Another weekend were I was so busy I could hardly watch any Cubs baseball and of course didn’t get the blog updated.  However, it was a good weekend for the Cubs as they took two out of three games in Toronto against the Blue Jays.  Exactly what we had hoped for before the series had started.

The Cubs are now 45-25 and 3.5 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the division.  They will play an exhibition game in the final Hall of Fame game Monday afternoon.  Word is that the Cubs will mostly be using minor league players for most of the game.

We should have a short update about the hall of game game today, and then get back into things full force during the Rays series that starts off Tuesday night.

The Chicago Cubs trimmed their spring training roster down by three spots on Thursday.  Sean Gallagher and Jose Ascanio were sent to Triple-A Iowa while Josh Kroeger was re-assigned to the teams minor league camp.

Gallagher is a guy that will probably be called up at some point in the season.  That is if he isn’t traded before hand.  Gallagher is a key player in any trade that happens for Brian Roberts of the Orioles so who knows if he will make another pitcher for the big league Cubs.

The spring roster now has 38 players, and includes 19 pitchers, three catchers, 10 infielders and six outfielders.

I have some extra copies of MLB 08 The Show for Playstation 3 that were sent to me along with a pair of Cubs Tickets that I plan on giving away here on CCB.  I’m wondering what type of contests you would like to see and take part in?

Would you like 2 seperate contests for each prize, or 1 contest with one person getting the first choice, and runner up getting the second prize?

Let me know what you think, and lets try to get this thing going later this week or the beginning of next week! Spread the word for a free copy of MLB 08 the Show or a pair of Cubs Tickets in the bleachers!

The Chicago Cubs are going to play Kosuke Fukudome in center field for a couple of games during spring training.  The plan is to get his feet wet just incase he is needed during the season at the position.  Fukudme is still planned to be the everyday right fielder for the Cubs so don’t put much into this right now.

The only way I see Fukudome moving to center field is if Felix Pie starts off very slow or gets injured.  Pie needs to play everyday and hopefully that is what the Cubs will do.  Fukudome would rather play right field as well so this is pretty much just an insurance deal.

If you listen to Friday’s Cubs game, don’t be suprised when you hear Ryan Theriot batting in the lead off spot, Alfonso Soriano batting second, and Kosuke Fukudome batting in the fifth spot.  That is Piniella’s new genious idea out of Cubs Spring Training.

Ok, I do agree that it would be wise to give Soriano a little bit of rest and not expect him to steal 20 bases out of the leadoff spot etc.  But to put Theriot in the #1 spot is just plain stupid if you ask me.  I still think Fukudome is more of #2 hitter as well.

If the Cubs ever get the trade worked out for Brian Roberts, I could see Roberts batting #1 followed by Fukudome, and then Soriano in the #5 spot.  I think that would be a good lineup, but that won’t happen unless the trade for Roberts happens.

What do you all think? Is Lou being crazy or do you think this would be a good idea?

The Chicago Cubs made a round of roster cuts today to get their spring training roster down to 50.  The two most notable players to be send down were Tyler Colvin and Billy Petrick. Petrick was sent to Triple A Iowa, while Colvin was sent to minor league camp.

Other players sent to the minor league camp included Esmailin Caridad, Jose Ceda, Geoff Jones, Andres Torres, Bobby Scales, Wellington Castillo, and Josh Donaldson.

With the moves, the Cubs’ spring roster now is 50, and consists of 26 pitchers, four catchers, 12 infielders and eight outfielders. 

Talks are getting very serious again between the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles as the two teams try to work out a deal for Brian Roberts and possibly Jay Payton.

Roberts and Payton would be sent to Chicago for a package deal of Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno and Matt Murton possibly.  I’d rather keep Marshall or Gallagher and throw in Jason Marquis into the deal but I don’t know if they Orioles would want to take on his contract.

Payton would be that right handed hitting outfielder that can play multiple positions that Cubs have been looking for, and they could finally land Roberts as well.  What do you think Cubs fans? Do you think this deal will get done?

The Chicago Cubs lost their first game in Cactus League action on Friday as the San Francisco Giants used some late inning runs to get by the Cubs 8-6.  It was a split squad team for the Giants as well so they didn’t have all of their regulars.

Carlos Zambrano pitched two innings for the Cubs.  He gave up one run, two hits, and struckout two batters in his two innings of work. � Big Z did have some trouble fielding a bunt and received and error on the play as well.  Nothing to worry about with Zambrano.  We all know he will be ready for opening day.

As far as the Cubs hitters, Kosuke Fukudome continies to get on base and draw walks.  He drew another two walks and scored two runs on Friday.

What hurt the Cubs in the game was Les Walrond giving up a grand slam to Ryan Rohlinger in the 8th inning.  That pretty much sealed the deal for the Giants.

We will try to have an update this weekend on how the Cubs do, but it could be on Monday as we have a lot of things happening this weekend.  Either way, GO CUBS!

The Chicago Cubs are 1-0 in Cactus League play as they defeated the San Francisco Giants 12-6.  The Cubs got off to a fast start as they jumped out to a 8-0 lead after only three innings of play.

Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot both had good days hitting the ball.  Fontenot hit a pitchit three run homer and Theriot reached base three times and scored all three times. � Felix Pie also had a pretty good game as he hit a home run and also took a walk in the game.

Kosuke Fukudome was hit by a pitch in his first at bat and then later singled and drew a walk to reach base all three times.

The Cubs face a split squad of Giants again on Friday, this time at Mesa’s HoHoKam Park. Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano will oppose Giants left-hander Jonathan Sanchez.

First off, SCREW YOU SAM ZELL!  Ok, so you want to make another 20 million off your sale of the Cubs by selling the naming rights to Wrigley Field. Way to mess with tradition and history of the Chicago Cubs.  The Cubs are meant to play at Wrigley Field, not some stadium named after a bank or insurance company.  Zell, you damn greedy old man!

All us Cubs fans can hope is that Zell will sell the naming rights to someone that plans on keep the name Wrigley Field and then making off the deal in some other way. � Too bad all us Cubs fans couldn’t donate so much money for Zell’s greedy ass and make sure the naming rights were always Wrigley Field….