Starting pitchers never get to have any fun. They toil through 6 or hopefully more innings to get a "quality start" but nobody ever gives them any theme music except for the national anthem. But we have a new phenomenon in the 8th inning who has been denied a musical tribute for the length of his career. If you could choose a theme song for Carlos Zambrano to stroll to the mound for his relief appearances, what would it be? 

Dating myself here, I would pick "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass because it has that cool bullfight deguello at the beginning. Or maybe one of the title tunes from one of Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns. Hang 'Em High? A Fistful Of Dollars? For A Few Dollars More?

What would you suggest? 

I was reading Al's signature line the other day and got to thinking about Yogi Berra. He is one of the most loved figures in the national pastime.  Loved, but not revered like Ruth, Mays, DiMaggio, Aaron or Williams are-why is that exactly?

It certainly isn't because his on-field exploits aren't substantial. Leaving aside a cup of coffee he had with the Yankees in 1946, he is simply the greatest winner in the history of our game. From 1947 to 1964 he either played for or managed the Yankees in 14 out of 17 World Series while winning ten. He has one for both thumbs!!! He has 3 Most Valuable Player awards-matching Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Mickey Mantle and Mike Schmidt-forget Baroid. In World Series play he ranks first in hits, doubles and at bats; second in runs and rbi; and third in home runs and bases on balls. He even managed that 1973 Mets team with just 82 wins into the World Series.

And I don't think it's because of his gift of reshaping the English language with malapropisms. You all know a lot of them-they are even published in book form somewhere.

And I also don't think it's the delightfully goofy commercials he's been cast in. I will admit, however, that the Aflac commercial where he renders the duck speechless might be the best ad in the last 20 years.

I subscribe to what I'll call the "Video Theory". Think of all the video replays that you see which feature Yogi Berra:

1) Jackie Robinson steals home in the 1955 World Series; Berra argues the call vehemently.

2) Yogi Berra hits the ball that could tie the 7th game of the 1955 World Series; Sandy Amoros comes from out of nowhere to catch the ball in the left field corner and start a double play.

3) Don Larsen strikes out Dale Mitchell to finish his perfect game in the 1956 World Series; Yogi runs to the mound and jumps into Larsen's arms which is kind of bass-ackwards.

4) Bill Mazeroski hits the home run to win the 1960 World Series; Yogi is the one peeling away from the left field wall.

5) Roger Maris hits his 61st home run in 1961; there to greet him at the plate and shake his hand is Yogi-remember Mantle was injured.

There just aren't any highlights in heavy rotation where Yogi is hitting the home run or getting the big hit to win the game. He always seems to be on the periphery of the huge moment but not the cause of the action. That's what I think, anyway.

Thoughts? Discuss.

My attempts at prognostication are usually foolhardy. However, since this will not cost me money; (unless a kangaroo court exists on the site) here is what I think will happen for next season roster-wise.

Position Players:

Lee; DeRosa; Theriot; Ramirez; Soto; Soriano; Reed Johnson; Fukodome; Cedeno; Fontenot; Blanco; Pie; and THE HOLE.

Pitchers:

Dempster; Zambrano; Harden; Lilly; Randy Johnson; Marshall; Gaudin; Guzman; Samardzija; Cotts; Gregg; and Marmol.

I still can't figure out how to fill THE HOLE.

Abreu/Huff/Ibanez/Teahen/Hermida/Dunn...let's face it-they all come with problems. Some are financial; some would need proper trade pieces; and all have defensive liabilities to play a tough right field. What did Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko say in "Wall Street"; "Pick the dog with the least fleas." Salary constraints probably won't allow it but I would pick Abreu.  

I like the signing of the Big Unit because I believe he's a Type B free agent which only would give the Snakes a sandwich pick. Plus a one year deal would give the Cubs more flexibility in 2010.

Wild Cards:

Blanco could take a multi-year deal elsewhere.

Peavy comes to the Cubs as a complete giveaway; he states that he will only come here while the Moores divorce just gets uglier. Payroll still a problem.

Kerry Wood comes back to the Cubs. I agree with what some of you have written on other threads that this has a better than average chance of happening. No matter how much sweet talk he gets from Nolan Ryan I just feel in my gut that he wants to return. If it happens then I guess Gregg would fall to the Howry role. And one of the pitchers above would be out.

All of this would be so much easier if Pie and Fukodome played to potential. I keep wondering if they just let Pie play every day that he would finally come around and have a Jerome Walton 1989 season. Doesn't hurt to dream.

So there you have it. Flaming arrows are now being accepted. Loose!

First post from a new member-been watching the Cubs since 1966. So I ask you-what's the funniest play you've seen in a Cubs game? You can go many directions with this....Roberto Clemente creams a shot to the right field warning track in old Forbes Field; Adolfo Phillips races over to make a circus catch but forgets to open his glove whereupon the ball pops up into the air long enough for Lou Johnson in right to run over and catch it. You might say, "That's funny, I've never seen an 8-9 putout before!" Or you could go for Leon Durham stealing home against RIGHTHANDED pitcher Joaquin Andujar. And you would exclaim, "That's hilarious-One Tough Dominican has just sealed his reputation as an all-time cement-head.

But my personal favorite is this one: Kirk Gibson had a cup of coffee with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 90's. In a game at Wrigley he's on first base. He takes off for second and his helmet flies off about 15 feet down the basepath. (Note: this happened to him a lot; but he still ranks only third in lost caps/helmets all time behind Willie Mays and the pre-knuckleball/end of the Great Yankee Dynasty Jim Bouton) Ryne Sandberg hustles over to cover second on the steal attempt, but the batter trying to protect hits a grounder between first and second. Gibson doesn't even look back as he's steaming around second headed to third. Fate, however lends the Cubs a hand as the grounder ricochets off Gibson's helmet straight to a waiting Sandberg. Sandberg throws the ball to the third baseman (was it Steve Buchele?) who is standing there waiting for Gibson, who hasn't even started his slide.

Now we've all seen live or on tape Gibson's adrenalin-jacked screaming face after he waxed Goose Gossage's fastball deep into the Detroit night in the 1984 World  Series. And we've all seen his similar face (though slightly more bemused) after his one-legged homerun off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 Series. But I'm telling you the look on his face after this play was better than either of the first two. It was a sort of combination of "what the #%$@" along with "how did the right fielder get the ball in that quickly" and "am I awake?" Priceless.

Anyway, glad to be here. We'll be chatting with you all soon.