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

 
SORRY, AGAIN: Sorry I have not posted the last few weeks; I got caught up in the Senator Trent Lott saga. Do not expect five or six insincere apologizes from me though. Well lots of Cubs news to talk about so here we go.

SAD NEWS ABOUT SANTO: The big news of course is Ron Santo had his left leg amputated below the knee yesterday. Santo had his right leg amputated below the knee last year. Santo says he plans on being back in the broadcast booth for 2003. Let us hope Ronnie can come back from this setback.

CUBS SIGN ESTES: The Chicago Cubs have signed left handed pitcher Shawn Estes to a one-year contract for $3 million with another $1.5 million in incentives. Estes had many good seasons in San Francisco but struggled last season with the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds. I think the Cubs made a good move here. The Cubs get the fifth starter we need at a price which is not outrageous.

ALFONSECA RETURNS: The Chicago Cubs have re-signed relief pitcher Antonio Alfonseca to a one-year contract for $4 million. Alfonseca was ok early last season but really struggled the last two months of the season. Apparently Alfonseca's struggles the last few months of the season were because a friend of Alfonseca's killed himself while he and Alfonseca were talking on the telephone. Alfonseca never told anybody with the Cubs this information until recently. Re-signing Alfonseca was probably a good move because he was the best reliever available.

L.A. FRED: The Los Angeles Dodgers have come to an agreement on a contract with former Cubs first baseman Fred McGriff. Remember back in 2001 when McGriff balked at coming to the Cubs because he did not want to be so far away from his home in Tampa? McGriff said it was not about the money; he just wanted to be close to home. McGriff does not seems to mind California Dreaming if the price is right.

CAN'T BE WORSE THAN WHAT THE COW DID: The Cubs have signed outfielder Troy O'Leary to a one-year contract. The Cubs needed a left handed hitter off the bench so O'Leary fits the bill. Hopefully Troy O'Leary will do better for the Cubs than Mrs. O'Leary's cow did. The Chicago fire of 1871 burned down the Chicago White Stockings' (later Cubs) ballpark causing them to play their remaining games on the road. The White Stockings fell out of first place and lost the pennant. This sounds like something that would happen to the Cubs. Actually in fairness to the cow, historians now doubt Mrs. O' Leary's cow started the fire. The fire started and spread most likely because Mel Rojas, Felix Heredia, or Kyle Farnsworth came into the game.

CUBS SUE ROOFTOPS: The Chicago Cubs have filed a lawsuit against the rooftop owners on Waveland and Sheffield Avenue. It had to be done. If the rooftop owners want to charge to see Cubs games they should have to pay a licensing fee to the Cubs because they are using the Cubs' product to make money for themselves. The rooftop owners have dragged their feet on the expansion and license issues for years now. Hopefully this action will get some movement towards the expansion and more night games.

I-ROD TO JAPAN: With neither the Cubs or the Baltimore Orioles offering what Ivan Rodriguez wants, his agent Jeff Moorad says he will start listening to offers from Japan. How much sushi do you think Ivan Rodriguez ate growing up in Puerto Rico?

posted by Thomas at 12:43 PM