My Cub Runneth Over

The countdown is on. Eleven more days until the Cubs begin their march to the World Series. Sure, they’re 10-15 in the Cactus League season, but these games don’t mean much. Guys doing wind sprints in the outfield, players with numbers 97, 77, and 69 on the diamond. Guys I’ve never heard of, or don’t want to hear of. Guys getting a little taste of some big-time spring training pitching, only to get buried down in Class AA the next six months. Of the regulars, Marlon Byrd has impressed, batting .488 in 41 at bats. Starlin Castro has opened some eyes as well, popping the hardball at a .383 clip with a team high 4 home runs in 15 games. If he continues his torrid pace, the skinny 21 year old shortstop projects to a .383 season with 40 home runs and 120 ribbies. Those kind of numbers, we got a shot.I’m a glass half-full guy this year.

Carlos Silva Keeps Peace

Right-hander Carlos Silva managed to cough up 10 hits and 8 earned runs in just 2-1/3 innings pitched yesterday.  He also struck out none before hitting the showers, without so much as a peep to his error-free defenders.  Cubs’ bullpen held the Angels to five additional runs, but blocked the extra point.  Cubs scored two touchdowns in the last six innings, and came back to win 14-13.

Manager Quade said Silva “was in mid-season’s form.”

Castro hitting .533

Mark my words: If shortstop Starlin Castro continues to hit above .500 during the regular season, the Cubs could make a serious run in the Central.

Chicago Cubs Hitting Ability

I was worried about the Cubs hitting ability, but apparently Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Silva have already come out swinging. (ba-da-bump)

Although manager Mike Quade said he was actually happy to see “some fire” in the clubhouse, he decided to call a team meeting yesterday to air some dirty laundry, and perhaps nip this thing in the bud.  Afterward, newcomer Carlos Pena and second-year outfielder Marlon Byrd organized a “player’s only” meeting to air some additional dirty laundry.  Five minutes later, the Chicago sports media (radio), had declared the inmates were running the asylum.  Should be a fun season, check back regularly for my Cubs thoughts.

If you like baseball history, obscure, dusty little corners of our national game, let me send you a free sample of the Outsider Baseball Bulletin, a weekly, subscription ezine.  Go to the web site to get the email address.

Baseball Podcasts and other stuff

Recently, I’ve had the fortune (or misfortune) of listening to several different baseball podcasts, both archived material, and broadcasts of more recent vintage, and I must tell you…..they suck.  There’s a reason people are on the radio in major markets: They’re good at talking.  And there’s a reason we’re in our dining room, playing radio, for free, on the web: And it’s because we stink at it.

If you haven’t subscribed to the Outsider Baseball Bulletin, please go to the web site now.  We have a good issue this week, with detailed stats and analysis of the 1933 Pittsburgh Crawfords.  If you need a break from your fantasy draft or Strat stuff, check out the OBB.