Harry Caray referred to it as the "unofficial opening day", some refer to it as the "kick-off to spring training", call it what you want but the bottom line is baseball is just around the corner. The 23rd Annual Cubs Convention officially begins later this afternoon at the Chicago Hilton. Pat Hughes will once again have the honor of introducing the Cubs past, present and future during the Opening Ceremonies before the annual highlight reel from last season fires up the Faithful for the weekend.
Last season is over, let the new year begin....but most importantly, let the winning continue.
The Cubs Convention is the original 'fan fest'. Every other organization has just borrowed ideas from John McDonough's original concept....only this year, for the first time the creator will not be in attendance. The excitement, however, should be the same if not more than in previous years after the Cubs winning the Central Division a year ago.
Lou Piniella knows what to expect this year and reports have indicated 'Sweet Lou' has dropped a few pounds and is in better shape than last season. So it will be interesting to see how he handles himself this year. Piniella was very candid and often humorous....let's hope that much has not changed.
The Meet Cubs Management session on Saturday morning should be very interesting as well as other events throughout the day. But with the impending ownership change, Sunday morning's meeting with Cubs Business Management could be the largest attended session of the weekend.
Not only will there be current and former Cubs in attendance, there will also be representatives from the Iowa Cubs, Tennessee Smokies and Peoria Chiefs. XM Radio will be in attendance and WGN Radio will air shows from time to time on Friday and Saturday, including Sports Central Live with Dave Kaplan on Friday night....plus if the Internet rumors are correct, there could be a surprise, but we will have to wait and see.
The CCO will have daily recaps from all 3 days of the Convention and a big wrap up of the weekend on Monday morning. Pitchers and catchers report to Mesa in just 26 days and Jim Hendry said he still has work to do.....
2008 Cubs Convention Schedule
Friday, January 18th
- 5:00pm - 5:30pm - Opening Ceremonies
- 6:00pm - 6:45pm - Autograph Treasure Hunt
- 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Sports Central Live with Dave Kaplan and Tom Waddle, Broadcast Live on 720 WGN
- - 7:00pm - 7:30pm - Derrek Lee, Mark DeRosa and Alfonso Soriano
- - 7:30pm - 8:00pm - Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella
- - 8:00pm - 8:30pm - Ryan Theriot, Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster
- - 8:30pm - 9:00pm - Pat Hughes, Ron Santo, Rick Sutcliffe and Glenn Beckert
- 7:00pm - 8:30pm - Cubs Bingo
Saturday, January 19th
- 9:00am - 10:00am - WGN Radio's Meet Cubs Management with Spike O'Dell and Dave Eanet
- - Jim Hendry, Lou Piniella, Randy Bush and Crane Kenney
- 9:00am - 10:00am - Injuries, Anatomy and Santo....Oh My!
- 9:30am - 10:30am - Cubs Jeopardy
- 10:30am - 11:30am - Vine Line Presents Baseball in Latin America
- 10:30am - 11:30am - WGN Radio's Not for Women Only with Kathy O'Malley and Judy Markey
- - Ryan Theriot, Scott Eyre, Matt Murton and Matt Sinatro
- 11:00am - 12:00pm - Baseball Conditioning Clinic
- 11:30am - 12:30pm - Lou and His Crew
- 11:30am - 12:30pm - Hitting Clinic
- 12:00 - 1:00pm - WGN Radio's A Day in the Life of a Major Leaguer with John Williams and Cory Provus
- - Derrek Lee, Rich Hill, Ryan Theriot and Daryle Ward
- 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Life Is A Minor
- 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Cubs Win, Lose or Draw
- 1:30pm - 2:30pm - WGN Radio's Storytelling with Cubs Legends with Steve Cochran
- - Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Lee Smith and Rick Sutcliffe
- 2:00pm - 3:00pm - From the Stretch hosted by Len Kasper
- - Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill and Ryan Dempster
- 2:30pm - 3:30pm - 8/8/88....or the Day After
- 3:00pm - 4:00pm - For Kids Only Press Conference
- 3:00pm - 4:00pm - Wheelchair Cubs
- 3:30pm - 4:30pm - Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Cubs
- 4:00pm - 5:00pm - The North Side Mystique
- 4:30pm - 5:30pm - Pitching Clinic
- 8:00pm - 12:00am - Rock 'n Roll Revue
Sunday, January 20th
- 9:00am - 10:00am - Meet Cubs Business Management
- 10:30am - 11:30am - Down on the Farm
- 10:00am - 12:30pm - Baseball Hall of Fame Exhibit
Scheduled Attendees
- Ernie Banks
- Glenn Beckert
- Bob Brenly
- Bill Buckner
- Randy Bush
- Jose Cardenal
- Tyler Colvin
- Jody Davis
- Andre Dawson
- Ivan DeJesus
- Ryan Dempster
- Bob Dernier
- Mark DeRosa
- Scott Eyre
- Oneri Fleita
- Mike Fontenot
- Sean Gallagher
- Kevin Hart
- Jim Hendry
- Rich Hill
- Bobby Howry
- Pat Hughes
- Ferguson Jenkins
- Len Kasper
- Crane Kenney
- Dave Kingman
- Derrek Lee
- Ted Lilly
- Bill Madlock
- Carlos Marmol
- Sean Marshall
- Matt Murton
- Andy Pafko
- Milt Pappas
- Gerald Perry
- Felix Pie
- Carmen Pignatiello
- Lou Piniella
- Mike Quade
- Rocky Roquet
- Larry Rothschild
- Jeff Samardzija
- Ryne Sandberg
- Ron Santo
- Matt Sinatro
- Dwight Smith
- Lee Smith
- Alfonso Soriano
- Geovany Soto
- Rick Sutcliffe
- Tim Stoddard
- Lester Strode
- Ryan Theriot
- Alan Trammell
- Steve Trout
- Jerome Walton
- Daryle Ward
- Tim Wilken
- Billy Williams
- Michael Wuertz
- Carlos Zambrano
Also, the "Boys of Spring" will premiere during the convention. The film is a documentary by Tim Sheridan and "covers the history of Chicago Cubs Spring Training, from Catalina Island, to the early days in Arizona, to the present day." Click here for more info from www.boysofspring.com.
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To all attending the Convention, have a great time! And lets hope Hendry starts off the convention this year with a nice BIG surprise for all of us Diehards.
For a little additional reading for today.... I participated in a Bloggers Roundtable over at Baseball Digest Daily.
Here is the link
http://blog.baseballdigestdaily.com/blog/_archives/2008/1/18/3471727.html
They have a very good site and I will mention this again after the convention.
Thanks Neil, it was a good read.
You're welcome Nick. FYI, I have good reception in the hotel and if anything starts to break, like with the Shark last year, I will post it.
My time of the year. I can finally listen to the radio stations out of Chicago and hear Cubs stuff. YES!!! (Im tired of listening about Alabama football, I need my Cubbie fix =D)
Rotoworld.com is reporting that the Cubs just signed Mr. Zero. Where did that come from?!?
David is first with the JH master stroke! With Shingo and Fox, our troubles are over. Cubs Win--our place in the record book! We now have the Guiness Book of Records listing for the most old relievers ever going into spring training.
I'm hearing tht Mr. Zero has something to with Target Corp buying the naming rights to Wrigley Field. I think he carries the Target banner with the white and red zeros aroung the red dot in a sponsors' race that is like the Sausage Race in Milwaukee.
Paul Sullivan's reporting it too... looks pretty official. Shingo Takatsu is a Cub.
To me this is a little like if we signed Trevor Hoffman two or three years from now once his career was concluding. He might not have the stuff he once had, but he can come in to our bullpen and teach the new closers (Wood/Marmol) all of the tricks he picked up along the way in become Japan's all time saves leader.
It's unlikely he'd be a huge contributor, but he could provide dividends in experience shared. Also could reduce the culture shock for Fukudome since Takatsu has three years experience in the bigs.
I know there's going to be be all sorts of folks on this board way too upset over this move... but let's try to keep the reaction in proportion to the signing. :-)
This move is not a big deal... and not a sign that "Hendry is wasting his time with a move like this when (insert player that Hendry should be pursuing who actually probably isn't even on the market) is there for the taking!" :-)
I don't have much of a feeling about this one one way or the other... other than a minor bump in confidence that Hendry still hasn't closed up shop heading into the spring or waiting on Baltimore.
Now this is in fun--while we wait for some news. Gary J should get serious consideration for both the humanitarian of the year award and the right to carry the Mr. Spin Cycle banner representing Maytag along side Mr. Zero in the Sponsors' Race.
Actually, maybe he does help Musha adapt and becomes a batting practice pitcher too. I'm thinking that Howry and Eyre can lend experience to our newer relievers.
JimK - LOL ... I'm picturing the scene you paint of Mr. Zero running around with the banner ... hilarious. Of course, Wrigley would have to play the "gong" music from his southside days while he's running with the banner.
Thanks JimK - I accept this award on behalf of the people who actually care about this move or think it has any bearing on anything... ummm.... anyone? Oh. (shuffling off to the corner)
Gary,
Shingo doesn't speak English very well.
Kerry Wood is a 10-year veteran.
Shingo throws slow frisbee slop.
Wood and Marmol throw hard heat.
Sorry...but this guy ain't teaching nobody nothing.
This was just a collosal waste of Jim Spendry's time.
Just got home from day 1 of the Cub Convention.
Neil, Shaun and Brian are all great Guys and fun to be around. No, DeRosa's wife didn't hug me in the lobby.
Jim (Tinley Park): Why would D-Ro's wife hug you? Am I missing an inside joke?
Also: It appears Big Z will yield opening day duties this year to Lilly. I like the idea, he should be less of an emotional rollercoaster after the first game. OR Z thinks he'll hit the ball better against a #2 starter.
Yes, Lew an inside joke we pulled on Brian.
Lew,
I have written before about my unrequited love for Mrs. DeRosa. She is beautiful. I met Jim tonight for the first time, great guy all around. I look forward to spending the rest of the weekend with him. What a passion for the Cubs!
Anyway, minutes after meeting him, I brought up Mrs. DeRosa in conversation, and he joked that she gave him a hug in the lobby. I did not find this funny whatsoever! Apparently, Neil, Shaun and Jim thought it was quite a knee slapper. Losers...well, maybe it was funny.
Saw a preliminary report of discussions with the Rangers to swap Marlon Byrd for Murton (over at MLBTR). Makes sense for both clubs as the Cubs need a guy in center and the Rangers need a guy in left.
Went to Cubs Convention this weekend and the biggest surprise to me is that the booth that Bob Feller was sitting had practically no one stopping and talking to one of the greatest pitchers of all time...have Cub fans,even the older ones, have no sense of history of the game....the Convention was still great. The players and the old-timers are very entertaining and it is great to see them.