New Address Friday, April 3

For at least the time being, I have relocated to ahundrednextyears.tumblr.com.

You should also get there if you go to ahundrednextyears.com.

And I am continuing to write at thecubreporter.com.

Thanks for caring, which I assume you do since you bothered to come over here.

Don't Look Bak: Arcane Cubs List of the Week Monday, March 30

The 11 times that a Major League club has bid Paul Bako adieu:

1. November 11, 1997. Traded by the Reds to the Tigers.
2. January 14, 1999. Traded by the Tigers to the Astros.
3. April 11, 2000. Sold by the Astros to the Marlins.
4. July 21, 2000. Placed on waivers by the Marlins; claimed by the Braves.
5. March 20, 2002. Traded by the Braves to the Brewers.
6. November 26, 2002. Traded by the Brewers to the Cubs.
7. October 29, 2004. Granted free agency; signed with Dodgers, Jan. '05.
8. October 31, 2005. Granted free agency; signed with Royals, Dec. '05.
9. October 31, 2006. Granted free agency; signed with Orioles, Dec. '06.
10. October 30, 2007. Granted free agency; signed with Reds, Feb. '08
11. March 30, 2009. Released by the Cubs.

To recap, that's Reds, Tigers, Astros, Marlins, Braves, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Royals, Orioles, Reds, and Cubs. Along the way, Bako has played in 745 games and compiled a lifetime OPS+ of 62. In his previous stint with the Cubs, in '03 and '04, he appeared in 119 games and hit just .218. But who's to say this is the end of the road for the 36-year-old? Not Cubs manager Lou Piniella.

"The important thing is hopefully Paul can get a Major League job. He's a capable Major League catcher. If he can get a Major League job, I'll be happy.

Besides, there are 20 Major League teams Paul has yet to play for.

Bako statistics and transaction history from Baseball-Reference.com.

Great Moments in Ron Santo Irony Sunday, March 29

On Saturday, WGN Radio selected Judd Sirott to replace Cory Provus as the third man in the Cubs booth along with Ron Santo and Pat Hughes. Sirott has been handling pre-game, post-game, and between-period duties on WGN's Blackhawks broadcasts this season. Previously, he was play-by-play man for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Sirott auditioned for the job earlier this spring down in Mesa. He received this review from his new boothmate Santo:

"[Sirott] was here for two games...The two innings he did, he was a little nervous at first, but then settled in."

Given what I've heard of Sirott's hockey work and the limited role he will have during the Cubs broadcasts—one inning of play-by-play plus the occasional score updates—I'm sure he will be fine.

But how awful must his audition have been for Ron Santo to say he sounded nervous?!

What Do $1.5 Billion Confines Look Like? Friday, March 6

I stumbled across this photographic tour of the new Yankee Stadium tonight in the middle of the Wall Street Journal's newly expanded sports section. (Both the online and offline Journals are seeing the enhanced sports coverage.)

After marveling at what must be the world's most imposing baseball stadium, a park in which the Cubs and Yanks will play exhibition games on April 3rd and 4th, I got to thinking about the Cubs' yet-to-be-developed Triangle Development, which was going to be part of a Wrigley Field campus.

It says a lot about the political power of the Yankees and the Steinbrenners in New York City and about the complications of doing business in Chicago, not to mention the hopelessly messy state of Cubs ownership, that Yankee Stadium is what it is and that the Cubs' Triangle Building is still non-existent.

A Bold Prediction Sunday, February 22

The Cubs are starting Kerry Wood tonight against Houston. I have a feeling the young righthander has a big game in him tonight.

Be sure you don't miss any of the action.

Those Nasty, Illiterate Mets Fans: Arcane Cubs List of the Week Thursday, January 29

Random wisdom dispensed by the New York Met faithful over the past few months at "Aaron Heilman Sucks", a discussion forum dedicated to the newest Chicago Cub.

• I wish nothing but bad things upon this guy. He has caused mets fan way to much pain. Heilman forced me to cut my self during games.

• did you know heilman means homerun in german? LMAO

• To Kerri Heilman please say to your husband Aaron when your home at night Heilman you suck please quit for the good of the team.

• It is amazing how bad he is, if i was the mets GM i'd trade him to Guatamala for an old donkey and a sick monkey

• Aaron can be very effective. You guys are way to harsh on him. I would be willing to bet most of you wouldn't have the sack to to say any of these things to him if you were alone in a room with him.

• what a complete moron, jesus, i hate this guy

For the record, in six years with the Mets, Heilman went 22-33, 4.24 with an ERA+ of 100, i.e., dead on the league average. Though this November, he laid a start-me-or-trade-me demand on the Mets—who traded him to the Mariners who traded him to the Cubs—the Notre Dame grad was far more effective as a relief pitcher than as a starter:

Heilman in relief: 3.52 in 280 games (316 2/3 IP), 289 K vs. 119 BB
Heilman as a starter: 5-13 in 25 starts, 5.93 ERA, 106 K vs. 66 BB

Regardless of the numbers, Heilman figures to see duty in both roles with the Cubs.

Gammons on the Cubs Saturday, January 24

The Chicago National League Ballclub is all over Saturday's installment of the Peter Gammons blog at ESPN.com.

Regarding the decision of the Man Who Would Be Cubs Closer, Carlos Marmol, to play in this spring's World Baseball Classic:

Wonderful. Here's a 26-year-old with dazzling talent, a kid who fanned a third of the batters he faced last year, and with Kerry Wood gone to Cleveland and Ryan Dempster an All-Star in the Cubs' rotation is supposed to be the closer for a Cubs team whose expectations are to go farther than the first round of the 2009 playoffs. Marmol is heating up in January while pitching in the Dominican League playoffs, then he's going to go to spring training and slow it down, then turn it up again in the WBC, return to spring training and slow it down, then head north and be expected to be a shutdown closer beginning on Opening Day.

Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Start. And there is a full season ahead...

...there are risks, and if a Jake Peavy or John Lackey or Francisco Rodriguez or Carlos Marmol is hurting in May or September, then there may have to be a lot more thought that goes into the next time the event is held.

Regarding the new Colorado Rockie, Jason Marquis:

Derek Lowe's deal with the Braves re-emphasizes the value teams place on reliability. Which makes one wonder if the Cubs won't miss Jason Marquis, who pitched a combined 358 2/3 innings in the past two seasons, more than they realize right now.

And finally, regarding Rich Harden, who decided not to pitch for Canada in the WBC:

Rich Harden had two choices at the end of last season because of the shoulder issues he's fought through: Either have surgery or try to rehab. Harden chose the rehab. He has worked really hard all winter, and if the Cubs can get 15-20 starts from him in 2009, they will be happy. And with new ownership in place, we know the possibility of trading for Jake Peavy will be re-addressed.