6
Number of consecutive games the Cubs have won against the White Sox

33
Total number of games Cubs have won in the all-time series with the Sox (63 games played)

.889
Lou Piniella's winning percentage as Cub manager in games against the White Sox (Piniella's record is 8-1)

4
Number of home runs Aramis Ramirez hit in this past weekend's series

4
Number of home runs Aramis Ramirez hit in the 28 games leading up to this past weekend's series

82.6
Percentage likelihood that the Cubs will win the NL Central, according to Baseball Prospectus's "Playoff Odds Report"

11.2
Percentage likelihood that the Cubs will not win the division, but will instead capture the Wild Card, according to Baseball Prospectus's "Playoff Odds Report"

93.8
Percentage likelihood that the Cubs will reach the post-season, according to Baseball Prospectus's "Playoff Odds Report"

3
Cubs' ranking in the latest Hardball Times' "Dartboard Ranking" (Red Sox and Tampa Bay are #1 and #2; the White Sox are just behind the Cubs at #4)

2
Cubs' ranking among all Major League teams in the latest Sporting News "Power Poll" (Angels are #1)

1
Number of people who will be in attendance at Tuesday night's Orioles/Cubs game and still focusing on the Brian Roberts-to-Cubs trade that never happened this spring (I'm thinking Brian Roberts will take one look at those 41,000 seats occupied by delirious Cub fans and he'll definitely be focusing on it)

(Illustration courtesy of AHNY reader DJ, of Cubbie Curmudgeon fame

From Paul Sullivan on the Chicago Tribune baseball blog Wednesday afternoon:

Baltimore president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters in Ft. Lauderdale Wednesday that a Brian Roberts deal with the Cubs is off the table.

From Jeff Zrebiec, writing on the Baltimore Sun Web site Wednesday evening:

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail acknowledged today that it's unlikely that Roberts will be traded before Monday's season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards.

MacPhail has been in trade talks with the Chicago Cubs about Roberts for several months, but the talks stalled over the past week or so and it's a long shot that they'll heat back up any time soon, according to two industry sources.

Sullivan's no-trade report sounds more definitive and final than the story in the Sun, but either way it looks like Brian Roberts will be a Baltimore Oriole on Opening Day and very likely, until at least mid-season, when the O's could start shopping him to any then-contending teams inclined to deal with Non-Trader Andy...the Cubs, perhaps.

In other Cubs personnel news, Lou Piniella decided on the make-up of his bench: Mike Fontenot (884 OPS this Spring), Henry Blanco (912 OPS), Daryle Ward (10 RBI in 38 AB), Ronny Cedeno (14 hits this Spring; 6 for extra bases), and newly acquired Reed Johnson.

No, the name of Matt Murton is not on the list, and yes, the Cubs are hoping to trade him.

Explained Piniella:

"Murton's had a good spring. We like him. But we're going to carry 12 pitchers... If Matt's not here with us, I hope we can find a major-league job for him."

– Cubs pitchers and catchers report for duty in Mesa on Wednesday. When they arrive, they'll find new security measures around the team's spring training complex.

That's because three young players already in camp, Jeff Samardzija, Jake Fox, and Tyler Colvin, had a variety of personal items stolen from their lockers a couple of weeks ago. The alleged thief, one Todd Robert Smith, was arrested on Saturday and charged with going on a burglary rampage that included the thefts in the Cubs complex.

– Pat Hughes was named Illinois Sportscaster Of The Year on Tuesday and dedicated the award to his constituents, Cubs fans, whom Hughes called "the greatest fans in the world."

Milo Hamilton, who lives in Texas, wouldn't have been eligible for the award, but I bet he's still bitter he didn't win.

– My favorite Baseball Prospectus writer, Joe Sheehan, offered his Spring Preview of the NL Central on Monday, and of the Cubs, Sheehan wrote:

The Cubs return the good players from the division titlist of 2007, and have upgraded in right field as well as added some depth. The middle infield is pretty lousy for a contending team, which is why the pursuit of (Brian) Roberts, even at a cost of (Felix) Pie, has made sense. It will be harder to hold off the Brewers this season, and even the Reds could make some noise if things break right. Still, you’re looking at the favorites, part of the cluster of teams that can lay claim to being the second-best in the league behind the Mets.

Nice to read the Cubs being referred to as favorites to win anything, isn't it?

Interesting to read mention of the Cubs pursuing Brian Roberts. Strange--I really hadn't heard anything else about that.

Maybe you're not.

Phil Rogers says "a very highly placed source" tells him the Cubs and Orioles are continuing to talk about a blockbuster deal that could bring Eric Bedard and Brian Roberts to the Cubs.

Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald is obviously talking to different people:

Hendry continues to work on possible trades, but informed insiders say no renewed talks are under way for a blockbuster with the Baltimore Orioles that would bring pitcher Erik Bedard and second baseman Brian Roberts to Chicago.

During this past weekend's Cubs convention, manager Lou Piniella said he didn't believe the Cubs would land even Roberts by himself, let alone Roberts and Bedard.

Let's throw it back to Phil Rogers:

...the one name to definitely keep in mind with the Cubs is Marlon Byrd. They are having conversations with the Texas Rangers about the center fielder, and this is a deal that could happen fairly quickly, assuming the Cubs are willing to give up some pitching.

The rumor in Texas involved Byrd for Matt Murton, but others say the deal would be Byrd for two or three players, including Murton. The Rangers, like the Orioles, apparently want pitching prospect Sean Gallagher to be in a deal.

Mr. Miles?

The Cubs like Texas outfielder Marlon Byrd. Hendry is actively shopping outfielder Matt Murton.

This is making me dizzy. Here's what I think:

Roberts' speed and OBP would be nice, but the cost for upgrading from DeRosa to Roberts is bound to exceed the value of the move and its net overall impact on the Cub offense. It's not that Roberts isn't a talented batsman, but that his contribution would be mitigated by the fact that DeRosa would no longer have a regular place to play.

It would be swell to pry Bedard loose from Andy MacPhail, but Seattle seems to have more blue chip prospects to offer than the Cubs do.

With respect to Byrd, I have the feeling the Cubs are overvaluing him based on one strong partial season in the hitter's paradise of Arlington, Texas. I like Murton, though I have to admit he seems to have no well-defined role on this Cubs team.

If Jim Hendry is bound and determined to move Murton, I hope they can get more for him than Marlon Byrd. The thought that the Cubs would have to part with three or four players to get him is flat-out repulsive.

Mike Pindelski at Beyond The Box Score offers an analysis of the still not completed Brian Roberts deal, pointing out that in Eric Patterson, the Cubs already have a second-base candidate with offensive potential...should the Cubs and O's be unable to agree on terms. He cites 5-year statistical projections for Patterson from Baseball Prospectus and summarizes things thusly:

"...Roberts would give the Cubs the most potent offense in the National League and he would surely give them the opportunity to make a run at the pennant in 2008.

If the Cubs however can't strike a deal for Roberts, there is no reason Cub fans should start throwing chairs. Assuming Hendry realizes what he has in Patterson the way he did with Geovany Soto, the Cubs have a pretty good in-house solution available for second base."

My counter-argument, which Pindelski mentions in passing:

By most accounts, E-Pat hasn't shown he can field the position.

A comparison of career, 162-game averages for three second basemen who were in the news on Wednesday:

The first guy, of course, is 32-year-old Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa, who will become Cubs "super sub" Mark DeRosa if the team consummates the endlessly rumored deal for the second guy, the Orioles' 30-year-old Brian Roberts, in a transaction that seems likely to cost the Cubs young pitchers Sean Gallagher, Sean Marshall, and more.

And the third guy? The often injured Marcus Giles, just 29 years old, who cost the Colorado Rockies next to nothing when he signed a minor league deal with the National League champions on Wednesday.

The Peoria Chiefs announced on Tuesday that Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg would return as the team's manager in 2008.

Sandberg led the Cubs' Midwest League affiliate to a 71-68 record in '07 and a tie for the second-half championship in the Western Division, though the Chiefs missed making the playoffs by virtue of a tie-breaker. Former Cub Carmelo Martinez will join Sandberg's staff as hitting coach.

Said Sandberg:

“I’m excited about coming back to Peoria as I had a great experience there as a manager in 2007. (My wife) Margaret and I both enjoyed our time in Peoria and are looking forward to another season of living and managing in Peoria."

Somehow I would believe that more if it came from Margaret.

Former Milwaukee Brewer shorstop Pat Listach, who managed Double-A Tennessee to a 73-65 record and a post-season appearance last year, is being promoted to the top job at Triple-A Iowa, where he was hitting coach from 2001 through '05. Buddy Bailey, who managed the I-Cubs (79-65) last season, will take over at Tennessee.

Finally, former Cub catcher Jody Davis will return as manager at Class A Advanced Daytona.

---

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, reportedly on Jim Hendry's Future Cub radar since at least the Winter Meetings, admitted to a reporter from the Baltimore Sun that he used performance-enhancing drugs, confirming allegations in the Mitchell Report.

Roberts describes his steroid use thusly:

"In 2003, when I took one shot of steroids, I immediately realized that this was not what I stood for or anything that I wanted to continue doing. I never used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing drugs prior to or since that single incident.

"I can honestly say before God, myself, my family and all of my fans that steroids or any performance-enhancing drugs have never had any effect on what I have worked so hard to accomplish in the game of baseball. I am very sorry and I deeply regret ever making that terrible decision.

"My only hope and prayer is that the Orioles, my family, friends and fans that have supported me so faithfully will forgive me."

Though Roberts was one of 19 current or former Baltimore players named in the report, the two-time All-Star was the highest profile player in the group. He could spend the rest of his career, whether it's in Baltimore, Chicago, or somewhere else, trying to scrub the stink from his reputation.

On a positive note, the Mitchell Report marks the first time in recent memory that the O's have finished among the leaders in the American League.

For the benefit of those who haven't properly prepared for the arrival of the newest Cub by learning his native tongue, that headline means "Yes!" (Myself, I've been in Berlitz classes for weeks. It's called devotion to the cause, folks.)

With all of the Kosuke Fukudome rumors and partial truths that the media have reported in recent weeks, I am still coming to grips with the fact that this deal is actually done. But reports to that effect have been all over the Chicago media this evening, led apparently by one from David Kaplan of WGN Radio.

Around 10pm, Pat Boyle of Comcast Sportsnight reported that he had spoken to Jim Hendry shortly before going on the air, and Hendry confirmed the Cubs had signed the Japanese star to a four-year deal. Hendry did not confirm a dollar figure; Boyle said Comcast's sources placed the number at somewhere around $14MM per season.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports phoned into the Comcast show and said Fukudome had actually made up his mind to come to the U.S. several days ago, when Rosenthal reported that he had. Rosenthal contends Fukudome and his representatives only denied a decision had been made because Japanese baseball etiquette dictates that a player formally and respectfully inform the team he is leaving of his plans before he starts to entertain new offers.

(Respectful behavior in baseball negotiations--funny stuff, huh? Fukudome really does have a big adjustment in front of him.)

More from Foxy Ken:

• Scouts say the U.S. player whose game most resembles Fukudome's is Raul Ibanez of the Mariners, who, ironically, was rumored to be on Jim Hendry's radar if Fukudome landed elsewhere. (For those not well versed in Ibanez, the 12-year, career American Leaguer is a lifetime .285 hitter. His 162-game average line over those 12 seasons--21 HRs, 91 RBI, .345 OBP, .471 SLG and an OPS+ of 111.)
  

• Fukudome could hit as high as second in the batting order, but could also be a big contributor lower in the lineup.

• Fukudome should be fully recovered by Opening Day from the elbow problems and endoscopic surgery that ended his 2007 season in Japan.

• The Fukudome signing will not help the Cubs pry Brian Roberts loose from the Orioles. The problem is not that Jim Hendry has been unable to focus his attention on striking a deal with Andy MacPhail; it's that Orioles owner Peter Angelos has a management-crush on Roberts, one of his favorite players, and MacPhail will have to do a lot of sweet talking, tap dancing, and maybe a few other things to persuade Angelos that it's in the O's interest to trade Roberts at all.

• Speaking of the trade discussions with the Orioles, don't expect Felix Pie to be part of any deal. The Cubs don't want to trade him and have told Baltimore as much.

Rosenthal's bottom line: Fukudome is going to a difference-maker for the Cubs.

Lastly, I would be remiss and completely out of character if I didn't point out how utterly and profoundly ecstatic I am that Kosuke Fukudome will NOT be wearing the black pinstripes of the Chicago White Sox.

So I'm going to point that out--I'm beside myself with joy.

Here we are, three days into the Winter Meetings, and the biggest thing to happen to the Chicago Cubs so far is a trade involving Omar Infante.

True, there's time: we have a lot of off-season yet to play, and the Cubs could still make a signficant move before Team Hendry leaves Nashville. I don't have nearly the browsing skills to keep up with all of the Cub-related rumors circulating, but the most recent one involves the possible acquisition of Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts.

As covered in the Baltimore Sun...

Although no specifics have been revealed, one baseball source said the Cubs have put a "significant" offer on the table that would include a starting pitcher for Roberts, the Orioles' lone All-Star in 2007.

One player in the proposal is believed to be right-handed pitcher Sean Gallagher, who entered last season as the Cubs' fifth-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. Gallagher, 21, pitched primarily in Double-A during the 2007 season, going 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA in 11 starts. He made eight appearances in relief for the Cubs, allowing 14 earned runs in 14 innings.

It's likely the second player in the deal would be a position player, although the Cubs' top prospect, outfielder Felix Pie, is not being offered, according to a team source. One possibility is outfielder Matt Murton, 26, who hit .281 last year with eight home runs and 22 RBIs in 235 at-bats.

The 29-year-old Roberts, who hit .290/.377/.432 (AVG/OBP/SLG) last season, is a left-handed hitter and would instantly help the Cubs address their OBP issues, two qualities that seem to carry weight with Cubs manager Lou Piniella these days.

Of course, the other thing he has going for him is that he's not Kaz Matsui.

Last year, on the first day of the 2006 Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the Cubs denied they had completed a deal with free agent pitcher Ted Lilly and announced that scouting director Tim Wilken had been named East Coast Scout of the Year.

Today, the first day of the 2007 Winter Meetings in Nashville, may have been a little less action-packed.

While various rumor factories linked the Cubs to a number of other teams' players--including Raul Ibanez, Brian Roberts, Josh Hamilton and of course, the Japanese stars Kuroda and Fukudome--and linked a number of Cubs players--including Ryan Dempster, Mark Prior, Scott Eyre, Will Ohman, and Matt Murton--to other teams, no Cub deals were actually consummated on Monday.

This Winter Meetings stuff is fun...right up to the moment I get a headache from trying to keep up with all of trades that sportswriters make up.