i just read the article and answered my own question...

so much for sending Soriano to Detroit...

What's the big deal with this Cespedes kid? I'm reading we and Miami (that sound weird) are in hot pursuit. His latest numbers from wherever he was playing weren't that great.

I don't even know what position he plays.

The Yankees have hired Jim Hendry as an assistant to Cashman.

I honestly haven't understood what the big deal is with a 26 year old Cuban - I always heard that playing in Cuba is the equivalent to A/AA ball in the bigs. If that is true, I'm not sure that he merits a ~$40M payday. But obviously scouts love him. I believe he plays OF. Doesn't seem to really fit in our plans currently either.

Yup, Cespedes and Darvish. Two foreign free agents I've been scratching my head on. That just seems like a lot of money to be gambling with.

No Old Style signs?

Pretty sure Bud is sponsoring that whole section.

[This message has been edited by Dr. Cub, Esq. (edited 2/3/2012 8:49a).]

Cubs avoid arbitartion hearing with Garza agreeing to a 1-year, $9.5 million deal. That was below the mid-point of the figures submitted by each side, so that seems to indicate that Garza's team realized they would lose the hearing.

I watched Moneyball last night (still need to read it). I'm ready for spring training to start.

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but the Cubs signed Cuban lefty Gerardo Concepcion, pending a physical. He's only 18, so lots of potential there.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/7534760/cuban-pitching-star-gerardo-concepcion-agrees-chicago-cubs-source-says

meh

Cubs DFAd DeWitt to make room for Cardenas. I'm sure "crestfallen" doesn't begin to describe your reactions.

Handful of writers still saying the Cubs will be dealing Garza before the season starts.

8 days until pitchers & catchers report.

So close...

Printable schedules

vertical

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/downloads/y2012/schedule_printable_20120120_vert.pdf

horizontal

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/downloads/y2012/schedule_printable_20120120_horiz.pdf

Theo compensation decided. Chris Carpenter and PBTNL to Boston for PBTNL.

Any thoughts on Carpenter? I was kind of excited to see what he had, but I guess mainly because of his name mostly. I didn't really have high expectations for him.

I doubt we will regret this "trade" when all is said and done.

interesting caption...

quote:

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Potential closer Carlos Marmol throws during the first practice.

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quote:

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Cubs have solution for Carlos Marmol

BY GORDON WITTENMYER gwittenmyer@suntimes.com February 20, 2012 10:46PM


Updated: February 21, 2012 2:39PM


MESA, Ariz. — Closer Carlos Marmol examined his new digs in the Cubs’ clubhouse Monday after somebody noticed he had Aramis Ramirez’s old locker.

‘‘Yeah, I know,’’ said Marmol, who then looked up at outfielder Joe Mather’s nameplate on the next locker. ‘‘And they gave somebody his number [16].

‘‘We’re going to miss Aramis. For myself, he’s a good friend, on the field, off the field, everywhere.’’

If new faces and outbound buddies are the early themes of spring training for the Cubs, consider Marmol the epicenter for much of the offseason shake-up, at least regarding what’s left.

His top setup man, Sean Marshall, was traded. His best friend on the team, Ramirez, signed with the Brewers. Even the guy who singled him out during that ‘‘we stinks’’ rant last year in St. Louis, Carlos Zambrano, is in the Land of Oz.

‘‘You know, it’s different,’’ Marmol said, laughing at the life-without-Z question. ‘‘He was a good guy, though. He’s got his own problems, and that’s not my business. I try to take care of my business, and everybody has to take care of their business.’’

If that day in St. Louis — when Marmol gave up the game-tying hit to Ryan Theriot in the ninth — was a lowlight for Marmol in 2011, it was only the beginning of what turned into his worst season since becoming a late-inning reliever in 2007.

He tied the Angels’ Jordan Walden for the major-league lead with 10 blown saves, and his ERA shot up from 2.55 in 2010 to 4.01. After the All-Star break, he went 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA.

To make matters worse, it came on the heels of the three-year,
$20 million contract Marmol signed in the spring. His season was just one cloudburst in the perfect storm that leveled the Cubs for the second consecutive year.

How he responds could have a lot to do with where the Cubs go from here.

‘‘To be honest with you, I lost a lot of confidence in the last month,’’ he said. ‘‘But, you know, it’s a new year. I try to forget about last year, and now here we are.’’

Already, manager Dale Sveum and pitching coach Chris Bosio have identified what they think will be a major factor in fixing Marmol: getting rid of the cut fastball he experimented with last year.

Marmol admitted that the pitch, mastered by his hero, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, was a problem for him last year. Some Cubs personnel didn’t even know he was toying with it.

But Sveum, the Brewers’ hitting coach last year, and Bosio, an advance scout for the Brewers for part of the year, saw something new and goofy in Marmol from the other side.

‘‘We were thinking, ‘What’s he doing? Is that a bad slider?’ ’’ Sveum said.

‘‘I threw it a little bit, and it didn’t work for me,’’ Marmol said. ‘‘Yeah, I got a little lost. My slider got a little lost because I worked on that.’’

Marmol insisted that the contract wasn’t a factor in his struggles. Incidentally, the deal kicks into the big-money years now at
$7 million in ’12 and $9.8 million in ’13.

The Cubs’ new regime bolstered that bruised confidence over the winter by reassuring Marmol that he’s still the closer, even if former All-Star closer Kerry Wood is available if he stumbles.

Then there’s the addition by subtraction of that cutter.

‘‘He is what he is. He’s an impressive closer,’’ Sveum said Sunday on the first day of workouts. ‘‘But he’s a slider guy with one of the best, unhittable sliders we’ve seen in a long time.’’

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http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/10768221-573/cubs-have-solution-for-carlos-marmol.html

Two things:

1) The "bad slider" comment is hilarious

2) The "bad slider" comment is sad. Why didn't our staff who watched him every day not catch and correct that?

#2 is a great question.

My parents are in the background of this picture.

Have they talked to Ricketts?

My dad did either a year or two ago. Can't remember which. He got his picture taken with Billy Williams (his favorite player growing up) several years ago. Ricketts helped my dad get it autographed after a ST game. He was extremely excited. Very cool move.

My mom isn't much of a baseball fan. She mostly plays chaffeur for my dad who can't drive anymore. She is cool without it because she loves the weather. Although she did get real excited a while back when she caught a ball Sammy Sosa threw into the stands. I still contend that Sosa was throwing the ball to me but he threw it too high. My mom had moved to the row behind us and caught the ball one handed with her camera in the other. I was pretty proud of her for that snag.

I guess she didn't pass along her ball playing genes to her son

I was never much of a glove man, but I could hit.

Speaking of glove men, here is a little Anthony Rizzo for you.

Supposedly, Shark had a real good outing yesterday. Obviously, if he did well I'd like to see him get a spot on the rotation. I don't really expect that to happen, but it'd probably be good for everyone if it worked out.

I also heard that the Cubs were leading the league in hits so far in ST. I know it's spring training, but that's a real good sign for a team I've got no expectations of.

Cubs on WGN now and again tomorrow at 1pm.

Sveum's on-air reaction to Dempster's 2-2 pitch to Rickie Weeks in the 3rd was awesome.

talking to Len and Bob during the inning... "that looked like a pretty good pitch... I'm not ready to start arguing with umpires. jesus! you guys see that on the monitor?!"

That was classic. Bob was trying to goad him into arguing. Lol.

Did you guys see Dempster throw ARam a pitch way up and in the first time he came up? ARam had to duck out of the way. I wonder if there's anything behind that.