shnsajax

It is on the tribune site now, and I'm sure its intentional. They probably even conveniently extended this deal in the offseason. I doubt that anyone who buys the team would be able to break this deal without the Trib having something to say about it. Everyone mentions how the national TV audience is good for the game, but the Trib has been fleecing the Cubs on radio/TV revenue since the team has been bought. WGN lowballs the Cubs on TV/radio deals and then the Trib cries to all the fans that they simply don't have the money to spend on a team because of low revenue. Pure bull$hit, and this offseason just proves it. I've been calling WGN the Cubs money laundering operation ever since I've joined this wonderful site, and this offseason has been proof in my mind. Any affiliation with WGN doesn't help the Cubs put a good team on the field, IMO, it hurts it. What gave the Yanks so much damn cash a few years back? It was dumping MSG and starting its own network- the YES network. Trust me, NOBODY in NYC watches YES for much else than the Yanks. The Cubs are owned by the TV network, not the other way around. The primary source of money for any team, the local TV/radio, is simply not fetching fair value in the Cubs case. We all know the Cubs have one of the strongest fanbases in all of baseball, and its not because of the people out of town who catch the games on WGN. It's mostly from being the most popular team in one of the greatest sports markets in the country. Nice how the Trib decides all the sudden to sell the team after spending $300 million in the offseason. After all, those cheapskates won't have to pay a lousy dime of those longterm deals after this season. They could just reap the rewards of their longterm TV deal, which will produce good ratings and good revenue, all the while fleecing the Cubs. I'm sick of the Trib. Good riddance. And how can anyone buy their "winning for the fans" crap. I want any owner who's not in it strictly for cash, and who wants to win. Bring on Cuban - who gives a damn if he's a Pirates fan? I doubt he was a Mavs fan before either. Bring on Colangelo. Bring on any rich dude who doesn't care to make the Cubs a sheer profit making endeaver, like the Trib did. I'm really warming up to the idea of Bill Murray assuming he has the capital or group of investors to make it happen.

That's way overpaying for Ichiro. Any one of those guys on their own might be too much for Ichiro. especially FA to be Ichiro.

this is an old flashback, how is everything?

Very true. The speed on his fastball creeps up and it stays up in the zone instead of sinking. Z partially compensated for his increase in walks last year with an increase in K's. His ERA measured from his peripherals has been relatively consistent (3.80 in 2004, 3.90 in 2005, 4.03 in 2006). If he keeps his fastball down and approaches his HR totals from 2003-04, he'll be fine. We would need to get a monopoly on Wood's. Go get Brandon + Ervin Santana ;-).

Its critical advise on how to blow out a great pitchers arm. Sort of a how not to guide for parents teaching their kids how to pitch.

Tivo needs a control to block anything with Dusty on it ;-)

I think this years team is more like the team I had 2 years ago that finished 3rd, not like last years 2nd from last :-). I can't complain on my 1st base tandum either. Grienke was a no brainer consider her only cost something like 15 points to keep. I've had him since the begining so might as well keep him. Missing the draft hurt my OF selection. Happy I got Bonds though. I don't have the youth that you have though, and for the most part no depth in RP. Hoping just for innings and K's.

I don't really buy that. The fact is that MLB as a whole does much better when the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers play well and into post season. The next owner of the Cubs is someone who will be financially responsible, but make sure they are competitive every single season. Cuban might give David Stern some headaches every now and then, but I can promise you David Stern can not imagine and NBA in which he has not been an owner for the past 7+ seasons. He might not want to say it, but he needs Cuban as an owner. Cuban is a big Pirates fan, but I know his interest in the Cubs is very high. If he buys the Cubs, it is with the intention of becoming a legend as the owner who lead them to a World Series crown. If the Cubs do win the World Series this season I could see his interest in buying the team drop some simply because that glory will be gone. Maybe I'm reading into it but these comments by Selig don't look encouraging. Scott Merkin / Cubs.com Sounds like standard PR practice to me. Does really say anything to encourage or discourage anyone.

That's true. We have to see how things develop this week. The sale was imminent because the Trib had a self imposed deadline of 3/31 to report a plan to its shareholders... There should be some word on the status of this deal in a few days. Not resigning Zambrano takes away from the team's on-field value. Of course, some could argue successfully that a longterm contract also detracts from the bottom line. I guess it depends on what the potential new owner(s) is looking for; pure profit or a turn key competitive team. If nothing else that will only eliminate the poential owners that we do not want. :-)

I don't really buy that. The fact is that MLB as a whole does much better when the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers play well and into post season. The next owner of the Cubs is someone who will be financially responsible, but make sure they are competitive every single season. Cuban might give David Stern some headaches every now and then, but I can promise you David Stern can not imagine and NBA in which he has not been an owner for the past 7+ seasons. He might not want to say it, but he needs Cuban as an owner. Cuban is a big Pirates fan, but I know his interest in the Cubs is very high. If he buys the Cubs, it is with the intention of becoming a legend as the owner who lead them to a World Series crown. If the Cubs do win the World Series this season I could see his interest in buying the team drop some simply because that glory will be gone.

I don't see how this affects anything. Its not a suprise, we all knew this was coming. It might just mean, we have to wait a few days till his name signs the contract while the paperwork for the Tribune is being processed. If your going through a divorce, your usually not allowed to buy stuff with the assets that are shared until the paperwork is finalized.

Let's hope so. Things seem pretty optimistic coming from both sides, but that can always change quickly. Hopefully something gets done today so Z can just worry about pitching tommorow. They can but Hendry doesn't burn bridges or say anything stupid.

No but with the Yankees 5 games behind the Red Sox and with the Red Sox signing Clemens. The Yankees get desperate behind their subpar pitching making a three way trade to bring in Dontrell Willis with the Cubs getting Arod. :-)

It sounds like the deal is very close to done, they just have to fine tune the contract.

Oh boy. The two guys that I wanted the most at #16 (besides Peterson, if he were to fall that far). Pretty pathetic, and that's a severe understatement, to only score a 12 and a 13 on the Wonderlic. It doesn't mean too much. Vince scored less than that last year and he had a pretty good year. The Wonderlic is only one of many tools to give an idea about a kid, I don't put much stock in it. I thought he scored a 16 the first time, and in the 20's the 2nd time.

It happens in Cleveland.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2005/04/20/rlyNzRhi.jpg Still miss him? Absolutely. You apparently ignored his performance last year. Not to mention he's the epitomy of class and a likeable guy. Agreed, the day the Cubs traded for him was the happiest I have been about the Cubs since they beat Atlanta in the NLDS. He is pretty much like Wood, even injured for a whole season I wanted them back with the Cubs the next season regardless. Might not be a good idea, but owell.

We can probably just look at the nose to see if they are Nomar's :wink:

Johnson was simply awful. I mean, awful. Can we bring Clint Mathis back? I'm all for that. I liked Mathis, still do. The U-20 team got kind of a rough draw for the U-20 World Championship this summer. Poland, Korea, and Brazil.

on a side note the kids have already been given full scholarships to UNC and are expected to join the US Womens National Soccer Team with 18 months. Seriously one day Fox needs to setup a boxing match between the Garciaparra twins and the Agassi/Graf offspring.

It pisses me off that we have to play crappy, cheap shotting Latin American countries all the time because it doesn't help the progression of the US team all that much when the opponent plays that way. No doubt. I don't mind bad countries loading the back up and playing for a tie if thats what they want. I just hate the fouling and the dives. Still with that said the US does not play a style of offense that really allows them to control the ball on their opponents 1/3rd move the ball around and create great chances. They still need that midfielder that is able to open up things from outside the box. Euro 2008 standings are getting very interesting. What in the hell has gotten into Northern Ireland?

I liked them too, reminded me of the old 89 Paul Calageri style jerseys.

So did I, luckily they have espn2 on at the gym. Of course I left soon after I realized it just so I could listen to it.

Does anyone else think Noah will be a flop as a pro?

best game donovan has played in a very long time. now if we can just get Beasley to undergo that same rebirth I will be feeling very good. Feilhaber was impressive as was Bradley. Johnson continues to unimpress me.