2006 Cubs Convention - Schedule & Discussion

[Laura]

Here is the WGN Radio broadcast schedule for the 2006 Cubs Convention.

 

You can listen live here: http://www.wgnradio.com/

 

Friday, January 13

 

7-9 pm Sports Central LIVE*, with David Kaplan

 

7:00-7:30pm - Ryan Dempster, Scott Eyre, Michael Barrett and Mark Prior

 

7:30-8:00pm - Jim Hendry and Dusty Baker

 

8:00-8:30pm - Ron Santo, Pat Hughes, Glenn Beckert and Ernie Banks

 

8:30-9:00pm - Juan Pierre and Derrek Lee

 

Saturday, January 14

 

9-10am Meet Cubs Management, with Spike O'Dell & Andy Masur

 

Jim Hendry and Dusty Baker

 

10:30-11:30am Not for Women Only, with Kathy O'Malley and Judy Markey

Mike Bielecki, Ryan Dempster, Scott Eyre, Rick Sutcliffe and Juan Pierre

 

12-1:00pm 27 Outs, with John Williams

Ryan Dempster, Glendon Rusch and Carlos Zambrano

 

1:30-2:30pm The Voices of the Cubs, with Steve Cochran

 

Pat Hughes, Ron Santo, Bob Brenley and Len Kasper

 

* Friday night's Sports Central broadcast live on WGN Radio 720.

All other sessions taped for possible later broadcast and inclusion on the website.

[badgercub]

Anyone have any extra passes they would be willing to sell? I actually can only go Friday afternoon/evening so I would only need it for one night. My family runs a charitable foundation, and I am going to be coming down to try and get some autographed baseballs to be used for a silent auction this summer and an annual golf outing. Also does anyone know what players are scheduled to be there on Friday night and whether they will be signing autographs? I know Ferguson Jenkins has a boothe where he charges $5 or so for his autograph (all proceeds go to his foundation) Just wondering if it will be possible to get some good autographs (really looking for like Banks, Sandberg, Fergie, Williams, etc...) Hall of Famers that people other than just us Cub fans would be willing to bid on at silent auction.

[Laura]

Last year some passes became available at the last minute ... don't know if the same will happen this year.

 

The Bleed Cubbie Blue blog has the full convention schedule. I haven't seen it posted elsewhere yet.

[uppercase_D]

What happens at the autograph hunt game? Also I thought there was an auction or something.

[Jon]

The autograph hunt game is right after opening ceremonies. It's basically a bunch of random lines and you don't know who is going to be signing where. They're not top players, though.

 

As for opening ceremonies, I really didn't like it last year. I wouldn't get there 45 minutes early (they closed the doors well before it started because the room was already full) unless I really wanted to boo Hendry and Baker.

 

I didn't really do any autograph lines last year (except for the impromptu Z one) but rather attended some interesting sessions. Down on the farm (although I didn't go last year) and the business session on Sunday are two of the best ones. My other favorite was the one Andy MacPhail had. The room was nearly empty and he talked about some interesting stuff.

[USSoccer]

My $75 reward is still out there for whoever can ask an airtight (ie, can't dodge) question about Wood and the bullpen decision in a Q & A to Hendry or Baker and provide proof :D

 

Also, if anyone comes across extra passes, I'd be very happy to take them!

[Laura]

Ok, here's a long writeup geared toward auto-hunting with the huge caveat that I've only actually collected a few autographs at past conventions, so I really don't know what I'm talking about. This is the way they've done things the past few years -- who knows if it will be the same this year.

 

When you arrive, you go downstairs to register and get your packet with the schedule, etc (if you're staying at the hotel, ask when you check in about the registration materials). The packet will include lottery tickets for auto sessions for players in high demand (Maddux, Prior and Wood have been recent lottery tickets). Fill 'em out, turn 'em in and they'll post the winners at some announced time. I've heard that if you *really really* want a winning lottery ticket, you can hang out where they post the winners and scalp one.

 

They have autograph signings and picture booths located in a downstairs ballroom. There will be schedule of who's where when in the convention packet. Be forewarned that lots of people go only to collect autographs and the lines are not all that well organized, so it can be a zoo. Again, if you really want someone's autograph or picture, be prepared to get there very early and spend a lot of time in line.

 

The storefront booths are located in another downstairs ballroom and it's worth wandering through to see everything that's for sale. You can find plenty of stuff to have signed there. They do have an auction for new and game-used jerseys, etc; just ask around if you don't see a sign for it. There's also a silent auction for 7th inning stretch singer stuff in the registration room, and look around/ask around for any other lotteries/auctions that are going on there.

 

If you attend the sessions, often players and others will sign during the breaks (the sessions that are broadcast have radio breaks). They'll let you know when it's ok to ask and when to sit down.

 

They've emphasized past teams in 20-year cycles, so expect to see some 1986 Cubs wandering around.

 

sidenote: just realized that 1986 team (70-90) will have had 3 Hall-of-Famers -- Eckersley, Sandberg and Maddux -- as well as Rafael Palmeiro (hmmm...).

 

Jon already thunderstruck my advice on the sessions. :) They usually put the audio files of the broadcast portions of the convention on the WGN radio website after the convention, so you can always choose to go to a non-broadcast session and listen to the other sessions later.

[barrettismyidol]

The packet will include lottery tickets for auto sessions for players in high demand (Maddux, Prior and Wood have been recent lottery tickets). Fill 'em out, turn 'em in and they'll post the winners at some announced time. I've heard that if you *really really* want a winning lottery ticket, you can hang out where they post the winners and scalp one.

 

 

When I went last year, my friend and I both got scratch off cards for those autograph sessions. (My friend won a chance for Wood's autograph, and let me get it) I don't remember any lottery.

[Laura]

When I went last year, my friend and I both got scratch off cards for those autograph sessions. (My friend won a chance for Wood's autograph, and let me get it) I don't remember any lottery.

 

That sounds right. It used to be a lottery and they'd just put a list of winners up on the wall.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

They've emphasized past teams in 20-year cycles, so expect to see some 1986 Cubs wandering around.

 

Does that mean a possible Ed Lynch sighting?

[abuck1220]

the autograph lines are chaos...at least they were in '04. you get in line for a guy you may want, but by the time you get up to the front, there may be someone else up at the table. for example, i got in the line for santo in '04. santo came and went. patterson came and went. i got billy williams five minutes before he left. if i had got in line 10 minutes after i did, i would have waited (and you're standing the whole time, by the way, and they won't let you get in and out of line for restroom breaks) three hours + for jody davis' autograph. nothing against him, but that kinda would have sucked.

 

the cubs convention isn't the autograph haven some think it is. it involves a lot of waiting and even more luck.

[mhuber92211]

For those outside the Chicago area and what more info on the convention, tune to XM 175. They will have shows from the convention all weekend.

[Jon]

the autograph lines are chaos...at least they were in '04. you get in line for a guy you may want, but by the time you get up to the front, there may be someone else up at the table. for example, i got in the line for santo in '04. santo came and went. patterson came and went. i got billy williams five minutes before he left. if i had got in line 10 minutes after i did, i would have waited (and you're standing the whole time, by the way, and they won't let you get in and out of line for restroom breaks) three hours + for jody davis' autograph. nothing against him, but that kinda would have sucked.

 

the cubs convention isn't the autograph haven some think it is. it involves a lot of waiting and even more luck.

That happened to me with a Prior line three years ago (got Patterson) and the Santo line two years ago. Of course, Ron stayed for an extra five or ten minutes, so I was able to get both him and Patterson. That was sweet.

 

Unless there's someone you really, really want, avoid all lines for popular players. You'd have to get in line hours in advance and you're just not going to have a good time if you have to do that. Most people learn from experience, but I'd recommend not even trying.

 

There could be some autograph opportunities if you can catch minor leaguers or younger players leaving their autograph table. After his session last year, Dubois stood around and signed autographs for an extra 15 minutes or so.

[Burtonbell]

Do they post the autograph schedule online somewhere? I just got passes today (not staying at the hotel, no $$) and am going tomorrow, but I want to know whos going to be where. It would suck to go all the way downtown tonight to get the schedule.

 

 

To anyone that is going, good luck with the autogrpah hunt. Thats pretty much how all the autographs are gonna come by. Hunt and luck and waiting in lines forever.

[badgercub]

I went a couple of years ago, and I got most autographs after all the sessions were over and I was hanging out in the lobby/bar/restaurant at the Hilton. A lot of the older players sign as they are coming and going. Randy "Rebel" Hundley got good and liquored up and entertained the crowd for quite some time.

[Mizzou]

Apparently my computer and the WGN Radio website/RealPlayer don't get along with one another too well. I don't suppose there's anywhere else online where I can listen in, is there?

[Laura]

Apparently my computer and the WGN Radio website/RealPlayer don't get along with one another too well. I don't suppose there's anywhere else online where I can listen in, is there?

 

Not that I know of. They usually put soundclips on the website within a few days. Can you use a different player?

[E.J.]

Wow. Dusty is in full-form. You could get a good blooper reel from the crap he's saying tonight.

[Laura]

Well, he says Murton and Cedeno are ready to play. Spent some time really talking up Murton (Kaplan's question was about Murton, who is apparently at the convention).

[Mizzou]

Apparently my computer and the WGN Radio website/RealPlayer don't get along with one another too well. I don't suppose there's anywhere else online where I can listen in, is there?

 

Not that I know of. They usually put soundclips on the website within a few days. Can you use a different player?

I don't think so. It's working, but it freezed up about every 90 seconds and I have to start it again.

 

Did anyone catch Dusty's response after Kap asked him who his everyday 2B would be if the season started tomorrow?

[Brian]

Well, he says Murton and Cedeno are ready to play. Spent some time really talking up Murton (Kaplan's question was about Murton, who is apparently at the convention).

 

Yeah I guess someone thought Murton was a Bear, because he is ripped or something.

[Brian]

Dr. is optimistic that Wood will be ready by opening day or soon.

[Brian]

Kaplan - "It is well known that you will never call out a player in public...."

 

I think most of us have seen otherwise...

[E.J.]

Kaplan - "It is well known that you will never call out a player in public...."

 

I think most of us have seen otherwise...

 

It doesn't count if the guy just hit a game-winning homer, or a guy not named Moised Alou made a base-running error...

[Laura]

Juan Pierre said he was disappointed in his OBP last year.