PANIC! Aramis Ramirez Leaves With Sore Triceps
Ok, get it out of your system. Now relax. Yes, Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez left today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds with right triceps soreness, but it doesn’t sound serious.
Ramirez left after the top half of the third inning. He missed two months of the 2009 season after dislocating his left shoulder diving for a ball.
“There’s nothing wrong there,” manager Lou Piniella said. “He’ll be ready to go in a couple days, probably after (Monday’s game in) Tucson. He wasn’t going to Tucson anyways.” Chicago Breaking Sports.
We’ll keep an eye on things, but as long as the words “shoulder” and “death” aren’t used, I’ll sleep.
ShareWhy the 2010 Milwaukee Brewers Will Suck
Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for us to settle back into our protective bubble where the Chicago Cubs are destined for greatness, and every other team in the National League Central is bound for spectacular failure. If you’d care to check out last year’s fare:St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros. Already featured for 2010: Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros.
The 2010 Major League Baseball season is nearly upon us, and that means two things: (1) we’re all so deprived of real baseball action that we’re willing to treat meaningless Spring Training games like they’re the playoffs, and (2) the prognosticators are out in full force. Yes, every sports publication in the world puts out a season preview. Some are interesting, some aren’t. For the most part, folks just don’t have the time necessary to do the kind of in-depth preview that is going to be of any use to a reader that actually follows the team being previewed.
So most previews end up being pretty surface level, and boring. Well, we’re not going to do that here at Bleacher Nation. It’s much more interesting (notice how I subtly pat myself on the back?) to simply examine why the team currently sucks and is going to suck in 2010.
So enjoy - we’ll be previewing the suckiness (suckosity?) of the other teams in the National League Central over the next five weeks. Up next, Bud Selig’s favorite beer-swillers, the Milwaukee Brewers. Read the full preview on why the 2010 Milwaukee Brewers will suck, after the jump.
ShareWhy the 2010 Houston Astros Will Suck
Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for us to settle back into our protective bubble where the Chicago Cubs are destined for greatness, and every other team in the National League Central is bound for spectacular failure. If you’d care to check out last year’s fare:St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros. Already featured for 2010: Cincinnati Reds.
The 2010 Major League Baseball season is nearly upon us, and that means two things: (1) we’re all so deprived of real baseball action that we’re willing to treat meaningless Spring Training games like they’re the playoffs, and (2) the prognosticators are out in full force. Yes, every sports publication in the world puts out a season preview. Some are interesting, some aren’t. For the most part, folks just don’t have the time necessary to do the kind of in-depth preview that is going to be of any use to a reader that actually follows the team being previewed.
So most previews end up being pretty surface level, and boring. Well, we’re not going to do that here at Bleacher Nation. It’s much more interesting (notice how I subtly pat myself on the back?) to simply examine why the team currently sucks and is going to suck in 2010.
So enjoy - we’ll be previewing the suckiness (suckosity?) of the other teams in the National League Central over the next five weeks. Up first, the home of Fat Elvis: the Houston Astros. Read the full preview on why the 2010 Houston Astros will suck, after the jump.
ShareAdventures in Pettiness: Teams Still Angry About Cubs Tax
As the so-called “Cubs Tax” works its way through the Arizona Legislature, sans support from Major League Baseball or the other Cactus League teams, the Chicago Cubs continue to lean back and let things run their course.
The other teams, however, are keeping things petty.
Four teams boycotted the annual Cactus League kickoff breakfast - hosted by Mesa this year - to protest a proposed leaguewide ticket surcharge to build a new Chicago Cubs spring-training complex and to finance other improvements.
The Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds all were absent from an otherwise upbeat breakfast where other organizations thanked their host cities on the eve of the 2010 season.
Opening day for the Cactus League season is Thursday for many teams.
“In a nutshell, we continue to feel it’s fundamentally wrong to implement a tax on loyal baseball fans,” Angels spokesman Tim Mead said, acknowledging that his team stayed away for that reason. “We just fundamentally disagree.”
Josh Rawitch, the Dodgers vice president of communications, released a similar statement by e-mail.
“The Dodgers and White Sox simply feel it is wrong to ask fans coming to Camelback Ranch to pay for another team’s new stadium with a surcharge on their tickets,” he said.
The breakfast was hosted at Mesa’s Hohokam Stadium and attended by Mayor Scott Smith, who has criticized White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf for opposing legislation that would keep the Cubs in Mesa after his own team received public financing for a stadium.
The breakfast was also attended by state Rep. John McComish, R-Fountain Hills, the House majority leader and sponsor of legislation that would partially finance a new Chicago Cubs training complex and pay for improvements to other Cactus League facilities.
“I think it’s a shame to boycott a kickoff breakfast,” McComish said. “That’s what petulant children do. In this case, they already had their turn at bat, they got their stadium.” The Arizona Republic.
Really? Skipping a breakfast, which is a tradition, to protest the tax? Don’t they realize it’s the most important meal of the day?
I get why they don’t want this tax - I really do. But you can be assured that they don’t want the Cubs to leave the Cactus League.
ShareRandy Wells Will Start Cubs’ Spring Opener
Chicago Cubs starter Randy Wells was about as good as it got for the Cubs last year: 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA, and finished (an unfair) sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. The team is counting on the 27-year-old converted catcher to be a staple of the rotation this year, and will be giving him the ball on the Spring Training equivalent of Opening Day.
Wells recently got glasses because apparently he couldn’t see very well last year. So it’s pretty much assured that seeing better will completely wreck his signature control and ability to locate pitches, or, it will make him the greatest pitcher in the history of ever. Of ever.
ShareWhy the 2010 Cincinnati Reds Will Suck
Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for us to settle back into our protective bubble where the Chicago Cubs are destined for greatness, and every other team in the National League Central is bound for spectacular failure. If you’d care to check out last year’s fare: St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros.
The 2010 Major League Baseball season is nearly upon us, and that means two things: (1) we’re all so deprived of real baseball action that we’re willing to treat meaningless Spring Training games like they’re the playoffs, and (2) the prognosticators are out in full force. Yes, every sports publication in the world puts out a season preview. Some are interesting, some aren’t. For the most part, folks just don’t have the time necessary to do the kind of in-depth preview that is going to be of any use to a reader that actually follows the team being previewed.
So most previews end up being pretty surface level, and boring. Well, we’re not going to do that here at Bleacher Nation. It’s much more interesting (notice how I subtly pat myself on the back?) to simply examine why the team currently sucks and is going to suck in 2010.
So enjoy - we’ll be previewing the suckiness (suckosity?) of the other teams in the National League Central over the next five weeks. Up first, the ward of the gentleman to the right: the Cincinnati Reds. Read the full preview on why the 2010 Cincinnati Reds will suck, after the jump.
ShareThe Cubs Are Considering Kris Benson
Though the Chicago Cubs are not looking for another starting pitcher - or looking to make any other considerable free agent acquisitions - they’ll continue to monitor guys they can snag on minor league deals. One such guy is formerly mediocre starting pitcher Kris Benson.
A number of National League teams are keeping track of Kris Benson’s progress, including the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Reds and Nationals, according to one major league source.
The Dodgers are also looking to add starting depth but are a more remote possibility, sources indicated.
Last week, Benson’s agent said he expected the free agent right-hander to join a new team within the next few weeks. FOX Sports on MSN.
Benson, 35, pitched a little bit - terribly - last year for the Rangers, but before that hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2006. It’s highly doubtful he’ll come back and contribute meaningfully.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason to sign him. Her name, my friends, is Anna Benson.
No Joe Nelson for the Cubs
Free agent reliever Joe Nelson has signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, effectively taking him off the Chicago Cubs’ radar, if he was ever on it to begin with.
The Red Sox reached agreement with veteran reliever Joe Nelson on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training on Monday, the 35-year-old right-hander confirmed to MLB.com.
After a solid bounceback year for the Marlins in 2008 — when he sported a 2.00 ERA in 54 innings — Nelson struggled with the Rays this past season, posting a 4.02 ERA in 42 relief appearances before spending August and September in the Minor Leagues.
In 2009, Nelson sported an 8.53 ERA in May, but an ERA no higher than 3.00 in April, June or July.
For his five-year career, Nelson is 7-2 with a 4.07 ERA.
As of now, Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Daniel Bard, Manny Delcarmen and Ramon Ramirez (the one who posted a 2.84 ERA in 70 games for the Red Sox last season) look to have solidified spots in Boston’s bullpen. redsox.com.
Nelson was recently quoted as saying he really wanted to come to the Cubs, and given that he accepted a minor league deal on a team with a relatively crowded bullpen, we can surmise that the Cubs never made him an offer.
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