Cheapskate Ricketts Holding Cubs Back

Submitted by Rob G. on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 12:32pm

Jake Peavy's not a Cub yet and .

It's amazing that a player of this caliber remains unsigned, but lining
up are the Cubs, White Sox, and Dodgers. A few Cubs organizational
people really want Hudson, but the impending transfer of ownership from
the Chicago Tribune to Tom Ricketts may hinder GM Jim Hendry's ability to do anything until it's complete.

Just kidding about the headline of course, but I do hope no one took the Cubs aren't going to be affected by the Tribune's bankruptcy case to heart. The article also includes l.

In other news, it seems I was off about Henry Blanco being displeased about his playing time,

Blanco was the perfect teammate. He was a terrific mentor to Geovany
Soto, who gave the veteran much of the credit for his success after he
won the 2008 National League Rookie of the Year Award. Blanco also
didn't complain about his limited playing time. One reason for the
switch is because Bako gives the Cubs another left-handed bat. The
team's other backup-catcher option is Koyie Hill, a switch-hitter, who
is back after suffering a horrific hand injury.

A good time to point out this nugget .

Paul Bako's lifetime batting line against RHP: 2015 PA's, .240 / .317 / .321 / 638 OPS
Henry Blanco's lifetime batting line against RHP: 1708 PA's, .222 / .281 / .352 / 633 OPS

Tags: 
Cubs rumors
Orlando Hudson

Comments

Submitted by Andrew  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 12:56pm  
TCR's favorite aging grunge rocker is back at his dogged support of the Cubs, this time at Cubs Fantasy Camp 2009. http://bunnywithfangs.com/2009/02/eddie-vedde... The second video is noticeably better, as EdVed sings with fellow old, drunk white guys. Highlights include "Yellow Cub-marine", Eddie getting groped, and a "Fuck the White Sox" for good measure. P.S. Sorry if this is 3/44. P.P.S. 1st!

Submitted by Michaelweaselo  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 1:08pm  
Perhaps this has already been posted. IF so, my apologies. Its still too funny not to post again. http://hirejimessian.com/2008/12/07/winter-me...

Submitted by CPH2133  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 2:24pm  
Repost, but always damn funny. "Corey Patterson, that fucking guy"

Submitted by spongebob  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 1:18pm  
I personally don't think Hudson is worth 8-10 mil per year...if we are going to spend money on anybody it should be to get Peavy. Theriot/Font are good young cheap options. Please don't get Hudson go get Peavy! Marshall, Hart, Cashner, Castillo (we are eating their contract there is no need to add Vitters). Do it...ask Peavy to change his option year to a mutual offer to guarantee him to come to a championship caliber team!

Submitted by Rob G.  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 1:36pm  
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers... That list would have been long gone if not for the union, several baseball people say. Players union COO Gene Orza worked long and hard to try to pare down the list. Orza's mission, according to baseball people, was to find enough false positives on the list to drive the number of failures so far down that real testing wouldn't be needed in 2004 or ever. Orza wanted to get the list down below the five percent threshold for testing to go away entirely. But try as he might, he could not drive it down quite that far. After months of trying, Orza couldn't do it, and baseball announced that a curiously amorphous 5-7 percent of players failed the 2003 survey test, enough to ramp up the testing in 2004, much to the union's dismay. According to multiple baseball sources, Orza spent way too much time studying the results in hopes of lowering the number. And while Orza was playing with the paperwork, BALCO struck, foiling his grand scheme. And when BALCO investigators asked for the results of the players linked to that scandal, Orza did what came naturally to him, which was to fight. He had a history of winning his fights, so that gave him confidence that he could win this fight. But this time he didn't win. The feds subpoenaed all the records instead of just the BALCO boys. All 104 players who tested positive were now at risk. "He wouldn't give up the BALCO names,'' one baseball person said of Orza, "so instead, [the federal government] got every name.'' All 104 names were now in the hands of the feds, a time bomb that's been ticking for six years and finally went off on Saturday with the report of Roberts and David Epstein of SI that Rodriguez, baseball's best player and heir apparent to the all-time home-run record, tested positive for testosterone and the steroid Primobolan.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 1:37pm  
just curious, anyone know when they seized the evidence from this testing facility? Must have been a few years back....

Submitted by The Real Neal  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 8:31pm  
anybody pick up on the fact that Orza probably didn't work at the testing facility?

Submitted by Rob G.  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 8:35pm  
I'm sure you're getting at something, but I'm dense...care to spell it out?

Submitted by Cubster  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 2:05pm  
just curious, anyone know when they seized the evidence from this testing facility? --- Not specific day but the original SI piece says April 04 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basebal... The seizure took place in April 2004 as part of the government's investigation into 10 major league players linked to the BALCO scandal

Submitted by CPH2133  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 2:28pm  
http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/blog/roto_arc... Yahoo write up on the cubs off season moves. Nothing earth shattering here but just their take on it. They make it sound like MacPhail robbed Hendry on the Hill/Pie moves

Submitted by Cubnut  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 2:34pm  

I stumbled across a funny comment in that regard from Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun:

Is it just me, or has it gotten to the point where Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has told Andy MacPhail to just take whatever he needs and leave the key under the mat?

Submitted by CPH2133  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 2:58pm  
I usually avoid reading the "Comments" section of any post, its usually filled with morons and people who just like to argue. Except at TCR and Deadspin. Deadspin has some humorous, topical comments in there that make me laugh at least twice a day.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:06pm  
http://bucco-blog.com/Pittsburgh-Pirates/2009... The Cub Reporter (child link caution, foul language at the site) mocks the entire NLCD including the Bucs evidently feeling their $133MM payroll will bring them home another division title and little else. The best part of the post is in the comments where one fan linked to a Ya-HOOOO blogger by the name of Andy Some-thing-or-another who also dissed the Pirates but less intelligently. You have to hand it to Cubs fans.. they have a good team and aren’t afraid to run their mouth while they do. Good for them. But last time I looked the Pirates either won or lost by two runs or less in half the games played last year and one of the other games Matt Morris held them to four earned runs in seven innings. Considering how “lowly” the Pirates were, I’d be thinking a bit harder about all that.

Submitted by John Beasley  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:16pm  
We went 14-4 against them last year! What the hell else do we have to do to earn bragging rights? It's damn near impossible to do better than that against a division rival. Plus, they're bad, but they're not Nationals bad.

Submitted by CPH2133  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:23pm  
Complaining because 9 of the 15 games will be at Wrigley. They could play all 15 games at PNC (lovely park by the way) and I'd still be willing to put money on the Cubs winning 10 of them. Also Rob, you're new found love for the F word has apparently given TCR a bit of a "wild child" reputation around the blog parts.

Submitted by Sonicwind75  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:30pm  
Did they forget to talk about the other half of the games that generally involved the Cubs scoring double digit number of runs. I remember back to back games of putting up 13 runs on the Pirates.

Submitted by Charlie  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:29pm  
"(child link caution, foul language at the site)" Best part of the whole post. But really, if you can't make fun of the Pirates, who in the Central Division can you make fun of? I wonder if visitors unfamiliar with TCR miss some of the irony in the voice of most of the posts, too.

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:42pm  
it's whiny...but hell, picking on even a misguided PIT fan is like beating up a guy who's already been beat down. props to any pitt fan left who's got passion. they've received one hell of a nice ballpark and very little since the past many years.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:53pm  
and thanks to the dude who emailed me the link, he didn't leave his TCR username so I don't who it is...

Submitted by Ryno  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 11:09pm  
Child link caution? That kind of caveat lector bullshit is lame.

Submitted by JoePepitone  on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 12:25am  
"That kind of caveat lector bullshit is lame." Is he a relative of Hannibal Lector? Otherwise, I think you were looking for the term caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). Sorry for nitpicking -- I liked the your use of the term but just wanted to get it right. :)

Submitted by Andrew  on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 4:13am  
Well, nope, Ryno was right. Caveat lector -- "let the reader beware". Which is fitting, of course, since it was about reading an article. Sorry for nitpicking but I wanted you to get it right. :)

Submitted by JoePepitone  on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 5:34pm  
That's what I get for not really knowing my latin. Thanks for the correction. I'll go away now....

Submitted by kmokeefe  on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 11:04am  
"But last time I looked the Pirates either won or lost by two runs or less in half the games played last year and one of the other games Matt Morris held them to four earned runs in seven innings." ___________________________________________________ I know this is kind of late but I find this hysterical. Haha seriously I'm chuckling still 5 minutes after reading it. Who measures games based on losing by 2 runs or less? I would say a win by 3 runs is just barely considered a close game, and anything beyond that becomes an easy win. Also he uses how "lowly" the Pirates WERE. What the hell does he think has changed since last year? Did you go back in time and not let your best young players go? So he is essentially saying "I don't know why they are talking so much shit, we only got our asses kicked in half the games. We kept a few close and even won a couple! Look for the Bucs to only lose two games to the Cubs by more than 9 runs this year. This franchise is really starting to turn around."

Submitted by OakLawnGuy  on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 2:34pm  
I know who USED to use this criteria as a measurement of success: Jack Brickhouse, in the halcyon days of the mid - late '70s when the Cubs regularly had their lunches handed to them.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 4:56pm  
btw, I think in the Boston Globe article it says the Brewers won't get a draft pick if Sheets signs after the draft which is likely at this point unless the yanks decide to beat everyone to the punch...

Submitted by crunch  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 6:22pm  
curry would is striking the hell outta people on MLB Network, btw...fun stuff.

Submitted by carmenfanzone  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 7:54pm  
I was at the bar the night Eddie did karoake. It was surreal...

Submitted by Cubster  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 8:26pm  
Curt Schilling always full of opinions: "I'd be all for the 104 positives being named, and the game moving on if that is at all possible," former Boston ace Curt Schilling wrote on his blog Sunday. "In my opinion, if you don't do that, then the other 600-700 players are going to be guilty by association, forever," he wrote. "It appears that not only was it 104, but three of the greatest of our, or any, generation appear to be on top of this list." http://38pitches.weei.com/

Submitted by Ryno  on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 11:05pm  
OT... Record of the year... MIA... robbed.

Submitted by dB  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:05am  
actually if Nick Cave's Dig Lazurus, Dig!!! didn't win then it's all academic to begin with.

Submitted by CPH2133  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 9:47am  
Has anyone tried out 2k's new MLB Front Office? Just wondering how it plays and other things before I purchase.

Submitted by navigator  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 10:24am  
LOU PINIELLA has a life coach. http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?A... http://www.jimfannin.com

Submitted by navigator  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 10:53am  
from Carrie Muskat's article today (http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...)
This may finally be Piniella's team. Only seven players remain from the 2007 Opening Day roster -- Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, Ryan Theriot and Alfonso Soriano
And of those seven, Lou had a hand in either signing or extending the contracts of five. Number six is former Cubs prospect Ryan Theriot who was handpicked for the starting SS job by Piniella. Which leaves only Derrek Lee who got a new five year contract while Dusty Baker was manager as the odd man on the team. Given the recent emphasis on getting more left handed and the fact that right handed starting first basemen are the exception while lefties are the rule, I'm guessing DLee would be gone as well if it weren't for that no-trade contract he has.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:55pm  
Derrek Lee or Adam Dunn Who's the better bet at 1st base going forward?

Submitted by crunch  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:58pm  
i'd rather have pujols.

Submitted by John Beasley  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:40pm  
Dunn by a mile on offense, Lee by two miles on defense. Not even sure how to reconcile those two.

Submitted by Andrew  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 2:15pm  
Do we know Dunn would be terrible at 1B? Yes, he's terrible in the outfield, but Teixeira or DLee would be too. I don't know Dunn's 1B stats (and don't have time to look them up), but I think there's a chance he'd be considerably better than in the OF.

Submitted by Tito  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 3:08pm  
15 errors, .984 fielding percentage, 127 games.

Submitted by big_lowitzki  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 3:13pm  
For context, DLee: 77 errors, .994 fielding %, 1505 games That is about .051 errors/game, compared to Dunn's .118 errors/game.

Submitted by Charlie  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 3:33pm  
Lee has also played 165.4 innings for every error he's committed. Dunn has played 59.4 innings for every error at first. That's 2.78 times as many errors per inning as Lee has committed. Dunn could get better with more playing time though. But we're not even looking at Lee's range or ability to react to hard drives down the line and in the hole or over his head. In the last 5 years, Dunn's OPS+ numbers have been: 146, 141, 114, 136, 129. Lee's have been: 117, 174, 113, 131, and 110. That means in 2005 Lee was a far better hitter than Dunn, in 2006 and and 2007 Dunn was just barely better, but in 2008 and 2004 Dunn was 19 and 29 points better, respectively. Dunn's younger by 4 years, but according to those OPS numbers, it's hard to say that either one is on the decline just yet. They're both big guys, but Dunn is bigger and heavier. Could that mean Lee will age better? I'll take my chances with Lee for now. He's probably not going to hit 40 homeruns any time soon, but besides that, Dunn has only a slight advantage in OBP and comes up short in everything else.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 3:18pm  
if Dunn could play first base he would have been doing it a lot more the last 3-5 years...

Submitted by Ryno  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:56pm  
I really like Lee, but I could learn to love Dunn.

Submitted by Ryno  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:58pm  
Of course after a while of Dunn at 1B, the subject would become "what happened to Rammy's arm?" Because deep down we all know D. Lee makes Ramirez look like a passable 3B arm.

Submitted by stanleykobeblue  on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 11:39am  
According to Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports, Aurilia back to the Giants. Whew!

Submitted by Cubster  on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 4:35pm  
I'll go away now... --- Asta-hay la Ista-vay, Aby-bay. Oops, pig latin. Sorry.

Submitted by JoePepitone  on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 5:37pm  
"Oops, pig latin. Sorry." Spanish pig latin, no less. This is getting really silly. Start spring training, already!