2007 Chicago Cubs Thread

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:44 am

Woooooo! I'm taking a late lunch so I can catch the first hour of the game. For the first time in a long time, I didn't take off work for opening day.

I love this time of year!

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:03 am

Son of a...

Game starts @ 2:10...not 1:10...unless you're in Chicago. Damn DST!

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:53 pm

I made it! I waited 2 extra hours to take my lunch break. As you know, I'm fat and this is seeminly impossible for me to do. My sphincter is munching on my boxers as we speak.

Off to lunch with Pat & Ron!

I need a radio that picks up 720AM in the office. Unless someone wants to hook me up with their XM receiver and a subscription!

G Fresh · Post by **G Fresh** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:02 pm

I need a radio that picks up 720AM in the office. Unless someone wants to hook me up with their XM receiver and a subscription! Smile

Do you have a computer at work? If so, you could probably find the station's website and listen to a streaming broadcast.

zenmandan · Post by **zenmandan** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:05 pm

I'll be watching at home and listening in the car myself.

Go Cubs!

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:31 pm

G Fresh wrote:
I need a radio that picks up 720AM in the office. Unless someone wants to hook me up with their XM receiver and a subscription! Smile
Do you have a computer at work? If so, you could probably find the station's website and listen to a streaming broadcast.

Unless you pay, you can't listen to a streaming broadcast. MLB cracked down on that a few years back.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:54 am

Update: Zambrano allowed five runs on six hits and five walks in five innings Monday. Two of the hits were home runs by Adam Dunn.

Recommendation: Zambrano's command was poor as he actually threw more balls (47) than strikes (45). Zambrano led the National League in walks last year, so outings like this are to be expected from time to time. There's nothing wrong with his stuff, though, and when all is said and done, he should be fine. He's also close to working out a multiyear contract extension with the Cubs.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:56 am

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Adam Dunn is thinking more like Ichiro but still swinging like the Bambino.

So far, the weird approach is working.

More intent on putting the ball in play, Dunn homered in his first two at-bats on Monday, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-1 victory that spoiled Lou Piniella's debut as the Chicago Cubs' manager.

Dunn led the NL in strikeouts each of the last three seasons, fanning nearly 200 times per year. He has worked with new hitting coach Brook Jacoby on putting the ball in play, and joked during spring training that he will remind everyone of Seattle's slap-hitting Ichiro Suzuki.

No resemblance so far.

"We didn't really change a lot," Dunn said. "It's more of a feel, kind of getting a feel for what I'm trying to do. I know that doesn't make sense to some people. I felt good all spring, I felt good today, I hope I feel good for 161 more games."

While Dunn got away from his all-or-nothing approach, right-hander Aaron Harang had his way with a Cubs lineup that got an offseason infusion of power. Harang allowed one unearned run in seven innings, the deepest a Reds starter has gone on opening day since Jose Rijo in 1993.

"I was out there ready to go," Harang said. "Once I got that first strike, I started feeling pretty confident in myself."

It was a glum day all around for the Cubs, who spent more than $300 million on players in the offseason and brought in Piniella to manage a retooled team that had finished last in the NL Central.

Alfonso Soriano, who got an eight-year, $136 million deal, had an infield single in four at-bats. Chicago's only run was unearned, courtesy of Ryan Freel's throwing error in center field.

"We are going to get off to a fast start," Piniella said. "Just because you lose the first game doesn't mean ... It's just one ballgame."

A few hours before the game, the Cubs were surprised by news that Tribune Co. plans to sell the team at the end of the season. Piniella held a team meeting and told his players not to let it distract them.

Instead, they were staggered by a power hitter determined to cut down on his strikeouts and a starting pitcher determined to make good on his second chance.

Dunn hit a two-run homer in the first inning off loser Carlos Zambrano, a line drive into the seats in right field. The next time up, Dunn hit the first pitch deep into the seats in right-center.

It was his second two-homer game on opening day -- he also did it against the Mets in 2005 -- and gave him a club-record five homers in opening games.

"I'm not trying to, but I'm going to hit homers," said Dunn, who has hit 40 in each of the last three years. "I don't know how many. The big thing is to make contact."

At that point, it was up to Harang, who wasn't about to let the Cubs put up another sweet 16. In each of their last two season openers, the Cubs had piled up 16 runs. Last year, Harang had a big hand in it.

His pregame warmup was interrupted by President Bush's visit to the clubhouse a year ago, and he didn't feel right from the outset. Harang gave up five runs in the first inning of Chicago's 16-7 win, the most runs a Cincinnati team gave up on opening day since 1877.

Eager to show that last year's opener was a historic fluke, Harang took control from the first pitch -- a fastball to Soriano for a called strike. He pitched out of the Cubs' biggest threat, retiring Cesar Izturis on a popup with the bases loaded in the fourth.

By contrast, Zambrano had another first-game meltdown. Zambrano started those last two 16-run openers, but failed to go five innings in either one. He gave up five runs in five innings on Monday.

"Not at any time was I frustrated," said Zambrano, who screamed and waved his arms as he came off the field after the fifth inning. "I made some mistakes early and paid. I was feeling great today. I wish I could feel all year long like I feel today."

Zambrano is eligible to become a free agent after the World Series and had said he wouldn't negotiate beyond opening day. On Sunday, his agent extended the deadline indefinitely, a sign the sides are nearing agreement on a five-year deal that would be worth about $80 million.

Pete Rose, who is honored by a special exhibit at the Reds' Hall of Fame, watched from a seat behind home plate. Rose has attended several games in Cincinnati since his lifetime banishment for gambling in 1989. ... Reds OF Josh Hamilton, making a comeback from cocaine addiction, got a standing ovation from the crowd of 42,720 -- second-largest in the ballpark's five-year history -- when he pinch-hit. ... Ken Griffey Jr. went 2-for-3 and remained tied with Eddie Matthews, Willie Mays and Babe Ruth for second on the career opening-game home run list with seven. Frank Robinson hit eight. Griffey hasn't homered on opening day since 1999, the year before he joined the Reds.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:56 am

Update: Three days after reiterating a firm deadline of Opening Day to have a deal done, Zambrano moved off Monday's deadline for finalizing a contract extension, an indication that a deal could be imminent, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Recommendation: ''Our discussions have progressed to the point that we are going to extend the deadline for an indefinite period,'' Zambrano's agent, Barry Praver, said Sunday. The two sides are close enough that a long-term deal in the $80 million range should be reached soon

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:56 am

CHICAGO (AP) -- Tribune Co. said it plans to sell the Chicago Cubs at the end of the 2007 baseball season, putting one of its most valuable assets on the block as it simultaneously announced Monday that real estate magnate Sam Zell was acquiring the media conglomerate.

Analysts have estimated that the Cubs could fetch $600 million or more. Tribune bought the team in 1981 for $20.5 million.

"The Cubs have been an important part of Tribune for more than 25 years and are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports," said Dennis FitzSimons, Tribune chairman, president and chief executive officer. "In our last season of ownership, the team has one mission, and that is to win for our great fans."

Tribune said the company's 25 percent interest in Comcast SportsNetChicago would be part of the sale package.

The Cubs' strength as a sports franchise -- and the lure of potentially steering them to their first championship since 1908 -- has attracted the interest of many potential buyers. Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, actor Bill Murray and columnist George Will are among those rumored to have interest, along with numerous Chicago business figures.

Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and former owner of both the Suns and baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks, told The Associated Press in November that he would have "great interest" in buying his hometown baseball franchise if it became available and had already held preliminary discussions with others who might join him in a bid.

Speculation that the struggling Tribune Co. might sell the Cubs ramped up last fall when it put itself up for possible sale, under pressure from disgruntled shareholders. It intensified with the club's offseason spending spree, including signing outfielder Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year contract for $136 million -- the fifth-richest contract in major league history.

Tribune had said for months that it would focus first on a sale of the entire company before considering selling individual pieces, which also include 23 television stations and 11 newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Newsday and eight other dailies.

That sale was announced Monday morning when it said it had agreed to a complex deal in which Tribune will go private and billionaire Zell will invest $315 million in the deal.

Cubs President John McDonough said the mission has not changed for the team.

"The goal is to win a World Series for our great fans," he said. "Under the leadership of Lou Piniella, we are on track and believe 2007 will be a very successful season."

The fact the ownership change will not occur until after the season will help maintain the focus on day-to-day operations, he said.

While the Cubs are renowned for their losing ways, they also have become more of a box-office success under Tribune's ownership and have spent dramatically more money in recent years, as McDonough noted.

Others who expressed interest in buying the Cubs recently include Chicago businessman Don Levin, owner of the Chicago Wolves minor-league hockey team, and a prospective ownership group of 15 investors that includes Tom Begel, chairman of Chicago-based TMB Industries.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:45 am

Daaaaamn...Lilly looked good last night!!! Let's hope that's a sign of things to come...

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:02 am

Game time in just over an hour (12:35pm EST).

Marquis makes his Cubbies debut...

iammarky · Post by **iammarky** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:01 pm

The_Dude wrote:Game time in just over an hour (12:35pm EST).

Marquis makes his Cubbies debut...

and chokes.....

subgenius88 · Post by **subgenius88** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:33 pm

More Cubs Info

iammarky · Post by **iammarky** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:07 am

ha ha ha sub genius real funny