Cubnut's Archives
Wood Whiffs 20…Again And Again
Recently TCR had the chance to review a DVD set commemorating great Cubs games since 1984. It seemed like something worth writing about on an off day. We’ve been looking for new fodder anyway—it gets SO monotonous covering a team that always wins.
I remember the first time I came across ESPN Classic. I was clicking through the channels in a hotel room when I discovered it, and the thought that a whole cable channel could devote itself to showing historically significant games much as they were originally broadcast seemed too good to be true.
After a few minutes, however, the novelty of seeing Willie Stargell and Steve Blass in a 1971 World Series game called by Curt Gowdy was outweighed by the tedium of waiting to see the game’s signature moment. In short order, I was back to grazing the cablescape in search of a Shannon Tweed movie on Cinemax.
So it is with a handsomely packaged set of DVDs awkwardly entitled, “Chicago Cubs Legends Great Games Collector’s Edition” (CCLGGCE for short). The eight-disc collection was produced by A&E Home Video and Major League Baseball, and each disc presents one Cubs game from the past 23 years in its commercial-free entirety, some games more truly significant than others.
- Read more about Wood Whiffs 20…Again And Again
- 127 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
A Little Break In The Clouds
Road to Wrigley recaps the best thing to happen to the Chicago Cubs organization on Thursday.
- Read more about A Little Break In The Clouds
- 5 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 71 Thread/Cubs @ Rangers (Last of 3)
Game Chat
Ted Lilly (5-4, 3.69) vs. Vicente Padilla (3-8, 6.57)
Longtime American Leaguer Lilly is 4-4 lifetime against the Rangers, 1-1 last year as a Blue Jay.
- Read more about Game 71 Thread/Cubs @ Rangers (Last of 3)
- 302 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 70 Thread/Cubs @ Rangers (#2 of 3)
(Quick aside before I get to the Game Thread: The Barrett-inspired post below triggered almost 300 comments! Just wait until we fall out of the race and trade Zambrano to the Mets. We'll blow the MVN server all to hell!)
Game Chat
Jason Marquis (5-3, 3.14) vs.
- Read more about Game 70 Thread/Cubs @ Rangers (#2 of 3)
- 155 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
ESPN: Cubs Trade Barrett to San Diego
Buster Olney of ESPN is reporting that the Cubs have traded catcher Michael Barrett to the Padres in exchange for catcher Rob Bowen, a minor league pitcher and cash.
Steve Stone, appearing on the Mike North Show (WSCR Radio in Chicago), at 9:00 a.m.
- Read more about ESPN: Cubs Trade Barrett to San Diego
- 331 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 69 Thread/Cubs @ Rangers (#1 of 3)
(Sorry--this was to have gone up 90 minutes ago. Pretend it's then.)
Game chat
Sean Marshall (3-2, 2.12) v.
- Read more about Game 69 Thread/Cubs @ Rangers (#1 of 3)
- 91 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
My Afternoon In The Middle Of A Baseball Brawl
I had the incredible good fortune to watch Saturday’s Cubs-Padres game from the second row behind home plate, from a seat in nearly a direct line with the plate and the left field corner. In other words, I was about 25-30 feet from much of the brouhaha.
(I have seen myself in the ESPN replays of the brawl. I’m wearing a light green polo shirt and I’m right behind the woman with the white shirt and the white hat who appears in the left part of the screen just after Derrek Lee throws the first punch.)
A few thoughts on a remarkable game as seen from a perspective I won't enjoy again anytime soon:
Game 68 Thread/Padres @ Cubs (#3 of 3)
Game chat
Rich Hill (5-4, 2.81) vs. Greg Maddux (5-3, 3.86)
This will be Maddux’s second start against the Cubs since he donned the blue and gold and brown and tan or whatever the hell the Padres’ colors are.
- Read more about Game 68 Thread/Padres @ Cubs (#3 of 3)
- 57 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 67 Thread/Padres @ Cubs (#2 of 3)
Game chat
Carlos Zambrano v. Chris Young
Ten days ago, Z (7-5, 4.89) declared he was starting the season anew. In the two starts since, against Milwaukee and Houston, he has allowed just eight hits and two earned runs over 14 2/3 innings (1.23 ERA) and earned two victories.
- Read more about Game 67 Thread/Padres @ Cubs (#2 of 3)
- 12 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 66 Thread/Padres @ Cubs (#1 of 3)
Game Chat
Ted Lilly (4-4, 3.96) v. David Wells (3-3, 4.76)
After taking the Mariners two out of three, the Cubs have climbed to within five games of .500.
- Read more about Game 66 Thread/Padres @ Cubs (#1 of 3)
- 40 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 64 Thread/Mariners @ Cubs (#2 of 3)
- Read more about Game 64 Thread/Mariners @ Cubs (#2 of 3)
- 137 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Game 63 Thread/Mariners @ Cubs (#1 of 3)
Game chat
Rich Hill vs. Jarrod Washburn
This is Hill's first-ever start against the Mariners, Washburn's first-ever start against the Cubs, and the first-ever meeting between the teams at Wrigley.
- Read more about Game 63 Thread/Mariners @ Cubs (#1 of 3)
- 81 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Mariners@Cubs–A Preview Of Tonight’s 7th Inning
(THE SOUNDS OF A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME ARE AUDIBLE IN THE BACKGROUND THROUGHOUT. OCCASIONALLY, CROWD REACTION SWELLS, BUT THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES MOSTLY UNINTERRUPTED)
PAT: Pat Hughes and Ron Santo back at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs behind the pitching of Rich Hill are leading the Mariners 3-0, and on “Country Music Night,” we’re pleased to welcome in country recording artist and former American Idol contestant, Kellie Pickler. Kellie, welcome.
KELLIE: Why thank you, it’s wonderful to be here.
PAT: Now Kellie, is this your first time at Wrigley Field?
KELLIE: Yes it is. It’s my first time in Chicago. (SHE LAUGHS)
Cubs Look Unbeatable In Atlanta
I can’t say this with certainty, not having checked all the numbers, but I’m pretty sure the Cubs are unbeaten this year in games in which Alfonso Soriano clubs three home runs in the first four innings, every starting position player gets at least one hit, the starting pitcher allows one earned run or fewer in six innings or more, and our catcher steals a base.
Overall, the current five-wins-in-six-games run has been handsome indeed. The Cubs have outscored the opposition (i.e., Braves and Brewers) 39-14. They’ve scored in the first inning of all five victories.
- Read more about Cubs Look Unbeatable In Atlanta
- 69 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Recent comments
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
For sure. This lineup isn’t exactly stacked as is, and subbing out a Cooper or even a Tauchman for Madrigal won’t do it any favors.
crunch (view)
the ESPN bottom graphic taking up 1/8th of the screen sucks.
i only use ESPN during baseball season and i'm forced to watch a baseball broadcast designed to be broadcast in sports bars and betting parlors where the news/scores of other games is as important as what you're actually tuned in to watch.
crunch (view)
morel triple to start the season....yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Arizona Phil (view)
LHP Blake Weiman appears to have been the last cut from the AAA Iowa roster. He is with the Tennessee group at Minor League Camp.
crunch (view)
bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements. his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.
crunch (view)
yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd. it's madrigal, period. for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.
occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay. going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.
seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.
He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.
crunch (view)
in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.
Eric S (view)
With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳
crunch (view)
madrigal at 3rd...morel at DH.
making room for madrigal or/and masterboney to get a significant amount of ABs is a misuse of the roster. if it needed to get taken care of this offseason, they had tons of time to figure that out.
morel played almost exclusively at 3rd in winter ball and they had him almost exclusively there all spring when he wasn't DH'ing.
madrigal doing a good job with the glove for a bit over 2 chances per game...is that worth more than what he brings with the bat 4-5 PA a game? it's 2024 and we got glenn beckert 2.0 manning 3rd base.
this is a tauchman or cooper DH situation based on bat, alone. cooper is 3/7 with a double off eovaldi if you want to play the most successful matchup.
anyway, i hope this is a temporary thing, not business as usual for the rest of the season. it will be telling if morel is not used at 3rd when an extreme fly ball pitcher like imanaga is on the mound.