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If you tune into any one of the Cubs' four games against the New York Mets this week, you may get the impression that the umpires misread the calendar and bumped up the first pitch. But, no fear, Cubs fans, the umps did indeed start the game on time, and, no, they aren’t playing any tricks on you. That job is left for Lou Piniella, whose latest tinkering of the Cubs lineup may leave you experiencing a slight bout of déjà vu and a sudden onset of nausea. Don’t tell me Lou’s gone back ...
Ike Davis, the name alone brings shivers down Met Fans spines. Today he will be making his first start of the season and hit sixth behind the hot Jeff Francoeur.
Expect Ike Davis, 23, to start off the year a little slow, it is a huge adjustment from minor league pitching in Buffalo, but once he gets in the groove of things, the guy is just a natural specimen.
Ike will start off in his first three games against three veterans in the Cubs rotation, Randy Wells, ace Carlos Zambrono, and Carlos Silva. I expect these guys can out guess the rookie ...
The New York Mets finally called up first base prospect Ike Davis to the major league team today. Manager Jerry Manuel has already penciled him into the sixth slot of the starting lineup.
While the season may only be a little over two weeks old, some believe that this move was already overdue.
Davis batted .480 with three home runs and 10 runs batted in in 25 at bats during spring training.
He was sent down to Triple-A Buffalo on March 23rd. The organization stated that it was felt he needed more "seasoning". Davis was batting .364 with a ...
So much for home cooking. The Cubs (5-7) started off their first homestand of the 2010 season in strong fashion, just missing out on a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. Then the one-win Houston Astros came to town and did just enough to take two of three from a punchless Cubs squad. While it’s not time to panic, I wouldn’t smack you over the top of the head for being worried. Team defense—fifth-worst in baseball with 11 errors—and the bullpen (5.59 ERA) have been a major letdown the first two weeks, ...
New Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts essentially gets a pass in his first season. Even if he had been inclined to replace under-achieving general manager Jim Hendry and Hendry’s cohorts, he lacked the time. Ricketts and his family endured a nightmarish process to purchase the Cubs and related properties for $845 million from the complicated ownership of crusty real estate magnate Sam Zell.
Offseason baseball business already had begun when Ricketts officially took over last Halloween. Someone had to assemble the 2010 Cubs, and Hendry the incumbent was the only practical choice. When you’re attempting to close a difficult deal of ...
Saturday, April 17, 2010 was a day to remember for Cubs fans.
The result of the game was less-than-favorable and the line drive that hit Tom Gorzelanny was something that we'd rather put behind us, but something notably positive did happen that day against the Astros.
It went without much notice at the time, but I remember the moment like it was yesterday. It helps that it actually was yesterday, but that's beside the point.
In the top of the eighth inning, Carlos Lee hit a fly ball to left field that was caught by Alfonso Soriano for the second out.
But something was ...
Ryan Dempster isn't a bad pitcher. Sure, he isn't nearly worth his contract extension that Jim Hendry typically gives players past their prime, which comes out to $12.5 million this year, $13.5 million next year, and a $14 million player option that he is sure to pick up (at age 35), but he really isn't all that bad. Dempster has pitched with mixed success in his two starts this season. Over those two games, he's pitched a 3.55 xFIP (which measures how well the pitcher performs without fielders, good or bad). The stat shows that his fielders are failing ...
Carlos Silva may look about as epically potbellied as a birthing whale on the mound, but in his two starts, he's actually looked good.
In 13 innings of work, Silva has posted a career-high strikeout rate (5.54 K/9). Again, it is only 13 innings of work, so this is an incredibly small sample size, and his strikeout rate will probably return to his career norm of 3.80 K/9. His stuff, however, may very well become sustainable, thanks to his improved changeup. His straight change is posting a 4.7 run value, compared to last season's -4.7 wCH. His peripherals are ...
Starlin Castro , arguably the Cubs' top prospect, is flashing the potential to hit at the big-league level early in the season. The Tennessee Smokie shortstop is currently hitting .342, with a .500 slugging percentage helped by his two triples in eight games. Castro, however, boasts only a .350 on-base percentage due to only one walk on the season, so far. The lack of patience is troublesome for the 20-year-old, who projects as a lead-off hitter. There is little question about his ability to hit for contact, but when the young shortstop goes through stretches of poor ...
Over the years, Cubs fans have clamored to keep Wrigley Field the way it is. It took a monumental leap to have night games, events other than sporting events and making any cosmetic changes to Wrigley Field .
The Ricketts family bought the Cubs in January of 2009. Part of their commitment in the offseason was $10 million in renovations to Wrigley Field. New Chairman Tom Ricketts said the changes are meant to improve the overall experience for everyone who comes through the gates.
As the Cubs held their 2010 home opener, some of the renovations were visible and others ...
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