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The Cub Reporter (Free subscription) | 11/25/2009
According to Sun-Times beat reporter, Gordon Wittenmeyer , with the signing of John Grabow to a 2/7.5 contract (backended as only Jim Hendry can do) and the trading of Aaron Heilman to the Snakes, the Cubs have supposedly made their final bullpen move of the offseason. The deal appears to secure the final key piece to the Cubs' projected 2010 bullpen, coming one day after the team traded veteran Aaron...
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Another Cubs Blog (Free subscription) | 11/24/2009
Yesterday we talked about how Jim Hendry is a large reason why the expectations for this team have been raised. Some of you have disagreed with my claim that 2003 was mostly meaningless when it comes to the higher expectations. I think I overstated that. 2003 was clearly an important year for this organization. I'm just not convinced it did more for expectations than 1998 or 2001. Regardless of which...
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Bleed Cubbie Blue (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009
10:59 pm CST tonight is the deadline for teams to fill out their 40-man rosters with players they want to protect from the Rule 5 draft next month. With the trade of Aaron Heilman yesterday, the Cubs' 40-man roster stands at 33 players -- so they've got plenty of room to add players they want to protect. This article from the Atlanta Braves website gives some details on how this process works and also...
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Thunder Matt's Saloon (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
According to Bruce Levine on ESPN 1000 , the Cubs are working on signing lefty reliever John Grabow to a multi-year deal worth between $6.5 million and $7.5 million. Agent Paul Kinzer represents Grabow, who would be the team's left-handed set-up man and a possible back-up closer in the event Carlos Marmol is injured or needs a day off. Jesus, really? Grabow as our set-up guy? Grabow closing games?...
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MLB Trade Rumors (Free subscription) | 10/17/2009
Some tidbits from around baseball as we enjoy Game One of the ALCS... Bill Shaikin and Harriet Ryan of the L.A. Times have some ominous news for Dodgers fans surrounding the separation of Frank and Jamie McCourt: his attorneys claim he is the sole owner of the Dodgers, while her lawyers say the team's ownership is split 50-50 between the soon-to-be ex-couple. On the night of Stephen Strasburg's professional...
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Pursuit of Red Sox (Free subscription) | 10/09/2009
Third set of six packs. Top left. Pack 1: #108 Geoff Jenkins Brewers #116 Derek Jeter Yankees #139 Ken Griffey Jnr . Reds #203 Mike Hampton Braves #219 Bo Hart Cardinals #178 Erubiel Durazo Athletics Red Chunk #173 Kevin Millwood Phillies Mini #21 Eric Chavez Athletics Pop-up Pack 2: #56 Javier Vazquez Yankees #91 Brian Giles Padres #166 Jay Payton Rockies #183 Jason Schmidt Giants #274 Anthony Lerew...
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Pursuit of Red Sox (Free subscription) | 10/07/2009
I was surprised to be pick up a box of these cards on e-bayUK. 24 packs of 8 cards. There are 300 cards in the base set. There are parallels: Red Chunks and Minis There are inserts: 40 4in1 stickers, 24 Comics, 55 Tattoos and 25 Stand-ups. There are relic cards: Adventure relics, Blast Bat relics and One-Liner relics. There are 8 cards per pack, each pack contains a Red Chunks and Mini. Here are the...
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Sacramento Bee (Free subscription) | 09/09/2009
CHICAGO -- Five days after becoming an instant South Side star by shutting out the crosstown rival Cubs for seven innings, Carlos Torres was just another frustrated player on the off-and-on Chicago White Sox. Torres recorded only two outs -- the shortest outing by a Sox starter in more than six years -- while giving up consecutive home runs to Jack Cust and Mark Ellis in Tuesday night's 11-3 loss...
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A Pack A Day (Free subscription) | 08/17/2009
Vladdie - Did you see him get a hit off a pitch that bounced Friday night? You may think I'm joking, but I'm not . Alex Rios - Tied for 6th in the AL Power-Speed Number race . Ryan Rowland-Smith Cole Hamels Brandon Inge - This is a great shot. Framed by the catcher, the wall, the ump, the fair pole. Crowd in the background. Full extension on the swing. Brian Roberts John Danks - Mini-binder idea: Players...
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Thunder Matt's Saloon (Free subscription) | 07/31/2009
Every year players and fans alike are excited at the prospect of change that the trading deadline brings to the game. I felt that with my post being finalized at exactly the same time as the deadline, it was only natural to talk a little bit about some last minute deals. This year we've already seen Cleveland unload Cliff Lee to Philly and it appears likely that Victor Martinez is going to Boston....
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The Big Dead Sidebar (Free subscription) | 07/22/2009
Roy Halladay is clearly better than Jake Peavy, but why aren't the Cubs after him? Jim Hendry and the Chicago Cubs were almost willing to throw the kitchen sink at Kevin Towers and the San Diego Padres in exchange for starting pitcher Jake Peavy . But when the name Roy Halladay gets dropped you hear about the usual suspects (Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies) and those lying in the weeds (Brewers,...
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The Big Dead Sidebar (Free subscription) | 07/16/2009
B.J. Ryan has been a tough cookie to crack in the past, but can Larry Rothschild turn him around? It's not quite the Ryan Express, but it will do. The Cubs have looked high and low for a lefty reliever. They've looked even harder for one that can get opposing lefties out. And after the failed experiments that were Mark Guthrie, Scott Eyre and Neal Cotts, it is now time to add former closer B.J. Ryan...
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The Cub Reporter (Free subscription) | 07/09/2009
This is (of course) very much subject to change, but as things stand right now, here are the projected roster and payroll for the Cubs circa post-season 2009 into Spring Training 2010. The Cubs already have $118.325M committed to ten players for 2010, and if they offer arbitration to all eight players who will be eligible post-2009, that should add another $13M - $14M to the 2010 payroll. With18 players...
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The View From The Bleachers (Free subscription) | 07/03/2009
Neal Cotts had Tommy John surgery, which ends his season, and I would hope, his Cub career. - (Source) Reed Johnson, Angel Guzman, and Aramis Ramirez are all slated to be activated from the DL on Monday. Begin speculation on who will be out to make room. I know this was a typo, but it accurately... To read the rest of the post, be sure to visit us at www.viewfromthebleachers.com
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MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com (Free subscription) | 07/03/2009
Manny's back to help celebrate the Fourth of July weekend! Here are some links to start the day off... Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Blue Jays execs will decide what course of action to take this month once they see how the team performs on its ten-game road trip against divisional rivals. Jamey Newberg ranks this week's top 20 Rangers prospects for MLB.com. Texas just keeps churning...
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