Chris

Can I ask him why this team sucks so much, or does it have to be a question about him? For the record, I love your questions! The one you just quoted, or the ones I asked in the chat? The ones you asked in the chat.

Can I ask him why this team sucks so much, or does it have to be a question about him? For the record, I love your questions!

A Question and Answer with David Aardsma has been posted in the Chats Forum.

Can I ask him why this team sucks so much, or does it have to be a question about him? You can ask anything as long as it's within the guidelines. One of the questions I asked The Riot yesterday was about playing for Dusty Baker.

A Question and Answer with David Aardsma has been posted in the Chats Forum.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_430911.jpg David Aardsma, Relief Pitcher for the Iowa Cubs and Chicago Cubs, has graciously agreed to answer questions from posters on NSBB! If you would like to send a comment to David, or if you would like to ask David a question, feel free to post it here. The deadline for submitting questions is Friday, May 12th at noon. Once the interview has been completed, the responses will be posted. This session will be coordinated as in accordance with The NSBB Q & A Guidelines. David is in his first full season in the Cubs organization. The right-hander was acquired in 2005 from San Francisco in a trade that sent LaTroy Hawkins to the Giants. David was drafted by the Giants in the first round (22nd player chosen) of the 2003 draft. He attended Pennsylvania State University (State College) before transferring to Rice (TX) University, where David and the Owls won the 2003 National Championship. David retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced in the College World Series. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in Denver, Colo., in 2000. 2005 Career Highlights: David opened the season in Norwich, the Giants Double-A affiliate, before being traded to the Cubs with pitcher Jerome Williams on May 28 ... went 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA in nine games (eight starts) for Norwich (AA), striking out 30 batters in 46.0 innings ... won three consecutive starts twice, doing so April 11-21 and May 9-20 ... spent the rest of the season at West Tenn (AA) in the Cubs organization, going 4-1 with 2 saves and a 3.91 ERA in 33 games (three starts) ... made his first appearance and earned his first win in the Cubs organization May 30 - allowed a run over 5.0 innings while striking out five Birmingham batters ... was moved to the bullpen for good in mid-June and went 2-1 with a 4.93 ERA in 30 relief appearances ... struck out 29 batters in 34.2 innings on the mound ... was unscored upon in 21 of his 42 combined appearances ... struck out a season-high 7 batters June 16 in his last start of the season ... tossed 5.0 scoreless innings and earned the win against Mississippi ... following the regular season, he appeared in 12 games for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League ... struck out 18 batters in 18.2 innings. (Photo & Bio courtesy of The Official Website of the Chicago Cubs.) Thank you to David for taking the time to interact with us on such an up close and personal level. Best wishes to David as he works to return to the Chicago Cubs this season. As always, thank you to all of you for making NSBB such a wonderful community!

Ugh, that pitch was begging to be crushed

Let's go ARam

Time to score runs

Wow

Come on Guzman, one more out

Here are some random notes from the Iowa at Nashville game tonight: 1. I guess I should start by mentioning the fact that the Nashville Sounds were gracious enough to hook NSBB up with a credential for this series! 2. The Riot did an interview and agreed to do a Q & A. Riot talks about everything from the call up to "The Riot" 3. Andy Shipman's Q & A from last year was completed. It was a very good session. 4. I talked to Aardsma and he said he's willing to do a Q & A. 5. I was also able to interview some guy named Felix. In regards to the game, Felix was pressing somewhat at the plate, but played great defensively. In regards to his ABs, he was in front of several pitches and fouled them at the seats above the visitor's dugout. In one AB he fouled a ball off someone's drink and splashed it on them. Not to be outdone, he fouled another pitch in the same AB at the person a few rows over. In the 1st, he made a tremendous catch. He was able to reach the warning track towards the gap, hit the wall, turn and fire a throw over second base. In a bizarre play, the ball was thrown to second, to first, then back to third for the tag on the advancing runner. In the 6th he made a running catch to his left and was able to throw a rop to first for the DP. Brandon Sing has been going through allergy difficulties since ST. He said that these allergies bothered his eyes and made it tough to see the ball, thus lowered power numbers. His 2B for the RBI was right off the line in left and then he got plunked in his next AB. No worries, he just hammered one to the neck of the guitar in left center with the flag in CF blowing in. Wuertz had trouble, but it was a fascinating zone in the bottom of the 9th inning. More than a few players had a rough time with the zone. I'm thinking that 10 Iowa batters K'd on the night.

I was just about to come and mention that the deal was rejected. Not a good situation.

The Cubs have made it a point to have the rehab assignment at an affiliate that is playing at home. That's not always 100%, but it usually works out that way.

=D>

Here is Randy's first entry in his 2006 Diamond Jaxx Journal: Hello NSBB readers, my name is Randy Wells, I am a right handed starting pitcher for the Diamond Jaxx. I was asked to write a couple of journals to give the readers of Northside Baseball an inside look not only to my daily routine throughout the season but an overall look at the life of a minor league baseball player, and the struggles we go through. By the time spring training rolls around most players are ready to roll. An off-season of working and working out to stay in shape takes its toll on you and when you get that package in the mail with your flight info, needless to say you can't wait to go. Spring training this year was a little different for me this year. I was invited to my first big league spring training. When a young guy like me walked in to that clubhouse in Mesa for the first time I was just amazed. There is definitely only one place you want to be in this game and that is in the big leagues. To get a taste of the good life was an amazing experience for me and truly made me realize the focus I had to keep and the hard work that was still ahead to achieve the ultimate goal of being a major league pitcher. Back in the minors, here in Jackson, TN, the team got off to a great start despite having to open up with 15 of our first 20 games on the road, including a ten game road trip to kick off the 2006 campaign. The Southern League travel for me hasn't been too bad having played in the Northwest League earlier in my career, but I have to admit I got a little spoiled with the Florida State League travel last season. I think what a lot of fans don't realize is how hard the in between game-to-game life of a minor league baseball player can be. When we're on the field you have your ups and downs, the team isn't winning or on a personal level you are not performing the way you would like. All of that hangs enough stress over your head but when you mix in the off the field battles you sometimes come across, the six month season turns into a never ending grind after awhile. For example, right now my roommate Tony Richie and I are still in the process of finding a place to live in Jackson for the summer. So far this year had started off pretty well for me despite losing my first start of the year, I had a quality start giving up one run on three hits over five innings. We ended up taking four of five from Birmingham, the Class AA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. I am from Illinois myself and being a Cubs fan I know how you diehards like to hear the Cubs beat up on the Sox, even if it is at the minor league level. My second start went better than the first one as far as results, I got my first win to the season against the Tennessee Smokies, Class AA affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the team won another series. It was the day after my start in Tennessee that I had started feeling some unusual soreness in my throwing arm. So I went to the trainer and he suggested that I see a doctor when we returned to Jackson. The doctor revealed that I had a mild strain of my ucl. ulnar collateral ligament, also the same ligament in regards to Tommy John surgery. Once that was revealed the doctors and trainers decided to take extra precaution and keep me out of the series against the Mississippi Braves -- the first homestand of the season. I was a little upset about the decision, but after the fact I know that is was the best thing for me. I never like missing starts because I know first hand what happens when you hit the DL. Someone is always looking to pass you up. I am feeling better now after rehabbing for the last two weeks and I am scheduled to throw in relief this weekend and should make my next start. I am looking to have a huge year this year and fight my way to Chicago, to know that websites like this have great fans of the minor leagues really inspires and gives minor leaguers like me pride in doing what I do. I hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I look forward to sharing more later on down the line. Thank you. RW

:(

Jaxx down 2-0 in the 7th

The wind keeps a shot from Hoffpauir in the yard in the bottom of the 6th

For the record, I was able to get the Q & A with Pat Listach completed today. Hopefully it'll get posted in the next few days.

Don't look now, but Hoffpauir is starting in LF with Sprowl starting at 1B

The Jaxx game is starting on time.

Agreed. The Hershey's Kiss-Mobile was parked outside when I left. It would be a shame if people didn't get out there to see it. Hopefully Ron remembered to bring a big fly swatter tonight. :shock:

When I left Jackson, it certainly didn't look that way. According to the map, the first big wave of storms has made its way through Jackson. However, I see that another patch of storms is getting close to Tennessee.

Nice!