Cubs Better Be Careful

I hope the Cubbies know what they are doing...

As previously mentioned, the Cubs have a diehard 102-year-old fan that would like to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field before his time on Earth has ended.

Well, the man up in years certainly would have thrown the first pitch had he been named at the landmark stadium. Just ask 7-year-old Wrigley Fields.

Jerry and Kathy Fields' son, Wrigley, will throw out the first pitch at the place he was named after. The boy is 7.

Little Wrigley Fields of Lockport will meet his destiny on August 29th at a Cubs' home game against the Philadelphia Phillies when he'll throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field.

His mother Kathy says she mentioned Wrigley's name in front of a former Cubs official, who promised her Wrigley would get to throw out the first pitch.

If Chicago's favorite baseball team is smart, I would immediately get the old-timer on the phone to set up his first pitch at Wrigley. Karma is a bitch, and you know what bitches can do.

Bitches be acting buck wild.

*Note: picture is not Wrigley Fields, just some cute baby Cubs fan.*

Cubbies Fans: The Signs Are There

First To Third caters to Chicago Cubs fans because the best friend of LJ is a huge Cubs fans, and the Cubs is First To Third's second favorite MLB team.

For those reasons, F-to-T finds hope for the faithful like this one or provides ways to receive good karma.

From Baseball Tonight:

The Cubs did something on Wednesday that they hadn't done in almost forever -- swept a doubleheader on the road, winning each game by at least eight runs. The last time they did that, back in 1908 against the Cardinals (according to Elias), they won a World Series.

Cubs v. Angels, World Series.

Cubs Better Do This, Or Else...

The Chicago Cubs will curse themselves for a guaranteed 100 more years if they do not give in to a loyal 104-year-young fan who wants to throw the first pitch at Wrigley Field, particularly during the playoffs.

Leo Hildebrand, born in 1903, hopes to get his chance this October.

A lifelong Cubs fan, Hildebrand wants to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field for a game during the Cubs' expected playoff run. His neighbor and good friend, Henny Kronvold, tried to persuade the Cubs to let Hildebrand pitch last season, but the Cubs politely told her all of the slots were taken, Kronvold said.

"He can't wait much longer," said Arlene Burm, Hildebrand's 69-year-old daughter.

Jason Carr, a Cubs spokesman, said the organization reviews and considers all first-pitch requests.

It is one thing to piss off a goat-keeper who wants to wet his whistle, but to shun a man who has passed the century mark? I would have to console my best friend for the rest of his life because of the curse that would haunt the Cubs forever.

The story goes on:

While Hildebrand remains eager to show the Cubs his stuff, he's got plenty to keep himself occupied.

Once a week, he and his pastor drive around in a black BMW convertible, spreading cheer and hope to parishioners who are too old or too sick to make it to church.

Hildebrand says that's why he's still alive -- because "the Lord up above decided I had more to do."

A lifelong fan and one of God's good-doers? Now you know the Cubbies have to comply to Hildebrand.

[Source: Chicago Sun-Times. Photo: Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times]

Billy Goat, And A Goal Post?

After some investigative work for my friend Russell, I discovered another reason why the Chicago Cubs may be cursed with bad luck.

Roger "Sodfather" Bossard recently dug up an interesting artifact while working on the new playing surface for the Cubbies. He found the the cement blocks that held the goal posts for the Chicago Bears.

Unbeknownst to everyone involved in the Wrigley project, cement blocks surrounding the bottom parts of the old goal posts from Bears games at Wrigley had been buried under the infield at Wrigley for nearly four decades.

After the Bears played their final game there on Dec. 13, 1970, they tore down the goal posts but decided not to remove the cement blocks underneath the end zones holding the posts in place, covering them with dirt instead.

Do not fret Cubs fans... I think your time is coming.

First, the Tribune Co. is selling the franchise, and this could mean a change for the better.
Second, the Cubs no longer have old Chicago Bears goal posts underneath your playing field.
Third, the Cubs are getting a new playing surface.
Fourth, the Cubs are installing a modern drainage system.

Aw, the times are changing Cubbies. And I love the fact that they just told him to throw the blocks away.

"Screw it, if that was under the field the last 30 years then it might do some good to get rid of it."

So there you have it, the curse of the Billy Goat and the curse of the goal posts. Mystery solved, time to win a World Series!

And I must say, being a heads groundskeeper must be fun. Once these guys are in the MLB system or work for a team, they basically are with them until they retire. Unless you have divots on the field all the time.

The groundskeepers get to know all the players, coaches, stadium staff, umpires... the list can go on. Get to watch baseball games free everyday. And you see your art in work. Good stuff.

In my next life im going to be a groundskeeper.

Tribune Co. Ruining The Cubs Dream

Many believe that Alex Rodriguez may land in the Northside of Chicago with the Cubbies if/when he opts out of his Yankees contract. This is based on the fact that the Tribune Company is selling the team, and the prospective owner will fork out the money for A-Rod (say, Mark Cuban perhaps?).

But that may not be possible, even if Cuban buys the team. That is because the Tribune Co. still has not prepared the official bidding documents for prospective buyers.

This means that A-Rod can be picked up far before the sale of the Cubs actually goes down. There is no way the Tribune Co. can sign A-Rod while they are still the owners.

Well Cubs fans, another way to ruin the 100-year anniversary of your last World Series title.

Of course it was not 100% guaranteed that A-Rod would sign with the Cubs. If he wants to make his future team his last stop in the MLB than I think it will be in the American League. He wants to break as many records as he can and his best opportunity is with an AL team.

It will allow him to play the most years by being able to DH in the later stages of his career. And why move to the National League now? He has played in the AL his whole career and has faced their pitchers.

The rumors will begin after the World Series, but here is the list of teams that I think A-Rod will end up with:
New York Yankees
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox

October Beisbol

The New York Yankees made their third straight exit in the first round of the playoffs after losing to the Cleveland Indians last night. And if the "boss" was being honest, the exit may cost Joe Torre his job as the Yankees manager.

This was the only series I predicted right on the nose, with the Indians ending the series in four games. The Indians outplayed the Yankees in every aspect of the game.

Alex Rodriguez may get the most criticism, but the Yankees nation can look at their captain, Derek Jeter, for some answers. Jeter went 3-for-17 in the series, batted into three double plays, and drove in one run.

It makes no difference though. The Indians hit the ball from top-to-bottom in the lineup, and their pitchers kept the Yankees offense at bay.

League championship series predictions to come.

In other baseball news... I am a little late on this one, but thought it was pretty nuts.

A Cubs fan decided to hang a goat carcass from the Harry Caray statue at Wrigley Field in an attempt to rally the Cubs in the NLDS. (Youtube is not allowing to embed the video, so its the link.)

It obviously did not work and am rooting big time for the Cubs to win it all in 2008. If that happens it would be their first World Series title in 100 years.

R.I.P Angels. Hey TBS, Fox, ESPN and every East Coast bias medium out there, you got your wish! The Red Sox made it to the ALCS.

MLB Playoffs Day 2

Where has the Phillie Phanatic been? If Fox had been broadcasting the games I know for a fact that they would have shown him in the spotlight. Yet, that may not be entirely true, seeing to how the Phillies decided that winning the NL East was good enough for them.

The Phillies dropped their second game AT HOME to the scorching Colorado Rockies to fall to an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-five series, and now head to Colorado for two games (or so they hope). Now instead of the Phanatic, we have "Dinger" here for you.

What happened to the charging Phillies who gunned down the New York Mets? Did they forget that the World Series is not winning the NL East? This choke job may not be as bad as the New York Mets, but it will hurt just as much if they get swept. Just win at least one game Philllies.

Like predicted, hopeful Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia pitched a solid game against the New York Yankees in the 12-3 win for the Cleveland Indians. The best strikeout of Sabathia's may have been against Derek Jeter in the third inning, when Jeter had to stop himself from falling on his butt after missing badly on a slider.

I do not know why no one was giving Cleveland love before the playoffs. This team does it all: runs the bases well, pitching, big bats, defense, and the list goes on. I remember watching them against the Angels several times this year and thinking to myself, "this will be a dangerous team if the Angels have to face them in the playoffs."

Kenny Lofton hit the fountain of youth before the game, and then collected a career high in RBIs in a playoff game with four. Of the 84 games of playoff experience among the Indians players, Lofton played all of them.

I may have to change my playoff prediction for the series to: Cleveland in four.

NL series predictions? Forget about it.

Thanks Philadelphia, and now, thanks Chicago Cubs.

But, Chicago has something working for them that Philly does not, they have two games at home. The Cubs fell to an 0-2 deficit after losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4, even though Cubs' pitcher Ted Lilly had a 9-1 record following a Cubs loss this season.

I still believe in the Cubbies. Two games at Wrigley Field, let me say it right this time, fuggetaboutit! Maybe Steve Bartman should show up?