Position players report to spring training today Speaking of which, Mets manager Terry Collins is bitching yet again about players not reporting earlier than their report date. Pouliot summed it up well in the post And that’s just not right. MLB and the MLBPA negotiated reporting deadlines for a reason, and no player should be pressured to show up early. …
Daily Facepalm 2.22.12
We just have the point-after-try to kick, or something Several months ago, we were on the "five yard line" in the Theo compensation situation. Since then we've crossed the blue line, stepped into the paint, crossed the box, and veered right at the fireworks factory exit, and now it's finally been decided that Cubs prospect Chris Carpenter would be the …
Cubs and Red Sox finally complete Theo Epstein compensation
Several months after being on the 5-yard line the two sides have agreed to a compensation package. The details were released this morning. The Cubs send Chris Carpenter and a player to be named later. The Cubs will also receive a player to be named later. That part is confusing to me. They said a player had to be sent …
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects
Baseball America has released their annual top 100 prospects and 4 Cubs are on it. The prospect lists I always look forward to are those by Baseball America. It seems in recent years that a dozen people have tried to capitalize on the increasing interest in prospects and have come up with their own lists. I'm sure some of them …
Daily Facepalm 2.21.2012 Start Losing Already
What's Going On? Take a look at the headlines at cubs.com. Truly scintillating. Trey McNutt is willing to not pitch. Outstanding. Jeff Samardzija is ready to be a meaningful part of the Cubs' fate this year, no matter what he has to do. Hooray. Sean Marshall is gone, sure, but don't fear, fans. James Russell is ready to step in. …
Projecting the 2012 Cubs: 3rd Basemen
So far we've looked at catchers, 1st basemen and 2nd basemen. 1st and 2nd base appear to be very weak for the 2012 Cubs and I can tell you before you read further that 3rd base is no different. The Cubs lost Aramis Ramirez to free agency who had been at 3rd since midway through the 2003 season. Before we …
Daily Facepalm 2.20.2012 – They’re back.
Player Recently in the Best Shape of His Life: Carlos Marmol Carlos Marmol dropped 515 pounds in the offseason. He dropped 15 of his own pounds and he dropped the 500-lb gorilla in his pitching arsenal: his mystifying cutter – not mystifying the way his slider can be (Where did that thing go?), but mystifying like the remake of Footloose (. . . …
A contest for folks who like scrap and heart
Hey guys, thought I'd share this in an un-OV blog so it doesn't intrude with the normal discussions about fatty acid polymerization or Breaking Bad stuff. We're having a contest to give away swag and all are welcome to enter, just leave a comment in the blog article linked below and you're automatically in. Thanks for playing! WSD contest for …
Daily Facepalm – 2.18.12, Evening Edition
Neverending Story Remember when we were on the 5-yard line in the Theo compensation talks? Remember when Bud Selig said he'd get involved if a decision hadn't been agreed to by sometime in November? Remember when he said the same thing about December? January? Remember two weeks ago when were told Bud would have a decision by week's end? Rememer …
Pitchers and Catchers report
Today is the first officially official day of Cubs spring training. Not much is going to be happening except guys running a few drills and whatnot, but if nothing else it's good to know that the sports universe won't be completely dominated by the NBA/NHL anymore…that is at least until March Madness. We'll get our first "Chicago Cubs Baseball Is …