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Category :: If The Ivy Could Talk - Cubs Rumors
Rumors began to surface over the weekend about the Cubs possible interest in Jim Edmonds. A report in the Tribune on Monday morning mentioned the Cubs were "exploring the possibility" of adding the former Cardinal to their roster. Multiple reports following Monday night's game against the Padres stated the Cubs "are poised to ink the lefty-hitting outfielder." Edmonds is likely to clear waivers on Wednesday according to the Tribune and while Jim Hendry did not...
According to a report in the Chicago Tribune on Monday morning the Cubs are "exploring the possibility" of signing Jim Edmonds "according to some in the know". The Padres designated Edmonds for assignment on Friday after a slow start to the season. Bruce Levine mentioned the possibility of the Cubs signing Jim Edmonds during his show on Saturday morning and described the team's interest as being "luke warm"....
According to a report in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday night, Sean Gallagher could make his second big league start against the Pirates next weekend. The Cubs will start Carlos Zambrano in the opener against the Padres on Monday. Jason Marquis will face Shawn Estes on Tuesday, Ted Lilly will go against Jake Peavy on Wednesday and Ryan Dempster will face his former teammate, Greg Maddux, in the finale on Thursday. The Tribune indicated Jon...
Lou Piniella is not happy and according to a report in the Tribune....neither was the rest of the clubhouse after being shutout by the Reds on Wednesday afternoon. The Cubs' skipper mentioned, on several occasions, earlier in the week that changes are on the way, but what can and should be done with a team, that despite it's recent struggles, is still 4 games over .500. Here is the latest news from the North Side,...
Over the weekend, Buster Olney mentioned the Cubs and Kenny Lofton in the same sentence in his blog. Olney said Lofton would make sense for the Cubs with the recent injury to Alfonso Soriano. The blurb from one of the most respected baseball writers around was buried half way down in his Saturday report....and with the last line reading, "But this doesn't appear to be a part of the Cubs' plans", it did not appear...
The definition of "unlikely" according to Merriam-Webster is: not likely, improbable, likely to fail....and that was the word Andy MacPhail used on Wednesday to update the media on the possibility of Brian Roberts being traded to the Cubs. Fitting, isn't it? While Brian Roberts appears to be staying in Baltimore, the Cubs made more roster moves and is Lou Piniella really thinking of inserting Kosuke Fukudome in the leadoff spot? Here is the latest from...
Lou Piniella's crew has only three games left in the desert before leaving for Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon. The Cubs' skipper announced his starting rotation on Monday and he still has a couple of spots on the bench and a possible vacancy in the bullpen up for grabs. But could there be a new name in the mix? According to several reports out of Chicago and from Ken Rosenthal, the answer is yes. The...
Spring Training Game Twenty-Six - Cubs 7 Padres 3 WP - Jason Marquis (1-1) LP - Greg Maddux (1-1) Save - None Lou Piniella's offense has finally started putting runs on the board. Over the past 4 games the Cubs have tallied a total of 26 runs, the same amount they scored in the 7 games prior dating back to March 13th. On Sunday afternoon the Cubs batted around in the 1st inning against Greg...
Happy Easter from everyone here at the CCO.... The Weekend Update returns for the final Sunday in Arizona. Counting Sunday's game, Lou Piniella's crew has only 5 games left in the desert and 7 total in the exhibition season. The Cubs square off later today in Peoria against Greg Maddux and the Padres. Kerry Wood is expected to throw in back-to-back games for the first time and if everything goes as planned, will be named...
Spring Training Game Twenty-Four - Cubs 3 Rockies 7 WP - Mark Redman (2-2) LP - Sean Marshall (0-1) Save - None Spring Training in Arizona is very convenient. The travel time from park to park is minimal even during traffic delays, except for one destination....Tucson. The Cubs made the long two-hour trip for the second time in the last six days on Friday afternoon and while the starting nine featured a few of the...
Spring Training Game Twenty-Two - Cubs (ss) 4 Giants 2 WP - Jon Lieber (2-0) LP - Kevin Correia (0-1) Save - Jose Ascanio (2) Jon Lieber followed the performances of Jason Marquis and Ryan Dempster with a solid outing of his own. He worked fast, threw strikes and kept the ball down. Lieber allowed a run on 7 hits with a walk and 4 strikeouts in 5 innings of work. The Giants put runners...
The next 12 days could be very busy around baseball and especially on the North Side of Chicago. According to several reports, Lou Piniella would like to have his roster, rotation and lineup set by Monday, which would give the Cubs a week before Opening Day to settle in. But there is always a trade or two that could shake things up in Cubs camp....so could the long rumored trade be on the verge of...
Happy St. Patrick's Day from all of the Irishmen here at the CCO.... It is the third week of March and the Cubs last full week in Arizona. Lou Piniella's crew has just 13 games left in the exhibition season and only 11 more in the desert....Opening Day is two weeks from today. The Cubs still have decisions to make on spots in the rotation, the bullpen, on the bench and then there is the...
Spring Training Game Eighteen: Cubs (6-11) vs. White Sox (8-10) Game Time - 3:05pm C.T. TV: WGN (White Sox) - Radio: 720 WGN, Gameday Audio on MLB.com, XM Radio Channel 177 Location - Tucson Electric Park, Tucson Rich Hill (0-1, 7.04) vs. Nick Masset (0-1, 3.00) The Crosstown Classic from the Desert.... The Cubs and White Sox face-off for the first time today in 2008, Spring Training or not, it is the Cubs vs. the...
Spring Training Game Seventeen - Cubs 5 Angels 6 WP - Ervin Santana (1-0) LP - Ryan Dempster (2-1) Save - Rich Thompson (1) Ryan Dempster's fourth outing of the spring started much like the other three. He worked fast, was efficient and retired the Angels in order in the 1st inning. The Cubs' offense handed him a 3-run lead before he took the mound to start the 2nd inning but his own error led...
Installment 5 - Avoiding Pie's Problem. The CCO Radio returns for a Friday edition at the midway point of the exhibition season. Brian and Shaun discuss a variety of Cubs topics from Brian Roberts to Lou's lineup to Micah Hoffpauir with all of the dude references that can be packed into nearly a 38 minute show....plus a possible new nickname for one of the closer candidates. The CCO is excited to announce our podcast has...
Is Lou Piniella overreacting about his players' lack of production, or is there cause for concern? Piniella was not happy with his team's offensive output on Tuesday and said he is going to mix things up and play his regulars more. Counting today's game in Surprise against the Rangers, the Cubs have 18 more games to get on track before they count. Here is a catch all, if you will, of various bits of Cubs...
It is the never-ending rumor. For the last three plus months the Cubs have apparently had conversations about acquiring Brian Roberts from the Orioles....this much we think we know. Over the past several weeks as soon as one of the well-respected baseball journalists report talks are heating up again, one side will end up denying the report within 24 hours. Jayson Stark became the latest to chime in on the Brian Roberts to the Cubs...
After starting the exhibition season, 1-3, Lou Piniella's crew have won 4 of the last 7 and in the process have shown improvement over the past week. Mark DeRosa is expected back on the field on Monday in Maryville while this past week Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Daryle Ward all returned from various injuries. The Cubs still have 20 games left, 18 in Arizona and 2 in Las Vegas, before Opening Day against the...
According to a report on Friday night from Jeff Zrebiec, discussion between the Cubs and Orioles on the long-rumored deal for Brian Roberts "have cooled". Zrebiec stated the two teams cannot agree on a package that would benefit both teams...."pushing the deal toward Opening Day or beyond." According to the report in the Baltimore Sun, two sources have indicated the Cubs have offered a package that would include Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, Donald Veal and...
A report from the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday threw a proverbial curveball at the Cubs blogosphere. Of all the names mentioned this past off-season, not once was Jim Hendry rumored to be interested in trading for Brandon Inge of the Tigers. Injuries to the Tigers' bullpen coupled with the frustration voiced by Inge about being benched have apparently made their former third baseman available. The Detroit Free Press stated "the Tigers have had general...
A report from SI.com on Monday indicated the talks between the Cubs and the Orioles have heated up concerning, well....whom else but Brian Roberts. Jon Heyman's report mentioned the talks "were starting to get serious." Heyman reported one of the trade proposals could include Jay Payton and a deal was in place "a few weeks back but Orioles owner Peter Angelos didn't approve it immediately." The speculation continued throughout Monday with various rumors from different...
Spring Training Game Four: Cubs (1-2) vs. Giants (1-3) Game Time - 2:05pm C.T. - TV: Comcast SportsNet, MLBTV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Channel 179 Location - HoHoKam Park, Mesa Ted Lilly (0-0, -.--) vs. Matt Cain (0-0, -.--) A relatively non-eventful Spring Training, with the obvious exception of Mark DeRosa, changed on Saturday with statements by Jason Marquis following the Cubs loss in Tempe to the Angels. Marquis apparently would rather be traded...
Spring Training Game Three: Cubs (1-1) vs. Angels (1-0-1) Game Time - 2:05pm C.T. Comcast SportsNet - Radio N/A Location - Tempe Diablo Stadium Jason Marquis (0-0, -.--) vs. Jered Weaver (0-0, -.--) Game three of the exhibition season but the first televised game of the spring. Both teams will see a new opponent for the first time since their respective spring schedules began three days ago. Lou Piniella will send Jason Marquis to the...
The last weekend update before the exhibition season gets underway on Thursday. The Cubs lineup was the hot topic on Friday. Lou Piniella appeared on the Mike North show and confirmed reports from Thursday that he was considering hitting Kosuke Fukudome third in his lineup. Several reports brought up the number 125, as in the total number of lineups Piniella used in his first season on the North Side. Piniella will continue to tinker with...
In seven short days the 2008 version of the Chicago Cubs will take the field for the first time in Scottsdale against the San Francisco Giants....the baseball season is just around the corner. Many have predicted the Cubs will have a good season but some feel the Cubs still have areas they must address, mainly in centerfield and in the bullpen. A majority of the roster is set, barring injuries, but there is always at...
Brian Roberts reported to Orioles camp in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday and fielded questions about his inclusion in the Mitchell Report and the rumors surrounding his possible exit from Baltimore. Roberts apologized again for using steroids back in 2003 but majority of his meeting with the media focused on the trade talk that have made headlines for the last three months....
There was one big surprise from Fitch Park on Day Three of Camp Lou. According to multiple reports, Piniella stated Rich Hill is currently slotted as the 4th starter in his rotation, not the third as has been assumed all winter. Piniella is undecided on which pitcher will occupy the 3rd and 5th spots in the Cubs starting rotation. Jason Marquis, Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber are the leading candidates for the last two spots...
Day Two at Fitch Park saw the arrival of their big off-season signing. Kosuke Fukudome reported to camp early on Friday, greeted the media and spent time in the cages. Lou Piniella was one of 40 people that gathered to watch Fukudome take batting practice for the first time as a Cub. Piniella remarked after the session, "Very impressive. The ball jumps of his bat." Carlos Zambrano greeted the Cubs' new right fielder by wearing...
Time to play a little ball. Cubs' pitchers and catchers will have their first workout later today at Fitch Park. Another pitcher made a bold prediction for the upcoming season, but this time it was not Carlos Zambrano. Ryan Dempster told reporters on Wednesday the Cubs will win the World Series this year. Dempster said, "It's like anything, if you believe it you can achieve it." Reports on WGN Radio indicated Kosuke Fukudome will likely...
It is just three short days until pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park. The countdown to Spring Training and Cactus League action has everyone thinking of warmer weather, regardless of the fact it is still winter, and all of the possibilities that lie ahead in the upcoming season. Hot Stove Game Day aired for the last time this winter on ESPN 1000 Saturday morning. Bruce Levine had plenty of Cubs topics to discuss, including...
Finally the long-rumored 6-player deal between the Orioles and Mariners was made official on Friday. Erik Bedard was shipped West for 5 players including one of the best prospects in the game, Adam Jones. Countless reports have indicated this winter that once Andy MacPhail dealt Bedard, Brian Roberts would be next on the trading block. Since the Winter Meetings rumors have suggested the Cubs are very interested in obtaining Brian Roberts. Many trade packages have...
The CCO Radio returns for a Friday edition with Brian and Shaun, for the first time, talking Cubs baseball. In the latest edition of the CCO Podcast, Brian and Shaun discuss the Cubs rotation, the National League Central, Kosuke Fukudome and Spring Training among other Cubs' topics, in their unique way. Click on the icon to download the podcast or subscribe through iTunes with the following link http://feeds.feedburner.com/Chicagocubsonlinecom to load into your iPod or iPhone....
The Hot Stove season is all but complete. Teams have handed out their non-roster invitations and are ready to start Spring Training as players will soon start making their way to Florida and Arizona, respectively. Cubs' pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park next Wednesday. For the first time in recent memory, the Cubs will start Spring Training with a healthy staff, and Lou Piniella figures to have strong competition for the last two spots...
Welcome to Super Tuesday and Happy Fat Tuesday.... For the last nine days, updates from the mainstream media on the Erik Bedard deal have indicated a trade between the Mariners and Orioles was close to being completed. Depending on which outlet you read or which radio report you listen to, a deal will happen either tomorrow or in the next few days. While the Cubs appear out of the running for the talented southpaw, Jim...
Congratulations to the New York Football Giants and their fans, Super Bowl XLII Champions. While many basketball fans might disagree, all eyes will now turn to Major League Baseball and reporting dates for pitchers and catchers. Here is the latest from around the league, the new Under Armour commercial, a couple of rumors from Sunday and will this finally be the week Peter Angelos allows his past to give way to the future?...
First and foremost, thank you CCO readers for your continued patronage and commitment. Our website is growing and in order to keep up with the demands, we are adding a new element....PODCASTS. This will give you the chance to not only read the thoughts of our writers, but also to hear them, when you choose. We are very excited about this development and look forward to hearing your thoughts. We hope you find these entertaining...
It's Groundhog Day, where is Phil Connors? All of baseball is focused on the trade and contract extension of Johan Santana. The Mets and the 2-time Cy Young Award winner agreed in principal to a record-breaking contract on Friday night to complete the trade with the Minnesota Twins. Santana agreed to a 6-year extension with the Mets that will pay him $137.5 million starting in 2009....the total value of the package including his $13.25 million...
While various reports have indicated Jim Hendry is still trying to improve his roster leading up to Spring Training, the countdown to Mesa can officially begin. Pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park in twelve days and there will be actual baseball to talk about before the end of the month. One of the strangest off-seasons in recent memory is slowly coming to an end....and for Major League Baseball, the games can probably not get...
The reports out of Baltimore concerning the future of Erik Bedard and Brian Roberts seemingly change by the minute. Several news sources stated on Wednesday morning the Orioles and Mariners were once again talking about sending Bedard to Seattle and the deal was close to being completed. Then reports began to surface that Andy MacPhail indicated other teams were back in the mix to land Bedard. A third different story surfaced on Wednesday night when...
More than six weeks after many thought he would be dealt, the New York Mets and Minnesota Twins agreed to a deal on Tuesday that would send four prospects to the Twin Cities for Johan Santana. Buster Olney reported the deal is pending a contract extension for the 2-time Cy Young Award winner. The Mets have 72 hours, 5:00pm ET on Friday, to work out a deal with Santana, who is reportedly seeking an extension...
This off-season is like no other in recent memory. With just over two weeks until pitchers and catchers report, several teams, including the Cubs, are still looking to improve their roster. There are several big names left on the trading block, including Johan Santana, Erik Bedard and Brian Roberts. One of those names looked to have a new home for the upcoming season, but several reports on Monday denied there was a deal in place...
According to a report in the Seattle Times, Erik Bedard will be traded to the Seattle Mariners for several prospects, including the Mariners' top prospect Adam Jones. The report by Geoff Baker stated Jones was told by Bill Bavasi he could not play in the fourth game of the finals in the Venezuelan Winter League. Jones told a local reporter that he will be flying to Baltimore on Monday to take a physical. Several reports...
When Matt Murton made his debut with the Chicago Cubs on July 8, 2005 he quickly became a fan favorite. Murton fit the profile of a gritty, hard-working, blue-collar ball player. He was not the prototypical power-hitter that most clubs insert in a corner outfield position but in only 51 games in 2005 he provided reason for hope that the future was once again bright for the Cubs. Murton showed patience at the plate, one...
The last weekend in January....only 18 days until pitchers and catchers report. The next couple of weeks could be very interesting around baseball. There are still a lot of big name free agents on the market and trades that could still happen. This off-season has been centered around Johan Santana and some of the experts still feel once he is dealt and sets the market, other teams will be able to fill their holes on...
O.K. it's that time again here at the CCO. Grab your GM hat, make sure it still fits and get ready to make a few moves that will improve the Cubs chances at making it to the promise land this season. You know the drill by now, or do you? The CCO asked the very same question, not once but twice two years ago and again last year. We even discussed Lou Piniella's options before...
With a little less than three weeks before pitchers and catchers report on February 13th, Jim Hendry told the Tribune he is not done with his roster. There are additions the Cubs would like to make before Spring Training according to statements made by Hendry over the last week. The same names continue to be mentioned on a daily basis without any movement. Could Hendry be on the verge of adding a couple of players...
Is Jim Hendry still interested in trading for Brian Roberts? Has he stepped up his pursuit and has also targeted Erik Bedard? Is Matt Murton heading to Texas or San Diego? Could Jason Marquis be involved in a deal with the Orioles? What about Marlon Byrd? So many questions and so many rumors. A day after the conclusion of the Convention the rumor mill kicked into high gear, fueled mostly by a report from Phil...
Only one day until the Cubs Convention.... Jim Hendry made news on Wednesday with the signing of Jon Lieber and at the same time increased the speculation on what else he may or may not have up his sleeve. Most reported the Cubs signing of Lieber as "you can never have enough pitching" and thought it was "a low-risk signing." Lieber's deal is worth $3.5 million dollars with incentives based on starts and innings pitched...
Only two more days before The Convention.... The Cubs announced their non-roster invitees to Spring Training on Tuesday. All in all the Cubs invited 19 players. Tyler Colvin and Jose Ceda headline the list of players. Along with Ceda, the Cubs invited 6 other pitchers: Chad Fox, Ed Campusano, Geoff Jones, Les Walrond, Mike Smith and Esmailin Caridad. The Cubs signed Caridad in December. He was 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 25 games with...
For every report that says Brian Roberts will not be traded to the Cubs....there is one that claims there is still a possibility. So which is it? Lou Piniella apparently wants Roberts to be his second baseman or the Cubs were not be pursuing him. Piniella saw first hand, at least fifteen times a year, what kind of player Brian Roberts is and what he could give his team. If Jim Hendry and Andy MacPhail...
The Hot Stove Season is beginning to come to an end, the first workouts for pitchers and catchers at Fitch Park is exactly one month from today. The first sign of the new baseball season being just around the corner starts on Friday. The Cubs still have holes to fill and are rumored to be looking at adding a couple of pieces to Lou Piniella's puzzle. Will Jim Hendry make any moves before the Opening...