The 16 inning Affair

Holy Cow, what a game. I sat the entire 4 and half hour game in total shock. Nobody could cross in a run, and it was amazing. With the trade rumors coming about Wellemeyer, I am not sure I would like to see him go. All he does is just get people out. The Kid has no fear. The Cubs now go into the ruber game with a 2 game lead and they look to improve that to 3 tomorrow as Wood goes for #50 in his career.

It was great to see Sammy get his game winning RBI, but he still needs to work on the timing.

Sosa Returns, but the Bats Fly Away

It seems about once a week the Cubs just throw it in and get hammered, but it has happened two times this week now. Wade Miller threw a gem and was in total control. Estes went back to the old ways and the Cubs scored only one run.

Trade Rumors are a flying. Reports out of Florida say that the Cubs are looking into Mike Lowell a little more now. The deal would involve Bobby Hill and a pitcher. It seems like Florida would like Cruz, but we shall see.

Wathcing a great game right now between the Cubs and Astros. Choi just made a great grab that saved the game.
Lets see if the Cubs can push accross some runs.

The Sammy Watch continues. It looks like Sammy should have taken a rehab start because he is not even close to hitting.

The Memorial Day Report(A Few Days Late)

I was going to do this on Memorial Day, but I have class (Media Law Yawn...) and I now getting to it.

The first milestone in the year is Memorial Day. Now you cannot win the race by Memorial Day, but you can lose it. So, where does that leave the Cubs? Let's look at the numbers first.

At this point last year the Cubs were 20-31. That is a great improvement. The Cubs stand at 29-23. Thanks to Jeff Fassero the Cubs are up 2 games on the Cards and Astros.
If you told me the Cubs were in first with Sosa missing three weeks, I would take it. That still does not change the fact that nobody in the Central has played good baseball.

The Cubs have some holes that must be taken care of by the next big landmark of the All-Star Break.

1. Sosa must be heathly and hitting. The Cubs just do not have enough batting to make it without his power.

2. Clement has to find some of last year's form. He has been really bad over the last month and is not showing signs of breaking out. It looked like Estes was the weak link early, but now it is Estes. The Bottom part of the rotation now has 10 wins. Last year Lieber, Prior and Bere combined for 13 wins. Zambrano had 4 wins, so lets call it 17 wins.

3. Something has to give at 3B. I know I have been writing a lot about the hot corner(or cold corner in the Cubs case), but Lenny "I should never Start" Harris and Mark "insert your favorite nickname" Bellhorn have hit nothing in sight. I will scream from the mountain top until someone stops Lenny Harris from starting. I would not let him start for my coed slow pitch softball team. That is a little harsh, but you get the picture.

4. Can Corey keep up. Patterson has been the biggest help this season. He has been an RBI machine and is starting to live up to some of that promise. Even if he tails off a little, he could still have a monster year. He leads the Cubs in five offensive stats, runs, HR, RBI, SB and average.

5. Can Mark Grudzielanek keep it up. Nobody saw this coming. I was glad to see Todd Hundley gone, but Mark has been more than the Cubs could ever dream of. He is career .283 hitter, but his OBP this year is at .357 which is well above his career averages.

6. The catching core has to continue to produce. Miller and Bako have 28 RBI's this season. Last year the Cubs got 53 total. Thier main job is to handle the staff, but a little hitting never hurt.

7. Will the pitch count come back and hurt the starters. I have seen the both sides of the argument and right now I believe no. If they the staff is handled well and they are feeling good it should not matter. Now that does not mean that Dusty has not made some mistakes. There are a few times this season where he left starters out there a little too long and it cost the Cubs.

8. Will the Cubs make a big move to stay in first? I would have to say yes. There is no way the Cubs can let this start go to waste. With all the minor league prospects something has to give. Now if it is Mike Lowell or someone else I do not know, but the Cubs will not have the same rosters by the end of the season.

We will leave it at 8 things right now. I have to study for my final and I need to hit the sack, but a big series this weekend. Estes, Zambrano and Wood take to the mound. The Cubs could really use two of three. Oswalt comes off the DL Saturday, so it should be interesting.

The Cubs Escape with a Win

Not a pretty game, but thanks to the Ump the Cubs win today.

Miller and Alex homered and that was the only highlight of the game. Prior was not sharp, but he did the job.

Walk, Walk, Walk, Walk,


Now that was an ugly game. Nothing much to say, other than the Cubs must make some moves. Goodwin, and Harris both starting is getting me sick. Everyday I see that it just makes me want to run. I know Bellhorn has struggled, but there has to be something better. At least on Friday we get Sammy back, but lets hope he is not too rusty. With Corey playing really well, it could really protect Sosa in the lineup.

Sorry I have not posted in the last few days, but I needed a break from school, so I went to the beach. I am back in full force now.

Please Jim make a move, for the love of all things holy. Lenny Harris should not be starting in the majors.

The Marlin Lottery!

I thought I would introduce the Marlin Lottery. It is a spin-off of the Lebron Lottery, but in this game the winners get a chance at the playoffs this year. Here is how you play. First you pick an order of who you think will go from the Marlins. Then you pick the team you think the player will go to. Finally you say when the deal will happen. It could be next week two weeks and so on forth. You will be awarded points on correct order of trade and every aspect of the contest. The contest will run until I end it or when the Marlins trade 4 players. So be thinking and get your picks in. The winner will get to post their thoughts on this site and I will post their name in bold. I know these prizes are great, but I am a poor colege student.

Here is an example:
1. Derrick Lee May 30th-Braves
2. Mike Lowell June 3rd-Cubs
You get a point for picking a player that is traded. 3 points for the Correct team. 5 points for the correct day. 1 point for the correct week. Submit up to 4 players. If you select all 4 players correct that is 10 bonus points. If all teams are correct that is 15 points. If you select the order they are traded then that is 10 points. If players are traded at the same time, then that counts as correct order. You have until the end next week or until the first trade goes through. I will post my list, but I am not in the contest. So let's have some fun and try to win the Marlin Lottery.

Goodwin Homers, What Cubs Win!

It is very nice to see the Cubs back to the wins, but a very tough battle will happen this weekend in Houston. The Cubs could do some real damage in the Central with a good showing. Right now the central is a 4 horse with nobody looking to break away.

Cub Drop Third Game in a Row


Not many things will make me study before the end of a game, but last night was one of them. Not a pretty game. People scoring from third on a pop fly to second is one of them. Not much to say, but let's hope tonight is better. It looks like Sosa will be back in the first of June, but the Cubs need a Bat before then.

A Personal Note

It seems that life deals with us in different ways most of the time. My friends Allison and Chris had thier Apartment building burn down last week. They are dear friends of mine and I just wanted to say to them that my thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of struggle. Thankfully they were not hurt, but everything they owned is now gone. Life has a funny way of telling us sometimes there is more important things than just baseball. Over to the left you will see a link to a website about the fire. Feel free to check it out and make a donation if you would like.

In honor of Allison at this time I will stray from my normal Cub talk to look at her favorite player in the Minors.

Chin-feng Chen: He is in the Dodger farm system and looks to be very close to the majors.

So far in 2003:

.290 avg, 5 HR's, 27 RBI's, 6 SB's, .471 SLG,

Here is bio for you Allison:
Career NOTES: Chen enters his fifth year in professional baseball...in 2002, became the first Taiwanese-born player ever to make a Major League roster when he was recalled by the Dodgers from the 51s on Sept. 9...has produced impressive offensive numbers throughout his four minor league seasons, batting .292 with 106 doubles, 85 home runs and 365 RBI in 529 games...became the second Taiwanese player (Hsin-Min Tan pitched at Single-A in the Giants’ farm system from 1974-75) to play in the the minor leagues in the United States and went on to capture the California League and Dodger Minor League Player of the Year Awards in 1999...became the first Taiwanese player to be placed on a Major League 40-man roster pn Nov. 20, 2001...named by Baseball America as the Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect entering the 2002 season.

2002: Recalled from the 51s on Sept. 9 and made his major league debut on Sept.14 at Colorado...appeared in 3 games for the Dodgers (.000, 0-for-5)...enjoyed a solid season with Las Vegas, to help lead the 51’s to the PCL playoffs...appeared in 137 games and batted .284 (145-for-511) and led the team with 26 home runs and 84 RBI...his homer and RBI totals led all Dodger minor leaguers...collected 38 multiple-hit games...27 two-hit games, 10 3-hit games and 1 4-hit game (vs. New Orleans, 6/30)...13-game hitting streak twice (April 21-May 4; Aug. 8-22)...had 3 RBI in one game six times...batted .324 (82-for-253) with 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 46 RBI in 70 home games...hit at a .310 clip with four doubles, six home runs and 19 RBI in 26 games in April...smacked six home runs in a 10-game span from June 22-July 1...started 97 games at first base...batted .287 with 17 home runs vs. right-handers and .285 with runners in scoring position...batted .333 (5-for-15) with a double, triple, home run and 4 RBI in four postseason games.

2001: Split the season playing for Single-A Vero Beach and Double-A Jacksonville, batted a combined .290 with 31 doubles, five triples, 22 home runs and 91 RBI in 128 games…began the season at Single-A Vero Beach following offseason right shoulder surgery and hit .268 in 62 games with five home runs and 41 RBI...used primarily as a designated hitter, appearing in left field 11 games and DH the rest…promoted to Jacksonville on June 14 and hit .313 with 17 home runs and 50 RBI in 66 games…immediately had an impact on the league co-champion Suns as he hit .357 (10-for-28) with four home runs, 20 runs scored and six RBI in his first seven games…homered in four straight games from July 18-21 and drove in seven runs in that stretch…reached base safely via hit or walk in his first 15 games at Jacksonville (June 14-July 5)…had a nine-game hitting streak from July 9-21 and batted .429 (15-for-35) in that stretch…reached base safely via hit or walk in 57 of 60 starts…started 50 games in left field and 10 as the designated hitter…started the season on fire at Vero Beach, hitting safely in 16 of his first 18 games for a .352 average with six doubles, a home run and 14 RBI…had a season-best 10-game hitting streak from May 28-June 7, batting .368 (14-for-38) with nine RBI in that stretch…was batting .354 in 14 June games before his promotion to Double-A…following the season, starred for his native Chinese Taipei team which won a Bronze Medal in the World Cup tournament held in Taiwan…in the final game, a 3-0 win over Japan, he hit two home runs…finished World Cup competition with a .429 average, four home runs and 14 RBI in 10 games…he topped all batters with a 1.029 slugging percentage and was tied for first in RBI to earn tournament all-star honors…also played in the Arizona Fall League for the league-champion Phoenix Desert Dogs and batted .332 with five home runs in 15 games and was selected to the AFL top prospect team.

The Third Base?

I hate to say this, but something has to give with Sosa out. The Cubs and Dusty Baker have to do something about 3B. It makes me almost sick to see Lenny Harris starting for the Cubs at the Hot Corner. Now Bellhorn has not played well all year, so the there has to be a better option than harris. Personally I would rather Ramon trot out there everyday rather than Harris. While I am not Mike Kiley's school of trade now and ask questions later, I would like to see the Cubs try something else.

The Cubs have a few options.

1. Stick with what is going on right now: A three man platoon that does not seem to work.

2. Pick one of Ramon, Lenny or Mark to play.
a)Ramon is best used as a spot starter.
b)Lenny is not the kind of bat you need at third base.
c)Mark has not hit all year.

3. Call someone up: Not much in the minors other than Kelton and he does not seem ready, but he can't be much worse than what the Cubs have.

4. Trade: It seems every media outlet is talking trade about the Cubs. Jim Hendry seems willing to wait and see, but it could be very soon.

The Cubs have a lot of pitching in the minors and Mike Lowell could become a Cub. He hits for average and has a good glove. He could be the perfect fit for them. Will it happen? Who knows Does it need to happen? It looks like the Cubs are running out of options. If Lenny Harris is the best option for this team, then the Cubs are in real trouble.

The last thing I will say is Cub pitching needs to take the out. Estes was lucky two starts ago not to throw a ball away, but Carlos did not have the same luck. The game is easy, you throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Now I am not out there playing, so it is hard to imagine the amount of pressure that goes on, but you have to play sound baseball to win.

Cubs Drop 3 of 4

Not much to say, but the horror of the Cardinals continue. The Cubs just beat themselves with costly errors this weekend. The must beat the Bucs this week to remain in first this week. Without Sammy there is not a lot of thunder in the lineup.

Cubs Win

What a game. The TV started working just as the bottom of the 9th started. A bloop single started the inning, but that did not stop Joe. He pitched really well to get the last three batters. The Cubs are 4 up on the Cards again.

I Hate Weather

I was all happy today. Watching Prior pitch a great game and now I half to deal with Thunderstorms and Tornados. So, the local Fox Station has broken in and telling everybody to get in a safe place. I no longer can watch the game.

Thoughts on the game I saw:

Prior working out of the jam with 2 on no outs. That was a great piece of pitching, and with a little help from the Ump.

The Cubs just can't plate anyone right now. They just keep getting singles. It is time to bring the thunder.

I am watching gamecast right now and it looks like Prior is in another tough spot. 3 On with 2 out in the 6th inning.

UPDATE

My buddy Lewis Whitfield has saved me today. Being a poor college student I never wanted to buy the gameday audio on the internet. Mainly because I already pay 140 for MLB Extra innings. Lewis does have the gameday and he gave me his password today. Another example of how the Cardinal/Cub series has more friends than any other.

So thanks Lewis. Now, Go Cubs beat the Cards!!

UPDATE #2

Mike Kiley eat your heart out. Bellhorn puts the Cubs up 1 in the 9th, but danger awaits.

The Shooter


If you have not had a chance to read the story on Rod Beck. Go to ESPN.Com to read this really great story about the former Cub.

If I was not from Alabama and could drive to Iowa this weekend, I would.

It's Early, but I can't Sleep

It is about 7 in the morning, but I woke up about 3 hours ago and I am not able to go back to bed. So, I thought I would write a little something about road game records. I checked the standings today and the Cubs are 12-9 at home and 12-7 on the road. That got me thinking. When was the last time the Cubs finished with a better road record than home. Thanks to the great website at Baseball Reference I was able to take a quick look at the numbers. I went back to the 89 Playoff Team.

Year Home/Away
2002 36-45/31-50
2001 48-33/40-41
2000 38-43/27-54
1999 34-47/33-48
1998 51-31/39-42 (Playoff)
1997 42-39/26-55
1996 43-38/33-48
1995 34-38/39-33 (Strike Season)
1994 20-39/29-25 (Strike Season)
1993 43-38/41-40
1992 43-38/35-46
1991 46-37/31-46
1990 39-42/38-43
1989 48-33/45-36 (Playoff)

The Cubs have had a better record on the Road twice in the past 14 years, but those two seasons were because of the strike. The only time in the past 30 years the Cubs had better record at home than on the road in a full season was 1974 32-49/34-37. In 1945 the Cubs had the Same number of Wins 49-26 at home and 49-30 on the Road.

The 1937 Cubs is the last team to finish with a better road record in a full season with a winning record.

Home 46-32/ Road 47-29

The 37 Cubs did not even make it to the playoffs. They finished 3 games back of the NY Giants.

The Cubs probably will not finish with a better road record, but it is fun to look at. The Cubs continue the long road trip with the Cardinals tonight. This is a four game set, and they will face Woody Williams tonight. Clement looks to rebound after the do-over last Sunday.

Who wants to take a poll of when Mike Kiley writes "Cubs have options with Wellemeyer in Pen." It could be funny, but I would not put it by him. This could

Let's play the Numbers Game

I am very sleepy right now. I saw the late show of the Matrix last night and then I had to be at class this morning. I figured I would take a nap after the game, but the Cubs had to play 17 innings to keep me awake.

So here we go:

1- The place the Cubs stand
2- The 1Bs That Keep hitting
2.5- Games led over the Astro
3- Strikeouts by Todd Wellemeyer Today in his Debut
4- Sweep of Brew Crew
5- Longest Winning Streak in the Majors Right now, Plus record in extra innings.
7- At bats Sexson did not get a hit today
8- Wins out the 4 and 5 spot on the pitching staff.
9- Hits by the Brewers in 17 innings, That is why the Cubs Won.
12- HR's by future Cub Mike Lowell
13- Wins this time last year
17- The never ending game, finally did
24- Cub pitching strikeouts
33- Team leading RBI's by Coery Patterson
40- Games Played this season
76- Kerry Woods Major League Leading Strikeout total
121- Number of Pitches today for Wood
122- Games Left this season
1991- Last time the Cubs swept 4 on the Road(Mets)

I am sure there are other numbers, feel free to email me with them, or post them in comments and we could have some fun with this.

The Cubs go for Four Tonight

The Cubs need to win tonight to have the first 4 game winning streak this season. More after the Game.

You Can't Teach a Old Dog New Tricks

I know this may be getting old, but Mike Kiley again today brings up the same trade rumors as he did yesterday, and not to metion all season

Today's article says:

There isn't room for Beck in the Cubs' bullpen right now, but general manager Jim Hendry has to get a trade overture sooner or later if Beck continues to succeed in this overwhelming fashion. It also gives Hendry the option of dealing Antonio Alfonseca for a third baseman and considering Beck as a possible replacement for Alfonseca in the Cubs' bullpen.

I wrote yesterday about the same thing, but Jason Steffens, over at The Clark & Addison Chronicle pointed out that it was the same title that was used a coupld of weeks ago. I thought that title was the same, but Kiley gets to keep on writing.

Estes the Staff Ace

I will admit when I am wrong most of the time. Today Shawn Estes proved to me that he could still pitch. Now granted it came against the Brewers, so there is still a little cause to worry. He now has 3 wins in a row and is 4-3 overall. Two of those wins are against the Brewers and the other is the Rockies. Also he helped with the Bat. Estes was 2 for 4 and should have had a RBI if it were not for a bang-bang play at the plate.

His next start will come against the big hitting Cards. That start is huge for the Cubs and Estes. If he continues to get that good curveball over for strikes he will have a solid season. Beating the Cards with a strong outing would mean that Cubs could really contend this year.

Estes has given up 6 ER's in his last three starts. It should be lower if Baker would have taken him out an inning earlier against the Rockies. He is getting ground balls and that has led to many double plays.

Mark Grudzielanek is on a tear. He is 10 of 14 in the last 3 games and his average is up to .310. Four days ago he was batting .267.

Choi broke out of his mini slump tonight going 2 for 4 with his 7 HR. Choi needs to keep improving and looks like he is.

Today the Cubs are 22-16. That is a great start, but if you would have told me that Corey Patterson would have 7 HR's and 30 RBI's and without Sosa playing 100%, I would say no way the Cubs are off to that kind of start.

The Cubs go for the Series win tomorrow in this four game set and their longest winning streak of the year of 4 games.

Carlos will try to improve on his 3-3 record and get back to over .500 this year.

The Cubs did not win Game #22 Last Season until June 6th.

Mike Kiley at it Again

The Sun-times writer Mike Kiley is starting to beat a dead horse. For weeks now he has crusaded that the Cubs must trade for a 3B. Now I know Bellhorn has not played great and is probably not the long term answer, but Kiley seems to write about weekly. Bellhorn has shown some signs again of breaking out of the slump, but Kiley does not let down.

Today in a short article he writes that:

Baker acknowledged that he is at a point where he can use Alfonseca or Joe Borowski as his closer. But the possibility also remains that general manager Jim Hendry could use Alfonseca to pry away third baseman Shea Hillenbrand from the bullpen-challenged Boston Red Sox.

Hillenbrand and Florida Marlins third baseman Mike Lowell seem to be the top two third basemen Hendry is interested in. Alfonseca is a former Marlin, so perhaps his best trade chance would be if the Red Sox bite.

But the Cubs will have to think twice before tampering with what appears to be a dependable bullpen, something they haven't had in years.

Kiley seems to want to become a opinion writer, rather than a beat writer. Much of his comments lead to what ifs. It is has been talked about all over the blog scene, and as long as he keeps writing this stuff, I will keep bashing him.

Cubs Win Game One

Ok is anyone else shocked at the runs the last two games. In 8 innings the Cubs put up 18 runs, now granted the 9 from Sunday did not count.

It looks like putting Mark back in the leadoff spot helped. He went 4/5 today with a walk. When the leadoff man is on it really helps.

Alou's slump is over. He is hitting everything in site. Even excuse me check swings are going for hits. O'Leary is making use of his everyday playing time. His HR yesterday did not count, but today's did. Prior looked really rough tonight, but he worked out of some jams and picked up his 5 win.

The Cubs have 3 left with the Brewers and then 4 with the Cards. These next few weeks will decide if the Cubs are contenders or pretenders(to steal a segment from ESPN). Right now with the pitching, I would have to say contender, but the hitting must continue to score runs.

There is a real problem with Clement right now. Even tough yesterday did not count, he has been rocked in two straight starts. The Cubs need him to anchor down the staff. It may be time to switch Clement and Prior in the pitching order. Maybe that could help. The Cubs lead 1.5 over the Astros and a full 2 games over the Cards. At 21-16 the Cubs continue to play average baseball, but they really need to string some runs together.

Sorry about the lack of posts over the weekend. I was enjoying my limited break from School. I have started the summer term now, but only have one class. Updates will come more often now and I will continue to follow the Cubs.

Estes goes to the hill tomorrow. This will be a real test for Shawn. He has not pitched well on the road this season and a good outing here could really help him and the Cubs. Of course if the Cubs score 11 again that would help also.

Vina, Vina, Vina

It is early and it is 4-1 Cards. It looked like Carlos was crusing early, but got in a lot of trouble in the 4th. More to come later. Corery Patterson also hamered a ball for his 7th HR of the year.

Finals are over, Cubs Still in First and Bama Likes Shula


Waking up this morning was no different than most days. First off I am still not sure if I believe Shawn Estes only gives up one run. I also had an exam at 8 a.m. and when I went to my car it would not start. So, I had to truck it across campus with a gimp ankle and I almost was late for the final. Well, at least they are over now.

A wild week is over at Alabama. Mike Shula( Don's youngest son) will be the next head coach at Alabama. Now I can focus back on the Cubs.

The Cubs got some help this week from the Reds as they swept the Cards. The Cubs now lead the Astros by a game and the Cards by 1.5. Everyone knows that this weekend's series will tell a lot.

It is about time for the Cubs to throw together a winning streak.

If you are a 24 fan then make sure you check out the Northside Lounge by Dennis Goodman. This is the best show on TV right now and you should be watching it.

Dusty Baker said today that Cruz would not be traded. That is interesting news because of the rumors going around about him. It will be interesting to see if that holds true. He said it would have to be a megadeal for it to happen.

Also be sure to check out the other links on the left. My posts have been really short in past week or so, and I will be writing much more that finals are done. For now lets just sit back and enjoy being in first place.

The Bullpen Blows Up

Not much to say other than the Brewers just know how to beat the Cubs. I was watching on Directv and their broadcasters even said the same thing. This is not a good sign. The Cubs now have blown two chances to pull in front of the Cards heading into this weekend.

Beware of the Long Ball

Wes Helms and Richie Sexon both went deep yesterday and the Cubs fell 5-3. The Cubs are still in first with a 18-14 record. The next two games will be big for the Cubs. The Brewers just have the Cubs number it seems.

On a side note, being on pain killers when you write is not good. I read my post yesterday and I would have to say "ouch". That was the most typos I have seen in a while, but it has been edited.

I am about to run to my final exam in U.S. Constitutional History since 1871. This class is for people in Pre-Law and not the Journalism and English Major I am. I will write more after the game tonight, because I do not have to study for exams after.

I am on the DL, but Cubs Win

It has been a different kind of weekend. First the Cubs blow a lead yesterday, but today come from behind. Alex comes through with a game winning home run and Cubs are still in first place with the Cards.

Oh yeah, I am out with a ankle injury. It was a freak one to top it off. I was out watching golf, even tough later in my life the Story will be that I was playing basketball and I hit the game winning shot, but for the time being the truth will do. I was just walking down a hill when I rolled my ankle. Now I am on crutches for the next week because I can not walk. I will write through the pain. Mainly because I am on pain killers, but now back to the game.

I only caught the last three innings today, because of the trip to the doctor. The bullpen looked much better today. I was on the phone with my brother in the 10th and we were saying it is time for an Alex walk-off home run. A second later our wish came true. I then looked up and said "I would like a million dollars," but just like in Dogma that wish was not granted.

The Cubs are now 18-13 and look ahead to the Brewers. The last two seasons the Brew Crew has caused all kinds of problems and Cubs need to play well against the lower teams. After this series the Cubs will face the Cards. What a great series it could be if the Cubs and Cards are tied for first. There is still too much baseball to play, but Cubs seem to moving foward.

I am getting drousy now and pain is wearing off.

My Crimson Tide

I would not normaly do this, but I need to get a few things off my chest. About 99% I will talk about the Cubs, but today my Crimson Tide need a moment.

I am a student at the University of Alabama and a Journalism major. Today the University fired Coach Mike Price. There are many things that bother me about this choice.

1) The Players- To see thier support for Coach Price was really heartfelt was a true measure of thier love for Him and the Crimson Tide football program. If anybody is hurt because of this is will be them. The players were almost in tears. This will be the third coach in about 5 months. Now they have to learn a system with new coaches.

2) The University- Now Alabama has another black eye to deal with. They have to go out and find a coach that can lead not only the team, but be a good role model for the University.

3) AD Mal Moore- Coach Moore bleads crimson and he hired coach Price. This will also cost him his job in the long run. Moore has been at the University since Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was around and this is just a sad day for him.

4) The Fans- This is where I fit in. Football is a way of life in Alabama. In recent years I have started to focus on other sports like baseball, but many people in the state live and die by this program. I am just glad I have the Cubs to watch each day. In Alabama they had coverage all day. For 3 and half hours the local news broke away to cover this story. It will lead the Newscasts everyday until a new coach is found and then even after that.

I may not agree with the choices that have been made, but I am not the University President. He made the move he had to and it is what he thought was right. This is a black day for Alabama, but at least for me the Cubs are up 4-3 in the 7th.

Estes Wins and "The Horn" Blows

Ok that may have been the worst headline in the history of this blog, but hey at the time I found it funny.

The two players that have struggled the most this season both played really well today. Estes picked up his 2nd and Bellhorn went 2/2 with 3 RBI's.

This does not mean that these guys are out of the woods, but it is step in the right direction. Maybe Estes needs to pitch just at Wrigley, because his ERA is under 3 at home. His road ERA is 16.00.

The Cubs improved to 17-12 and are still a game up on the Redbirds. Last season the Cubs did not pick up win #17 until May 23rd. Now that is improvement. This next week and half will go along way to see if the Cubs can keep it up. They have 2 with the Rockies left, and then 3 with the Brewers. That leads to the biggest series of the year with the Cards. It is still early, but the closer the Cubs get to Memorial Day in first place the more this will look like a serious year.

I will miss today's game, because I came home and left my Directv in Tuscaloosa. On a side note it looks like our Head Football Coach at Alabama may be on the way out, and I am glad at least I have the Cubs to get through all the madness. It seems like the Crimson Tide can do no right. Coach Price seems to have been a bad boy at a strip club.

Tomorrow the Cubs face a "soft tossing lefty" to quote Chip and Steve. The kind that the Cubs have had trouble with, even tough we beat one three days ago. Darren Oliver will try to capture the same magic against the Cubs. Carlos heads to the hill to try to improve his record of (3-2).

The Cubs look to make some roster moves this weekend with Antonio Alfonseca and Dave Veres both looking to come off the DL. Veres may be sent to Iowa to get some rehab, and to buy the Cubs some time in making some moves. Personally I would like to see Alan Benes stay and Juan Cruz get some regular work, but who knows.

Cubs win the Series and Finals are a Coming

Let me start off with I have finals starting Monday and I should be getting ready, but really the Cubs are in first and who wants to miss a second of that. No on to more important things.

The Cubs took the series today mainly because of the Bullpen. The got in a little trouble, but they never let a run across. The biggest play of the game had to be the Relay from Corey to Alex to Ramon to get Durham out. That allowed Guthrie to work around Bonds to get the double play.

It was great to see Alex bust out today. Two homeruns really helped the Cubs today. If he can continue to hit infront of Sosa like that then the Cubs will have a better chance to drive in runs.

The Rockies come to town and Shaun Chacon(who dominated the Cubs a week ago) goes against Shawn Estes. This is a make it or break it start for Estes. If Estes struggles again then a move has to be made. For the Cubs to contend they have to have chance every start out and so far Estes has only had one good start. The other note is Mark Bellhorn. He will get the start tomorrow after being sit for the entire Giants series. He did have a pinch hit on Wednesday, but never started this series. He has to break out of his slump or it will cost him his job for good. Ramon has played well for Mark, but I would still like to see him get out of that slump and start hitting.

The Cubs lead the division by one game over the Cards and will have to continue to play well, because the Cards are coming on strong. If you go over and read the Clark and Addison Chronicle by Jason Steffens he has a story about the Cards getting some pitching help. Also over at Out in the Bleachers by Mike Wilkinson he has a look at the Cub prospects in the minors. Both are really great reads and you should go over there and check them out.

I am heading to Birmingham this weekend to watch some Senior Golf at the Bruno's Memorial Classic. I enjoy seeing some golf and last year I followed Andy North. I think the Seniors do it the best when talking to the crowd while playing. So I will not get to see the Cubs much this weekend tough, I will try to update a couple times this weekend.

The Archives Finally Work

After a week of tyring to figure out what I did to make the archive links not work, I have fixed the problem. I am sure you may not have wanted to know that, but I have been angry and now I am happy.

Prior on the Hill

Well, Last night was not one to look back on. Bonds went deep twice and the Cubs had 3 HITS. The offense has really struggled and it shows no signs of getting better. Mark G. and Alex have really cooled off at top and Sosa is getting close to two weeks since his last homer. The bright spot today is Prior is going for his 5th win.

He will face Damien Moss who is 4-0. I will miss the first couple of innings because of my Tennessee Williams class(what fun!!!). I will be thinking about the Cubs the whole time. It will be interesting to see if Bellhorn gets the start today, after sitting the last two games. Dusty made a comment saying he wanted Mark to feel hungry and we will see if this works.

The Cubs finished April/March with a 15-12 record. This month had many highlights and some real problems, but for me an abover .500 record I will take. We are in first even though it is only by one game.

More tonight after the game. The Rockies come to Chicago Tomorrow for a 3 game Series, and it looks like Estes will make his start. He says his back is feeling better.