DG Quickie: Friday the 13th

• Apple earlier this week released a new iPod shuffle. This version is about half the size of the last version, has 4 GB of storage, has no buttons (they're on the headphone cord), and...talks to you! (Apple.com-iPod Shuffle).

• Last night in the Big East Tournament from legendary Madison Square Garden, Syracuse and UConn went to 6 overtimes before the Orange came out victorius 127-117 to advance to play West Virginia tonight on ESPN. In a game for the ages, sophmore PG Johnny Flynn led the Orange with 34 pts/11 ast in 67 minutes (leading all players), with 29/22 reb coming from Paul Harris. Huskies' big man star, Hasheem Thabeet had 19/14 reb with 6 blocks, as senior G A.J. Price had 33/10 ast to lead Connecticut. Junior UConn forward Stanley Robinson also put on a show with 28pts/14 reb.

• Last night on the Daily Show, the entire episode featured the much-publicized interview between Jon Stewart and CNBC's Jim Cramer. Stewart nailed Cramer on the irresponsibility of financial reporters...the interview can be viewed here.

• Finally, some thoughts regarding the the Cubs and Spring Training rosters. Today, it was annouced that the Cubs added IF Esteban Germán to compete for a backup infielder role, as well as veteran Canadian Corey Koskie. The Cubs do need some depth behind Aramis Ramirez, and for that I'm keeping a close eye on Juan Uribe's status with the San Francisco Giants. Uribe was given and Minor League contract with a spring training invitation by the Giants in the offseason, and is currently in a race for their backup utility job. However, he is not a lock. If the Giants decide to let Uribe go at some point in the spring, he would be a good addition for the Cubs. Anyone who watched the White Sox World Series run in 2005 knows how good Uribe is defensively. Last season Uribe filled in at the hot corner when Joe Crede went down, and showcased good range, and an extremely strong throwing arm. In addition, he's shown some pop in the past, hitting 20+ HR in 2004, 2006, and 2007.

Another position battle taking place in Cubs' camp is that of the 5th starter. Known candidates include Sean Marshall, Aaron Heilman, and Jeff Samardzija, but my solution is...none of the three. I believe that all three of them are best suited in bullpen roles. Marshall was very good last year when used as a spot starter and lefty out of the pen (to go with Neal Cotts). Aaron Heilman as had most of his success as a reliever, and Jeff Samardzija was electric out of the pen last year (his stuff could turn him in to the bridge between SP and late inning relievers Kevin Gregg and Carlos Marmól). So, who goes into the 5th rotation spot? One widely publicized solution is the possible acquisition of Padres' ace Jake Peavy. During a recent telecast of the World Baseball Classic on ESPN, Rick Sutcliffe could be heard saying that the Peavy-Cubs rumor was "more than a rumor"...we'll see what comes of this interesting insight. However another intriguing option could be Pedro Martinez. He looked great in the WBC pitching for the Dominican, and could come at a rather reasonable price. At his prime, Pedro was a Cy Young-caliber pitcher, dominating every hitter he faced. A look at the career WHIP (BB + H per IP) leaders, and Pedro is the only player there (along with Mariano Rivera) to pitch after 1920! His "2004 Red Sox idiot" personality would also be a welcome addition to the Cubs' clubhouse.

Manny Gets a Tricyle!

Bunch O' Links: Apple TouchNetBook-thing?, Obama & Stem Cells, Lil' Fontenot, Alltop

• Rumor sites have been abuzz the past few days of an Apple Tablet/Netbook in the works for release this year. Yeah, it seems like there have been rumors of such a product for nearly the past five years, but it may be coming closer to fruition. This article (Mac Rumors), sites some sort of touchscreen order put in by Apple. I hope that such a revolutionary product comes out soon, for it would benefit a lot of people of my generation (students taking notes and having to organize numerous aspects of their lives both in digital world and with a pencil). Such a product could allow someone to organize handwritten notes, sketches, and diagrams among various elements of new digital media. It would allow people to actually enter the world on their computers beyond using a mouse, but to truly interact. We can only wait for now, until Apple one day decides to blow us all away with some revolutionary technology we'd never have dreamed of.

• On to politics: President Obama on Monday signed an Executive Order (link) that will reverse the ban on

embryonic stem cell research that restricted it to only 60 lines of previously existing stem cells. As a result of this being brought to the forefront of the news by the President's actions, hopefully scientists will continue to further their research of stem cells as a possible portal to curing so many diseases. Stem cells could help treat and cure so many ailments, such as regrowing heart tissue damaged by heart attacks, finding a cure for Parkinson's disease, and possibly even helping the paralyzed walk again.

(President Obama's statement)

(CNN.com article)

(text of Executive Order)

• Lou Piniella and the the Cubs roll on in Spring Training from the Valley of the Sun. One of the positions where there appears to be a battle for playing time is second base, where Mike Fontenot and Aaron Miles are competing. After hitting his second long-ball of the spring, Lou had this to say per the Chicago Tribune:

❝ "I'll tell you what, the little kid at second base, he's after a job isn't he?" manager Lou Piniella say. Both Fontenot and Miles are listed at 5 feet 8 inches, but it was obvious after Fontenot's second home run that he was the one Piniella was

referring to as "the little kid." "What'd he have to say that for?" Fontenot said in mock protest. ❞

• And finally, I've been addicted to Twitter lately (who isn't?) and was brought to the attention of probably one of the coolest websites I've seen lately. Don't you wish that all the news, from all of the relevant websites, from just about any topic was all aggregated in one, easy to read, awesome-ly laid out website. Well, check out Alltop.com. It's amazing....seriously....click the link.... Below, I've also linked some of the best pages from Alltop.

baseball.alltop.com

hockey.alltop.com

nba.alltop.com

sports.alltop.com

humor.alltop.com

iphone.alltop.com

mac.alltop.com

news.alltop.com

politics.alltop.com

science.alltop.com

Deep Thoughts

A lot of people all over the internet (and the world for that matter), always ask questions about their favorite sports team.  On the Cubs, such never-ending questions could be asked like why Kerry Wood hasn't been retained, or if Jake Peavy will be on the North Side next year via trade...the list goes on and on of common "talk-radio" type questions wondered aloud by the masses.  However, some very important issues often go undiscussed and fade into a black hole of very important topics that never will get addressed, only to be overshadowed by improbably trade proposals, and other minor matters.  Well here, in this post, will be collected some very important questions that never do seem to get answered.  They will mainly include the Cubs, but may delve outside into other arenas of concern.  It will be updated as new questions arise, or are thought of:

Topic #1: The LH-bat that could've been.  In the offseason before the 2007 season, the Chicago Cubs had a very high pick in the Rule 5 Draft, which allows teams to pick from a variety of "unprotected" players in other teams farm systems.  With that pick they selected a troubled outfielder in the Tampa Bay system named Josh Hamilton.  Hamilton was drafted by the Rays in 1999 with the very first pick in the draft as a talented prospect.  However, over the next six years, he never advanced above A-ball due to a dark time in his life with drugs (even out of the game for four years).  After selecting him in the Rule 5 Draft, the Cubs immediately traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for cash (the Cubs were actually selecting him on the Reds' behalf all along).  Now, as many baseball fans know, Hamilton as gone on the past two seasons to have quite a Hollywood-caliber comeback.  In 2007, he started about half the season for the Reds, hitting .292 with 19 homeruns.  He was then traded to the Rangers for Edinson Volquez (who had a solid 2008 for the Reds, putting up a Cy Young quality season).  In 2008, Hamilton further developed his skills playing the entire season as the Rangers starting CF.  Not only did he mash 32 homeruns, knock in 130 RBI, and hit .304, but he also finished runner-up in a Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium that caught the eyes of the nation.  Now, my question:  If the Cubs were in a position to obtain Josh Hamilton themselves, why did they not draft him in that Rule 5 Draft and keep him?  He is exactly what they have been searching for the past few off-seasons (actually further back then that); he hits left-handed!  He provides good defense, has some speed, hits for a lot of power, is a middle-of-the-order lefty to break-up Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, he has a high OBP, and did I mention POWER.  He could be the solution in CF if Felix Pie never pans out, or he could play right, which is what the Cubs are looking for this off-season.  So, that is a main question that has never been answered, nor discussed, in the world of sports commentary.  How could such a perfect fit for the Cubs, that could so easily have been had in that Rule 5 Draft, just slip through the organization's fingers and be an All-Star now for another team?  That's a deep thought that may never be answered.

Topic #2: What's goin' on with Josh?  The Cubs had the 3rd overall pick in the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft, and they selected high school third baseman Josh Vitters out Cypress, CA.  He was highly-touted to have a great swing, hit for power and a high average.  Numerous respected baseball websites have him ranked as the Cubs' top prospect, and one of their only blue-chip prospects.  He has been mentioned as a future replacement for Aramis Ramirez when the time should come.  So my question is:  Why do we never hear about him?  I'd like to know more about him.  I want to see who some respected experts compare him to, and know how he's developing in the minor leagues.  It could be possible that with all his high school credentials and tools, he may turn into another third baseman in the mold of David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman, or Evan Longoria (all with similar resumés at his age).  Along with Vitters, the Cubs could have some other possible future stars on their hands, but unfortunately the mass-public can never get the chance to hear much about them, or what the real experts think.  Supposedly, the Cubs recently signed some kids out of Korean high school, and one shortstop has been compared to Derek Jeter: that's pretty good.  Another prospect projects as a future big-leaguer with Orlando Hudson like potential, but all we can find are a few pages of minor league stats (which in many cases can amount to not much).  It would be really beneficial if all of these prospects could be spoken about more to the actual fans that are waiting for the next generation of stars.  Every player out there got their start somewhere, so it is very important to always remain cutting edge in international and domestic scouting to find that talent.  Some kid throwing mangos in the Dominican Republic is going to be the next Pedro Martinez.  Some kid not even born yet will probably develop into another Alex Rodriguez.  Some kid at home in Japan will dream of being the next Ichiro.  The record books of baseball will keep being rewritten, and it would be nice for the average fan to have some insight on which prospects their team controls have the potential and growth to develop into that next Rookie of the Year, All-Star, super-star, or legend of the game.  But until then, we'll just see lists of stats, top prospect signings and names, and wait for them to spring up on us in the majors and do their thing...Surprise!

Solution for Cubs' Playoff Woes: Be "Idiots"

In 2004, the Boston Red Sox ended 86 years of frustration by winning the World Series.  Many attributed their success to the "idiot" mantra put in place by many of the team's laid-back, easy-going players.  In particular, Johnny Damon, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millar, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Pedro Martinez.  Now, at the start of the 2009 campaign, the Chicago Cubs will embark on their season not having won a world championship in 101 years.  This team, however, has done what past Cubs rosters couldn't: succeed on a consistent basis.  Led by Lou Piniella, the Cubs won the NL Central Division Championship two years in a row (2007, 2008), however quietly exited the playoff picture both seasons.  In each playoff appearance, the team look nervous, pressing, and not at all like the team that would win 97 games in a 2008 campaign in which they had eight All-Stars.  Now, embarking on this offseason, there doesn't look to be any significant holes in the Cubs roster; most of the 97-win team is still intact.  However, one notices a funny thing when looking at the list of free agents and available players...Damon, Lowe, Millar, Pedro Martinez, and Manny Ramirez are all presumably available.  Thus a proposition can be made for the Cubs: why not bring some of these "idiots" in to not only add talent, but lighten the postseason clubhouse and put their "curse-ending' magic to work on another organization.  Each of the following players could fit in the Cubs' 2009 plans:

-Johnny Damon is not a free agent, however, he is entering the final year of his contract with the New York Yankees making $13 million.  When looking at the Yankees current situation, they are in desperate need of pitching, but along with the recent acquisition of Nick Swisher, have a surplus of OF/1B/DH types.  Out of Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Xavier Nady, Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher, Jorge Posada, and possibly FA, #3 hitter Bobby Abreu...Damon and Matsui would seem the most expendable entering the final year of their contracts.  The Cubs could presumably trade Jason Marquis and his $9.875 million salary (along with maybe a mid-level prospect) to the Yankees for Damon.  Therefore, both teams exchange high contracts while getting a more appropriate piece of need.  On next year's Cubs team, Johnny Damon could fill a void in adding a left-handed lead-off hitter with speed and power, as well as adding exceptional defense in right field.  In addition to the skills, he would be one piece of the previously aforementioned "idiots."

-After trading away Jason Marquis in the above proposal, the Cubs would be in need of a 5th starter.  They could fill this need in-house, but there are two free-agent options that are intriguing.  They could go the route of Derek Lowe, who has said he's seeking a 3-year deal on a team with a chance at a championship.  Lowe dominated the Cubs in his postseason start against them, and would be a welcome addition to the pitching staff and the the clubhouse.  Another option, however, which could pay dividends and be a low-risk, extremely-high reward type thing, would be a signing of free agent Pedro Martinez.  After some injury slowed seasons in New York, Pedro would take an incentive-laden deal with ace potential.  In addition to this former Cy Young winner's talent, Pedro is another aforementioned "idiot."

-I'm just gonna mention it here real quick...even though it'd be great, the Cubs are probably not going to sign Manny (the biggest "idiot" of them all in 2004...and I mean that with the utmost respect for him and his amazing talents).

-The last free agent possibility out there is none other than Mr. "Cowboy-Up" himself: Kevin Millar.  Millar was an integral part in the "idiot" atmosphere in 2004, and would play a vital role of pinch-hitter, backup 1B/OF that was lost in Daryle Ward filing for free agency.

So in this very do-able proposal, the Cubs would add Johnny Damon to play RF, Pedro Martinez as the 5th starter with ace-potential, and Kevin Millar to the bench, thus reuniting the Damon-Pedro-Millar combo that brought the "idiot" attitude to the 2004 World Series Champion, Curse-breaking, Boston Red Sox...and can do the same for the 2009 Chicago Cubs.

Hot Stove Shines Red, White, and Blue

At this time of year, GM's around baseball are thinking of ways to improve their clubs by throwing piles of cash at the plethora of free agents and drawing up countless trade proposals.  However, there is a team being put together that will consist of baseball's biggest names and cost nothing; that team is Team USA, gearing up for the 2009 World Baseball Classic next spring.  Three years ago, a stacked Team USA was bounced from the tournament with a disappointing 3-3 record, with many players citing a lack of preparation and team-gelling as the main downfall.  This time around, players welcomed back to the team figure to fire-up the current roster into a much better showing.  However, those 30 players who make up the roster are yet to be picked.  There are numerous big names available, most of whose status is yet unknown, pending their team's approval.  I believe that if Team USA was to be comprised of a close-knit group of superstars who were able to compete in a few of these tournaments and spend quality time together during them, it would be a valuable stepping stone to a possible United States gold medal journey at the 2016 Olympics in Chicago, (if baseball is re-admitted in the games) similar to the inspiring performance of Team USA Basketball in Beijing.  Superstar teams in the Olympics, like basketball, not only inspire world audiences, but provide numerous marketing opportunities should baseball decide to go that path; as evident by the USA Basketball reality show, and Nike collection of Olympic apparel, as well as the high television ratings and commercial appeal.  Back to this year's WBC, however, below is a detailed projection of what the 2009 USA Baseball team could look like, if those named decide to participate.  This is one stacked team, if you ask me...

Pitching Staff

Bullpen

-Scott Shields -Kerry Wood

-Jonathan Papelbon -Huston Street

-Joe Nathan -Brian Fuentes (L)

-Bobby Jenks -David Price (L)

-Brad Lidge -Jonathan Broxton

Starting Rotation

1. C.C. Sabathia

2. Jake Peavy

3. Cole Hamels

4. Roy Oswalt

5. Matt Garza

(Other possibles: Beckett, Webb, Haren, Lester, Shields, Lilly, Chamberlain, Lincecum)

Starting Infield

1B-Mark Teixiera 3B-Alex Rodriguez

2B-Chase Utley SS-Derek Jeter

Starting Outfield

LF-Ryan Braun CF-Grady Sizemore RF-Josh Hamilton

Bench

IF-Evan Longoria, Chipper Jones, Michael Young

(Brian Roberts, Dustin Pedroia, Ian Kinsler, Dan Uggla, Jimmy Rollins, Stephen Drew, Ryan Howard, David Wright, Lance Berkman, Derrek Lee, Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder)

OF-B.J. Upton, Carlos Quentin, Vernon Wells

(Torii Hunter, Nick Markakis, Carl Crawford, Curtis Granderson, Matt Holliday, J.D. Drew, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier)

Catchers

-Joe Mauer

-Brian McCann

-Jason Varitek

(A.J. Pierzynski, Kurt Suzuki, Taylor Teargarden)

DG Live: Trade Deadline '08 Looking to Impress

When it looked like all was going to be relatively quiet, MLB GM's sprung into action moving star players left and right.  After the previous weeks had seen such large deals as C.C. to Milwaukee and Harden to the Cubs, another big deal went down days before the deadline.  The Atlanta Braves traded star, switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  This move, made by baseball's best team (statistically, of course) is clearly a addition in ammo meant for October.  Tex adds another huge bat to an offense already featuring Vlad, Tori Hunter, and Garret Anderson.  Then, today (a day before the July 31 [non-waiver] Trade Deadline, the Yankees made a move to replace their star catcher (Jorge Posada who is out for the season with a shoulder injury) with another star catcher, acquiring "Pudge" Rodriguez from the Tigers for reliever Kyle Farnsworth (a move that nearly brought Yankee manager Joe Girardi to tears, because of their close relationship after Girardi caught Farnsworth in Chicago).  Now, with less than 24 hours remaining before the Trade Deadline, there looks to be a third major trade on the brink of happenning.  The Boston Red Sox seem set on trading Manny being Manny, seemingly sick of his personality.  There is a trade on the table, according to sources citied by MLBTradeRumors.com, which would send Manny to the Marlins, while the Red Sox get Jason Bay from the Pirates, and the Pirates get Hermidia from the Marlins (with prospects also involved to all teams).  Now to me, this trade seems extremely stupid.  While Manny may be causing distractions for the Red Sox front office, he is still producing on the field (.301 AVG/20 HR/68 RBI) and is one of the greatest hitters in history.  And they want to get him off the team for Bay, a guy who would certainly be a downgrade from Manny:  1)he is not the seasoned hitter mentally that Manny has proven to be, 2)you'd be losing Manny's electric personality in Fenway, 3) you'd be losing the invaluable friendship between Manny and fellow partner-in-crime David Ortiz.  If I had those two in the middle of my lineup, I'd ride the power wave to championship town (2 WS titles in last 5 years) as long as I could.  Now if this deal was made, it would certainly be a steal for the Marlins here.  They'd be acquiring a proven hitter for the middle of their lineup, who along with Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla would give them a nice core to compete in the N.L. East (of which they're only 1.5 games out right now).  In other trade news, the Cubs are looking great, beating the Brew Crew the last three games in convincing fashion.  They already bolstered their team this year by adding released center fielders Reed Johnson and Jim Edmonds who have been key cogs to the offense (along with much-improved Mike Fontenot and Ronny Cedeño).  They also traded for a true #2 (actually an ace of his former staff), Rich Harden who has been stellar in three outings.  In addition to the offense and starting staff, the bullpen has also become a strength as the emergence of Jeff Samardzija, Chad Gaudin, Neal Cotts, and Sean Marshall adds to the already stellar Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol for a solid staff of late-inning, shut-down arms that Lou can feel confident in calling upon.  However, there have been rumblings that the Cubs have inquired on a few left-handed, outfield bats.  Most notable, according to MLBTradeRumors.com, Brian Giles, Raul Ibanez, and David DeJesus.  One last item that this blogger would like to touch upon, is the stunning availability of a major offensive threat to any of the 30 MLB teams.  There is a player out there who can be had for no prospects or players of any level.  He can give you instant help to the tune of major power, a +.400 OBP, a leadership prescence in the clubhouse, and a serious offensive boost for the fall.  And he'll only cost around $300,000.  Who is this player?  The answer: Barry Bonds.  He is still a FA, who told the Yankees last week (before they acquired Nady and Pudge) that he'd play for them for $300 K and donate it all to buy tickets for kids.  If you're worried about his legal troubles, he doesn't have a court date of any kind until next spring.  If you're worried about his clubhouse consequences a signing will have, he has been said to be a great clubhouse prescence who improves younger players.  And if you're worried about his offensive production, well he said he could be ready in about 10 days, he is BARRY BONDS!!, and he has produced every single year he's been healthy.  I don't think there is a question about his offense.  If I was a GM, I would sign him in a heartbeat.  And looking at teams like the Rays, who seemingly need one DH/OF bat to be serious contenders, I think it'd be a smart idea.

Cubs Acquire Harden, Gaudin in 6-Player Swap

Before this evenings' Cubs game, it was announced that Jim Hendy had pulled the trigger on a 6-player deal sending talented Oakland ace Rich Harden to the Cubs along with reliever Chad Gaudin.  As part of the move, Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson, and minor-league catcher Josh Donaldson have been sent to the Oakland A's.  Gallagher is expected to join the A's rotation, while Murton and Patterson will be sent to Triple-A Sacramento (Donaldson may be promoted to the A's Double-A team).  The Cubs, meanwhile, gain a talented, young, right-handed ace pitcher to pair with Carlos Zambrano and strengthen the rotation.  In Gaudin, they also receive a valuable bullpen arm.  Harden is expected to make a start for the Cubs this weekend against the San Francisco Giants.  This move will no doubt add more depth to the Cubs starting rotation by allowing the Cubs to match-up with any N.L. club (including Milwaukee's C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets).  Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, and Marquis/Marshall combination are expected to fill-out the remaining three slots.

Cubbie Blue in the Bronx

For this year's All-Star Game in New York City, hosted by the Yankees, the Cubs will have eight representatives playing key roles for the National League.  In the N.L. starting lineup, rookie C Geovany Soto will start behind the plate, while fellow rookie Kosuke Fukudome will get an outfield start alongside teammate Alfonso Soriano (whose status is questionable due to injury).  The N.L. pitching staff will have Cubs' starters Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster, while Kerry Wood will be one of the closers.  In addition, 3B Aramis Ramirez will be on the roster as a reserve at the hot corner.  On the National League bench, Lou Piniella was added as a coach to assist Rockies' manager Clint Hurdle.  This is the highest number of Cubs sent to the Midsummer Classic ever in club history.  On the American League side, the defending World Series champion Red Sox also have seven players on the team.  The All-Star Game will be on July 15th at Yankee Stadium.

Congrats Junior on 600th HR!

Future HOF-er Ken Griffey Jr. hit the 600th home run of his career in the first inning of Monday's Reds-Marlins game, becoming only the sixth member of the exclusive club, along with Sosa (609), Mays (660), Ruth (714), Aaron (755), and Bonds (762).  Junior has always been one of the best players in the game, having a flair for having fun and actually "playing" the game.  He invented the backward hat (seen above), and will always be among the games greatest players.

Home-Cooking Sends Cubs on the Road on Fire!

The Cubs are one HOT team.  They just completed a 10-game road stand with an 8-2 record; the last time the Cubs have won eight games on a homestand was way back in 1978.  This team, everyone included, is just too hot for any team to handle right now.  With everyone clicking on all cylinders, the Chicago Cubs are atop the MLB Pole-Position.  Did I mention they are hot?  Okay, enough of the much-deserved love-fest for now, let's get down to the real business.  The Cubs, at 27-17, now sit atop their perch of the NL Central Division by 2.0 games.  After a homestand that saw great pitching performances by starters (Dempster is 5-1) and bullpen alike (are you ready for some Marmolade?), Soriano hit .525 with 7 HR and 16 RBI, some helpful acquisitions and call-ups (Jim Edmonds, Micah Hoffpauir), and every player contribute, things are only looking up on the North Side.  Just to appreciate the dominance of the Cubs' performance thus far, consider that they are leading the entire Major Leagues with 255 runs scored (Boston is second with 239), a .373 team OBP leads the majors, and have a pitching staff that is currently ranked in the Top 3 in the NL in Wins, ERA, and Strikeouts.  As far as individual performances, the aforementioned Alfonso Soriano is on one of his patented hot-streaks, in which he has launched 7 HR in just 6 games while hitting .525 over the last 10 games (video here and here).  The rookies Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome have been on-base machines, playing like they are the only two rookies in the league that deserve the ROY award (there homers can be viewed here and here).  Pitching wise, Carlos Marmol has been absolutely filthy, striking out 40 batters this year over just 28.0 innings.  Ryan Dempster, meanwhile, has 5 wins and is third in the NL with a 2.35 ERA, just ahead of the fourth place Carlos Zambrano's 2.45 ERA.  There have been a hand full of surprises, as well; such as DeRosa's versatile defense, Sean Gallagher's emergence over this homestand as a viable 5th starter, and the bargain-acquisition by Hendry of veteran Jim Edmonds to share playing time in center while Felix Pie develops in the minors.  Now, on to Houston where the Cubs can continue the fun and give themselves a little separation in the Central between themselves and the 2.5 game-back Houston Astros.

DG Quickie: Sergio Wins! Cubs Sweep!

In a great Sunday of sports, two events stood out.  At the iconic TPC Sawgrass, for one, Sergio Garcia captured this years Player's Championship, as he also got his first win in three years.  He played extremely well the entire tournament, placing 1st in Driving Accuracy and GIR.  It was a much deserved, and emotional win for the Spaniard, whose opening comment to NBC's Bob Costas was, "First I'd like to thank Tiger for not being here."...comical Sergio as always.  Congrats to him.  You can check out Sergio's scorecard here, and the tournament leaderboard here.

Also, over at 1060 W. Addison, the Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the Arizona D'Backs, exacting some revenge from last years early, playoff exit.  In the three games, the pitching was solid, paired with clutch, late-inning rallies of runs.  Derrek Lee had a nice weekend with 2 HR, while Alfonso Soriano started to pick it up going 5-9 with 2 RBI, 2 R, and an IBB in a PH-appearance on Sunday.  Kosuke Fukudome also clubbed his 2nd HR of the season with a 2-run shot on Saturday.  The Cubs, at 23-16, are now tied atop the NL Central Division with the Cardinals, and are about to go into a 4-game series vs. the Padres at Wrigley this week, followed by another home series vs. the Pirates going into next Sunday.  They are set to face Greg Maddux on Thursday's contest.

Oh, yeah...Happy Mother's Day!

Top Ten Things About MLB Opening Week

The season is now a week old, and already we have seen tons of exciting, new things around major league baseball.  From teams that may contend more than some may have thought prior to the season, to star players performing at star levels, to a bunch of young stars flooding the major league scene.  One can tell that this truly will be a season to remember.  So tune in to your MLB Extra Innings, MLB.tv, local newspaper box scores, or gamecasts on your iPhone, 'cause here are the Top Ten most exciting, interesting things that caught the nation's eye over this past opening week of Major League Baseball action.  (In no particular order, by the way...)

#1:  The Cubbies!! It has been a whirlwind week for the Cubs.  For a team that will have the entire world watching them this year, in their 100th WS anniversary, they came out of the homestand 3-3.  We saw a lot from this team, and it no doubt will be an exciting year.  After initially stumbling vs. the Brew Crew, the Cubs jumped back to life in the suddenly warm, sunny Chicago weather.  The offense is beginning to jive, showing signs of improvement.  At one point this past week, the Cubs threw up a 5-spot on the scoreboard with strings of clutch hits and power.  The bullpen has also shown signs of promise.  While Bob Howry has continued to struggle, (he usually starts off slow) Carlos Marmol has been lights-out and Kerry Wood is 3-3 in save chances.  Big-Z has hopefully cured some opening day cramping caused by low potassium levels and too much caffeine, and has been electric in two starts.  As far as the offense, Derrek Lee looks to have regained his prowess at the plate from three yeas ago before his wrist injury, and is hitting .400 with 3 longballs; a good sign is that not only is he using all fields, but some of his hits are going to left field, which had been a problem for him in the past.  Of course, the other main part of the Cubs offense so far has been the star play of Japanese import, Kosuke Fukudome, which brings us to...

#2: Fuku-Fever!  Ever since K-Fuk entered the majors last Monday, he has been sensational.  He started his career on opening day going 3-3 with a game-tying, ninth-inning blast into the bleachers, and since has hit .421 with clutch hits, a suprise bunt, and quick defense.  He has shown that he can play, and if he keeps it up (which there is no reason to doubt), he'll be on to great things in Chicago, and should help bring great things to the Cubs.  His teammate, D. Lee, has already said what a learning experience it is to watch Fukudome bat, and how his intelligence and demeanor is helping the rest of the team.

#3: New South Side Hitmen.  On the South Side of Chicago, nobody knows yet just how far the White Sox can go this season.  With shaky pitching depth, a shallow farm system, and stacked talent in the AL Central, there is a reason to doubt.  One thing is for sure, however, the Sox will H-I-T!!  There lineup could have the chance to be one of the most potent in the game, after tonight's 13-2 drubbing of the Tigers proved.  The outfield boasts on-base machine Nick Swisher, who also provides a few laughs for the clubhouse.  Swish, along with current LF Carlos Quentin and RF Jermaine Dye, all look like they have potential to be 20-40 HR guys, and steal a few bases while they're at it.  In the heart of the order, Paulie Konerko and Jim Thome are perennial mashers of 40+ HR, while 3B Joe Crede once could do the same.  Behind the plate, A.J. Pierzynski has been leading the league in hitting over the past week, currently sitting at a .500 AVG.  Up the middle, Juan Uribe has switched to second, but can still hit about 20 dingers while flashing the leather, as can Orlando Cabrera who came over from the OC to now be the Sox #2 hitter.  Oh, and off the bench can come Cuban defector Alexei Ramirez who was stellar during the spring, and looks to be a 5-tool player.  So if you're an opposing pitcher, try writing this scorecard without passing out...Swisher, Cabrera, Thome, Konerko, Dye, Pierzynski, Quentin, Crede, Uribe, and Ramirez off the bench.  Cool!

#4: Youngsters.  As you look around the league, you see tons of young players that are either up, or will be called up soon, labeled by the media as future superstars and phenoms.  Currently, many key roles on contending teams are being held by extremely young players who are full of talent.  In the NL East, the Mets are anchored by superstars David Wright and Jose Reyes, the Phillies have third-year masher Ryan Howard, the Fish are full of youngsters, along with the Nats, and the Braves are, as they always have been, a yearly farm for the games best young players (Yunel Escobar, Jeff Francouer, Brian McCann, Kelly Johnson, Jair Jurrjens...).  In the West, you have the Dogdger's Kershaw, Eithier, Loney, Billingsley, Broxton, and C Russ Martin, while the D'Backs are loaded with more young talent you can name (but you can start with Justin Upton, Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, Chris Young...).  Of course the NL Central is loaded, too, with the Cubs having their share of youngsters in key roles.  C Geovany Soto is one of the early season favorites for ROY (along with teammate Kosuke Fukudome who is around 30, though), and has guys around him like Marmol, speedy Felix Pie, and bench guy Ronny Cedeño.  The Brewers, meanwhile, have some young talent of their own to the tune of the Prince, Weeks, Hardy, Braun, Hart, Gwynn Jr., Gallardo, Parra...I'm sorry, am I naming the whole team?...Almost!  Over in the AL East, you've got names like Melky Cabrera, Robbie Cano, Hughes, and Joba on the Yanks, with Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Bucholz, and Papelbon on the Sawx, and don't even get me started on the Rays (more on them later).  The West features names like Felix the Great on the M's, and the currently blocked Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the Rangers.  And in the Central, you've got Grandy on the Tigers, Sizemore on the Indians, and the entire Twins and Royals organizations (including Alex Gordon, Joakim Soria, Billy Butler of the Royals, and Carlos Gomez, Francisco Liriano, and Delmon Young of the Twins).  That is just of few of the young talent in the majors this year, and one of those not mentioned just had an electric major league debut last week for the Reds.  His name...

#5: Johnny Cueto=electric.  A guy who not many people knew prior to this spring training, burst onto the Reds' roster as their number three starter.  With worlds of talent, and electric stuff, he pitched 7.0 inning in his major league debut, with 10 K's, zero BB's, and only 1 ER.  Let's keep on eye on him, and his teammate Edison Volquez, who currently sit #'s 3 and 5 in the Reds' rotation.

#6: Jake Peavy is nasty, and the reigning Cy Young.  Enough said.

#7: The Red Sox are weary travelers.  Guess where the Red Sox have been the past week and a half.  Well, if you don't know, let me tell you a little story.  There once was a great team called the Boston Red Sox who won two World Series Championships in four years, and who's group of rockstar players developed quite a following.  So Major League Baseball capitalized on it and drew up quite a schedule for thier opening week.  They are all relaxed and tanning in beautiful Florida, when a big plane arrives and takes them to Japan, where they travel the country playing local teams and the Oakland A's.  Then, they must quickly fly back across the world's largest ocean (the Pacific) to Los Angeles, CA, to play a three-game exhibition series vs. the Dodgers, including a game at the historic LA Coliseum.  Then, they travel up the state to Oakland, where they once again play regular season games vs. the Athletics.  Can they go home yet? No.  Now, they will help the Blue Jays open at home in Toronto, Canada.  Can they go home now? Yes, after 3 countries, 2 continents, 5 cities, 4 Opening Days, and many timezones, they can return to Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusets.  Quick, funny story: much of the team has been so tired because of all the traveling that they were shown constantly yawning during Sunday's game in Toronto.  TBS analyst Craig Sager even told of how Josh Beckett, who wanted to watch Saturday night's NCAA action, fell asleep in his hotel room at 8:00 pm with the television on.

#8: Old-time Dodgers.  In the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Vin Scully, Joe Torre, and Boys in Blue look poised to make some noise both in and outside of Chavez Ravine.  It is a year that has thus far been praised in tradition, and the team looks committed to winning, as well.  Torre brings his iconic managing career to the West Coast, where he looks to bring the Dodgers a NL East Championship and maybe more (*Writer's note: Not if the Cubs have anything to do with it!!)

#9: Young teams looking to resurge with new ballparks, unis, and players...oh my!  Three teams who recently went young, are looking toward change in many ways.  The Twins recently traded away many stars, and locked up a couple more young ones.  Now, with guys like Gomez, Young, Morneau, Mauer, Nathan, and Liriano, they look to develp and be ready to contend along with their new ballpark in 2010.  Another team, the Tampa Bay "Rays," has a new look.  They changed their name and thier unis to show a brighter future.  They feature some of the best young players in the game in LF Carl Crawford, sweet-swinging CF B.J. Upton, and überprospect (and soon-to-be call-up) 3B Evan Longoria.  Other stars like leadoff/import Aki Iwamura, impact slugger Carlos Peña, and young starters Scott Kazmir, James Shields, and Matt Garza look to help the Rays finally contend.  And to go along with this new look, the owner is pursuing an amazing, waterfront park and entertainment district to be built in downtown St. Petersburg, that will boast all of the latest in design and technology.  Of course, and team who has already got new unis, young players, and now a sweet to ballpark are the new residents of Nationals Park: the Washington Nationals.  Led by 3B Ryan Zimmerman, and new acquisitions Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Wily Mo Peña, and Austin Kearns, the Nats look to also contend, quick, in the NL East.  And now they have  beautiful new ballpark to set out on that quest in.

#10: A great season, is what we are all looking forward to, and "Let's Get Some Runs" by DG is your place to find all the greatest coverage on the biggest stories in Major League Baseball all year!

K-Fuk, Big-Z Have Great Games, but Cubs Fall to Brew Crew in Extras

    An eventful Opening Day 2008 passed today, with 14 games broadcasted to the masses over the HD airwaves once again.  It was nirvana for the baseball fan as the ESPN family of networks covered all the action all day, MLB Extra Innings was once again bringing the nation to your TV, and WGN kicked of the 2008 Chicago Cubs season.  The Cubs game was definitely an eventful one, and what a way to start the season for the "Cardiac Cubs," even though the end result was not the desired one.  The game went through the first 6+ innings as an all-out pitchers duel, with Ben Sheets and Big Z firing on all cylinders.  Sheets baffled most of the Cubs hitters with wicked breaking stuff and a fastball all-day, while Zambrano dominated with an electric slider and his usual fastball.  In the 6th, however, things started to go a little loopy.  There was a pop-up above the mound that was met with some confusion, and ended with both the 6.5 footed Derrek Lee and Carlos Zambrano on the ground (the latter whom had the ball in his mitt).  Unfortunately, after that Zambrano proceeded to pick-off Bill Hall at second, but was forced to leave the game with the usual "cramps" he sometimes has to succumb to.  The good news as of now is, however, that this usually hasn't been a serious issue in the past, and he did throw 89 great pitches today...he'll be ready for his next start (a little less Guitar Hero, though).  Carlos Marmol came into the game to relieve El Toro, and proceeded to dish out the "Marmolade™" the Brew Crew, striking out 3 of the 4 hitters he faced.  Kid K had some trouble in the ninth, yielding 3 runs to the Brewers, but the ever-entertaining Eric Gagné started the fun in his half of the ninth.  His oversized uniform and foggy glasses were blamed (yeah, right) for walking both D.Lee and A.Ram to start the inning.  Then, Kosuke Fukudome came up, at which point he had already been 2-2 (1B,2B,BB) in the game already, and smacked a Gagné offering into the right-center field bleachers for a three-run blast to tie the game.  Hopefully K-Fuk's sweet swing will continue to produce as he did today, all year.  The game ended, however, with the Cubs getting the short end of the stick as they lost 4-3 in the 10th.  This game was a great start, though, as some things went the Cubs way.  Z and Marmol looked lights-out, Fukudome had a great game, and Soto drew 2 walks.  If Soriano, Lee, and A.Ram can just pick it up a bit and return to 2006 form (2005 for Lee), then this club can be really potent.  It's the first game, satisfying start, it should be a great year.

On Wednesday, the two teams will play Game 2 of the series, as Ted Lilly faces Jeff Suppan.

nano-MLB Preview: What Will the Cubs Lineup Be?

Opening Day 2008 is nearly a week away, and the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A's will start the regular season in their two-game series on Monday in Japan.  It's an exciting time around Major League Baseball as a new season is knocking on the door with promises of a new beginning for 30 teams.  In this nano-Preview, we will examine the Chicago Cubs and their very interesting lineup configurations that could be available to them by the first week of the season.  All Jim Hendry has to do is pull the trigger and let the good times roll.  The following is what the Cubs lineup may look like if Opening Day were tomorrow:

Theriot, SS

Soriano, LF

D. Lee, 1B

A. Ram, 3B

Fukudome, RF

DeRosa, 2B

Soto, C

Pie, CF

Now, this lineup definitely has the chance to produce.  With Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome all bunched up like that it could be very dangerous if everyone lives up to their potential.  However, for fun here, let's show what this lineup could be like come opening day that would instill fear into opposing pitchers, and all but assure the Cubs a place among the National League elite.  First, we need to make some moves.  In the issue of the outfield, everyone knows the K-Fuk will patrol right field at the Friendly Confines for at least four years (and $48 million).  Now in center field, everyone seems to see a problem.  Felix Pie is the current center fielder, and I believe that he should remain just that.  He has shown some progress this spring at the plate, succeeding against righties with some nice doubles down the line.  Last year, however, he did struggle mightily against lefties.  What we need Felix for is to play stellar defense in center, and occasionally get on base out of the #8 spot and wreak havoc with his speed.  If it is necessary to do something about Pie vs. lefties, then I'm sure the Cubs front office will have no problem either making a trade or signing a FA that can just provide some CF help from the right side.  This can be a simple trade for a guy like Coco Crisp, who with injury concerns and little use on the Sawx could probably be had for very little.  In left field now, we currently have Alfonso Soriano; the $136 million man.  He has been pretty good in the outfield, however there is a solution that could help his legs, and the entire team: move him back to second base.  He played second for many years before 2006, exceeding there and even posting three 30-30 seasons (one of which was one homer away from a 40-40).  Also, if Sori moves back to second, that would leave an open spot for that real big bat from the left that we want in order to play left field (Fukudome would be better served out of the #2 spot where his speed and OBP can help more).  The big bat that's still available that the Cubs could definitely afford that I'm talking about in this really exciting run-on sentence with no punctuation is of course: Barry Lamar Bonds.  According to Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com, Barry insists that he is not retired and might be able to be had for around $5 million, which is definitely in the Cub's price range.  Bonds would give the Cubs that big bat they covet, right in the middle of the lineup.  He would do wonders for those around him, and even at his age still commands a lot of attention from opposing pitchers (he had a .480 OBP last year with 132 BB).

 

Now let us turn our attention to the infield; this is where stuff gets fun!  Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez are firmly entrenched at the corners.  Up the middle, however, are two players who are very versatile and scrappy.  Does that sound like starters, or reserves, 'cause they sound like very valuable bench players to me!  Imagine this: Soriano plays 2B, and we get someone for short (coming shortly), and then you have Theriot and DeRosa available on your bench for a clutch pinch-hit, great pinch-running, or availablility in giving guys days off.  In this scenario, DeRosa could spell Bonds in LF whenever needed and perform admirably.  He or Riot could also give Sori days off at second, Fuku days off in right, etc.  So who, you ask, will play shortstop.  Well, the Cubs have been heavily involved in trade talks for Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts.  He may be able to be had for pitchers Sean Gallagher and Sean Marshall, as well as Cedeño or Eric Patterson.  What most people don't know is that according to his Wikipedia page, Brian played shortstop for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks during the 1999 NCAA season; a year in which he batted .353 with 12 HR/36 RBI and an SEC record 67 SB.  Oh, and by the way, he was named the best defensive college player by Baseball America.  So, check out this lineup that we could have just by 1)signing Barry Bonds to a deal around $5-$8 million, 2)move Soriano to 2B, 3)acquire Brian Roberts and move DeRosa and Theriot to the bench, and 3)allow Pie to keep playing (and use his speed to help out Bonds with his defense), and maybe get a guy who can get some AB vs. lefties during the year.  So the lineup could look like this:

Roberts, SS

Fukudome, RF

D. Lee, 1B

Bonds, LF

A. Ram, 3B

Soriano, 2B

Soto, C

Pie, CF

And some final notes about the scenario above:  as mentioned above Pie could provide great defense to help out Bonds and his knees.  Micah Hoffpauier, who has been raking in the Cactus League, could also be a part of the bench at some point during the year and give some outfield help while adding his bat to the lineup.  Guys like Coco Crisp, Jay Payton, and Marlon Byrd have all been mentioned as possible CF targets, but I seriously do see some improvement in Pie and think that he could do a pretty good job...he has all of the tools and it hopefully is just a matter of time before he starts putting them together more quickly.

Final thoughts on some random names you might want to know this upcoming season: Cueto, Ellsbury, Kurt Suzuki, Upton brothers, Longoria, Yunel Escobar...just a couple, but there's a bunch of young players who have been having great springs and could make huge impacts with their teams this year and in years to come.

Back in the Swing of Things: Quick Hits on '08 Cubs

Throughout the past week, baseball has been roaring in the Valley of the Sun, as spring training action finally has gotten underway.  With a couple games already broadcasted over the HD airwaves, we've been able to get a look at the team and get some quick, early impressions.

-The Cubs new RF acquisition from Japan, Kosuke Fukudome, has looked very good in his first few games.  Despite only having 1 hit, he's been extremely patient and looks to be a high OBP guy.  He's drawn numerous walks, gotten hit a couple of times, and has shown amazing defense with a rocket of an arm.  Not to mention, he's been having fun in the clubhouse.

-Lee has been solid...he looks stronger than the past and hopefully will regain All-Star form.  Sori and A-Ram have been injured, but should be back soon, along withe DeRosa.

-Pie has looked bad at times with the strikeouts, but overall he does have 2 dingers this spring with some good hits.  So, coupled with his stellar D, he should do a nice job in CF this year and only improve.

-Soto looks amazing defensively, and continues to hit.  He should be very good this year, and a plus over past years of Cub's catchers.

-The bullpen has seen many new, hardthrowing guys coming through that could make it to the big-league club at some point this year.  Jose Ceda, Ascanio, Mateo, and Samardzija are all supposed to be very good and have shown flashes of it, but they'll need the spring to make an impression on Lou.

-The IF has had a nice showing of candidates that could not only make the club, but maybe be used as trade bait for the rumored Brian Roberts deal.  Figueroa, Cintrón, Fontenot, and Cedeño have all played pretty well. And Theriot has had a great start getting his hits and scoring once he gets on.

So, it's been a nice start with some good first looks...more to come has the spring progresses in Mesa, AZ.  Cubs will take on the division-rival Brewers later today with Ryan Dempster slated to make his second start of the spring.