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...

Loads of Cubs links

• Corey Provus chats with Jeff Samadzija
• Corey catches up with Sean Marshall
• WGN TV page includes video from Cubs Convention and Spring Training Broadcast Schedule
• 670 the score click on Bob Brenly to hear his interview with Mully and Hanley.
• Click on Crane Kenny, Jesse Rogers, or Len Kasper to hear some Cubs talk.
• Kap talks with Tom Verducci of SI.com.
• MLB.com talks about Pie trade.

Plenty of good stuff to come.

Len Kasper and Ameet Sachbev on Sports Central

Big news: David Kaplan reports that the Cubs sale should be done by the end of the week.

Len Kasper talked with David Kaplan on Sports Central:

• Len says that Milton Bradley gets on base a lot. Len likes that he is a switch hitter who can split up Lee and Ramirez in the lineup.
• Kasper is hopeful that the Cubs offense could be even better than last year.
• Kap thinks that chemistry in the locker room is a bit over-rated at times.
• Len pointed out that nobody wanted to see Wood and DeRosa go, but pointed out that DeRosa is a free agent at the end of next year and Woody would have cost a lot of money.
• They pointed out that the core of this team has not changed.
• Len sees Hoffpauir filling Ward's role.
• Kasper really likes platoons and says Lou will use a platoon at second base and in center.
• He thinks that Lou will have more options off the bench in 2009.
• Kaplan thinks Andy Pettitte makes a lot of sense. Len agrees and says that Andy would be a 1 year deal and not cost you any players in a trade.
• Len points out that lots of guys don't have contracts yet for 2009.
• Dave and Len both watched the Cubs-Pirates game that was played on the MLB Network last night.
• The Len and Bob Bash is on Thursday night. The guys will have several good bands this year and says tickets are still available but going fast at hob.com.

David Kaplan is hearing that the Clap Group and the Rickets Group are out in front. He says that the Tom Rickets is most likely to get approval by baseball. The Rickets family is #1 in the running right now. Tom Rickets has been a big Cubs fan for a long time.

Kap had Ameet Sachbev of the Chicago Tribune on the show to talk about the sale of the team.

• Sachbev says there is more urgency to sell the teams since the holidays are over.
• He says that there is a push to get final bids in by Friday.
• Ameet thinks that the winner in the auction could be determined by the end of the week.
• He says the Trib. will be very careful before selling the team.
• Kap says that MLB could reject any owner that they don't want no matter who bids what.
• Sachbev says he thinks it would be very difficult for baseball to reject any of the 3 finalist who are bidding on the Chicago Cubs.
• Ameet doesn't want to give his opinion and favor any of the 3 candidates.
• He thinks that going back to last summer, the Rickets family is a very appealing bidder because they will keep family control of the Cubs and they want this to be a lasting generational investment for their family.
• Tom Rickets met his wife a Wrigley Field, Hersh Clapp also is a Chicago sports guy who has kept a low profile but he has a love of sports and the Cubs.
• Sachbev thinks Cub fans should be happy to get an owner who are fans of the team.
• The use the term "coming down to the wire".

Plenty coming up throughout the week.

I'll keep you posted.

Chicago Tribune Live talks Cubs, Full Recap of Sport Central

David Kaplan and company talked about the Milton Bradley trade on Chicago Tribune Live on Comcast Sports Net.

• David Haugh wonders what the Cubs are doing this off season saying that the moves make no sense.
• Haugh wonders if he will stay healthy.
• Kap says he wishes they wouldn't have traded DeRosa.
• They talked about how Bradley is a good hitter IF he stays healthy, noting that the if is a big IF.
• Hough also mentions the Cubs chemistry. Kaplan replied by saying that all of Bradley's former teammates call him a good teammate.
• Kap is the latest to report that Fukudome and Johnson will platoon in CF.
• He says that we are looking at a pay roll of about 140.
• Kaplan also says that if the new ownership approves the Cubs will go after Peavy again.
• The Cubs have trimmed off enough money in the DeRosa and Marquis trades to pay for DeRosa.
• Dave Haugh says he doesn't think that the Cubs have made progress this off season.
• Kap says Joey Gathright fits in only as a 5th outfielder.

By the way, the Marquis deal may be finalized tomorrow according to Cubs.com.

We move from Kaplan's TV show to his radio show.

• The first caller on Sports Central said that Milton Bradley is not a team player. Dave argued that the caller has no idea and says that Bradley's former teammates love him. David Kaplan said that he would call him a "hothead" but not call him "not a team player.
• Kap says the big question with him is will he stay healthy.
• The next caller asked Kap to give him a grade on Jim Hendry for his tenor as GM. The caller would give him a C.
• Dave says he could have had 4 playoffs in 6 years if the Cubs would have made it in 2004.
• The caller doesn't like the contract Jim gave Alfonso Soriano. The caller says he would love to have Manny Ramirez's bat.
• Kap says he would give Hendry a B+ saying he lowered the grade because of the playoff failure and the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
• The 3rd caller likes the Bradley signing to add flare in the clubhouse.
• The 4th caller lives in Dallas and says he never heard any complaints from any players in Texas and says he's exited about the move.
• Kap pleads for everyone to just give Milton a chance.
• They replayed the Mark DeRosa interview from Friday night. It is an awesome interview. You can read my recap of it here, or listen to the full interview here.

Next, Aaron Miles was live on the show with Kaplan. Here's what he had to say:

• Kap asked what was going through Miles's mind when he found out he was going to the Cardinals' arch rivals. Miles says he's looking forward to playing at Wrigley Field for a team that has a chance to do great things.
• Miles was told he would be considered for the second base job and says he can play lots of positions and switch hit. Aaron says at different times during year, he could be in different roles.
• Miles says that Tony LaRusa was a great manager and knew that when Aaron got non-tendered again there was a good chance he would be leaving.
• Kap asked what position he would play and where he would bat in the order if Lou left it up to him. Miles says he would play second base and like to hit in the top of the order but says he can bat anywhere and will be happy in any role.
• Dave brought up that Miles has pitched a little bit. Aaron says it's a bittersweet feeling to pitch as a position player.
• In spring of 2000 Miles came home from dinner and 2 masked gun men came in to his room and wanted his money. His teammates called the police and they arrived just in time. Miles said he was held hostage for about 30 minutes. Then he got into a struggle for the gun and got punched and bit by this masked man. The cops came in and shot him 6 times. True story, click here for the full story.
• Kap asked who in the Cardinal locker room hates the Cubs the most. Aaron said the it's probably Tony LaRusa.
• He says all the players on both sides love the rivalry but says it lives and dies with the managers.
• Miles will be at the Cubs Convention.

Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports was the next guest on the show to talk baseball:

• Ken says he loves Milton Bradley but just wonders if he can stay healthy playing right field. He says fans are going to like his fire and his OPS.
• Rosenthal says it may be a challenge for Sweet Lou to leave Bradley alone and let him do his job.
• Bradley's primary goal is to win. He says you can say the same things about Lou that you can say about Milton Bradley, that's why some people consider it a dangerous situation.
• Kap asked how Rosenthal would handicap where the Cubs are today compared to the end of the season. Ken says he likes where they are but he understands the criticism.
• He says the main reason that the Cubs traded DeRosa is to get more left handed and be more of a balanced offense.
• Kap asked about Peavy. Rosenthal says the odds of a Peavy deal to the Cubs are about 10%.
• He thinks that the Cubs may test the market for another starting pitcher but doesn't think they will pay big money for a starter like Derrek Lowe, but if the ownership change happens, a lot of things could change.
• Rosenthal says that the AL Central is a difficult division to pick and says that the Indians with Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa will have a chance.
• Kap notes that the other teams in the NL Central haven't been to active.
• Ken says that we should keep an eye on the Brewers. He expects them to be active in the coming weeks.
• He also thinks that the Cardinals could add a few more pitchers.

Kap took a few more calls:

• The first caller doesn't see how the Cubs are going with Miles and Fontenot as the every day second basemen. He thinks that the Cubs might have something else up their sleeve. Kap says that Fontenot will get a chance to win a job.
• The next caller asked if the door is totally closed on Jake Peavy. Kap says that the door is closing but not totally closed. The Cubs are not going to do a 6 for 1 deal.

Well, that is it for today! I'll have more updates tomorrow!

Just Keep on rooting for the Cubs!

Mark DeRosa on Sports Central, More Cubs Rumors

Last night former Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa joined David Kaplan on WGN radio to talk about being traded to the Indians. Here's the highlights:

• DeRosa said that on one hand he's disappointed and said he didn't even know how much he was going to love Chicago when he signed.
• Mark was on the golf coarse when he got the call to say that he was traded. DeRo said that he followed the whole Peavy sage online and says he thought his time in Chicago would continue when the Peavy trade fell through.
• He said that when he saw that Jim was calling him he knew he got traded.
• Mark is exited about playing 3rd base with the Indians.
• Kap asked if DeRosa would ever come back to the Cubs if he got offered a contract. Mark sounded like he definitely would.
• He said that Lee, Lilly, Dempster, and other team mates have called him since the trade.
• Mark says he thinks he did his job for 2 years.
• Overall I would say DeRosa was very disappointed.

I'm very sad that DeRosa is leaving and even more upset after listening to Mark talk to Kap.

Well, here's other Cubs rumors for today:

• The Cubs seem set to officially sign Milton Bradley in the coming weeks.
• The Tribune says that Ryan Dempster would welcome Bradley with open arms.
• Bruce Levine expects the Jason Marquis trade to be made official on Sunday or Monday.
• Levine thinks there is an 80% chance that the Peavy deal will get done.
• Players Bruce is hearing could be involved include Wellington Castillo, Jeff Stevens, Kevin Hart, and Josh Vitters.
• Kaplan mentioned on Sports Central last night that the Cubs are interested in signing Rich Aurillia to back up 1st and 3rd base.
• The Cardinals were prepared to offer Aaron Miles about the same as what he got with the Cubs but the more sincere interest by Cub management drew him to the Cubs.

I'll keep you posted.

Jim Hendry on Sports Central

Cubs GM Jim Hendry visited with David Kaplan to talk about the Cubs remaining offseason plans on Sports Central on WGN Radio last night. Here's my recap:

• Jim says that the economy is taking an effect on the baseball world. He says the Cubs are fortunate the their payroll didn't go down. He says some clubs are going to take more cutbacks than others.
• Kap suggested the Cubs getting a right handed bat that hits left handers. He says the Cubs still would prefer a left handed or switch hitter.
• An email asked if the Cubs ever considered moving Soriano back to second base. Jim says that Sori will stay in left field.
• Another question asked if Hendry still sees getting another starter. Jim says that you might try to make something work with an elite guy but the Cubs aren't searching for another starter but says that the new owner might have an impact on things like this.
• Jim says the if Greg Maddox wants to work with the Cubs he can work in Chicago any time he wants, he thinks Greg will get away from the game for some time and then might get back into baseball in some way.
• Kap asked about Ryan Sandberg. Jim said that the Cubs don't get hung up on moving up the latter with coaches in the minor leagues like players do. He says Rhino's done a terrific job in Peoria for 2 years and in the Arizona Fall League. He thinks that Sandberg can be a big league coach some day.
• Kap asked for thought about Kerry Wood. Jim think Kerry ended up in a great place and says that he will root for Woody except when he plays the Cubs for the rest of his career.
• Hendry said that Gathright was a real good sign that gains the Cubs speed and depth. Jim wants to add one more left handed hitting outfielder to the mix out there.
• Jim says that he likes Adam Dunn and says that the situation is his defense. He wouldn't rule a terrific hitter off the Cubs list though.
• Kap asked about DeRosa. Hendry said that he is just trying to make the Cubs better and sometimes you might have to consider trading someone you really like.

Cubs on the Radio

Mark DeRosa was on the Mac, Jurko, and Harry show yesterday on ESPN 1000. Here's what he had to say;

• Mark says that he's having a great off season in Atlanta working out and enjoying golf.
• DeRosa said he was in Disney World as a Cubs event with Ramirez and Soto during the Peavy rumors that he was involved in so it took his mind off it.
• DeRosa said that the Cubs had one of those lineups where it didn't matter where you were hitting because they were so deep.
• Mark hasn't gotten his wife anything for Christmas yet. DeRosa doesn't know what to get a women who has everything. He says Christmas is more about their daughter in the DeRosa house.
• DeRosa said that the pitcher is the most selfish guy on the baseball team out of any position.
• Mark thinks he will be playing every day at second base in 2009.

On Wednesday, David Kaplan was joined by former Cub Mikey Morandini on Sports Central:

• Mikey talked about being the head coach of Valparaiso High School and Mikey said he is having a blast with coaching.
• Morandini said he could see himself becoming a minor league coach some day.
• Kap and Mikey both think Rhino could be the guy to replace Lou as Cubs manager.
• Mikey would love to be a big league coach some day.
• Morandini said that he collects baseballs.
• Kap says Mikey was always one of the most fun guys to deal with.
• Morandini says that he can't help but follow the Cubs and says they're one of the elite ball clubs.
• He is looking forward to the Cubs Caravan.
• Mikey is going to miss Kerry Wood when the season starts, and says he can tell you every out of the 20 strikeout game.
• The toughest pitchers he every faced: Randy Johnson and Mariano Rivera.

Kap talks with Barry Axelrod

Peavy's agent Barry Axelrod joined David Kaplan on Sports Central to talk Peavy

• He says he believes that the talks are tabled right know but says he doesn't think things are completely over.
• Barry says he's not in a position to comment on anything about the Jason Marquis salary being a problem in the deal.
• Axelrod said Jake is disappointed tonight, but not devastated.
• Barry said that things seemed to be moving along 24 hours ago and then all the sudden it was off.
• He said that Peavy loves to take the ball, compete, and is fun to watch. Peavy loves playing the game. Axelrod has a western mentality and is very personable and charitable off the field.
• Barry said Rick Suttclife's health is excellent. (Barry represents Rick)