February 2011
You are browsing the archive for February 2011.
Carlos Zambrano: Softball Player
Many professional sports contracts preclude players from participating in non-sanctioned extracurricular athletic activities like pick-up basketball games or extreme baking. After learning that Carlos Zambrano recently played some softball, I am wondering whether Chicago Cubs player contracts have the same kind of language. According to a Sports Illustrated reader, who provided the picture at right: “Last night [...]
Spring Training Bullets: February 21, 2011
Six days and counting until that first Spring Training game. Batters have started to face live pitching and Carlos Marmol is already wild, so he’s 50% of the way to his usual “effectively wild.” Reed Johnson’s elbow is expected to be fine. Starlin Castro continues to work on his defense, and remains impressively humble despite [...]
Obsessive Albert Pujols Watch: Aramis Ramirez Wants Pujols, Likes Carlos Pena
From the moment Albert Pujols declined to sign an extension with the Cardinals by his self-imposed deadline, thus (theoretically) ensuring his ascendency into free agency after the season, we all knew an Obsessive Watch was coming. So here we are. That said, Pujols feels like he deserves something special, on the order of OMG Brian [...]
Spring Training Bullets: February 20, 2011
The first Chicago Cubs Spring Training game is just one week away. Swoon. Oh, but not the June kind. Aramis Ramirez, who arrived in camp yesterday (a day after the official reporting date), says he’s healthy and stronger this year, having added about seven pounds of muscle. It’s a virtual contract year for Ramirez (the [...]
Tom Ricketts is Open-Minded About Offering a “Mega-Deal”
Chicago Cubs Chairman/Owner Tom Ricketts addressed his team and the media Saturday, and offered more than a few interesting thoughts on the upcoming season and the future of the Cubs’ payroll. “Really, the theme for the team this year is for the last six weeks of 2010, we were one of the best teams in [...]
All Players Have Reported to Camp
According to Carrie Muskat, all Chicago Cubs players are now present and accounted for at Spring Camp, which means that the two laggards – Aramis Ramirez and Starlin Castro – have arrived. The first full-squad workout is underway. Welcome to the 2011 Chicago Cubs season. Boom goes the dynamite. Er. Well, sparkle goes the sparkler.
Grumble: Aramis Ramirez and Starlin Castro Still Not in Camp
Although yesterday was the official Spring Training report date for positional players, all but a handful of Chicago Cubs were already in camp long before Friday. Included in that handful were annual laggards Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, and second year shortstop Starlin Castro. Soriano missed Friday’s workout, but arrived last evening. Unfortunately Ramirez and [...]
Add Four Chicago Cubs Spring Training Games to Your Viewing Schedule
MLB Network has released its Spring Training broadcast lineup, and the good news is that four more Cubs games will get airtime this Spring: Friday 3/11 at 2pm CST vs. White Sox Monday 3/21 at 3pm CST vs. Angels Tuesday 3/22 at 3pm CST vs. Dodgers Friday 3/25 at 3pm CST vs. Mariners (also on [...]
