The Yankees made a record-breaking six-year, $140 million offer to free-agent starter CC Sabathia on Friday, according to multiple industry sources, the first part of their plan to overhaul their rotation. The Bombers have also readied offers for top free agents Derek Lowe and A.J. Burnett

More on MLB.com

Guess we won't have to worry about CC in the NL Central next year.  I don't think he will walk away from 40 million seeing how the Brewers reportedly offered him $100 million.  

I would have to say mine is DISGUST.  This goes way beyond disappointed, discouraged, or upset, this is truly disgusting.  In my opinion this is worse than 2003 and does not even come close to 2007.  '84 was disappointing, '03 was upsetting, '07 was discouraging, this is just disgusting.

Really, can you even imagine attending the Cubs Convention this year? For what, to hear about all the hope in 2009?  How they learned their lesson in the 2008 and 2007 playoffs? 

–verb (used with object)

Sounds like a good idea for a contest.  Name which company will step up and purchase the naming rights to what is now referred to as Wrigley Field.  Ok, I'll go first.  Looking at the larger local companies it seems to me a good match would be WALGREENS.  Headquartered in Deerfield (North Suburb) and with annual revenue of 55 billion they can definetly afford it.  They have stores in 48 states as well as Puerto Rico.

This is a company which is facing competition from CVS as well as others so it would seem to make sense to get their name exposed.

I don't think the name sounds so bad either, Walgreens Field.  

Any other predictions?  

Tried with no success to get two Cubs Convention tickets.  I would love to buy two and am willing to pay $25 over ticket price.  Please let me know if you have 2 to sell.  Thanks, I really appreciate it.  Would also consider trade of two regular season tickets, depending on the game of course.

davom (at) yahoo (dot) com

I entered with 3 e-mail addresses but have not received any notice, positive or negative.

Has anyone been notified yet, either way?

Those who are selected to be given the first opportunity to purchase tickets will be notified on Tuesday, March 13. The winners will then be allowed to purchase on Thursday, March 15, in a designated time period, up to six Dugout, Bullpen or Bleacher Box tickets for one game. Additional registered fans will be given the opportunity to purchase tickets as long as inventory remains available

I used to download different MLB.com podcasts from the iTunes software almost on a daily basis.  I can't seem to find them available anymore.  I have tried a search and there no longer seems to be any MLB.com podcasts avaialable.  

Please don't tell me MLB no longer allows this!

Anyone have any information on this?

Probably not worth starting a new diary but hey, it's a slow news day and who doesn't enjoy talkin' some Sammy Sosa?

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070115&content_id=1779599&vkey=hotstove 2006&fext=.jsp

Get your tickets now, March 21st vs the Cubs in Mesa.  Too bad the Cubs travel to Texas this year instead of them coming to Wrigley.  That would be very interesting to see the reaction from the Wrigley crowd.  

The Padres have decided to make Angels pitching coach Bud Black their new manager, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

As I mentioned in a preior diary, Baker's interview was a mere courtesy for whatever reason.  He will not manage again.  Why would you hire him after watching his teams play progressively worse?

The article linked below talks about how the White Sox will start 50 games at 7:11 PM in consideration for $500,000 from 7-11 corporation.

Kind of clever and not a bad way to take in $500,000 for moving games 6 minutes later.

I could only imagine the flak Tribco would have taken had they agreed to something like this.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-0610110236oct11,1,7200903.story?coll=chi-s portstop-hed

A few weeks ago the Trib printed my letter of disgust about the Cubs in their Saturday edition.  My latest letter did not make the print verion but is posted online...See letter below as well as e-mail from Trib...

Your letter to the editor is currently posted in the Voice of the people
section on ChicagoTribune.com.
> Here is the link: www.chicagotribune.com/letters.
> We now post additional letters in the online version of Voice of the people;
while there isn> '> t room in the print version of the Chicago Tribune to
publish these letters,    we are excited to be able to let many more voices,
including yours, > "> be heard> ">  online.
> Thanks for writing.
> Sincerely,
> Dodie Hofstetter
> Editor, Voice of the people
> Kristin Samuelson
> Chicago Tribune

Originally posted: September 6, 2006

No more excuses for Cubs fans

In May when the Cubs were a mere seven games below .500, Cubs brass would constantly remind us how the Houston Astros had a similar record the previous season and still managed to make the playoffs. This was their way of telling us to not give up and that the season was not lost.

Well, now it's our turn to point to another team as an example. Instead of bemoaning all of the rookie pitchers and injuries as an excuse to this horrible season, I will point to the Florida Marlins who have more rookie pitchers than the Cubs, a $15 million dollar payroll and they also had a worse record than the Cubs had in May, yet they are near the .500 mark and fighting for a playoff spot.

The 2006 Cubs are an absolute disgrace and it is the result of a complete failure from the club president down. Please don't insult Cubs fans with any more lame excuses