Archive for the ‘Blog Entries’ Category

Last night we had so much fun with all of you fellow Cubs fans on Twitter during the victory over the Brewers that tonight we’re making plans to jump into the conversation again. And this time, we brought some swag.

Anyone that directs a tweet our way by referencing @cubscasthosts, or retweets something from us, will be entered into a random drawing for one of two Cubscast Prize Packs, which each include an iTunes gift card.

It’s that simple.

Here’s what we suggest for optimal enjoyment of tweeting Cubs-style:

1. Sign up for Twitter. If you don’t have a Twitter account, sign up for one here. In three minutes or less you can be sending all kinds of updates about the Cubs.

2. Check out our 140 Characters from Home Plate page and keep it open during the game. We unveiled this at the start of the ‘09 season so that we could have a way to constantly get updates without lifting a finger during games. This is the live feed from fellow fans that are using the #cubs hashtag. A hashtag is just a little code that helps make Twitter easy to search and categorize.

3. Watch the game LIVE. Not always easy if you have a DVR and/or hate commercials, but I assure you that you’ll love the live interaction with fellow Cubs fans when you watch the game live. What’s awesome is that some fans are at the game, some are watching on TV, and others aren’t able to tune in but are using Twitter to keep track. It’s a great mix of fans.

That’s all I can think of for now. We’ll do the drawing live and announce the winners on our Monday episode, which you can download for free via our website or Apple iTunes.

Enjoy the game, and good luck!

The recent news that Lou Piniella is moving Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen sent shockwaves across baseball that are certainly being felt by Cubs fans. Sheps and I devoted a bunch of time to the topic in today’s episode (download – mp3), so please tune in for some interesting debate on the move.

In the meantime, though, I wanted to highlight a couple of awesome threads on our message board. We talked a little bit about it last week, but I can’t tell you how proud I am of all the fans on our forum — it’s one of the most intelligent places on the internet that passionate Cubs fans are discussing and debating the team. If you’re not yet on the message board, feel free to join up (the register link below).

The Big Zzzzzzz

Z to the Pen

Register Now!

Kudos to everyone that is adding to the conversation. Hopefully the Cubs can take advantage of the Brewers this weekend. Go Cubs!

Check out these awesome photos from today’s game, taken from the 3rd row from the field. Also be sure to enter a caption or two into this week’s contest (scroll down). As we mentioned in Friday’s episode, if we reach 50 entries we’ll give away 2 prizes instead of just one. Speaking of two, hopefully the Cubs will take 2 of 3 from the ‘Stros on Sunday.

 
Sheps and Lou will be back on Monday with a brand new episode. Go Cubs!

Thanks to Jim in Omaha for sending us a nice email about his Opening Day and a question about Big Z’s performance…it got me to thinking and eventually to writing.

After taking some heat in recent episodes for my confidence in Carlos Zambrano and his ace status, I was really pumped about yesterday’s game before it began. “This is the year that he might win 20,” I was thinking as I drove down near Wrigley to watch the opener on Monday. These moments of Cubs daydreaming aren’t uncommon for me, especially at the beginning of April, but the early innings yesterday (minus Byrd’s awesome debut) felt like my own personal Clockwork Orange experience.

It’s not that I mind being wrong. I’m wrong all the time, and being wrong about Zambrano is well within reach. What’s worse to me right now, the place I’ve chosen to direct some of my frustration, is Exhibit B, the requisite quarterly update from the Cubs beat writers about how Carlos is a changed man and more mature than he used to be. Newsflash: every person walking the earth is more mature than they used to be. Please stop the articles that talk about a grown man’s maturity level. It’s insulting. I’m over it, and so are 99% of Cubs fans. All we want are results on the field. Alright. I just counted to ten, and I feel a little better.

Looking at this year I do wonder if Big Z can harness his ability and his emotions and gut out 18 wins for us. The best metaphor I can come up with is that they’ve been separate horses living in the same stable. Some harm has probably come from his trying to separate the two. If there is a real emotional issue (I don’t think there is, by the way), the Cubs should pay for a shrink to help him harness his tools instead of simply believing the stories their paid employee wrote about his increased maturity. Yes, he is more mature, but why isn’t he a better pitcher now than when he was 24 years old? That’s a more appropriate question for people that love baseball to ask. The answer could be unpleasant. The best answer I can come up with today is “try again soon.”

Carlos Zambrano has an entire season to answer that question for us, so I’m going to give him that without judgement, to the best of my ability. My hope is that he provides a definitive answer by getting back on track and having a good season. For as many times as some fans think he’s not a big game pitcher or whatever, the man has shrugged off injury talk and constant criticism that I know I would have freaked out over if I were in his shoes. He’s a tough guy. He can do it.

The fifth day can’t come soon enough, for me or Zambrano. Go get ‘em, Carlos. And go get ‘em, writers. In the next four days he’ll do nothing but mature.

As mentioned in today’s episode (download – mp3), in the next episode of Cubscast Sheps and I plan on taking an in-depth look at our NL Central division rivals. It’s always good to know the competition, and how to make fun of their planned home plate celebrations. Hopefully that’s not something we’ll see much of all season, let alone the first week.

Anyway, this offseason and Spring has been chock full of things to glean about this year’s version of the Cubs. Here’s my short list of what to watch for the first week of the season as the Cubs head to Atlanta and Cincy:

1. Run Scoring: This always seems to be our greatest strength (2008) or Achilles’ heel (2009), but I’m especially interested to see how the permanent removal of Alfonso Soriano from the top of the order impacts how many early runs are scored. Part of Soriano’s inability to get on base consistently was covered up by the occasional leadoff HR, so it could be minimal. However, if Ryan Theriot continues to hit well and Fukudome/Colvin solidify the #2 spot, opposing pitchers aren’t going to last long into these early season games.

2. Randy Wells: One of the things we haven’t been talking about this Spring is the continued rise of Wells, who now is the Cubs’ #3 starter. I love how this guy approaches the game, and his ability to adjust to hitters that have memorized the book on him is going to say a ton about his own preparation for the season. One start never makes or breaks a year (unless your last name is Prior), but a strong start on Thursday Night Baseball could be the confidence boost Wells needs to have an oft-dreamed, rarely-enjoyed solid April.

3. Soto, Baker, and Fontenot: Catcher and 2nd base were among the very weakest positions for the 2009 Cubs. Everyone’s been buzzing about Geo’s weight loss, but his RBI total has to go up in order for the Cubs to be successful over this entire season. He was clutch two seasons ago, so a 2-out RBI or (crosses shoelaces) a game-winning hit this week will be a great sign. I’m also curious to how many starts Koyie Hill gets in the first week, and if those starts are spun as him winning the playing time vs. simply giving Geo a rest once a week.

2nd base is still one of the biggest unknowns as far as who will get the bigger chunk of playing time between Baker and Fontenot. Here’s hoping Lou Piniella asks them both to get hits before every game, as apparently that works. Fontenot has had an excellent Spring, and if not for Tyler Colvin would be leading the team in Spring RBI’s. Not a stat to go crazy over, but still indicative of his lofty upside. A few months ago we weren’t even sure the Cubs would offer him arbitration.

4. Esmailin Caridad: Pat Hughes and Ron Santo have barely scratched the surface when it comes to enjoying this guy’s name, and here’s hoping he brings more laughter than groans to Ron the first week. For a rookie-laden bullpen, the Cubs are expecting a lot, especially when it comes to Caridad. He should be on at least a 1/3 of an inning scoreless streak at the week’s end (clever math), but if he has at least 2 holds to his credit I’d be willing to bet the Cubs end the first week over .500. Wait, don’t do that scoreless inning math.

5. The fans: This isn’t a throw-in because I’m out of ideas. I’ve been thinking about this for awhile, especially since we’ve been getting a ton of emails from fans heading to Atlanta for the opening series. It’s not scientific, but something about this offseason has definitely bred optimism, and especially when the Cubs play out the series in Cincy, I hope to see plenty of Reds fans booing the chants of “Let’s Go Cubbies!” that the WGN mics pick up. The fact that there’s a real chance to outnumber home fans in either of the first two series of the season is amazing, and a testament to Cubs fans across the South and lower Midwest.

That’s it for now. Stay tuned to the show for plenty of additional season preview talk before Monday’s opener, and as always, Go Cubs!

Our favorite part of the baseball season every year is our annual Spring Training trip to Mesa, Arizona. Nothing beats seeing the Cubs close up in beautiful warm weather in a fantastic destination, particularly in March when most of the country is just trying to thaw out. This year’s trip was extra enjoyable thanks to the fine folks at VisitMesa.com who allowed us a very special glimpse at the new Play Ball Exhibit at the Arizona Museum for youth.

This exhibit, officially known as “Play Ball! The Cactus League Experience” is kind of like a Cactus League Hall of Fame, a mini-Cooperstown West if you will, complete with memorabilia, interactive exhibits, info on all 15 current Cactus League teams, and plenty to look at and enjoy for baseball fans of all ages.

The following video clips will give you your own look at this impressive exhibit, a must for anyone visiting Mesa or the Phoenix area for Spring Training, or anytime in the next several months. The exhibit will be housed at the Arizona Museum for Youth at 35 N. Robson in Mesa until November 7, with hopes of a permanent home to follow. Our tour guide is Mr. Robert Brinton, Cactus League Association and HoHoKam President, and all around great guy.

Our thanks to Mr. Robert Brinton and to Michelle from the Mesa Convention & Visitors Bureau for treating us so well. We hope you enjoyed this mini-tour, and encourage you to see the exhibit in person, as this really is just a glimpse.

For more info on the Play Ball exhibit, you can call (480) 644-2468 or check out playballexperience.com. And for everything Mesa, be sure to visit visitmesa.com.

The tickets are booked, the bags are packed and Sheps and I are very excited to be heading down to Mesa later today. We’ll be attending all 3 Cubs games at HoHoKam this weekend starting this Friday, and have some plans to bring some special coverage live from inside and outside the park. This is my 5th consecutive season heading down for a weekend, and it’s probably the 9th or 10th for Sheps.

Stayed tuned for our 600th episode, which we plan to release very soon. This weekend also marks our foray into a new medium for the first time — probably not too difficult to figure out what I mean by that. Nevertheless, we’re excited about that, too.

If you’re at all considering a trip to see the Cubs this spring, please tune in to the upcoming shows as we’ll be discussing some of the great places to go before and after spring games. It’s an awesome experience so I can’t wait for this flight to leave!

If you’d like to research the area offerings a bit more I encourage you to check out Visit Mesa, an awesome resource for Cubs fans. They offer free guides (online and in print mailed to you for free), ticket packages and much more. They’re also up to speed on new media and have a Twitter presence worth following – @CubsInMesa. Also our friend Tim Sheridan’s site, Boys of Spring, is a nice way to keep up with the latest spring happenings.

Stay tuned and as always, Go Cubs!