The Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres will be playing in the 2008 Hall Of Fame game on June 16th in Cooperstown, NY.  This years game will also be the last Hall of Game, which is an exhibition game in the middle of the season.  If agree with the decision of not having it after this year, I don’t see the point in playing an exhibition game during the middle of the season.

The game will begin at 2 p.m. ET, with pregame festivities starting at noon with the Hall of Fame Game Day Parade on Main Street and a Home Run Derby at Doubleday Field.  Ticket prices are $12.50 for first- and third-base seats and $11 for outfield seats. Tickets will be available for purchase just one of two ways for the final Hall of Fame Game, in-person during a one-day sale on March 8, or for members by phone beginning March 8.

Michael Wuertz and the Chicago Cubs avoided salary arbitration on Monday as they both agreed on a new one year contract.  Wuertz was hoping for $900,00+ and he settled for $860,000 from the Cubs for the 2008 season.

Pretty good deal for both parties involved I think.  Wuertz is a good innings eater out of the bullpen.  Hopefully he will have a little better control in 08 however, and puts away batters instead of wasting so many pitches and end up walking them.

Cubs Transactions

The 2008 Cubs Convention was held this past weekend at the Chicago Hilton.  There were trade rumors, batting order announcements, the rumors about the Cubs being sold, and much much more throughout the weekend so I’ll try to give you all a little cliffnotes version.

First off about the trade rumor, it was one that has been talked about before involving Marlon Byrd of the Texas Rangers.  Jim Hendry would like to get him if possible and platoon him with Felix Pie in centerfield.  I’d rather just let Pie bat against lefties and righties if he is going to be the everyday centerfielder of the future.

Onto the batting order that Lou Piniella came out and said he would us if opening day were today.  Alot of people won’t agree batting batting Ryan Theriot in the second spot as they would rather see Mark Derosa there.  Flip flop DeRosa and Theriot in the lineup and I don’t think it would be that bad of a lineup to be honeset.

1.  Soriano
2.  Theriot
3.  Lee
4.  Ramirez
5.  Kosuke
6.  DeRosa
7.  Soto
8.  Pie
9.  Pitcher

It appears that the Cubs more then likely won’t be sold for quite a while.  The owners would like to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field to squeeze out more money in the deal, and then sell the team as a seperate deal.  One thing I do like is the fact whoever buys the team will have to keep them at Wrigley Field for a certain amount of years.  Right now they are saying 10 years but that could be more around 20 years when the sale goes final.

One interesting comment was made by Carlos Zambrano when he said he would let Ted Lilly pitch opening day.  Zambrano hasn’t won on opening day, and would rather let Lilly try.  Lilly says he is up for it if given the opportunity.  Zambrano didn’t come out and say much more then that which was a good thing lol.

Cubs Blog

I first have to ask why Jim Hendry signed Shingo Takatsu today?  Is he coming to the Cubs to help out Fukudome adjust to the Major Leagues?  Could he possibly help out the Cubs bullpen?  I wouldn’t think he would actually do much help out of the bullpen for the Cubs to be honest.

Enjoy the minor leagues or heading back to Japan Shingo!  I don’t think you will last very long.  And Hendry, why the hell are you spending resources on a signing like this?  Complete a trade that we have been hearing about for the past 6 weeks!

If you are on the Cubs Season Ticket waiting list, you would have received a e-mail this morning giving you a URL to purchase tickets for a 9 game plan.  You had to pick and choose the games, and only one White sox, and two Cardinals games were on the list.  Sucked that you were only able to pick one of those three however.  So check your email, if you want to get some good White Sox or Cardinals tickets.  Lots of Brewers games are available as well.

A former Cub is coming back to Chicago to pitch for the Cubs once again.  Jon Lieber has been signed to a one year contract for a salary of 3.5 million.  With incentives, the deal could be near the 7-8 million range.

Good signing if Lieber has anything left in the tank in my opinion.  I’d rather give Lieber the ball in the starting rotation then Ryan Dempster.

What do you all think? Good signing?

The 2008 Cubs Convention is set to kick off Friday evening with opening ceramonies at 5 P.M.  The roster looks pretty good for current and former Cubs players and coaches.  I really wish I would have been able to attend, but I had to sell my 4 convention tickets and stay at home  Any other Cubs fans going that read the blog?

Current Cubs such as Ryan Dempster, Mark DeRosa, Scott Eyre, Mike Fontenot, Sean Gallagher, Kevin Hart, Rich Hill, Bob Howry, Derrek Lee, Ted Lilly, Sean Marshall, Matt Murton, Felix Pie, Carmen Pignatiello, Jeff Samardzija, Alfonso Soriano, Geovany Soto, Carlos Zambrano, and Ryan Theriot also are scheduled to attend.

The former players are Glenn Beckert, Bill Buckner, Jose Cardenal, Fergie Jenkins, Dave Kingman, Bill Madlock, Andy Pafko, Dwight Smith, Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Trout and Billy Williams. Ex-Cubs Andre Dawson and Lee Smith, recent candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot, also are scheduled to take part in the three-day FanFest as well.

Thanks to Cubs.Com for the players list.

The Cubs signed relief pitcher Chad Fox to a one-year minor league contract today, along with an invitation to spring training. Fox appeared in 11 games for the Cubs in 2005, and hasn’t pitched in the majors since. He has a career record of 10-11 and an ERA of 3.57.

Cubs Official Press Release

Mike

General manager Jim Hendry has traded Angel Pagan to the New York Mets for outfielder Corey Coles and RHP Ryan Meyers.  Reports are saying that Coles and Meyers will be career minor leaguers but it is so hard to tell the way players move up and down these days.

I do think sending Pagan to the Mets is clearly just a way to clear up a spot on the 40 man roster.  It will also make Sam Fuld making the team as a 5th outfielder a lot better.

The Chicago Cubs announced on Thursday that they will be adding 70 more box seats down the third base line and adding more digital signs inside the stadium as well.  That means a lot more money coming into the team via tickets sold and advertising.

When the new drainage system and sod were put down during the off season and removed the crown, it made room for new seats on the third base side.  The 70 new seats will be called Bullpen Box Seats. I’d expect them to be sold around the same price as the first base dugout box seats if not a little bit cheaper.

Cubs Blog