NCCubFan

Yesterday was the only game I was going to. Today I fly back home, so the rain isn't costing me a game.

You should get better weather then. It's raining today and predicted to rain again tomorrow, at least early, and the high is only supposed to be in the 50s both days. By Monday it's supposed to be back to warm and dry. Fortunately, I had dry weather for my game yesterday (although cooler than usual). I'm flying back home today, so at least I won't have missed out if today's game gets rained out (which I think is highly likely).

You can probably blame the weather for that. It was a cool day by Phoenix-area standards (low 60s with a pretty good breeze). Most people were actually wearing long sleeves or jackets.

100% chance of rain today (it's raining now), with a predicted high of 52. 60% chance of morning rain tomorrow, with a predicted high of 56. This rain breaks a streak of over 140 days without rain in Phoenix. Prediction: No Cactus League action today.

I noticed that.

Cub heroes of the past (players and otherwise): http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2213-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2214-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2217-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2218-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2219-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2220-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2319-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2320-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2321-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2322-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2323-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2324-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2215-copy.gif Holy Cow! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2216-copy.gif Hey-Hey!

During the game: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2272-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2287-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2289-copy.gif Walker walks home with the Cubs' first run http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2291-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2296-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2298-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2299-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2300-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2304-copy.gif M&M's: Murton (who scores the winning run)..... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2305-copy.gif .....and McGehee (who drives it in) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2306-copy.gif Felix Foot http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2309-copy.gif The Riot http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2315-copy.gif Augie Doggie http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/Spring%20Training%203-10-06/IMG_2316-copy.gif

Pre-game: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2222-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2227.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2230.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2234-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2237-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2238-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2239.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2244-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2247-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2257-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2258-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2259-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2261-copy.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2264-copy.gif Just for Vance--a Hooter Girl walking off the mound after throwing a ceremonial first pitch http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_2268-copy.gif

They do in the table showing batting statistics for last year (p. 192, far right column), but not in the year-by-year and career statistics for each player.

I remember back when it was called the Roster Book and was only about a 50-page pamphlet. I think the increase in content outweighs the increase in cost.

It's a book published every year (336 pages this year). It has complete information (pictures, biographies, statistics, career highlights) of all Cubs on the 40-man roster and NRIs, along with statistics of minor leaguers not on the 40-man. It also has day-by-day results for the 2005 season and a whole bunch of historical information. It's officially named the Information Guide, but it's commonly referred to as the media guide because it is primarily designed to provide information to media members covering the Cubs (although it's sold to the general public as well).

I thought he looked pretty good (although he did give up one walk). However, I'm not good at estimating velocity, so I can't say anything about that.

Not Arizona: Ritz-Carlton Phoenix (602-468-0700) Atlanta: Ritz-Carlton Atlanta (404-659-0400) Cincinnati: Westin Cincinnati (513-621-7700) Colorado: Westin Tabor Center (303-572-9100) Florida: Westin Diplomat (954-602-6000) Houston: Four Seasons Hotel (713-650-1300) Los Angeles: Ritz Carlton Huntington (626-568-3900) Milwaukee: The Pfister Hotel (414-273-8222) New York: Grand Hyatt New York (212-883-1234) Philadelphia: Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia (215-523-8000) Pittsburgh: Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh (412-281-3700) Pittsburgh (July 6-8 series): Sheraton Station Square (412-261-2000) St. Louis: Hyatt Regency St. Louis (314-231-1234) San Diego: Manchester Grand Hyatt (619-232-1234) San Francisco: Hotel Nikko (415-394-1111) Texas: Four Seasons (972-717-0700) Washington: Renaissance Mayflower (202-347-3000)

For those who like to buy the Cubs' media guide it's now available, at least at Spring Training. The souvenir shops at Hohokam are selling it for $20, tax included. I believe that's a little more than it costs to order it by mail (I think it was about $15 by mail last year), but not having to pay shipping charges offsets the higher cost. It is well worth the cost; it has a lot of good and interesting information.

I actually considered abandoning the return portion of the free flight and buying an inexpensive one-way ticket on Southwest, but decided against it when I realized that would also mean paying for an additional day's car rental and lodging. Given the forecast for rain tomorrow I'm glad I decided not to.

Unfortunately I need to fly back home tomorrow. I wanted to go back Sunday and see two games, but I'm flying on a free voucher (compensation for volunteering to be bumped from an overbooked flight) and couldn't get a return trip on Sunday. You're right about the auction tomorrow. I'd say that the game is very much up in the air, though, as there is a 70% chance of rain for the Phoenix area tomorrow (which would break a streak of 140+ days with no rain).

Sing, sing a song Sing out loud Sing out strong Sing of good things not bad Sing of happy not sad Sing, sing a song Make it simple to last Your whole life long Don't worry that it's not Good enough for anyone Else to hear Just sing, sing a song

I was at the game. Hill struggled as mentioned, giving up four runs in two innings (including three runs on back-to-back jacks in the 2nd). It should be mentioned, however, that there was a fairly strong wind blowing out. And he did strike out four in two innings. Eyre was the pitcher who impressed me the most, with a 1-2-3 9th to pick up the save. Offensively, what impressed me most was the continuing patience of the Cubs' hitters. I lost track of how many walks they took, but it was a bunch. Most impressive was taking four straight walks (Walker, Jones, Grissom, and Mabry) with two out in the first to score a run with no hits and tie the game 1-1 at the time. The winning run scored when McGehee got a hit to drive in Murton. I took a bunch of pictures at the game and will post some once I've had a chance to edit them and weed out the bad ones.

Thanks for all the info. I didn't make it to Fitch to watch the minor leaguers (it took me longer than it normally would have to get there since I was coming from Williams, Arizona, which was in the middle of a major snowstorm when I left). However, there WAS batting practice at Hohokam before the game started. I took quite a few pictures. I'll post some once I've had a chance to edit them and weed out the bad ones. Just for Vance, I even have a picture of a Hooters girl after she finished a ceremonial first pitch (she was the second first pitch). :D

I'm planning to take some photos. Hopefully some of them will turn out good enough to post.

That parking area does look like a good middle ground between Fitch and Hohokam.

Fitch sounds interesting. I may not get there in time for that, though (I'll be driving in from Williams, Arizona, which is a fair distance away). I'm planning to leave early, so hopefully I'll be able to make it for at least some of the minor league practice before heading to Hohokam.

I do remember some discussion on this board last year about eliminating the Rookie level. I don't recall whether that was just a proposal or whether it was approved, and if so I don't recall whether that takes effect this year or later.

Tomorrow I'm going to my first-ever game at Hohokam Park. I'm hoping that somebody who's been there in the past can tell me when the gates usually open and when batting practice (and any other pregame practice) begins. Thanks.

he saved the third inning! Just like he saved last year for the Cubs! For all the joking, people seem to forget that Neifi really DID save the Cubs. In 1998, that is. :D