Sports Central at Convention Recap

David Kapan had guests at the Cubs Convetions.

Recap of session 1 w/ guests: Lou Piniella and Larry Rothschild

• Lou told Jim at the start of the off season that the Cubs needed more left handed hitting and speed in the off season.
• The Cubs are going to "bogey".
• Larry says that the team will get guys experience as much as they can during the spring.
• Lou and Larry said that Ryan Dempster's heart was into starting and that's why he was so successful. Ryan is more relaxed as a started according to Larry.
• Kap asked who Lou's lead off hitter was. Lou said that the Cubs won 97 baseball games with the team. He mentioned that we added Miles who could be an option.
• Larry thinks that Carlos will pitch better in 2009 than he did a year ago.
• Lou described working with Zambrano as "a adventure at times". He went onto says that he likes the way Big Z wants to win and compete.
• Larry thinks that Wrigley is a difficult place to pitch at times.
• Rothchild says that sometimes pitchers get a little to relaxed when the wind is blowing in.
• He adds that the elements effects games at Wrigley more than at any other park.
• Lou says stressed the importance of not walking people at Wrigley.
• He expects the Cubs to play as good as last year during the first 162 games and a lot better in the postseason.
• Piniella thinks that the whole 100 year thing put too much pressure on the Cubs.

Sessions 2 w/ Jim Hendry:

• Jim Hendry says that the DeRosa trade was an effort to get more left handed.
• Jim says he gets payed to make tough decisions.
• Hendry said that Kerry Wood's agent told Jim that Woody was looking for a 3 year deal, and the Cubs thought that that was too lengthy of a commitment.
• He described letting Wood go as "one of the saddest days of his career."
• Jim thinks the Cubs got a great deal for Kevin Gregg.
• Milton Bradley made a few mistakes, but he is good clubhouse guy and good teammate.
• Derrek Lee is thrilled that Bradley is a member of the Cubs.
• Jim thinks Cubs fans will love Milton.
• When Kaplan asked about Peavy, all Hendry could say was, "It really bothers me that other teams put our players on the trading block. 19 or 20 year old kids shouldn't be reading there name in the paper."
• He said "We will keep trying to get stronger and add pitching, whether it's that player or not."
• Jim says that if Kosuke Fukudome would have hit better in the second half of the year, he would have won a gold glove.
• Hendry thinks Kosuke will be "more like the Fukudome from the first half of last year."
• Lou is as good at there is at using the whole roster.
• Jim says that Rich Harden is "very good." He moved to Arizona to get more work this winter. He says Rich looks stronger and healthier than he did at the end of last year.
• Hendry said that Sean Marshall was a very under-rated guy for the 2008 team. Jim says he feels that sooner or later Marshall might deserve to be in the rotation instead of being a super sixth starter.
• Hendry won't add any big names without the new owner signing off on it.

I'll have a recap of sessions 3&4 tomorrow.

More posts to come...