The Cubs were pretty quite this past off-season. They didn’t make too many moves, and the ones that they did make were more to sure up the bench rather than to provide a punch to the lineup.

They were, however, able to get rid of last season’s big mistake. Milton Bradley will be ruining the Seattle Mariners this season, after his work of art in Chicago.

However, if you ask Bradley, it was Chicago that ruined him, not the other way around, just ask the wordsmith known as Milton.

“Two years ago, I played, and I was good. I go to Chicago, not good.”

So lets see if Bradley returns to “good” this season, it should be interesting.

However, the Cubs didn’t just get rid of Bradley, they also found a couple of players who will come in and be pivotal to helping the Cubs try to get back to the top of the NL Central. Read the rest of this entry »

“I’m talking about hatred, period. I’m talking about when I go to eat at a restaurant. I’ve got to listen to the waiters badmouthing me at another table, sitting in a restaurant. That’s what I’m talking about. Everything.”

You are a tool, Milton Bradley. Fans aren’t booing you because you are black; they are booing you because you are BAD. And not bad as in “baaaaad,” but bad as in you suck.

Sure, you’re starting to hit now, but it’s too little, too late. Read the rest of this entry »

A little over half way to the end of the season, the Cubs have finally jumped past the St. Louis Cardinals and stole the division lead.

Before the All-Star Break, the Cubs split a four-game series with the Cards. Since the break, however, the Cubs are 8-2. The Cardinals are 4-6 since the break, including losing two of three against the Phillies in their most recent series.

The Cards now go from facing the defending champions to facing this season’s best team, the L.A Dodgers, in a four-game series. The Cubs face the Astros, and have a chance to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the division. Read the rest of this entry »

Cubs catcher Geovany Soto tested positive for marijuana at the WBC

Let me start by saying that in my world, this is not that big a deal. Yes, the drug is illegal, but to me, it is relatively harmless, especially when compared with harder drugs.

Still, I found Geo’s explanation that this was “an isolated incident” to be borderline ridiculous. Read the rest of this entry »

The Cubs have been one of baseball’s big disappointments this season.

The only team that has underachieved more has been the Yankees, but since A-Rod came back, they have been on a tear, which leaves the Cubs all alone.

However, through the past five games, they have gone 4-1, which may be an anomaly in a disappointing season, but it could also start to signal change.

However, the Cubs haven’t been pulling off small, one-run wins.  They have won three of their past four wins by at least three runs. Read the rest of this entry »

So the Chicago Cubs newest outfielder, and the switch-hitting savior who will take us into the postseason with a vengeance, Milton Bradley, wasn’t always that hurt last year when he couldn’t play.

At least that’s what one could surmise form Bradley’s latest comments to the Fort-Worth Star Telegram.

Here is the damaging quote:

“If I’m being paid, and I’ve got the commitment to me that I give to them, you make more of an effort to be out there every day. When you’re on one-year deals constantly, you’ve got to put up as good numbers as you can. When you have days where you’re not feeling like you can contribute, you’re not going to go out there, because you’re not going to want your numbers to suck. So, if you’re in a situation like I am now, if they want me to go out there when I’m feeling a little banged up, I’ve got no problem doing that because they’ve made the commitment to me.”

So, he was not really that hurt but just didn’t want to mess up his stats since he was on a one-year deal? Well, he may get points for honesty but is that really an advisable thing to say?

From a PR standpoint, something that The Game clearly has never concerned himself with, the comment seems self-serving and portrays him as a selfish player.

Can you imagine A-Rod being this blunt?

“Yes, I took steroids, ever since high school, in fact. And I still take HGH and some designer ‘roids that are undetectable by MLB testing. I knew exactly what I was taking; I did plenty of research and made sure to pick chemicals that wouldn’t bulk me up that much. Am I sorry? Only that I got caught.”

Or should we be glad that we can now expect Bradley to be more available for the Cubs due to the commitment they have shown him?

Look, from the start I thought this was a questionable signing. Mostly due to health concerns, but also because of his volatile personality.

I worry about clubhouse chemistry without Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa and with a Milton Bradley.

I worry about how the Wrigley Field faithful will treat Milt if he doesn’t perform well or says the wrong thing. Remember, we love our players but we can be a tough crowd at times.

I was at games where Carlos Zambrano was strongly booed.

I attended games when I thought some fans were going to come out of the bleachers and physically assault Jacque Jones.

And Jim Hendry needs this signing to work out, especially since his last two major free-agent deals haven’t worked out so well thus far (Soriano and Fukudome).

Meanwhile, no matter what happens, we are likely going to have Bradley for three years. All he has to do is play in 75 games in 2009 to guarantee the final two years of his three-year deal.

Why did Jim Hendry agree to only 75 games? Does he consider that a fair return on his investment? Is that the break-even point for earning $10 million per year?

Can you imagine going to a perspective employer and telling him you will work less than half of the year for a full year’s pay?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Bradley’s OBP and his edginess may actually be good for a team that was perhaps too nice last year, if that makes any sense. We could use some fire and passion.

But most of all, we need a healthy and productive Milton Bradley. But better watch that third year when he’s on the last year of his deal, come to think of it.

Judging by his comments, he may get the “Blue Flu” a lot in 2011.

-Bob Warja

Just about a day away from pitchers and catchers reporting, it’s time to start looking at the Chicago Cubs and what they are going to be doing next season.

However, to move forward, you have to look backwards as well. The Cubs have had yet another busy offseason as they try to finally avoid a first round sweep (last year by the hand of the Dodgers, you gotta hate Manny being Manny).

First lets start with some of the moves that I disagree with. Just to get this out in the open and out of the way, I have to disagree with Jim Hendry on these few moves.

Letting Kerry Wood go was a big mistake in my opinion. The move hurts the Cubs bullpen which was finally getting strong. They could have kept the shutdown rotation of Jeff Samardzija, Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood, along with another reliever who will be talked about in a better section.

I just hate losing Mark DeRosa this offseason. He was a great player who everybody loved. The middle of DeRosa and Ryan Theriot just made every Cubs fan warm and fuzzy inside, although I don’t hate his replacement, I still love the player.

Now that we got that out of the way, time to look at some of the better moves to help pump up the 2009 Chicago Cubs.

Re-signing Ryan Dempster was ginormous (the only word I can use to describe his impact) in keeping the Cubs a World Series-caliber team. He creates a triple threat almost unrivaled, and he gave them a great third starter without having to give up everything but the kitchen sink (sorry Jake Peavy…I know you’re reading this).

Another pitching move to help the team is the addition of Kevin Gregg. He is going to allow the Cubs to move Carlos Marmol into the closer spot while keeping a good reliever to help as a set-up man. This still allows the Cubs to be set by the seventh inning.

Making up for the loss of Mark DeRosa, Aaron Miles will be a pivotal part in helping the Cubs offensively this season. He is a guy that can get on base consistently, as shown by his .317 batting average last season, higher than any player last season for the Cubs.

Now it’s time to get to the big signing of the offseason. Two years ago it was Alfonso Soriano. Last year it was Kosuke Fukudome. This year it’s Milton Bradley.

Bradley is going to have to keep his temper in check, which is the same for a lot of major parts of the Cubs team this season (I’m looking at you Carlos Zambrano and Lou Piniella). With all of these moving parts, the Cubs could implode at any point in time this season.

However, we could just as easily make it all work and have a dream season. Who knows, if the Red Sox can do it, so can the Cubs…right?

But anyway, the 2009 Chicago Cubs are looking to become the first team to pull it all together. Nobody likes waiting 101 years for a championship, but these new parts could be ready to pull it all together.

At least, lets hope so, I don’t want to jinx anything this early.

Be ready for the new Daily Cub, and hopefully, be ready for the new Chicago Cubs.

Pitchers and catchers report Friday, and I know that we are all excited, are you ready for some baseball?

-Joe Willett