Cubby-Blue

If only the Cubs could control Daylight Saving Time.

Daylight Saving Time always confuses me.
I actually wrote this yesterday, only at the time it was an hour earlier or something.
We're all told to move the clock ahead an hour, but the sun doesn't know that.
Neither do the neurons in my head.
I had an insane professor in college who was obsessed about time being another dimension, which made the class extra goofy because it was called "3 Dimensional Design".
One would assume that meant "sculpture".
But he'd have us make a video of anything - a tree or rain or something.
We'd look at it the next day and he'd say, "See? This all happened yesterday and yet...we're watching it today!"
Right, so...

If you could control when DST happened to the minute, it would be pretty useful.
Especially for Cub Fans.
Like about 5:42 PM (Eastern Time) on October 14, 2003.
Right before Mark Prior pitches the ball to Luis Gonzales.
If there was a button to push for Daylight Saving Time, well you'd have pushed it, right?
And if you were at the game, maybe you'd feel dizzy for a second, but it would suddenly be 6:42 and the Cubs would have beat the Marlins 3 to nothin'.
People would be dancing in the streets, Moises Alou would never have attempted to catch Gonzales' foul ball, and we'd never know the name of the fan who tried to catch it.
It would have simply been time for World Series Glory!

This little button wouldn't have helped Lou Piniella's '07 or '08 Cubs - they were just plain doomed.
But we coulda used it in '84.
And maybe today Steve Garvey isn't using the story of his stupid homer as a pep talk to corporations for money.

Whatever.
Yesterday at 2 the Cubs played the Brewers, but it woulda been 3 today or something.
It was my first look at these young Cubs live.
Anthony Rizzo looks like he could star in "Leave It To Beaver", if they had a part for a 220 pound lefty first baseman.
The game started with Ryan Dempster playing a little chin music for our ex-third baseman Aramis Ramirez (weird in the Brewer uni), and I thought I detected a smile on Aramis' face.
Dempster was all business though.
Lots of Len and Bob talk about the new Cubs. Emphasis on little things like baserunning. And then there are two Cubs on first and second, the Brewer catcher loses a pitch and both Cubs move up. 
Kinda cool.
Today it's the Cubs vs. the Dodgers, and I think it's our old buddy Terrible Ted on the mound for LA.
It's supposed to be like 65 out today, it's gorgeous and sunny.
Might have to get out the transistor for a little Pat and Keith and...yard work?
What time did you say it's supposed to start?
I gotta turn some clocks.
See ya.

The Cubs/Marlins game I refer to above started at 3 Eastern Time, and I'm only guessing it was about 5:42 when it all went to hell.

Walking around Wrigley Field. (Photos)

It's a nice morning.
Little chilly, but the sun's out so I drove down to Wrigley and walked around.


Today you can buy single game tickets, and it wasn't really crowded.

Billy and Ron were hanging out.

Lots of construction stuff everywhere. This is thru that gate on Sheffild.

I haven't been to the bleachers in years. Didn't know they had an elevator.

So then I was walking towards Clark on Waveland, and the back gate was...open.
So I walked in.
Here's a couple shots of the field and that Budweiser patio.

That used to be the "family section". I guess they're gonna put a 75 foot long LED sign under there.
I haven't really heard anyone complaining about it, have you?
And if they get advertisers to pony up some cash to get on that sign?
Buy me a pitcher or something.

Lastly, because I think this shot is AWESOME, here's a shot of the steaks I grilled last night.

So the Cubs beat the Sox yesterday in a spring game.
Newbie Travis Wood walked a couple and gave up 3 hits (I hate the walks way more), but Randy Wells did well as did Non-Roster Invitee Rodrigo Lopez.
Marlon Byrd hit a homer, and so did lefty catcher backup hopeful Steve Clevenger.
Kinda cool.
Today it's Cubs/Brewers and I'll be interested to see how the ST crowd reacts to Lyin' Ryan if he plays.
Here's the WGN tv schedule for March.

See you at 2, and Go Cubs!

 

 

 

Spring Training performances: Volstad vs. Zambrano.

Chris Volstad: 3 innings, 3 strikeouts, no walks, one measly little dinky hit, no runs.
Carlos Zambrano: 1.1 innings, 4 strikeouts, 3 walks, 3 hits, 3 runs. 
Some people don't really put much stock in performances during the first week of Spring Training, but I do.
Based on yesterday, I'd say the Carlos Zambrano for Chris Volstad trade is already working out pretttttty well for the Chicago Cubs.
I mean, it's all right there in the box scores.

Okay OKAY!
Doesn't mean jack.
But I'll take any kinda tiny Cub victory I can muster up at any time during this, year numero uno of the re-birth of our favorite baseball team.
And... probably I'll do it again this year.
Once or twice maybe. 

Here's Z talking about how happy he was with his first effort for the Fish. 
Yeah you know, that's what you say this time of year.

Hey remember we were joking about all these guys coming to the Cubs and having to get new hats photoshopped onto their heads for their online portraits?
If I'm Volstad, I'm demanding a new photo.

Terrible light, horrible angle featuring the chin that appears to like pizza and beer.
Seriously, Chris.
Call someone and make them change this thing.
You're a Cub now, brother.

Sleeping on planes story.

it's a travel day for me, so I thought I'd put this old travel post up about Cheech cutting the cheese...

True story.
Years ago - I'm going from Chicago to Los Angeles.
For some reason they put me in first class, and it's one of those mondo planes with those weird sleeping pods?
Ever seen those things?
There were 3 across, and in the middle one right next to me sits Cheech Marin.
How cool is that?
I'm in first with a celebrity!
Plane takes off and in minutes, he rolls over and he's fast asleep - I figure he musta come from New York or something, stopped over in Chicago.
I'm messing with the buttons on my seat when all the sudden, Cheech lets out a long, loud fart.
Unbelievable.
Aimed right at me (the painting is from my point of view).
When I was in 2nd grade, this girl Martha fell asleep in class and the teacher goes, "Tim, will you go back there and wake up Martha?"
So I go back there and she's got her head resting on her arms, but she's been seriously drooling, and her hair is in a giant puddle of spit.
Really gross.
Plus, she had warts on her hand (I had to square dance with her once).
Right then, I decided I could NEVER fall asleep in public.
Obviously, Cheech could care less, cuttin' the cheese like that in his sleep in first class.
I bet the Cubs could care less too, they fly so much.
And now they're probably already in San Diego, checking into a hotel and maybe heading to the park for a little bp.
If Carlos Zambrano can keep up this hot streak and the Cubs win, it'll be 8 wins in a row.
Soriano went deep yesterday and the Cubs got the 4 game sweep of the Rockies.
Tonight it's the Padres at 9. 
Go Cubs.

 

 

 

Just thinking about Matt Garza. (illustration)

Think about Matt Garza's short strange trip since coming to the Cubs.
Start with the confusing trade that brought him here.
Big prospects from the Cubs: Hak-Ju Lee, Chris Archer, Sam Fuld, Robinson Chirinos, and Brandon Guyer for Garza, Fernando Perez (gone), and some other guy.
That's alot of talent, but Jim Hendry had to be aware that his top minor league pitchers (Thomas Diamond - where'd that guy go anyway?) were terrible and decided to go with something proven.
Last year was going to be a disaster anyway, but when Cashner and Wells went down imagine if Hendry would have been trying to repair things from that particular position of weakness?
He may have traded the same guys and gotten less.

Next, the off-season.

The Garza's Gone rumors never stopped.
I don't think I've ever seen a guy twisting in the wind like that for literally months.
Theo Epstein never stopped saying it was good if Matt stayed but also good to test the waters.
Was that an upfront thing to say?
I think it was honest, but still Garza was bait.

Had to be sort of...odd, right?
The Cubs were obviously asking for a ton, and no takers came forward.
It could still happen, of course, but right now he's the Cubs' best pitcher and if he stays... well, awesome!
He pitched yesterday and worked on his change and fastball, apparently he didn't throw any sliders.
Gave up a couple runs.
But whatever, it's Spring Training.
Alfonso Soriano hit a couple out, and Brett Jackson hit one too.
Anthony Rizzo started for the first time and drove in a couple.
(Bryan LaHair is ofer 5 so far, but no pressure dude.)

And today it'll be Jeff Samardzija on the mound.
He's been pretty vocal about wanting one of those starting jobs.
Pretty great guy to have in the pen, but hell man, the roles are being figured out right now.
Lets see what happens.

Oh yeah, if you haven't seen the new PlayStation spot featuring the Cubs winning the World Series, well, it's certainly well produced. It's just that I prefer to find humor in the misery of people other than myself.