I have been watching the remaining playoff games, and I’m still pissed off that the Cubs aren’t playing.  Am I the only one?  I wouldn’t think so but who knows lol.

I started thinking forward to the 2008 season, and what we might see out of the Chicago Cubs. Manager Lou Piniella will be back for his second season that is for sure. Will the team resign Kerry Wood?  Wil Geovany Soto be the opening day catcher?  What do you do with Jacque Jones?  Will Cliff Floyd be back?

As far as the free agents on the Cubs roster, I would expect the team to sign Kerry Wood, Daryle Ward, and Cliff Floyd if he chooses to come back.  Also, Scott Eyre does have a players option and has stressed that he would love to stay with the Cubs.  Time will tell what they do with Eyre, but I would expect him to be in Cubbie Blue in 08 as well.

That leaves Steve Trachsel and Jason Kendell as the free agents that the team would let go.  Neither player has a future with the Cubs team I don’t feel.  Atleast I sure hope not.

Right now I think we can expect Geovany Soto to be the starting catcher, Aramis Ramirez at thirdbase, Ryan Theriot at shortstop (would love to upgrade), Mark DeRosa playing second base, Derrek Lee at first, Alfonso Soriano out in leftfield, Jacque Jones/Felix Pie in centerfield, and Matt Murton in rightfield.

Time will only tell what the Cubs will be able to do as far as signing free agents and trades this offseason.� With the team up for sale, and no owner in place as of right now, nothing to drastic is going to happen.� I’d love to pick up a right fielder and a shortstop, but I understand if nothing happens at those positions as well.

The Chicago Cubs have released a tenative 2008 baseball schedule on their website this morning.  The Cubs will open up against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on March 31st.  It will be only the second time in the past 12 years that the Cubbies will open up the season in Chicago.  They will also close out the season against the Brewers, which will be in Milwaukee.

The Cubs will play a home and home series with the Chicago White Sox, host the Baltimore Orioles, and travel to the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Devil Rays for interleague action.  Manager Lou Piniella who lives in Tampa will probably enjoy the trip back to Tampa when the Cubs face off against the Devil Rays.

Click this link for the full 2008 tentantive schedule!

AC006199 will be on the Eamus Catuli sign across from Wrigley in spring of 2008 when we all come back and watch the Cubs try to once again do the improbable and win the world series. Tonight the 165 game wild ride came to an end, concluding with the 3 most pathetic baseball games I have ever seen. Geovany Soto was the only player that tried the entire series. The Cubs hit into 4 DPs all in crucial spots. Soriano finished the series with 2 hits and neither him, Lee, Ramirez, Floyd, DeRosa, Jones or anyone not named Soto hit a home run in the 3 games. Livan Hernandez who has nothing all game got the win while Rich Hill got his first career playoff loss. Stephen Drew, Eric Byrnes, and Chris (I’ll always be the 2nd Chris Young) Young went deep. The D’Backs move on to be eliminated by the Rockies (likely a sweep) in the NLCS.

See you in 08

-Mike

Exactly what the Cubs did not want to happan has happened and they are returning to Chicago down 0-2 in the NLDS series.  Terrible starting pitching, and terrible hitting last night combined for a 8-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The Diamondbacks are now one win away from moving onto the NLCS.

Ted Lilly served up a fastball right down the middle to Chris Young and it was all downhill after that.� Lilly clearly didn’t have his stuff last night, and it showed when he shook off Geovany Soto’s curveball call to throw a fastball.  Young smoked the ball into the left-center bleachers to give the D-backs the 3-2 lead.

People are saying Lilly did not act as a professional when he threw his glove down on the mound after serving up Young’s homerun, and I agree it looked terrible.  Keep your emotions together man, we are going to need you in Game 5.

As far as the hitting goes, can the team please stop swinging and crappy curve balls that are bouncing at the plate?  Sit on fastball / slider and hit the hell out of it.  If you see a slow curveball coming, let it go.  If you swing, you are going to either drive it into the ground or miss.  More times then not, the hitters missed last night.

Aramis Ramirez is still hitless in the series, Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano and striking out like crazy.  The Cubs can’t score when they do get runners into scoring position.  Stop trying to hit a 400 foot homerun every damn time when a runner is on and try to atleast move them over if you have less than two outs.  Pitchers need to get their bunts down and help out as well.

So where do the Cubs go from here?  Well Rich Hill needs to come out and have a good game against Livan Hernandez on Saturday.  Hernandez is going to get up there throwing more junk and the hitters need to learn to lay off that crap and hammer the fastball.  I feel if the Cubs can win on Saturday which I think they will, they will also win on Sunday with Big Carlos Zambrano against Micah Owings.  That puts back in Arizona with a Brandon Webb and Ted Lilly matchup.  Yes, Ted Lilly will be back in the snakepit where he just got rocked.

I’m keeping my faith.  I truely feel we will win the next two games and get back to Arizona.  What do you all feel?

Carlos Zambrano was dealing and was on fire last night in Arizona but the coaching staff felt it was time to pull him after only 80 pitches and it cost them the first game in the NLDS against the Diamondbacks.  Zambrano is planned to come back and pitch game 4 if there is one and that was the reason why he was taken out so early in game 1.  You have got to win game 1, and Zambrano was wheeling and dealing so you leave him in there a little bit long I think.

Once Zambrano exited, Carlos Marmol came in and gave up a two-run homer on a fastball.  You could tell that Marmol was anxious out there and he grooved a fastball right down the middle and Mark Reynolds made him pay.  You have to feel that Marmol is throwing his slider to often, and last night was over throwing it.  Once the hitters noticed, they could sit fastball and that is what Reynolds did.

The pitching was good last night however, what pisses me off is the offense.  Sure the Cubs went up against Brandon Webb, so getting 3-4 runs is going to be hard, but Webb was off last night.  He walked a few batters and the Cubs just couldn’t get a big hit when they needed too.  Swinging at first pitches will not get the job done like Ryan Theriot did.

The sun is coming up in Arizona right now, and lets hope the Cubs wake up tonight and game one was just a fluke.  If we can win tonights games, I really like our chances back at Wrigley Field.  GO CUBS GO!

Well here we are in October and the Cubs still have games to play! Let’s preview the NLDS between the Cubs and Diamondbacks…

Batting:

Advantage: CUBS

The Cubs undoubtedly have the stronger lineup. With the likes of Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Floyd in the lineup, there should be no shortage of power. That foursome ended the regular season hot as well.

Starting Pitching:

Advantage: TIE

I gotta say that it’s pretty even. The combination of Zambrano, Lilly, and Hill probably equal Brandon Webb, Doug Davis, and Livan Hernandez. Game 1 will be a key game, obviously.

Bullpen:

Advantage: D’BACKS

Brandon Lyon and Jose Valverde are tough to beat. Carlos Marmol, Bob Howry, and and Ryan Dempster have that potential. Can they reach it?

Bench:

Advantage: D’BACKS

Tony Clark is an outstanding pinch hitter. Daryle Ward who has been battling a finger injury is the Cubs best weapon.

Experience:

Advantage: CUBS

Most of the roster has post season experience for the Cubs while the young D’Backs with Chris Young, Stephen Drew, and Justin Upton could realize how different the post season is.

My pick: CUBS in 5

I see the two teams splitting the first 4 games with the D’Backs lack of experience and the Cubs superior lineup showing in a game 5 Cubs win.

Here are you’re other Divison Series matchups:

NLDS: Rockies at Phillies
ALDS: Yankees at Indians and Angels at Red Sox

-Mike

per MLB.com

All games on TBS except Game 4

Game 1 - Wednesday October 3rd - CUBS @ D’Backs - 9:00 PM CT
Game 2 - Thursday October 4th - CUBS @ D’Backs - 9:00 PM CT
Game 3 - Saturday, October 6th - D’Backs @ CUBS - 5:00 PM CT
Game 4 (If nec) - Sunday October 7th - D’Backs @ CUBS NOON CT (TNT)
Game 5 (If nec) - Tuesday October 9th - CUBS @ D’Backs 9:00 PM CT

GO CUBS

-Mike