Archive for the ‘controversy’ Category
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 two [...]
June 29, 2010
Tags: All Star break, anger management, Carlos Zambrano, higher power, Jim Hendry, Lou Piniella, MLB, MLBPA 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: Bruce Levine, Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs, ESPN, Pittsburgh Pirates 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: billygoat, Chicago Cubs, Curse, James Wolfe, Mary Ann Pressman, There Ain't No Stinking Chicago Cub Curse 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 and [...]
November 10, 2009
Tags: Aaron Rowand, Jim Hendry, Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell 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: Bruce Levine, ESPN, Jonathan Hood, Milton Bradley, Ryan Dempster 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 of [...]
July 13, 2009
Tags: All Star Game, Bud Selig, Mike & Mike show, Mike Golic, Ron Santo, World Series 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: Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Crosstown Classic, Go Go White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, US Cellular Field 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: Carlos Zambrano, Cincinnati Reds, Gatorade, photo Posted in: controversy, game recap, oddities, players No Comments
Bradley was ejected for his reputation
Is Milton Bradley a lightning rod for controversy? In seeing replays of his pitch-batting strikeout, getting rung up on a ball clearly and indisputedly low and inside, it’s hard to accept why the league suspended him. Perhaps there was in fact some incidental contact during his seven second argument with home plate ump Larry Vanover. [...]
April 19, 2009
Tags: Bob Watson, ejection, Larry Vanover, Mike Bauman, Milton Bradley, MLB.com Posted in: controversy, game day, players No Comments
Lou taps Gregg for closer
I am surprised. I thought for sure Carlos Marmol the heir apparent, and newly acquired Kevin Gregg the insurance policy. Wrong. Some of the arguments pro and con that I am hearing today make sense to me, but I’m not so sure about Gregg. I have never seen him pitch – I only know him by [...]
March 30, 2009
Tags: Carlos Marmol, closer, Kevin Gregg Posted in: controversy, lineup, players No Comments
Stumble It!
