With baseball’s off-season kicking into gear and free agency beginning late Monday (11:01pm CST), eight players that helped the Cubs win The World Series have officially become free agents. The MLBPA announced late Saturday that Dexter Fowler filed and is now a free agent. Fowler declined his part of the mutual option for next season. The Cubs will pay Fowler the $5 million buyout on his contract. The Cubs will end up paying $13 million to Fowler for this past season. Fowler was expected … [Read more...]
Billy Williams to Throw Out First Pitch Prior to Game 3 of The World Series
Billy Williams to make ceremonial first pitch … Bill Murray to Sing the Stretch The Cubs announced Sweet Swingin’ Billy Williams will throw out the first pitch prior to Game 3 of The World Series. Mr. Williams is one of the greatest players in Cubs history and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Billy Williams’ No. 26 flies proudly at Wrigley Field as one of the six numbers retired by the Chicago Cubs. Bill Murray will lead the crowd in singing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ for … [Read more...]
Next Year Day
The corner of Clark and Addison was the scene of the 100th Annual 'Next Year Day' party on Saturday night. Rick Telander from the Chicago Sun-Times and Brad Zibung of The Heckler hosted the event at the Cubby Bear and hundreds upon hundreds of Cubs fans turned out to celebrate the start of the baseball season. At the stroke of midnight, Steve Goodman's family joined Rick Telander's band, the Del-Crustaceans, and led the crowd in singing 'Go Cubs Go.' The balloons dropped as Telandar said, "It's … [Read more...]
Ramblings Convention Weekend
Life can change; direction can change; responsibilities can change, and when those things happen, certain things get lost. My changes have taken me away from two of my favorite things over the past month, the Cubs and writing about them. However, there is nothing like a fan convention to snap one back into shape, even if only for 48 hours. So without further ado, here are my thoughts from the 23rd Annual Cubs Convention.... … [Read more...]