Thoughts on the Chicago Cubs and other topics in baseball. E-mail Tom at: tomsmithcubs@ hotmail.com

 
MANAGER UPDATE: Today in the Chicago Tribune Teddy Greenstein reports the Milwaukee Brewers have offered Ken Macha the managers' job in Milwaukee but Macha's first choice is the Cubs. Over at the Chicago Sun-Times Mike Kiley writes about Hendry taking his time to make a decision on a manager. Both Greenstein and Kiley speculate about Dusty Baker being a candidate for the Cubs' job after the World Series.
I think Hendry really does want to make a run at Dusty Baker after the World Series. If Hendry did not, I think Hendry would have made a decision by now. I am beginning to worry that Hendry is going to wait too long to make a decision and not get anybody he wants.

PINIELLA THOUGHTS: Wednesday night on WGN Radio's Sports Central with David Kaplan and Tom Waddle they had Chicago Tribune Cubs' beat writer Teddy Greenstein on to discuss the managerial situation with the Cubs. Kaplan asked Greenstein if you could get Lou Piniella to come to the Cubs would you give Hee Seop Choi to the Seattle Mariners as compensation. Kaplan said he would. Kaplan further stated he had talked to Steve Stone earlier in the day and Stone agreed. Greenstein opposed the idea. I would not because I just do not see giving away a top prospect for a manager, even an excellent one, who is probably only going to be there a few years.

2002 PLAYOFFS: The World Series starts on Saturday night with the first ever all wild card match-up between the San Francisco Giants and the Anaheim Angels. The Ball Dudes vs. The Rally Monkey. My predictions this post-season have been awful up to now, going 1-3 in the LDS round, 1-1 in the LCS round, and 2-8 if you include how I predicted the subsequent rounds to go. So who can I jinx next? As you know I believe in the ex-Cub factor in the World Series regardless of what Arizona did last year. So I am going with the Rally Monkey. World Series: Anaheim Angels over San Francisco Giants.
posted by Thomas at 1:17 PM

 
PINIELLA NEWS: Teddy Greenstein in the Chicago Tribune reports on the possibility of Lou Piniella coming to the Cubs. I really doubt Piniella will come to the Cubs because the Cubs train in Mesa, Arizona and he wants to manage an East Coast team that trains in Florida so he can be close to his family in Tampa, Florida.

ROGERS ON MANAGER AND DUNSTON: Also in the Chicago Tribune today Phil Rogers calls for an experienced manager to be hired by the Cubs. Rogers also writes about former Chicago Cub Shawon Dunston. Rogers writes about what a good mentor Dunston is to Giants' centerfielder Kenny Lofton. Dunston may well be a good mentor for Lofton but the real story should be why does Kenny Lofton need a mentor at this stage in his career? Lofton is 35 years old and has been in the major leagues since he broke in with the Houston Astros in 1991.

WE INTERRUPT THIS BASEBALL GAME TO BRING YOU THESE IMPORTANT COMMERCIALS: On Sunday at 4:55 P.M. Pacific during Game 5 of the ALCS with the Anaheim Angels leading 13-5 over the Minnesota Twins going into the top of the ninth inning and about to clinch the American League pennant Fox TV informed us that they were cutting away from the Twins-Angels game "so we can show you the first pitch of Game 4 of the NLCS." But what did Fox do? Fox TV showed commercials for seven minutes! At 5:02 P.M. Pacific Fox came back and said, "As promised we will show you the final out of the Twins-Angels game." We had missed the first two outs of the top of the ninth then we saw Angels get the final out and clinch the American League pennant. Thanks a lot Fox. The alleged reason why we had to cut away from Game 5 of the ALCS to show you the first pitch of Game 4 of the NLCS was totally bogus because the first pitch of Game 4 of the NLCS was not until 5:10 P.M. Pacific! At the very least Fox should have allowed people to see the start of the NLCS game on Fox Sports Net or fx if the games were going to overlap. Another black eye for baseball.

2002 PLAYOFFS: I went 1-1 on my LCS predictions. The really bad news is when I pick a team to win the World Series they lose. I have already jinxed the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals. Who will I jinx next? Stay tuned.

EX-CUB FACTOR: As most Cubs fans know 2 ex-Cubs is limit to be able to win the World Series. This was believed to be scientific law until last year when the Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series with more than 2 ex-Cubs on their roster. This year the San Francisco Giants have four ex-Cubs on their roster. Ex-Cubs Benito Santiago, Manny Aybar, Tim Worrell, and Shawon Dunston are on the San Francisco Giants roster. The Anaheim Angels have no ex-Cubs on their roster. Will the ex-Cub factor return in 2002 or will it once again be broken? Stay tuned to the World Series on Fox TV to find out. Just as long as Fox does not switch to some important commercials.



posted by Thomas at 4:25 AM