$300 million for this?

Lou looked FRESH!!! I was cracking up! Zell rhymes with Sell!!!

I am an avid Cubs fan and I can't even defend my beloved Cubbies. They remind me of last year's team and for 300 big ones, they should do a lot more than that. I have no doubt Pinella will make them better than last year but I have a feeling it still won't mean a playoff birth.
2003 was the best and worst thing ever to happen to the Cubs.

c'mon already...stop bashing the Tribune. Say, if you bashed the Sun-times, would you incur any hardships? Most people don't know enough about business to make any valid points regarding the transaction anyway. Especially since we do not have access to all the details. Let me ask you this. Would you ever work for the Tribune? What are your thoughts? Obviously you must have had a bad experience with the Tribune. How about a thread in respect to Chicago winning the U.S. Olympic nomination? What is the theme song? Who would sing it? I think it should have the essence of Naked Raygun and the Smashing Pumpkins(the old "I am one" style) as well as the Blues. All them 'tourist' pizza places like Connie's are gonna be poppin'. Invest now!.

After two games J. Marriotti wrote that the White Sox pitching stunk. It was too soon to determine that and it's too soon to bury the Cubs. If they are a .500 team all year they have a chance for the playoffs. Everyone needs to relax. Even Lou.

Of course it's early but some of the cubs are either just bad players or spring training didn't sink in. Izturis three errors one game! Soriano will never be a gold glover but for 136 mil you'd think he'd try harder on improving? Zambrano typical of guys with big guaranteed contracts they sign & all of a sudden they start struggling.Prior & Wood ..disgusting is the only word to describe these two softy's. Cubs been paying the DL twins for basically being on DL the last three or four years. Fortunately they don't have to depend on those two invalids any longer. I think this blog should return in let's say July or August? By then we'll know if cubs are paying off on huge investment.

Isn't Sam Zell from the Chicago area? He must know that the Cubs are, well... they are the Cubs. They traditionally suck. He will find someone to buy the team and I hope it is soon, so you have something newsworthy to write about. What about Kerry Wood not needing surgery on his shoulder? I thought you liked that kind of story. (see Rex Grossman).

Man oh man. In recent years every game or two is an ENTIRE SEASON to many of the "fans". Since when did 8-9 games make a season. Baseball is and will always be a marathon NOT a sprint. I refuse to act childish over a few games. NO TEAM, can win everything , make every play, hit every pitch, etc. but wee seem to nowadays expect our teams to do so. Lets give it some time fans.

There is no "I" in team and NO team on the northside. So "I" am just waiting for football season

Why did anyone believe that this was going to be a good team? Spending $300 million on so-so players does not mean that they are suddenly going to play like all stars just because you pay them like they are.
Outside of Soriano exactly who did they get that was going to make a real difference? Mark DeRosa and Ted Lily? No one.
This was a god awful team last year and they added nothing to make it better, just a bigger payroll.
All they did was make it harder to sell the team now that they are over paying for the same mess that lost 96 games last year.
Still losers but not so loveable.
Please don't tell me that Lou is going to lead them to the playoffs either because you said the same thing about Dusty Baker then you could not wait for him to be fired.

This is our year.

I endured Alfonso Soriano for two years in Texas. The Cub fans are waking up to the awful truth. What you see is what you get. Soriano will hit some home runs, of course. But he doesn't win games. He's an extremely limited offensive and defensive player. That's just him. I was astonished that the Cubs gave him that enormous contract and put him in center/leadoff. Terrible decisions.

Look at his fielding percentage and range factors. His on base percentage. Strikeouts and walks, picked off/caught stealing. hits into double plays. Not even a positive in the clubhouse; not even the Rangers wanted him.

He should be a DH batting 6th for a bad team, making 1.5 million.

I am a Sox fan first and foremost, but I realize the cubbies are restless. My advice to Lou is to relax a bit and fix that bullpen! I watched Friday's game and it was embarrassing, unfortunately I could have done a better job and I haven't played organized ball for forty years. When I did play I didn't break the Mendoza barrier at Maywood Little League in Hammond!

I hate to judge them so early in the season, but I was expecting a little more, especially offensively. The starting pitching has done pretty well (can we not have Z pitch in the month of April?). But it just seems like last year offensively, no timely hitting and lots of strikeouts.

One glaring issue is the outfield defense... this will cause them a ton of runs if they keep it they way it is. Soriano just can't play center field. I say bring up Pie, move Soriano to left. At least bring up Pie so he can be a late inning defensive replacement.

Anyways, like someone said though, a .500 record in this division will probably be good enough to contend.

I am not just saying this now because Soriano is struggling. But when I look at his strikeout numbers and his lack of walks, I said before the year that he is not suited to hit leadoff. Sure he will hit some solo homeruns but his low on base % will hurt the offense overall.

anything involving the cubs makes me laugh.
GO WHITE SOX!!!

Ok let me preface this by saying I am a Sox fan. I think it's too early to judge the team. However I have noticed something very disturbing things and I will start with Alfonso Soriano. I have been intrigued with him as it was reported that the Sox were interested in him as well at one point. That dude swings at EVERYTHING......he has absolutely no patience at the plate. They didn't sign him to be a great outfielder cuz he couldn't possibly be at this point(he just started playing it last year). The Cubs got him for his bat and wow, he just needs to be patient at the plate and work the count a little bit.

Jacque Jones has no arm at all...surely there must have been someone else to play his position.

And why isn't Matt Murton playing? I hear that many believe he will develop into a really good hitter.

???? what's the deal?

The Beatles once said that money can't buy you love. And the Cubs can't buy a championship or an above average team. Yeah, it's early but I think the die is cast. They need an exorcist or something. That adage about playing in the cold isn't good because both teams have to play each day. Why do the Cubbies fail to realize that it any excuse about the home team not utilizing that advantage is redundant. Same old,same.

The Cubs invested 300 million to "allegedly" upgrade the team. When infact, all they did was plug some holes with bodies. This team hasn't made a real investment in players since the end of the 2002 season and the 2003 season. Why would an organization sell the idea of a trip to the World Series to it's fans? And then systematically start the season by ruining it's chances of winning. Soriano is not a center fielder. Move him to left or right field. Jacque Jones is a much better hitter than Matt Murton, so his bat is needed in the starting lineup. Jones' problem is mental. He trys to take the lead by playing overly agressive when the team is struggling. And as a result, as we witnessed last season, this causes his production to fall off. It's time for Pie! Enough of this cuddling prospects crap!!! The Cubs have a crown jewel in Felix Pie and it's obvious he's the best Center fielder on the roster. Why continue to force feed Soriano in center? Make a trade and bring in another bat, shortstop, or a frontline starting pitcher. Do something!!! This is not a championship lineup and it surely intimidates no one.

has anyone heard the expresion "wait till next year?"
wasnt "next year" a couple of years ago? i used to be a cub fan, i even defended the cubies when they really sucked. now i wish i had been a cardinal or a astro fan. at least then i would have been routing for a half way decent team. but for as long as i can remember, the cubs have sucked. so instead of worrying about wheather or not the cubs get sold, look to the south side for a home team to root for.
by the way pinella didnt do to hot in tampa. the team sucked there, then and now. management didnt help him and management wont help him now. pinella is a good manager but he doesnt sign the checks.
the cubbies suck and will always suck deal with it or pick another team.

I just wonder when the bias CUB fans and will start getting on Lou Pinella like they did Dusty Baker? I dont think this will happen because well...there Cub Fans. They will find out coaching doesnt mean that much when you cant pick talented players. What a waste of money for a Manager. What they should have did was pick up some QUALITY pitching instead of re-signing Kerry Wood again. Another waste of money for an over rated bum who the fans like for some reason. This was 300 Million not well spent but I like it because of coourse I'm a SOX fan.

Wow, I don't know what to say. I am kinda starting to rethink my stance on the Cubs. I initially said that they would make the playoffs, but now I am not so sure. I am a Sox fan and felt that the Sox would have a better record, but the Cubs had a better chance to go to playoffs. It seems like the Cubs are in complete disarray already. Starting pitching has been better than I thought it would be honestly, but the bullpen is struggling. I "assume" that their lineup will start hitting, but the questions I had about Soriano seem to be adding more doubt. Cedeno and Izturis are nice players from what I can tell, but I am starting to think "utility" and not starters.

Maybe they will right the ship, but I don't think it's too early to push the panic button for all you Cub fans.