Happy Thanksgiving

All around the country people will be celebrating by preparing food for their family and loved ones on the same thing baseball fans are talking about all over the country.  The Hot Stove.  Let’s hope that our holiday weekend is filled with hot stove results that warm us on the inside and don’t spoil the season.

The Cubs aren’t expected to be big buyers this off-season, although they are expected to have an impact and a serious presence on the trading block.  Would love to see them re-gift Milton Bradley to someone this holiday season.  It was a nice idea coming in from Texas, but you know what, it just doesn’t fit.  I’m sure someone has a headcase right fielder that can potentially deliver numbers but is more likely to get the out count wrong on their wish list.  Perfect candidate for the Cubs to re-gift Bradley.

Bradley is kind of that relative that no one really wants to have at the table but feels like they have to invite because technically, they are legally related.  Like Thanksgiving dinner is Spring Training 2010 and you walk into it hoping ‘you know who’ isn’t there.  Chances are he could be there….but man…how much better would it be if he weren’t there.  Then again, if he’s not there, what will everyone talk about?  Who is everyone supposed to gossip about and blame all of the families problems on?

And what about the hot head you love when they’re there because they are so funny but then again when they get upset they end up trashing the place and making it really awkward to be around.  Let’s call that guy Uncle Carlos.  Fun guy to be around until he loses it over nothing.  Loveable hot-headed Uncle Carlos.

And then there’s that sibling you enjoy being around but the family spoils.  They spend a little too much money on that one person in the family, a little more than they probably should and because of it, everyone else has to sacrifice.  They don’t always show up and contribute to the family the same way others do and yet they are given a lot more than the rest of the group.  You kind of always expect more from them and the family goes nuts when they actually produce. Everyone’s favorite cousin, when he does actually hop to it and do something for others, it’s generally out of left field. Can’t wait until cousin Soriano shows up.

Nothing like the holiday season and something to potentially be excited about on the Hot Stove to celebrate all that we’re thankful for.  If you’d like to add another family stereotype to the hypothetical Cubs Thanksgiving table, please feel free to choose the type of relative and the Cubs player you believe fits the Jell-O mold and include it in the comments section!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and that the Cubs’ turkey hangover doesn’t last until the Spring.  Happy Thanksgiving!  Go Cubs Go!

The Past Few Weeks

Ok, so this didn’t exactly come ‘tomorrow’.  But let’s just say the fan has been hit HARD lately as things have been absolutely crazy and this was the best I could do.  I’m in between productions right now, yet still putting in crazy hours negotiating the next project, plus doing stand up gigs, auditioning for television, film and commercial projects and following the Cubs CRAZY off-season.  Not to mention only enjoying one day off a week and enjoying the rare down time watching Entourage and The Hills, which is on in the background right now.  That’s right, I said it, The Hills…one of my few guilty MTV pleasures.  I can’t believe Audrina thinks Lauren hooked up with Justin-Bobby and if it actually happened, I can’t believe LC would hook up with Justin-Bobby!  Crazy.  While I’ve watched the show since it’s been on, the cool thing about it now is that my girlfriend is now working with Lauren on designing her upcoming teen-lit book covers.  As a fan of the show, it’s cool to have a girlfriend who knows LC.  Good times.  Good times indeed.  And Scorsese bailing out Vince’s career and the boys moving the storyline to the UWS of Manhattan?  My neighborhood?  Very cool.

OK, enough venting…NOW…some Cubs baseball.

Where to begin?!

Lou Piniella won NL Manager of the Year and Heidi and Spencer just announced they got married…wait, my bad…let’s try that again…Piniella takes the NL Central and the manager of the year award.  And why not?  With all the decisions that he had to make between setup men, closers, rotations, replacements for injuries, sitting high-paid all-star outfielders, introducing new talent from trades and free agents signings…to take all of that and win the division for the second year in a row is an amazing feat.  Definitely one deserving of the award when you consider it was during the pressure filled 100th anniversary of the Cubs last world series title.  Piniella has been the difference maker when it comes to the brain trust of the Cubs without a doubt.  Hendry provides the pieces but its up to Piniella to use them correctly and make the right decisions.  So far so good…just need to figure out that postseason.  Congratulations Lou, here’s to another next year.

Soto take the ROY award.  And WHY NOT?  Rookie catcher nearly ties Cubs records, becomes the first starting rookie catcher in the all-star game in forever and takes a promising rotation and gets the most out of them all the way through the season.  Managing a pitching staff and 162 games is no easy job, even for a veteran.  To come in as a rookie and lead the way Soto did this year…I think that’s what made the difference in the voting and I look forward to enjoying years of watching him as the Cubs catcher.  Way to go Soto.

Cubs decide to let Wood go.  Wow.  Let’s face it.  He was supposed to be the face of the franchise and in a way he was.  Lots of promise followed by years of let down.  Injuries, injuries, injuries.  We’ll always remember the 20 strikeout game and the run through 2003.  However, we’ll also always remember the injuries and how we never really knew when that string that Wood’s health seemed to always be hanging by was going to snap.  I’m appreciative what he accomplished while with the team, I’m happy to see him go and I’m looking forward to seeing how he does in the future.  I’m also disappointed that if the Cubs do win it next year, or any year in the near future, that Wood won’t be a part of it.  Definitely one of the guys who deserved to experience bringing a title to Wrigley after all these years.  I don’t believe the Cubs will look to sign F-Rod so if that is in fact the case, it’s your turn Marmol.  (Yes, I would rather see Marmol as the closer than Cub newbie, Kevin Gregg).  Enough of the set up, time to step up.

The Cubs re-signed Dempster.  My cell phone is set up to receive Cub updates and when the news came in that the Cubs re-signed Dempster…it’s not too often in one’s life when you give a genuine “PHEW” sound, one usually reserved for over-acting or cartoons.  When the text came in, I genuinely let out a “PHEW”.  Dempster was great once he found himself in a starting rotation again and he’s going to be key to the Cubs future success.  I would’ve been greatly let down if the Cubs hadn’t re-signed him, so again…glad they did.  And “PHEW”!

Cuban getting shut out as owner of the team???  Really???  Let’s hope this report is false.  I can’t think of any potential owner with the same mindset and temperament, definitely no one with a more approach to owning a sports franchise as Cuban would be to the Cubs.  The way he handles owning the Mavs in Dallas…that’s a big reason why the baseball bigs are against his owning the Cubs.  It should be a big reason why they’d want him to.  (Forget the legal accusations that have come up of late.  No one needs a criminal owning their team, but something tells me the Cuban, Hendry, Piniella trio could result in a LOT of fun years at Wrigley).

The Cubs signed Manny Ramirez! Ok, this last one didn’t happen.  But it sure would be cool if it had.  If I don’t talk to you beforehand, have a great Thanksgiving!  GO CUBS GO!