Chicalorado

The Cubs continued their streak of 14 years without going to arbitration by agreeing to terms with ace Carlos Zambrano shortly before the two sides would’ve had to appear before an arbitrator. According to Cubs.com:

The Cubs and Carlos Zambrano reached agreement Tuesday on a one-year, $12 million contract and avoided arbitration.

This is a great move on a number of different levels. For one, the Cubs only had to pay around a million dollars more than their original offer. Secondly, the two sides didn’t have to get nasty inside an arbitration meeting, possibly souring relations beyond repair. Lastly, now the Cubs can concentrate on what’s really important, signing Big Z long term. If I were Jim Hendry, I would offer a 5 year, $90 million extension.

The Cubs opening day starter is now paid and happy. Congratulations Carlos, you earned this pay raise. Now just stop referring to yourself in the third person. It’s a little too “Keith Hernandez”ish for me.

My friend Steve Lippo once told me a story. A few years back he was substitute teaching in the Chicagoland area. One February morning, one of the bright-eyed youngsters asked him, “Mr. Lippo, do you know what tomorrow is?”

Confused yet intrigued, Steve searched the archives of his brain to find the significance of this random February day. Then it hit him. “Yes, pitchers and catchers report for spring training.”

Equally as confused, the youngster replied, “No, it’s Valentine’s Day!”

Steve’s response shouldn’t surprise anybody who knows him (he’s a producer for WGN Sports now). The funny thing is, that ever since I heard this story, Valentine’s Day has taken on a completely different meaning for me. I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. It’s not a real holiday. It was created by the corporations (namely Hallmark) as a way to sell more cards, candy, stuffed animals, flowers, and otherwise useless crap. I don’t need a corporation to tell me when and how to be nice to my wife, I’ll decide on my own. That way, it’s actually special and not forced. Anyway, time to get off my soapbox.

Valentine’s Day, for me, marks the unofficial start to the baseball season. It a time for boundless optimism, position battle debates, amateur prognosticating, and endless hope. Cubs fans know all about optimism. Every year when spring rolls around, we get excited about our new free agent signing, or the new rookie with great potential, or simply just the hope of another season. Traditionally, we’ve been tragically disappointed (2003) at the seasons end. Then when spring comes again, we try to protect ourselves from becoming too involved and attached, as to prevent repeated heartbreak. But we don’t allow ourselves to become too disconnected. We can’t. As the Cubs faithful, we can only suppress our pessimism for so long before it erupts and the excitement overtakes us. We’re tired of “waiting ’til next year.” Next year is here, and we’ve spend a TON of money (over $300 million if I’m not mistaken). Money doesn’t always translate directly into the white “W” flag flying more frequently, but after a 96 loss season, you figure the only way to go is up. Warranted or not, optimism is in the air.

I should have put this link up on Valentine’s Day, but I didn’t get around to it. My good friend Dave Ide sent me this article writen by ESPN’s Jim Caple about spring training and his love for baseball. It’s a good read.

I’ll be putting in my two cents regarding the Cubs and spring training periodically, so check in from time to time. How do you think the Cubbies are going to fare this year? What do you think of new Skipper Lou Piniella? Will Prior and Wood be healthy this year? Leave me some feedback, and maybe we can get some type of interactive discussion going here.

Cubs in ‘07!

The joy that came to my heart upon reading that Aramis Ramirez signed a 5 year deal to stay with the Cubs could not be explained. Joy and relief. I think the loss of Ramirez would’ve been so devastating to the Cubs, it would’ve completely offset any major free agent aquisitions.  Now the Cubs have the backbone for building a World Series contender. At the corners, we have Lee and Ramirez. Both are locked up for several years and well paid. We have a gold glove winning shortstop with Cesar Izturis, and several options at second. Assumming Mark Prior is healthy (which is a big assumption), the rotation consists of Zambrano, Prior, and Rich Hill. They’ll be throwing to 2005 Silver Slugger winner Michael Barrett. In the outfield, all that’s for certain is Jacque Jones.  Therefore, the Cubs are 1 or 2 pitchers and 1 or 2 outfielders away from upgrading from a last place laughing stock to World Series pretender.

 Oh yeah, in other news, the Cubs also re-signed Kerry Wood to a one-year deal.

I guess I’ve procrastinated writing this because I figured that once I wrote it, I’d be in the “acceptance stage.” And I don’t want to accept it. Especially after what happened last year. Of course I’m talking about the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

The past four World Series Champions have been pretty rough for Cubs fans to swallow. In 2003, our hearts were broken by an overzealous fan, an incredible error at short, and the fact that by the time the NLCS came around, Dusty had pretty much pitched Prior and Wood’s arms off. The Florida Marlins end up beating the Yankees to win their second championship since they came into the league as an expansion team. They’ve won more championships since their inception than the Cubs have in 99 years. The next year, Sports Illustrated picks the Cubs to win it all. We barely miss the playoffs and watch as the Boston Red Sox, the other cursed baseball team, rally from a 3-0 series deficit to the Yankees to win 7 straight games to take the Series. In 2005, I sat in my basement in horror as I watched the White Sox, our eternal evil enemy, sweep the series. I realize for the next year they will be referred to as the World Series Champion Chicago White Sox and it stings. And now it’s the Cardinals, our NL Central rivals.

Sometimes when I think about it, I thank God I don’t leave in the Midwest, let alone Chicago anymore. Beside the obvious advantages (mountains), I don’t have to hear obnoxious Sox or Cardinals fans constantly rubbing my face in the fact that they’ve won a championship more recently than us. It jabs at you in an awkward way. I was three years old when the Super Bowl Shuffle swept through the NFL (although it looks like the Bears are gonna do it again this year). The Bulls did win 6 championships in the 90’s, but I was much more of a Michael Jordan fan than a basketball fan. Still am. The Cubs won in 1907 and 1908 and since then…futility.  A Cubs championship now would be different. It would mean more.

I can’t imagine how many Cubs fans have born and died without experiencing the ecstatic joy of watching and cheering your team onto victory. The city and the fans deserve a championship. We deserve two. It really is the only remedy to compinsate for nearly an entire century passing without a trip to glory.

Reportedly, the Cubs are willing to do whatever it takes to win the Series “next year and the year after that.” Also, I hear in order to do this, they plan on increasing the payroll by $20 or so. This excites me yet scares me to bejesus at the same time. I’ve known the Cubs for far too long to know the end of this story. They get my hopes up, overpay on a veteran way past his prime, and sadly disappoint. Again.

But I’m optimistic. I want to believe, I want to get my hopes up. I want to start bragging to everyone that the Cubs are going all the way this year and there’s nothing you can do about it. Because this will be the 99th year since we’ve felt that joy. If it doesn’t happen this year, it will reach triple digits. An entire century.

I believe in you Cubs. I believe you’ll do the right thing and pay Aramis his money while you still have exclusive negotiating rights. I know you’ll sign Alfonso Soriano or, hopefully, Carlos Lee. I know you’ll also sign two more stud pitchers and hopefully bring back Juan Pierre. I know you’ll deliver because I have to, I’m a loyal Cubs fan. And I can’t wait to shove it in the Sox and Cardinals face.