SB Nation User Blog: JohnM

Rainout Refunds 8/16 and 10/1 Has anyone received their refund from the 8/16 game? Mostly...

JohnM — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:26:39 -0000

Rainout Refunds 8/16 and 10/1

Has anyone received their refund from the 8/16 game? Mostly interested in hearing from non season ticket holders who sent in their tickets and asked for a check refund.

Your comments may also help inform those who are applying for a refund for last night's game. (No official info on procedures posted yet on cubs.com).

Rosenthal: Furcal to sign with Braves

JohnM — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:43:09 -0000

Rafael Furcal, according to Ken Rosenthal, will sign with the Braves today. Why does this deserve a FanPost? I’m not sure that it does, but it could have tangential influence on the Cubs’ offseason. The Cubs were not going after him, but they do have a standing order out there for a leadoff hitter, and a lefty/switch hitter. Many of us have also been wishcasting that the team would go after a “proper” shortstop, given the fact that one of Lou’s three second baseman plays there now. Guess that fantasy won’t materialize.

This could also help accelerate movement in the free agent market, given another big name will have signed. It looks like the Braves probably matched the A’s four-year, $40 million offer (although the last year may be an option year based on incentives).

Will the OF Market Get Started Already?

JohnM — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:36:11 -0000

Is it strange that the Winter Meetings are just about done and none of the various FA OFs that have been discussed (Abreu, Bradley, Dunn, Ibanez) have been signed yet?

And none of the potential trade targets (Hermida, Teahen, DeJesus, etc) have been dealt?

Maybe I wouldn't find it strange if it weren't for the fact the following teams have been reported as being interested in one or more of these players in the last few days:

Cubs, Mets, Phillies, Mariners, Angels, Braves, Nationals, Rays, Dodgers, Royals, Reds

I would have thought that one of them would have made a move by now, but they all seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Or, maybe the FAs are holding firm, playing teams against each other? Any bets that at least one of the Big 4 OF FAs gets signed today?

EDIT: Ibanez reportedly signed with the Phillies Friday morning for 3 years $30M (link)

OT: A Curious Form of Baseball

JohnM — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:22:06 -0000

OT: A Curious Form of Baseball

For those who enjoy baseball history, here is a new article on a mutant strain of baseball that is played in only three cities in England and Wales. It’s not baseball as we know it, but they have called it baseball since the late 19th century, possibly cashing in on the notoriety of visiting tours by American teams like the White Stockings in the 1870s and 1890s, but also harking back to much older terminology (references to "base ball" have been found in published sources in England as far back as the mid-1600s).

Also for those who enjoy curious modern anomalies. It’s kind of like the "Gulla" dialect surviving on those islands off the coast of South Carolina…

Playoff Ticket Draw: No VWR

JohnM — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:11:19 -0000

Cubs.com has the scoop on playoff tickets for the first two rounds. In order to be fair, they are having a drawing with everyone's name and address registered online. Presumably, proof of address will be needed to collect the tickets, eliminating spoofers and scalpers.

This is not good news for me. I was pretty good at working the Virtual Waiting Room last year and scored four (useless) tickets to the (non-existent) NLCS at Wrigley Field. Oh, that's the other thing. Fans will be limited to TWO tickets each in the drawing.

see cubs.com for more details

Pat Hughes Calls Daryle Ward's Home Run

JohnM — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:59:42 -0000

Pat Hughes Calls Daryle Ward's Home Run

By popular demand - an astonished Pat Hughes calls the game winning home run by Daryle Ward in the ninth inning of the Cubs game against the Marlins on August 15th, on WGN 720.

Trade Deadline is Tomorrow

JohnM — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:28:03 -0000

Do you expect the team to stand pat? Do you want them to make a certain move?

The Cubs have really been pretty quiet on the trade front all month, but I can’t believe that Hendry isn’t in full Trader Jim mode.

via farm2.static.flickr.com

This is the year, everyone keeps saying. Zell wants to sell when the team is at its most successful, so there isn’t going to be a payroll roadblock. And although Piniella won’t be drawn on specifics, other than to hint that they’re not looking for bullpen help, he said last night that "if you can improve the team, why not?"

The Tribune this morning talks more about who could be dealt away from the Cubs than who their target might be.

The Sun-Times thinks they could or should be targeting Raul Ibanez, speculating that Jedmonds is out of gas.

The Herald says all they need is a lefty bat off the bench. Funny –all the talk last week was about the Cubs needing a right handed bat off the bench….

In my opinion, I think they should focus on getting the best hitter available, and find a place for him in the line-up or off the bench. The pitching remains deep, with a variety of spare parts available for trade.

Soriano's Return

JohnM — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:03:45 -0000

Soriano's Return

I wrote a lengthy FanPost accompanying this, but the online editor ate it. So I'm just gonna post this quick link here about Soriano saying he may play rookie ball when the Cubs are in Arizona next week.

Rotation Optimization

JohnM — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:53:55 -0000

Lou says with the three Mondays off in a row, he "may" juggle the rotation to give the team’s best starters more starts, and he names Z, Dempster and Lilly as ones he’d like to get 7 starts each by the All-Star break. Z may go this Thursday instead of Gallagher, to get the thing started. I actually see Z and Lilly getting seven and Dempster getting six, with the #4 also getting six and the #5 getting five starts. Unless I’m missing a chance to juggle somewhere?

It also looks like Z might be pitching the last game before the break, which could impact any chance he might have to appear in the ASG. Again, please suggest any adds/drops/changes to this rota:

10-June Lilly

11-June Dempster

12-June Zambrano

13-June #4

14-June #5

15-June Lilly

16-June OFF DAY

17-June Zambrano

18-June Dempster

19-June #4

20-June Lilly

21-June #5

22-June Zambrano

23-June OFF DAY

24-June Dempster

25-June Lilly

26-June #4

27-June #5

28-June Zambrano

29-June Dempster

30-June Lilly

1-July #4

2-July #5

3-July Zambrano

4-July Dempster

5-July Lilly

6-July #4

7-July OFF DAY

8-July Zambrano

9-July Dempster

10-July Lilly

11-July #4

12-July #5

13-July Zambrano

Rocking the clubhouse in '03? Or shilling for Gibson guitars? Either way, I always liked...

JohnM — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:45:28 -0000

Rocking the clubhouse in '03? Or shilling for Gibson guitars? Either way, I always liked this picture.