Archive for the ‘controversy’ Category

Observations on Chicago Baseball Managers

Mike Quade started off his MLB managerial career off with a bang, posting one of the best beginnings in Cubs franchise history. I wonder now if some of the luster has worn off. He’s lost Geovany Soto, Tyler Colvin, and Carlos Silva for the year. Now two of the club’s most dependable starters get blown [...]

September 25, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , ,   Posted in: Jim Hendry, biz of baseball, coaching, controversy, game of baseball, manager, observations, rivalries  No Comments

Big Z: Too good, too late

Carlos Zambrano is an enigma. There is no telling what will happen when he takes the mound for the Chicago Cubs. He could get shelled for 8 runs in just an inning and third as he did on opening day 2010 against the Braves in Atlanta. Or Big Z can effortlessly toss 8 2/3 shutout, [...]

September 11, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Jim Hendry, controversy, legal issues, observations, photo of the day, players, roster, stats  One Comment

Cubs and Zambrano have a long road ahead

I was impressed with the ‘conclusion’ to the Carlos Zambrano matter announced by Jim Hendry yesterday.  I think the consensus arrived at by Hendry, Zambrano with his agent, MLB and the players union was both supportive and creative but perhaps not as matter-of-fact as Hendry would like us to believe. Big Z will be evaluated by [...]

June 29, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , ,   Posted in: Jim Hendry, controversy, legal issues, players  One Comment

Z, Interrupted

The washout of last night’s Cubs vs. Pirates game in Pittsburgh delayed the return of Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano to the starting rotation until Friday in Houston. It baffled me that he was sent to the bullpen to begin with, and even more-so the way he was used. On the surface the entire exercise was a [...]

June 3, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: controversy, observations, players  One Comment

Curse? There Ain’t No Stinking Cubs Curse

Inevitably, talk of whether there is a curse on the Chicago Cubs comes up each season, usually from outsiders or someone looking to stir the pot a bit. Let me go on record as believing the only curse that affects the Cubs is that of a history of bad decisions. No supernatural hexes, no goats, just the natural [...]

March 27, 2010  Tags: , , , , ,   Posted in: Chicago, Team Ownership, book, controversy, curse/superstition  One Comment

Hendry Compares Notes With Other MLB GMs

With the Ricketts family firmly in control, Cubs GM Jim Hendry is attending the annual GM meeting in Chicago. He has a lot on his plate and is no doubt discussing who needs what, or more accurately, who needs to dump what. For many MLB teams, the economic climate is forcing clubs to cut payroll [...]

November 10, 2009  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Hot Stove, Jim Hendry, Team Ownership, biz of baseball, controversy, players  One Comment

Another thought on Milton Bradley

The struggles of Milton Bradley are well documented. However something occured to me as I listened to Talkin’ Baseball on ESPN Radio with Bruce Levine – arguably the best baseball talk show on the radio. Today Bruce’s new co-host Jonathan Hood related some comments that apparently came from Bradley’s mother. She had alluded to Milton’s young son [...]

September 26, 2009  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: controversy, observations, players  3 Comments

Selig got All Star Game idea from Santo

This morning on the Mike & Mike show on ESPN radio, MLB commissioner Bud Selig told a story I had never heard before.  They were discussing the merits of making the All Star Game “count” by awarding the winning league home field advantage in the World Series. Mike Golic challenged the commissioner on the wisdom [...]

July 13, 2009  Tags: , , , , ,   Posted in: All Star Game, biz of baseball, controversy, game day, playoffs  One Comment

The Interleague Dilemma

Interleague play brings about a decision point for where a fan’s loyalties lie. Enemies become friends, friends become enemies …cats and dogs living together in harmony. For example, with the Cubs playing the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians over the next ten days, are White Sox fans inclined to – gasp – root for the [...]

June 12, 2009  Tags: , , , , , , ,   Posted in: Wrigley Field, controversy, rivalries, schedule  No Comments

Carlos Zambrano announces his retirement

Chicago Cubs pitching ace Carlos Zambrano got his 100th career victory at Cincinnati on Friday. Everything about the game was quintessential Big Z. He was nearly unhittable, but walked 5 in 6 2/3 innings. He batted lefty against right handed Reds pitcher Micah Owings and couldn’t catch up to his fastball. So when he came to [...]

June 6, 2009  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: controversy, game recap, oddities, players  No Comments