It is the middle of April and we are eleven games into the season. Expectations are high for the Cubs after spending a "truckload" of cash in the off-season, but to this point many of the Cubs Faithful across the country have been disappointed. The NL Central might be a weak division, but let's be thankful. Let's be thankful that we are going to still be in the hunt at the end of April because of the "parity" that exists in the division. Think back to when you were a kid and you parents … [Read more...]

Welcome to the first installment of a new weekly column here at the CCO. I will be focusing on the division that we care the most about....the NL Central. As soon as we open the sports section our eyes go directly past the AL and head straight to the NL standings, in between the east and west. The Cubs Faithful care about the NL Central more than anything else; we care about the so-called worst division in baseball; the division that holds two of the top ten position players in the game in … [Read more...]

Almost fifteen years ago the Cubs GM had an easy decision to make, but for whatever the reason, he was unable to come through and Greg Maddux left for Atlanta. Two decades later, Larry Himes is still despised by many, but he may have some sage advice for Jim Hendry. Should the Cubs resign Carlos Zambrano or should they let him loose after the '07 season? Will Jim Hendry and the Cubs step up to the proverbial plate and resign this guy before the beginning of the 2008 season or will they let … [Read more...]

Game Ninety-Nine - Cubs 8 Mets 6 The Cubs were back in action at Shea on Tuesday night and continued to play some of their best baseball since the beginning of April. The Cubs looked horrible against the Nationals over the weekend. I was at the Friday game at RFK, it was a great game with a horrible outcome or horrible 8th inning. The Cubs lacked everything in that series, from bruised hands to sore hamstrings the Cubs looked like the Bad News Bears Part II....we all know the sequels are … [Read more...]

Game Eighty-Five - Cubs 0 Brewers 2 The Chicago Cubs were in Milwaukee on Thursday night for the start of a four game series that will conclude on Sunday. Maddux was on the mound against the magic man Chris Capuano. Against the Cubs Capuano performs his disappearing act and the Cubs runs disappear...like magic....or they never appear. One or the other Capuano is 3-0 against the Cubs this year and he has two complete game shutouts in his career....both against the Cubs....this year. Capuano … [Read more...]

Game Fifty-Nine - Cubs 1 Reds 7 The Cubs looked out of sync tonight and once you thought they have left one of the worst May's in club history, in May. Think again. The Cubs looked confused and impatient at the plate all night, The merry-go-round known as the Cubs pitching staff, put Glendon Rusch on the hill and he tumbled off or rolled off early in the game. Rusch lasted 3 1/3 threw 78 pitches, gave up 7 hits, 5 runs (all earned) 1 walk, struck out 5 and gave up 3 long balls. The Cubs … [Read more...]

Game Thirty-Six - Cubs 3 Padres 4 Greg Maddux was on the mound on Saturday looking to get the Cubs out of their horrific slide and to get his first win in the month of May. Maddog threw 73 pitches, 48 for strikes, struck out three and walked one in seven close to perfect innings of work. Maddux was on automatic and his pitch count by inning was amazing. 1st-9 (pitches), 2nd-7, 3rd-15, 4th-10, 5th-9, 6th-5, 7th-6 When you have a line like that, games should be won. With the rest of the … [Read more...]

Game Nineteen - Cubs 3 Marlins 1 It was 39 degrees at the start of the game on Tuesday night and the wind was howling in from center.....cold and the wind blowing in from center? A pitchers dream indeed. The veteran Dontrelle Willis against the rookie Sean Marshall. Marshall was making his 4th career start and his second at Wrigley. Willis has never lost in the month of April and came in with a perfect record at the Friendly Confines. Things are a changing....Willis lost tonight in April … [Read more...]

Cubs 3 Cardinals 2 It was a cold, cold day at Wrigley but the hearts of the Cubs Faithful were warmed by some solid pitching and some clutch hitting. Michael Barrett and Derek Lee received their silver slugger awards before the game, but after this one they should have traded them in for gold. The Cubs have a lot of fight this year, and they proved it again on Saturday. … [Read more...]