February 2007 Archives

Carmen Pignatiello is another player you will see at spring training this year. Some of you might look at his name and think to yourself, who is he? I have to be honest; he isn't one of the guys that draw attention and that comes after being in the Cubs minor league system for going on six years. The Cubs drafted Pignatiello in the 20th round of the 2000 draft having been a successful pitcher at the high school level. For the first 5+ seasons of his Cubs career he was a starting pitcher. He was doing a decent job of pitching but was never dominant and lacked the stamina to go deep into games.

Ron Santo Received 57 of the 62 votes needed for induction into the Hall of Fame

According to a report on XM Radio and on the Baseball Hall of Fame website, Ron Santo received the highest amount of votes, but fell 5 votes short. This is the 3rd straight time the Veteran's Committee has not elected a single player into the Hall. 75% of the vote is required and Santo received 69.5%.

During his six minute diatribe detailing the trials and tribulations of a Cubs fan, Steve Goodman brings to life the frustration of the Faithful in song. He takes a few jabs at ex-players while blaming the Cubs for many of his vices. He goes on to tell his buddies he wants a funeral at Wrigley and to have six bullpen pitchers carry his casket. All in all, this is a riotously funny perspective and even a half decent song. However, if Steve Goodman were still alive today, I think he would write a different ending. And I would surmise that it would entail Ron Santo and Cooperstown, New York.

Mark Prior to Start the 5th Game of the Spring

A day after the Cubs announced Mark Prior would not pitch in the first week of games in the Cactus League they changed their plans. Lou Piniella announced on Monday afternoon that Mark Prior would start against the Seattle Mariners on March 5th in Peoria. Ted Lilly was scheduled to make the start but he will make his Cub debut in relief instead.

Recently Major League Baseball announced a few rules changes that will be implemented in the upcoming season. The exhibition games begin this week in both the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues. The rules changes were the first since 1996 when the strike zone was redefined. Some of the changes are very simple, just clarifications as Scout.com put it, but others are more substantial. Many of these changes went into effect in Minor League Baseball in 2006 and many of the amendments passed after discussion with the MLBPA in 2005 with the remainder being passed in 2006.

Baseball kicks into high gear this week when the exhibition season gets underway in Arizona and Florida. There is not one major league team without a hand full of questions and all feel health is the key to success for their team in 2007, and of course the Cubs are right there in the middle. Over the next 35 days the team the Faithful will dedicate the next 6 months to will take shape. No one can predict what will take place or how the Cubs will finish the marathon....but one thing is for certain, with Lou Piniella at the helm the season should be anything but boring.

Piniella announced his rotation for the first 5 games of the Cactus League schedule on Sunday. Jason Marquis will face the Giants on Thursday; Carlos Zambrano will take the hill on Friday against the Angels; Wade Miller on Saturday against the A's; Rich Hill on Sunday against the White Sox and Ted Lilly against the Mariners on Monday. Here is the rest from Day 11 of Camp Lou....

Happy Birthday Ron Santo!

The Cubs 2007 Cactus League schedule gets underway on Thursday at Mesa against the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs have announced Jason Marquis will take the ball on the opening day of spring training. Tuesday is the other big day on the calendar this week....Ron Santo will find out if he has been elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee, what a great belated birthday present for Santo who turns 67 today. Harry Caray would have turned 93 on Thursday.

Now to the 'Way Back Machine'....

The Cubs announced on Saturday that Carlos Zambrano would start the second game of the Cactus League schedule on March 2nd at HoHoKam against the Angels. Kerry Wood threw batting practice on Saturday and according to multiple reports, looked good doing so and a report on Cubs.com reiterated Wood would likely take the hill next weekend when the games begin. The Chicago Tribune reported Lou Piniella will use numbers and percentages when it comes to match-ups this season and Mark Prior plans on being in the starting rotation come Opening Day....here is the rest of Day 10 at Camp Lou.

The weather caused the Cubs to cut short their workouts again on Friday but the weather in the desert looks more favorable over the next ten days. The Cubs open their Cactus League schedule on Thursday against the Giants at HoHoKam and according to multiple reports Jason Marquis will get the start in the opener. Lou Piniella and Larry Rothschild have not announced the rest of the rotation for the spring schedule but one report did mention they expect to have Kerry Wood throw in a game, out of the pen, after the first couple of games.

The Cubs will head down the street after Tuesday to HoHoKam and they announced the first round of roster cuts would likely be made after split squad games on March 9th. Here is the rest of Day 9 at Camp Lou....designated hitters, cross-the-desert rivals and a few bits of useless information....

The Faithful are used to waiting....how does the ole cliche go? So Friday should not be a stretch for a fan base that has displayed more patience than any other in professional sports. Cubs single game tickets go on sale at 8:00am C.T. or 10:00am C.T. on Friday morning depending on your preferred ticket outlet. With all of the anticipation for the upcoming season the lines should be long, literally and virtually.

Day 8 of Camp Lou featured Mark Prior throwing batting practice, a speculation on the starting rotation, questions about the Cubs' outfield defense, strict pitch counts and the first roster changes of the spring were among the highlights from Mesa....