a double. Marshall got a strikeout but gave up 2 hits and a walk, and the Reds went ahead for good this time.

“It hurts, it hurts,” Byrd said. “We didn’t lose on that ball, but that inning completely changes if I catch that ball, if I don’t slip.

“It’s one of those things where if you get the out, it’s two outs. When there’s a guy on second base, everything changes. It didn’t happen for us today. I liked the way we played all game long. We didn’t give up.”

The field was soaked by a heavy rain before the game. And the outfield has been on the mend since last week’s Paul McCartney concerts.

“I don’t think it’s OK,” said Byrd of the field. “But you had the concert. You had the rain the last couple days. That didn’t help. When I landed — obviously, I slipped — I went a good three feet.

“It’s one of those things that you try to get the field ready, but when it’s raining every single day, what can you do about the outfield?”

Yesterday afternoon, the Cubs were riding high into Milwaukee. They had just finished their first three-game sweep of the season, and Mike Quade had stars in his eyes. Before yesterday’s game, he announced to the world that the Cubs are ready to make their move in the NL Central.

“I’m not a lunatic,” said Quade

I beg to differ, Mike, but please go on.

“I understand there’s a lot of work to do ahead of us. But we’re playing the right clubs, and let’s see if we can’t put something together.”

“Teams that we’ve competed well against in the past,” he said. “I know we’re on the road, but we’re playing better. We got a bunch of quality starts on the homestand, which we’ll need some more of. And if we get those, we’ve got every right to think we’ve got a real good chance to compete with these guys.

“You know what? It’s a funny game. We might come out of this road trip in real good shape as far as how we play here. If we do, there’s still a lot of baseball left. I take nothing for granted and put nothing past these guys. We won three in a row against Houston. Let’s see if we can win tonight and go from there.”

Yesterday, Carlos Pena continued his audition for contending teams by hitting two home runs. With 16 home runs, a masterful glove and movie-star good looks, he could be the first baseman some contender is seeking when the trade deadline rolls around. But Carlos just loves being on a team that’s 14 games under .500.

“I’m a Cub,” said Pena, who signed a one-year, $10 million free-agent deal last December. “I don’t imagine myself anywhere else. I don’t even look that far ahead. In fact, I would look to win here. And that’s the only way I would have it. What’s going to happen in the future, I have no idea, but in my mind, I’m a Cub until the end.”