Cubs/Diamondbacks Game, Summer 2008

Random Riddle

There are seven ways a baseball player can legally reach first base without getting a hit. Can someone name em'?

"The Curse"...What a Crock.

I recently had a discussion (really, an argument of sorts) with a friend, we will call him "Ronnie Woo Woo", who explained to me the reason why the 2008 Chicago Cubs were swept by the L.A. Dodgers: "It had to be the curse," Ronnie Woo Woo explained, "before the opening game, a priest from Chicago spread Holy Water around the Cubbies dugout to 'rid' them of their 100-year-old curse."

My thoughts you wonder? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! I cannot believe, as a Cub fan, that there is a curse surrounding this franchise. It is impossible. It is absolutely absurd. It is the reason why the Cubs are known by their local rivals, the White Sox, as the "Loveable Losers". I can't stand it anymore. NO MAS!

Ronnie Woo Woo, therefore, behind his reasoning, is telling me that in 2003, instead of blowing a 3-0 lead against the Florida Marlins, Alex Gonzalez making a CRUCIAL error in the late innings and the entire team failing to drive in key runs in the subsequent games (honestly, the Cubs seemed to forget how to play the game of baseball after the Bartman incident), that the Cubs lost the game due to some voodoo curse? NO. That is ridiculous.

Ronnie Woo Woo, once again, will blame the 2008 sweep by L.A. as an act from some being from the outer world? WOW. Ya gotta' be kiddin' me Ronnie Woo Woo. Simply put: The Cubs seemingly forgot how to play the basic fundamentals of baseball, such as fielding (if you remember, each Cubs infielder made an error in game 2), hitting with runners on base (Both Geovany Soto and Aramis Ramirez batted a dismal .182, Alfonso Soriano swung a sweet lumber at a clip of .071 and who could forget the savior from Japan! Kusoke chipped in a cool .100) and pitching (Harden, ERA 6.23, Dempster, ERA 7.71 and 7 BB in 4.2 IP).

Okay. I will be a little more kind to Ronnie Woo Woo. Actually, no I won't, because the idea of a curse is unbelieveable, literally. I love Sweet Lou Pinella, and I think he did a great job in 2008 and I expect, along with all of the North Side Followers, that the Cubs will compete in 2009. But come on Ronnie Woo Woo, you gotta' understand to win the World Series, a team must perform in the Playoffs and execute the basic fundamentals that they practice now, in January and February, not only throughout the regular season, but far into the post-season too.

Cheers to a curse free 2009!

Cubs Sale

According to the Associated Press, the Chicago Cubs are set to be sold by the Tribune Company. The deal includes the Chicago Cubs at $900 million, Wrigley Field and 25% in a local sporting network. The buyer? The Rickett family, a Chicago based, "Cubs family", which hopes to bring a World Series to the North Side.

My thoughts: I like this move. It has been nearly 101 years since the Cubs won a WS, and they have performed poorly in the playoffs the past three appearances (03, 07, 08). In my opinion, the Cubs need a Chicago based owner, ONLY a Chicago Cubs fan (The Ricketts) can relate to what the fans and the city of Chicago have gone through watching the Cubs. I hope they are ready to open their wallets, because the Chicago market is HUGE, and to compete with the likes of Boston and New York, the Cubs need to be ready to spend (not that they haven't in the past: Soriano, Zambrano, Dempster, Ramirez, etc...) Above all, I hope the Ricketts EXPECT TO WIN.

Cheers.

The Chicago Cubs, 101 Years in Waiting

Hello All,

Welcome to my 2009 blog. I will be offering insight and opinion (both positive and negative) into my favorite professional sports team, the Chicago Cubs. For my entire life I have enjoyed watching Cubs baseball games. I remember as a young kid, in 1998, when Sammy Sosa was going for the homerun record against Mark McGwire, my bedtime was 9:00 p.m., so on weekdays I was unable to watch the night games, so I would crawl into my bed and turn on my bedside clock/radio and turn the station to WGN 720 so I could listen in....sometimes my mom would hear the loud voice of Ron Santo or Pat Hughes screaming for a loud homerun or an error on the basepath's and come storming into my room and say, "Rob, turn off the game!"

I will be discussing pending/possible trades and moves, with my insight into what I believe they should do to improve their team. Oftentimes, I will vent about something that is bothering me about the organization, the games, players, coaches or any other useless nonsense that I can come up with.

The photograph at the top was taken by me two summers ago in August, the Cubs were at home against the Cardinals. They won the game & Mark Prior pitched a gem.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the blog, Cheers.