The CCO, Live from Wrigleyville

After a crazy a week, full of news and groundbreaking signings like those of Trever Miller and Matt Tolbert combined with another eye-opening list of prospects from BA that no one has ever thought of before, it is hard just to catch one's breath.

Can you sense the sarcasm? Good, because I am laying it on pretty thick.

And as I am typing this, word breaks across the wire that the Cubs landed themselves a 19-year-old Cuban prodigy. I am pretty sure that I had something to with that by typing the opening paragraph at the precise time I did. You are welcome.

And I digress, it has been rather quiet so new prospect lists are a good way to create conversation and discussion and debate. Who is the Cubs best prospect? I have no idea. That is as honest as I can be.

So, let's shake it up with some ramblings on a Friday. And I sure hope this can create some good banter to get the Super weekend started.

Hello again, everybody. It has been a few weeks, but it's Friday, and I am back. So, let's get together, and throw out some quick thoughts and observations about our favorite baseball team. There is a lot going on, and at any minute now the Chicago Cubans could really start taking shape.

(And Kudos to the person who used that in a comment. I got a good chuckle.)

Nonetheless, news could start breaking any minute so let's get moving.

Hello, everybody. I hope your respective Friday is going well, and that the New Year has plenty to offer.

I have my beanbag chair, a healthy supply of beer, and a full bag of nacho cheese Doritos so I am ready to rock, ramble and roll.

So without any more nonsense, let's just get down to the brass tax and ramble.

Hello again, everyone and happy Friday to you all. The Cubs' stove has been simmering for weeks now, but we have not even come close to a hard boil. However, I have a distinct feeling that is all about to change. From Sapporo to Milwaukee, baseball news now comes from all over the globe, and the news is going to start rolling in to Chicago.

So, let's get to some rambling and towards the end, look for the re-emergence of my favorite little "WTF" game.

Here we go ...

So, it has been a very quiet week in baseball. There really is not a lot going on. I am really not sure what to talk about.

However, I will do my best to stop ending most sentences in prepositions.

So, there are a lot differing opinions on the week that was in Dallas, and there will most definitely be a lot to discuss in the coming weeks. However, we ask you to remember one thing here at the CCO. Stay classy and be respectful while commenting and discussing.

There are going to be a lot of transactions that will be received differently by folks. So, it's Friday, and it has been a little while, so let's start rambling!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!

Before I get goofy, giddy and grandiose, I want to take a moment and be serious.

Thank you to all of the Faithful. Thank you for coming to this site daily, reading, writing, sharing your thoughts and engaging in witty, intelligent, interesting and sometime contentious banter.

Neil is the lifeblood and the leader, but the readers are every bit as important.

So, here at the CCO, we THANK YOU for your continued patronage of this great site and hope that wherever you are, you are safe and loved.

So, with that said, let's get to rambling and being thankful.

Happy Veterans Day from the CCO and a tip of the cap to all of the veterans that have fought for our freedom ...

Hello again, everybody! It's Friday, it's probably snowing and it is time to ramble!

Cubs' fans are downright giddy about the off-season and cannot wait to see what Theo and Jed have in their head.

The Cubs have Sandy Jr. coming in today and they may decide to have one or two more candidates come in, but I think it is fair to say that in less than a week, the Cubs' brass will have made up their mind, and a new field general will be named. Beyond that, there is plenty to discuss, so, let's stop delaying the inevitable. We need to get out of our ways and get down to business.

And away we go ...

It is Friday, so it is time for me to get a little nutty, hopefully funny, and somewhat lovey ... dovey.

Unfortunately, there is really nothing to talk about as it relates to the Cubs. It has been a very quiet offseason thus far with basically nothing happening.

So, I am really at a loss of what to write. Or, I guess just go on and throw it all out there, so let's get at it.

After being reported for two weeks, Theo Epstein was officially named the Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations.

That was one of the most enjoyable sentences I have ever typed.

As he has said multiple times, and as most fans know, it is an uphill battle and a long road and every other cliché or analogy you want use about it taking some time to rebuild. However, there might not be a better person in this world for the challenge than Theo.

He will have plenty of leeway and brings with him more equity than almost anyone else.

So, with all that, let's do some fun and positive rambling. This will be a nice change of pace!

As I walked to Wrigley Field in my one-of-a-kind CCO Cubs T-Shirt on April 1st of this year, I knew what to expect. I figured it would be a tough year, but I had no idea how rough it would be. From losing 40 percent of the pitching staff in the first week to having no choice but to fire the General Manager, the 2011 campaign was dismal at best.

And now it mercifully ends today. It's funny because a lot has happened since Opening Day, but it does not seem so long ago. They say time flies when you are having fun, and though the last six months went by rather quickly, fun is not a word that comes close to coming to mind when I think about this year's installment of the Cubs. So, as we head to the offseason and the hot-stove time of year, there is a lot that will be going on and a lot to pay attention to for the Faithful. So, I think it is prudent to ramble about that. What do you think? Well, it is going to happen anyway, so just jump aboard.