i am not liking the direction of the new owner/theo so far. I am trying to see big picture, but I don't see it. Am I missing something?

You have to hope all this is true, and that the money saved by trading away the few useful players means ownership will pull the trigger on better players next season.

quote:

---

@sahadevsharma 7m

Big Z just pulled into Wrigley players parking lot. No joke. I'm assuming he's just visiting... or looking for a job. #zambranoforcloser
Retweeted by Bruce Miles

---

From yesterday

CUBS WIN!

Good article on Rizzo here.

http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/04/22/forget-what-youve-heard-anthony-rizzo-has-been-great-this-year/

Is it me or does anyone think its dumb that starlin hits #2 in the lineup. He has never been a high OBP guy...

Lots of new Wrigley renovation pictures. Love the Jumbotron in this mock up. I think it looks perfect.

http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-wrigley-field-renovations-cubs-photos/

I'd just like to reflect on how this year Dioner Navarro is really making Aramis look like the Tony Campana of hustle... dude cannot get any more lackadaisical behind the plate. alot of it may just be the small sample size due to the minimal time he catches WGN games, but that 5 WP inning vs the Giants really stands out in my mind...

he stabs at balls instead of moving his body, and then leisurly strolls back to the wall to pick up the ball while guys are circling the bases... that hasn't changed.

Very non-scientific breakdown:
Castillo... 208 innings caught, 10 WP (Feldman 3, Samardzija 3, Fujikawa 2, Marmol 2), 3 PB
Navarro... 68 innings caught, 9 WP (Samardzija 3, Jackson 3, Bowden 3), 1 PB

Nice win tonight.

rizzOMG is heating up

I'm just glad we aren't playing the Reds anymore. If only we could play the Marlins more often. Scoring runs, other than this evening, has been a problem for the team. We've found a lot of ways to lose, and often in the most ridiculous ways.

2 game series with the Cardinals starts tomorrow.

[This message has been edited by Lance Uppercut (edited 5/7/2013 1:13a).]

Big Z signs with the Phillies.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-zambrano-phillies-20130515,0,5154497.story

Rizzo has brought his average way up, and is hitting homers to boot. Theo seems to be signing the right guys to long term deals, and more importantly, earlier in their careers.

shark was money yesterday. It was enjoyable to watch a game where the cubs looked good and like a real baseball team.

Lots of movement today.

Feldman/Clevenger to Baltimore for Jake Arrietta, Pedro Strop, and an international bonus slot.

Marmol + cash to the Dodgers for RHP Matt Guerrier.

AA 2B Ronald Torreyes to Houston for the #2 & #3 international bonus slots.

@MLB tweet:

Source tells @JesseSanchezMLB that @Cubs sign Venezuelan SS Gleyber Torres, @MLB.com’s No. 3 International prospect: http://t.co/730AokCej6

Scott Hairston traded for this guy.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=pineyr000iva

quote:

---

After carving up the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in his 2011 pro debut, Pineyro took a line drive to the face during extended spring training in 2012. He missed six weeks of action with a broken jaw, though he continued his long-toss program with his jaw wired shut to keep his arm in shape. When he returned, he dominated in five starts in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to earn a promotion to Auburn. He encountered adversity as a 20-year-old facing older competition there, but he held his own. The Nationals rave about Pineyro's maturity and professionalism, and his quick arm is intriguing. His fastball velocity jumped to 90-94 mph last year. He also has good feel for a changeup that projects as an average to plus pitch. His curveball isn't as advanced, however, and its development will be a key going forward. He also needs to refine his command, but his aptitude is encouraging. Pineyro should get a crack at low Class A in 2013.

---

Cubs beat the Cardinals behind 7 scoreless from Jackson from all people.

The batting averages are terrible, and the pitching rotation is constantly changing, but the Cubs have won 4 of their last 5 series (while taking a single game from the White Sox and splitting with the Angels). The competition has been a little on the lower side of the spectrum, but the Cubs have 18 blown saves on the season (18, 2nd in baseball). We'll take wins where we can get them.

Junior Lake doubles on the first pitch he sees in the majors and then promptly steals third.

Lake is 3 for 4 only retired on a great play by the pitcher. Ball was hit hard right back up the middle and magically found the pitcher's glove.

Terribly enough, this is the best record the Cubs have had going into the break since 2009. Progress?

[This message has been edited by Lance Uppercut (edited 7/20/2013 12:52a).]

I always wondered why everyone considered lake just a super utility guy. I think he has the talent to stick somewhere and be dynamic. I believe he had 14 steals in 40 games at AAA. And has some pop. I think he can play. Looking forward to seeing how see adjusts.

Source: #Cubs will acquire Triple A IF Mike Olt, Single A RHP C.J. Edwards and a third player from #Rangers for Garza.

time to ramp up the Sori, Schierholtz, Gregg, Russell, Newhouse, DeJesus, Valbuena, (Ransom?!) twitter watches...

Newhouse?

Charlie Newhouse aka Carlos Villanueva

Lake continuing to make the most of his opportunity.

Hope he is able to make adjustments as his talents are more noticed by opposing pitchers. Being cautiously optimistic!

So long, Soriano. He didn't quite live up to the high expectations but he had a good run with the Cubs. Better than the perception of many.

interesting insight...

quote:

---

Brett Taylor ‏@BleacherNation 16h
Soriano with Cubs: 17.8 WAR through 2012. At $/WAR of $5.5M, that's $97.9M of value. He was paid $97M for those 6 seasons.

---

Soriano had a great 2007 and 2008 to help boost those teams into the playoffs. I think the Cubs paid the price to have his Nationals or 2007 and 2008 type numbers, thinking they'd closer to the 40/40 player for a little longer. It was obviously a World Series push to give him that many years on a contract considering what age he was.

But it isn't his fault he was hurt to the point that his base swiping days were in the past, and he was always a home run threat. I liked Fonzie, so best of luck to him.

Three straight shutouts at home. That hadn't happened since 1924. How depressing.

Anyone else still keeping up with the team? It's still real early but the Feldman for Arrieta & Strop deal is looking like a huge win for Theo. Bogusevic is going to get a look over the last month or so now that DeJesus (and his smoking hot wife) was traded to the Nats. Haven't been able to see too many games lately but this Donnie Murphy guy has been on a roll. He's already 30 so I'm not sure he has too big of a future but he could be a nice bench piece in the future. Castro & Rizzo have been struggling mightly in the recent past. These two have to get things figured out if we want to be decent in 2014. Rizzo did go 3 for 4 with 2 HR last night after being moved up to the 2 hole, though. Let's see if he can keep that up. Lake has cooled off a bit but is still hitting over .300 so that is nice to see.

[This message has been edited by Junkhead (edited 8/22/2013 9:49a).]

I'm going up to Wrigley next week, but I'd probably much rather prefer a trip to Daytona or Tennessee... I'm considering catching a Kane County game as well, but Almora's still not back and Vogelbach is gone, so I'm still on the fence...

Neil Ramirez is coming to the Cubs from the Rangers to complete the Garza deal.