Within 24 hours, two of the most exciting players in the National League went on the shelf for the next month or so as both St. Louis Cardinals first baseman, Albert Pujols and Chicago Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano were injured in their respective games.   

Both of these injuries have the potential to be costly but I see the Chicago Cubs weathering their storm much easier than the St. Louis Cardinals will theirs.    I would like to see Lou Piniella bring up 2 players specifically.  Micah Hoffpauir and Matt Murton.   There had been some talk of Eric Patterson who does have the speed element that Soriano has but Patterson is another left handed bat like Hoffpauir.   Murton being right handed gives Lou the option of a Murton-Reed Johnson- Kosuke Fukudome outfield against lefties.   Lou could shuffle DeRosa to left and play Cedeno in the infield if he wants.  Hoffpauir is a given with the way he has swung the bat in the spring and in his short callup.  

Continue reading "Soriano breaks hand - out six weeks. What Lou should do in that time to keep train on tracks"

This summer some of the time I get to watch the games with my little 6 month old grandson and we have a lot of fun cheering on the Cubs.    I made up a little song that I sing to him in the spirit of the Cubs Fan Bud Man commercials that Harry Caray used to do.   Its entitled Cubs Fan And A Milk Man.

Cubs Fan And A Milk Man

By Jeff A. Wilson

My name is Brody Pozo

I'm only six months old

I love my mommy and my daddy and playing with my toys

Watching baseball with my grandpa and seeing Lou Piniella's boys

(Chorus) 

I'm a Cubs Fan and a Milk Man

Just a little Cubs Fan drinking my Milk, man

I'm a Cubs Fan and a Milk Man

Rooting for my Cubs the best that I can.

HEY HEY  Get up and say  HOLY COW

Continue reading "Cubs Fan And A Milk Man"

I really enjoy reading good copy whether it be on the Chicago Cubs or just on baseball.   On this site, I highly recommend Street Reporter's work   http://www.chicagocubsnews.com/streetreport/

As to other sites with the Cubs:  

One stands heads and shoulders above the rest and is one of my all time favorites.    Harry Pavlidis site dealing with pitching and a technology called Pitch FX.   Harry does an outstanding job breaking down the pitchers and their arsenal and with incisive analysis he really takes you inside the mind of a pitcher and right out to the mound with them

www.cubsfx.com

I also am fond of www.insidetheivy.com   and www.bleedcubbieblue.com and www.cubshub.com 

www.baseballreference.com is the site to look up any player. 

Continue reading "Outstanding blogs to read"

 The video is of game 1 of the 1968 World Series vs the Detroit Tigers -  the announcers are Curt Gowdy on TV and on KMOX radio the one and the only Harry Caray.   Gibson would strike out 17 in his shutout of the Tigers. 

As a kid growing up and being part of the great rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and the St Louis Cardinals, I am reminded of those great pitchers duels between MY beloved Ferguson Jenkins of the Cubs and the hated but well respected Robert Gibson of the Cardinals.   Statistically to me there has never been a season for a pitcher as was 1968.  This was the year that Denny McLain won 31 games.   Carl Yaztremski won the batting title with a .301 average and Bob Gibson put on a show for the ages.  

Continue reading "The Great Bob Gibson"

Back when I posted Why the Jim Edmonds signing DOES make sense Jimmy was in the midst of a horrendous slump to start the season. 

He was 16 of 90 at San Diego and a measley 2 for 15 at the time in a Cubs uniform.  I felt though that he would heat up and contribute and he has done that and more.  He has gone 23 for 67 or a .343 clip with 6 homers as a Cub since I made those comments

Kudos to Jim Hendry, Lou, and Gerald Perry who told Edmonds to revert to his swing from a few years ago when he spread out at the plate and this allows the ball to travel further in on you and you just poke it to the outfield - its kind of like the sweet spot golf swing where you hit it at 3/4 speed and nice extension and follow thru.  

Edmonds is supplying a nice left handed bat and he is fitting right in on the Cubs patience train of drawing base on balls.   As a pitcher , nothing makes me madder than to walk a guy. You have to pitch to contact and let your fielders play defense.  

Continue reading "Jim Edmonds Update - I told you so"

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella on national TV on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball was ejected for arguing a check swing call.  Technically you cannot argue balls and strike calls but technically this is NOT A BALL AND STRIKE CALL - it is a CHECK SWING call.    Did he swing or not-  the ball itself was clearly outside the strike zone.  Lou approached the first base umpire who warned him and then Lou turned around to head back to the dugout.  He had already been ejected by the home plate umpire who then flashed the second ejection sign in Lou's face.  Clearly on the replay the umpire at first base blew the call.   Clearly also Lou was heading back to the dugout and the first base umpire had exercised control of the situation and there was no need to proceed further.   Unbeknownst to Lou, home plate minor league fill in Rob Drake decided this was his day to make a name for himself on national TV and become part of the show.   He had his mask off and ready for a confrontation with Lou as he first threw him out behind his back and then again in front of him.  

Continue reading "Lou ejected by minor league umpires in bush league incident"