Cubs, Sox Prepare to Make Geek History

Thursday's Chicago vs. Chicago showdown at Wrigley Field will be the first Major League game to be streamed live to mobile phones, specifically to iPhone and iPod Touch users who have installed the MLB.com At Bat 2009 app and the new Apple 3.0 operating software.

Beginning with the White Sox-Cubs Interleague Play matchup from Wrigley
Field at 2:20 p.m. ET, up to two live games per day, subject to
blackout restrictions, will be included in MLB.com At Bat 2009. The
other game scheduled for Thursday is Detroit at St. Louis at 8:15 p.m.
ET.

Those who have already installed the $9.99 At Bat app this season will be able to receive the video streaming at no additional charge. Otherwise you can purchase the app at the iTunes store and enjoy it, video included, for the rest of 2009 for $9.99.

Chad Evans of MLB Advanced Media puts the whole story into something resembling perspective:

"I'm hoping there will be a generation of kids that grew up saying, 'Oh
yeah, I got box scores and watched games on my phone -- it was just
part of the experience of baseball.'"

Yeah, "part of the experience." Sort of like when you heave your remote control across the room after the Cubs have failed to score another runner from third with less than two outs.

Tags: 
Cubs history
Submitted by Cubnut on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 10:16pm
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Comments

Submitted by Ryno
on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 11:01pm

I assume the blackout restrictions will black out any phone in a 500 mile radius of Chicago.

Submitted by Mister Whipple
on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 11:05pm

As MLB continues to do everything in its power to keep kids from developing home town allegiance and any passion for the game.

Submitted by Cubnut
on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 11:08pm

Yeah, I assume the restrictions are going to be the same as they are for MLB.TV, which are as follows, per MLB.com:

All live games on MLB.TV are
subject to local blackouts. Such live games will be blacked out in each
applicable Club's home television territory (except for certain home
television territories for which MLB.com may offer in-market
subscription services). If a game is blacked out in an area, it is not
available for live game viewing. Each game will be available
approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the game as an
archived game (archived games are blackout free).

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:11am

as they say on the internet, +1 Cubnut

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:14am

ha...the internet. i've been there.

Submitted by Mister Whipple
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:39am

Internet? That's something my dad used to use. I use web 2.0!

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:15am

you slick bastard!

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:19am

The Internet? In trying to figure out what you guys are talking about, I found this priceless video by Tom Brokaw unveiling it:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/67945/late-night-with-ji...

Submitted by Chifan
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:33am

Given the forcast tomorrow is Thunderstorms (50-60% chance), I am going out on a limb and say that Cardinals-Tigers game will be the answer to the trivia question about the first IPhone game.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:00am

They’ve scored zero or one run in 10 of the last 26 games while falling from 21-14 to 30-31. They’ve stranded 67 runners over the last eight games, including two on Wednesday, and are 14 for 75 (.187) with runners in scoring position over that span.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31415762/ns/sports-b...

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 6:50am

including two on Wednesday
---
stranded runners is a useful stat to show offensive ineptitude but it's limitation is when your team is so bad that they don't put many runners on base to strand which is what happened yesterday.

...kind of like drowning in the middle of the desert.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 7:28am

What's the word, 'Cubbery'?

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 7:05am

predicting the weather is about as reliable as MB being completely healthy...

but chance of Thunderstorms this afternoon is over 70%, after rain all morning...the weather this year has been almost as bad as the Cub offense.
---
hour by hour weather forcast:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstrav...

Submitted by Tito
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 8:59am

It's partly sunny downtown right now, which of course means nothing. Just hoping it continues.

Submitted by Pell Mell
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 7:18am

Glad for the probable rainout today. Me doing the thousand-yard stare every five minutes for another afternoon game would really start to eat into my productivity at work.

...hey, I'm kinda like the Cubs lineup in that way!

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 7:39am

Sorry if 3-44... Ricketts representative saying negotiations are still moving along smoothly.

In other news, unicorns are real.

Submitted by O.Julius
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 8:45am

Yeah, "part of the experience." Sort of like when you heave your remote control across the room after the Cubs have failed to score another runner from third with less than two outs.

Handy thing is, I'll watch while I wait for the train, and if it gets bad enough, I can just step right onto the tracks. Awesome!

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:21am

This gives me a new idea for a product. Something designed with the colors of your favorite team to snap around your remote control to act as a roll-cage when you throw it at the wall. Sort of like they do with those heavy duty cell phones.

Submitted by Cubnut
on Fri, 06/19/2009 - 12:57am

Love it.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:23am

Soriano expressing a willingness to move down the order if "[Lou] thinks it will help". Of course with a sub-300 OBP and a $16 million dollar paycheck, you sort of lose your ability to dictate where you bat.

Anyways, it sounds like we may see a lineup change today.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:48am

Blech, okay, my best stab at a lineup...

Blanco 2b, Theriot SS, Bradley RF, Soriano LF, Fukudome CF, D Lee 1B, K Hill C, Zambrano P, Fontenot 3B

F*** miles. F*** fontenot, he wouldn't even be starting if I could avoid it. F*** Soto.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:50am

Sadly, 1/3 of that lineup consists of guys who would be backups on 90% of other big league clubs.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:52am

Miles, Theriot , Bradley, Lee, Fox, The Fontenaught, Fukudome, Hill, Zambrano would be my guess.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:56am

Miles over Soriano.

*smacks self in forehead*

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:58am

Miles is such shit. Anyone with eyes can see it.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:09am

That's Fox over Soriano, by the way. Anyone with eyes could see that.

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:53am

It's partly sunny downtown right now...
---
In other news, Milton Bradley is healthy

Submitted by Tito
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 11:47am

Still sunny downtown.

Bradley still healthy.

Generalissimo Franco still dead.

Submitted by artskoe
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 9:55am

So the I-phone is what is holding up the negotiations for Ricketts? We should have known it was technology. Well, I for one hope it goes well. Sorry about all you loyal Cub fans who are in Cub blackout territory. Guess work will have to suffice. Or moan until you get laid off, then Osama Hussein will take care of you. Wonder if super-O can switch hit? Oh, yeah, he's a WS fan...Put him on the bench to coach with Oz. "Use the bunt, more Ozzie!"

This season is over. Was over when they traded Joey!

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:50am

Huh?

Submitted by The Joe
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:15pm

I see your "Huh?" and raise you a "What the fuck?"

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:39pm

Yeah, WTF? It's almost like a computer program called "Rant" set on "Random"...

Submitted by Transmission
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:00pm

We need to create an award, then give it to that comment.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:35pm

Like the "Limbaugh-Morgan Award" given for best mixture of political and baseball nonsense in a TCR comment?

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:42pm

lol, clever... Or the "Limbaugh-James Joyce Award"

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:07pm

does that rant imply the Cubs season was over when they traded Joey Gathright?

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:05am

Lineup is in:

Soriano LF, Theriot SS, Bradley RF, D Lee 1B, Soto C, Fontenot 3B, Fukudome CF, A Blanco 2B, Zambrano P

WSCR guys are laughing at the lineup and to be honest, I'm kind of laughing too. Of course Aaron "Automatic out" Miles isn't in it so that's an improvement.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:08am

Lou and Hendry are both quickly moving up my fucktard list.

Lou's master plan. One run yesterday? Let's run out the same lineup, but replace the only guy who generated any offense. Not that I have a big problem with Blanco over Miles (Blanco should probably be playing SS, though). It would have been nice to see Soriano with a day off and Fox in the lineup, though.

For reference, when Patteron when down to Iowa in '05 he was coming off a June where he hit .157.211.245 over 102 at bats with 33 K's. Soriano's June: .148.233 .315 with 14 K's in 54 at bats.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:13am

But Soriano has a long history of being streaky. He can go on a crappy streak like this then all of a sudden turn it on. It's just what you get with Soriano. This is nothing new.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:31am

I don't remember him having a streak like this with the Cubs. I certainly acknowledge it could have happened. 30 or 40 at bats, sure. 150 at bats? That's a pretty long streak.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:50am

I don't believe that he has ever had a streak like this. Not just with the Cubs. Ever.

This has been really bad...

But I do agree that he could go on a tear starting today.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:33pm

I will take that bet.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:05pm

What bet?

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:08pm

Soriano was hitting .317 on April 23. That was his high-water mark.

From the 24th of April through May 15th, he hit .230 (but with six home runs). Then things got really bad: .186 through the end of May and 8 for 54 (.148) in June.

Soriano hasn't had a two-hit game since May 17th. That's one (31-day) month. But the slump goes back to April 24th. In another week it will be two months.

Meanwhile Fukudome is batting .122 in June and has one home run since April.

I would say that the guys making upwards of $10 million, whom we're stuck with and who we have to put on the field, are a bigger problem than Miles, Fontenot and Soto.

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:42pm

Is Soriano out of options?

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:05pm

Soriano 2-5 with a run scored and the game winning RBI.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/19/2009 - 1:18am

I am not being sarcastic... I literally cannot remember the last time I watched a Cubs game and Soriano didn't strike out. He didn't hit anything hard, but the fact that he only flailed blindly at two pitches before blooping some into fair territory is definitely an improvement.

Submitted by Dmac
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:00am

Morrissey today, with his usual obviousness:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-18-morris...

I can think of at least 10 commenters and/or contributors here who could do a better job than these guys, and I'm including Phil Rodgers in the hall of shame. Jerome Holtzman, where are you when we need you?

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:00am

So the I-phone is what is holding up the negotiations for Ricketts?
---
Negotiations need more Vitamin D?

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:03am

if there is a rain delay at least we can take comfort in the notion that Ozzie is sitting in a room full of rats

Submitted by Wedge2
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:11am

I noticed this after I installed the 3.0 update on my iPhone last night. Surprised me. The quality is supposed to be good if you're in a Wi-Fi connection.

I gotta give MLB credit for this one. If you've already bought the Gameday App for $9.99, they're giving this to you at no additional charge. I wouldn't have been surprised if they had held out this feature till next year and charged extra for it. Hopefully more than two games next year.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 10:14am

The 3.0 update is great. Everything seems much snappier.

Submitted by navigator
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 11:58am

FWIW, from my players I wish the Cubs had picked up instead of Milton Bradley list...

RAUL IBANEZ has been trying to play with a strained groin.
And now he's landed on the Phillies DL.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090618&c...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:09pm

so you're trying to say playing through an injury made it worse...who'd thunk?

Submitted by navigator
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:20pm

Who's trying to say anything?

But since you bring it up, as the article says, Ibanez has been playing injured since April. He'd still be out there if it was up to him. Contrast that with Milton Bradley's day2day bullshit.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:40pm

well that would be me trying to say something then...

I'm glad you're tapped into the pain thresholds and severity of injury of each player though...do let me know how Aramis is feeling.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:07pm

I have the last iPhone 3G version. I'm downloading 3.0 now. IS the streaming smooth ? Or loaded with buffering interruptions?

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:54pm

Can't help you with that, I'm on the original Edge iPhone.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:12pm

http://muskat.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/06/no_pedr...
The Cubs did send a scout to watch Martinez work out in the Dominican Republic, but they are not interested in the right-hander.

of course Lou probably thinks it's 1999 still...so we'll wait and see.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:15pm

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/06/pedro-too-ex...

Rays were looking at Martinez as more of a reliever and probably can't afford him at $5M pro-rated....Cubs probably couldn't fit them in their budget either right now according to Wittenmyer.

Submitted by navigator
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:23pm

But the question that begs asking is WHY are the Cubs wasting time looking at Pedro if they have no intention or money to sign him?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:31pm

well shit, maybe they're trying to do their jobs. It's not like they have one scout that works for entire organization and he was pulled from doing something more important.

They looked at him, who knows when, liked what they saw, asked how much and probably then decided that it's too steep right now.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:36pm

Or it could be that the money they do have they now think can be better spent elsewhere, or they were hoping the ownership deal would get cleared up or Harden would be out for longer and/or Wells would be less effective etc etc.

Submitted by rokfish
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:35pm

I think if cubs decide to sell at deadline these five are at top of my list.

1. harden
2. gregg
3. cotts
4. hielmann
5. miles

Of course there are a couple more but i think that would be
unrealistic unfortunatly

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:37pm

Those bottom three could be had right now, if they had any takers.

Submitted by Dusty Baylor
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:45pm

Those last 3 are like leaving used crap at the curb hoping someone will take it...

Submitted by rokfish
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:52pm

Well hopefully if we trade one of the top 2 we can add in a couple of the bottom three.

Submitted by Transmission
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:02pm

Soriano
Theriot
Bradley
Lee
Soto
Fontenot
Fukudome
Blanco
Zambrano

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:04pm

League average BABIP is .295...which probably counts pitchers...but anyway...

Fukudome .318, Theriot .316, Lee .313, Bradley .264, Fontenot .262, Soto .260, Soriano .250, Miles .238

only one regular finished below the league average of .298 last year and that was Edmonds at .257.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:05pm

Some positive notes about the '09 season...

Angel Guzman has finally decided he wants to be a big league pitcher. He's always had good stuff, it wasn't a question of that. It was a question of having a little control and staying healthy.

Also, Ted Lilly, he's been cool and consistent. I'm really glad he's around. What a year. Actually, starting pitching as a whole has really stepped up this year, even if the offense hasn't.

Some odds and ends... Ryan Theriot has shown he can be a passable shortstop. Derrek Lee busted out of his early-season slump, even if no one else in the lineup has. That's encouraging, because he's the guy we want playing first if at all possible.

Still, the team needs to find a legit 2B this coming off season. Maybe Blanco is that guy, maybe not, but I think on most good teams Blanco is a backup. The other upgrade they need, clearly, is bullpen. I'd like to see a veteran arm or two added. Some guys who have been around for a while and maybe they're not the flashiest pitchers in the world, but most days go out there and hold the opposition. Chad Fox was supposed to be this guy but I guess he's history.

Submitted by Transmission
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:07pm

Agree with most all of that, except I'll argue that we have a legit 2Bman.  He's presently playing third.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:09pm

I believe on most good teams Fontenot is a backup.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:11pm

on most good teams Blanco is in Triple A.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:14pm

Division 2B starters:

Rickie Weeks (better, when he's healthy)
Craig Counsell (who knows)
Skip Schumaker (better)
Brandon Phillips (way way better)
Freddie Sanchez (better)
Kaz Matsui (I'd take Fontenot over Kaz)

Submitted by Dusty Baylor
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:53pm

Weeks I disagree on, if for no other reason than he cannot stay healthy.
He's faster and more athletic for sure.

Is Schumaker better? I'd hold judgement there too...and I have Schumaker in my fantasy league.

Phillips and Sanchez? Well...yeah...they're better.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 1:10pm

I was assuming he just meant to type Fontenot instead of Blanco. :)

Submitted by Wedge2
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 2:09pm

Watching right now at work. Picture quality is great.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 2:21pm

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ge-pedroyank...

Submitted by The E-Man
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:37pm

I am getting the feeling it is sayonara for 2009 Cubs.

Anyone else?

Or - is it "way too early"?

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:44pm

As if on que Lee hits a 3 run home run followed by a solo shot from Soto and we are tied.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:46pm

http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSTRE5...

An exclusivity period between Tribune and the Ricketts group has ended and the media company is now talking to a group that includes private equity investors Marc Utay and Leo Hindery, three sources familiar with the situation said.

"We know that they went back to the Utay group," said one of the sources, who asked not to be identified because the sales process has not closed.

it does say that Ricketts deal is still considered close and probably Trib trying to get Ricketts to finish up the deal.

Submitted by Doug Dascenzo
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:04pm

CUBS WIN!!! FUCK YEAH!!!

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:05pm

helluva comeback...hope that's the wake-up call...

why in hell throw soriano anything near the zone with a 2-2 count though?

Submitted by John Beasley
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:07pm

Phew.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:13pm

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9697800/Four-te...

throws Friday, four teams will have scouts there - Cubs, Rays, Angels and Yanks with one team saying they're just doing it as a favor to his agent. Martinez wants about $3M for the rest of the year.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 4:26pm

Lou on CSN Post-Game:

"Von Joshua is working with the guys to take the ball to the opposite field more, and to stay on the ball longer..."

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