The Official 2008 Chicago Cubs Thread!!!!!

mca47

eddievedder1977 wrote:

At least this year they didn't lie, say they weren't going to raise prices, then jack them up anyways. Way too expensive to hit a bleacher game these days.

Yeah, it's getting insane...though I'm not surprised.

eddievedder1977

CHICAGO (AP) -- Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome and the Chicago Cubs reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday on a $48 million, four-year contract.

The deal is subject to a physical, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. The agreement could be finalized as early as Wednesday.

Fukudome was considered one of the best outfielders in Japanese baseball. The 30-year-old slugger was a key member of the Japan team that won the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March 2006.

He had surgery on his right elbow in August and sat out the Japan Series, but has 192 homers and a .305 batting average over nine seasons with the Chunichi Dragons, who won their first championship in 53 years on Nov. 2.

After becoming a free agent, Fukudome drew interest from the Cubs, San Diego Padres and White Sox.

He is expected to play right field for the Cubs, who traded outfielder Jacque Jones to Detroit this offseason and declined their contract option on veteran Cliff Floyd.

All-Star slugger Alfonso Soriano returns in left and speedy prospect Felix Pie is expected to take over in center after shuttling between the majors and minors this season. The Cubs hope Fukudome will provide the consistent left-handed bat they seek to go with righties Soriano, Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee.

Chicago won the NL Central title last season before being swept by Arizona in the first round of the playoffs.

Fukudome was the 2006 Central League MVP, batting .351 with 31 homers and 104 RBIs. He recently told the Dragons he wouldn't return next season, saying he wanted to move to the major leagues.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

i love it....

these fuckheads havent won anything in 100 years....

and now our savior is named FUK-U-dome?????

i love it....

chromiam

SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:

i love it....

these fuckheads havent won anything in 100 years....

and now our savior is named FUK-U-dome?????

i love it....

I can see the signs in the bleacher seats now.....

and get ready for sushi being served on the concourse

eddievedder1977

The long, winding, promising and mostly frustrating road of Mark Prior's career came to an inglorious end Wednesday night when the Cubs non-tendered the former rock star of the pitching staff, making him a free agent at 27 according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Unable to trade the rehabbing Prior, general manager Jim Hendry opted to cut him loose rather than face another arbitration process that figured to result in a 2008 salary of about $3.4 million for a pitcher whose surgically repaired shoulder was a question mark for next season.

''It's time to turn the page,'' Prior's agent, John Boggs, said after receiving word from Hendry more than two hours ahead of the 11 p.m. tender deadline. ''And it's already a new horizon for Mark because he's coming off the first surgery of his career, and we anticipate he'll be a productive pitcher in '08.''

SPEEDY MCCREADY

6 weeks till pitchers and catchers report?????

brain of c

remember 84?

89?

go padres!

DaytimeDilemma

SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:

6 weeks till pitchers and catchers report?????

I'm pumped for baseball.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

brain of c wrote:

remember 84?

89?

go padres!

ouch!!!!!

patrickredeyes

Is HBO sports gonna do another show about the Cubs and the new season. How this is the year they go all the way.


Headline news here. I may actually attend my first Wrigley field game this summer.

mca47

I've always been a fan of Lieber since his days as a Cub. I'm not expecting a whole lot out of him but I think he can add a TON of depth to the pitching staff!!


CHICAGO (AP) -- Jon Lieber, a 20-game winner for the Chicago Cubs in 2001, rejoined the team Wednesday by agreeing to a $3.5 million, one-year contract.

Lieber, who spent the previous three seasons in Philadelphia and underwent surgery for a ruptured tendon in his foot last year, will compete for a spot in Chicago's rotation when the Cubs report to spring training next month. He can earn performance bonuses based on games started and innings pitched.

"He gives us some depth. There is no sense playing mix and match and who's going to be this and what role somebody is going to have," general manager Jim Hendry said. "We're just trying to add as many quality pitchers and we think he adds a lot still to our club."

The 37-year-old Lieber was disappointed when the Phillies initially assigned him to the bullpen at the start of last season. But he said Wednesday he'll be willing to accept any role in his return to the Cubs.

"I'll do whatever it takes to help the Chicago Cubs win and if that's pitching out of the bullpen, so be it," he said.

ADVERTISEMENT
Lieber had elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2002 -- the final year of his first stint with the Cubs -- and was bothered by a groin problem with the Phillies in 2006. Last year, his season ended on June 20 because of the foot injury.

Now, he says he's healthy and ready to pitch. He said he completed his lengthy rehab in early October.

"Everything is fine and I've been cleared to do my normal routine since then and had no problems," Lieber said.

The Cubs' rotation already includes Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis, Rich Hill and Sean Marshall. Former closer Ryan Dempster also is going to get a shot at starting.

"We're going to have probably seven or eight starters in camp and that's the right number," manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday during a stop on the team's winter tour. "Lieber competes very well, knows how to pitch. Let's hope he's nice and healthy and ready to go. If he is, he will help us."

Hendry said the Cubs will be busy during the weeks leading up to the start of spring training on Feb. 13 in Mesa, Ariz. Chicago won the NL Central last season before getting swept by Arizona in the first round of the playoffs.

Hendry wouldn't specifically address reports that the Cubs have talked to the Baltimore Orioles about acquiring second baseman Brian Roberts.

"I don't get into other teams' players," Hendry said. "We're going to try to be really aggressive the next three or four weeks before camp and try to come up with somebody else who can help us before we get there. ... We're going to try to stay on top of it."

The Cubs have already added Japanese star Kosuke Fukudome to be their right fielder, and reports said they also were interested in second baseman Kaz Matsui, who signed with Houston.

Mark DeRosa, who displayed his versatility by playing several positions last season but was primarily a second baseman, is back.

Piniella was perfectly happy with DeRosa's performance, which included a .293 batting average with 10 homers and 72 RBIs in 149 games.

"I know when we signed him we talked about moving him around a little bit, but let me tell you, if we went to camp just the way we are with Mark at second base, it's fine with me," Piniella said.

Lieber is 129-121 with a 4.28 ERA in 375 major league appearances, including 326 starts. He was 48-36 with the Cubs from 1999-2002, including 20-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 2001 when he made the NL All-Star team. He has also been especially effective at Wrigley Field, with a 29-18 record.

Lieber also pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees. After missing the 2003 season while recovering from elbow surgery, he went 14-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 2004 with the Yankees. He was 17-13 with a 4.20 ERA in 2005, his first season with Philadelphia.

Fighting Hellfish

I liked him a lot when he was a Yankee. I can't see him staying healthy pitching out of the bullpen, so he'll probably get a spot in the rotation.

GraySaturday

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Right now I'm working for Geek Squad on North Ave.. I hate my job. If I have to hear another idiot have a nervous breakdown because their hard drive crashed and they lost four years of college work.. I'm just going to drink more alcohol after work. lol.

You hiring Speedy???

I know this is off topic, but I know someone who works at the Bestbuy on north. He's a douche. I told his girlfriend to get over herself.. Annoying ass people!

But, on a good note, thats my Bestbuy! I shop at whole foods there every week. I've probably run into you and didnt know it. weird.

Okay back on topic. I can't wait to find out what games we get to go to this season. My husband's boss has friends that have awesome season ticket seats and they can't use a ton of tickets, so we get second pick at them. They were good for 6 pairs last year

Go cubbies!

pureoc

Looking forward to this year. Hopefully they can repeat as division champs. Cubs made moves, but still not enough. I think they need a solid number 2 pitcher although there really isn't one out there and the price will be waaay too high. Lily was great last year but I can't see him doing that good this year. He will be decent but not 15 - 8. Good thing is no one else in the division made a huge splash. Not sure if the Roberts deal will happen but I'd really like the lineup if he was added, mainly cause Soriano would finally get the F out of the leadoff spot.

Still pissed about raising tickets 16% although I was expecting it. I'll probably cut back to 6 - 8 games this year (opening day, Cards, Sox, and maybe one or two others). Sorry but I don't think a FLA, WSH, or PIT game should be a PRIME ticket game just cause it's a summer game. That's bullshit. I'll prime Prime ticket pricing for Opening Day, Sox and Cards, but not FLA, WSH or PIT.

Speaking of tickets, anyone know when they go on sale. I'm assuming either Feb. 15th or 22nd. Either way I've got both days off so I'll be ready to crack my Old Style at 9:30 and sit on the computer!!

mca47

pureoc wrote:

Speaking of tickets, anyone know when they go on sale. I'm assuming either Feb. 15th or 22nd. Either way I've got both days off so I'll be ready to crack my Old Style at 9:30 and sit on the computer!!

Hell yeah!

Since moving out to AZ, there are only a few places that carry Old Style. When spring training comes along, I stock up and hit up as many games as possible!
It's great! You can sit in the lawn (outfield) for $6! Hell yeah! Can't wait!

mca47

BTW...

If any of you come out for spring training this year, let me know and we can hit up a game!

chikevin

i'm a white sox fan and it's easy to see the cubs are easily the class of their division...and possibily the NL.

that said...

i've kinda grown tired of all the cub fans under 30 who keep up with the whole, 'i'm a suffering cub fan' routine. i just wish they'd have some respect for the fans who were in the bleachers in the 70's and early 80's (when the white sox were out drawing the cub fans).

i'm 33 and i'll admit it, i fought back tears when the white sox won...
...but during the whole deal i always tried to remember the fans who were in their 60's, 70's and 80's and tried to set aside some good feelings for them.

just remember, young cub fans, there were many who suffered longer than you.

truly...i hope none of you have to suffer anymore after this year (as i've gotten the monkey off my back in '05), but...and if it all happens...my advice is to not be so self-indulgent...
remember those who've suffered for many more years.

if you look at it that way...the whole ride will be much sweeter.

good luck this year.

mca47

chikevin wrote:

i'm a white sox fan and it's easy to see the cubs are easily the class of their division...and possibily the NL.

that said...

i've kinda grown tired of all the cub fans under 30 who keep up with the whole, 'i'm a suffering cub fan' routine. i just wish they'd have some respect for the fans who were in the bleachers in the 70's and early 80's (when the white sox were out drawing the cub fans).

i'm 33 and i'll admit it, i fought back tears when the white sox won...
...but during the whole deal i always tried to remember the fans who were in their 60's, 70's and 80's and tried to set aside some good feelings for them.

just remember, young cub fans, there were many who suffered longer than you.

truly...i hope none of you have to suffer anymore after this year (as i've gotten the monkey off my back in '05), but...and if it all happens...my advice is to not be so self-indulgent...
remember those who've suffered for many more years.

if you look at it that way...the whole ride will be much sweeter.

good luck this year.

Thanks for your kind words.

My grandpa, who died last week (in his mid 70s) was perhaps the biggest Cubs fan of them all...including myself. Knowing that he never had the opportunity to see a Cubs World Series really upsets me. When a team that hasn't "won it" in so many years, it's bound to happen but it just pains me that he didn't have the opportunity to see it happen.
Yeah, there are a lot of "fairweather fans" and bandwagon Cub fans (as there are Sox fans...and yes, I know not as many...) but there are also hundreds of thousands that are true diehards that care nothing more to see the boys in blue win it all.

Go Cubbies!

chikevin

mca47 wrote:

but there are also hundreds of thousands that are true diehards that care nothing more to see the boys in blue win it all.

Go Cubbies!

i know this...and try to remind my other friends who are cub fans about this as often as possible.
most of the time, it ends up in a cub/sox thing...
but that's not my intention...at least, it isn't after the sox won.

my grandmother is 88...would be nice to see it happen for her.

there's no reason it shouldn't this year. everything is lining up great for the cubs division and league wise.

pureoc

chikevin wrote:

i know this...and try to remind my other friends who are cub fans about this as often as possible.
most of the time, it ends up in a cub/sox thing...
but that's not my intention...at least, it isn't after the sox won.

my grandmother is 88...would be nice to see it happen for her.

there's no reason it shouldn't this year. everything is lining up great for the cubs division and league wise.

I'd love to see it happen. I still think even though they completely collapsed last year, which was wonderful to see, that the Mets will be tough. Also in the division I think the Brewers are gonna be tough again, but hopefully not tough enough, as I live in Milwaukee and will never hear the end of it. I'll have tickets for the last three games of the year in Milwaukee and if comes down to that it will be crazy.

Yes, bandwagon fan sucks, regardless of what team you root for unfortunately with sucsess comes bandwagon fans.