My List of Cubs Top Prospects Mid-Season

Top Five

1. Brett Jackson: Jackson is on the fast track to the majors. He was the Cubs top pick in the 2009 draft. He has had a few injuries this season so far, but is still having a great year. He is considered a 5-tool prospect.  For AA, he is batting .273, 10 homeruns, and 32 runs bated in. ETA 2012

2. Matt Szczur: For more on Szczur read, Cubs Prospect, Matt Szczur. ETA 2014

3. Josh Vitters: Vitters was the Cubs top pick in the 2007 draft. He has been a late bloomer, but it seems this year he is starting to figure it out. Scouts believe he can hit in the majors, but he needs to work on his plate discipline and defense.  Vitters is batting .275, with 7 homeruns, and 38 runs batted in. ETA late 2013

4. Ryan Flaherty: Flaherty has been the biggest surprise in the Cubs farm system and is on the fast track to the majors also. In 2008, he was chosen in the compensation first round. He is a utility man for the AA team as he has played in the outfield and infield. He is batting, .302, with 14 homeruns and 65 runs batted in. Look for him in a Cub uniform in September. ETA 2011

5. Chris Carpenter: Carpenter has been up and down between the majors and the minors. He used to be a starter, but now is a reliever. He is a flamethrower throwing over 100MPH. The only knock on him is is control. If he can improve on his control, look for him to be a set up guy or closer for the Cubs in the future. ETA 2011

Other Cubs Top Prospects

Trey McNutt

Austin Kirk

Junior Lake

Robert Whitenack

Wellington Castillo

Trade Candidate, Maron Byrd

Marlon Byrd is currently playing center field for the Cubs, but by the time August rolls around that could change. In Byrd’s first year as a Cubs he hit .293, with 12 homeruns, and 66 run batted in and was a fan favorite for how hard he played. Many fans feel that he was cheated out of the gold glove for center fielde because of how many spectacular plays he made almost every game and only had three errors.

Byrd was off to a great start to his season until he was hit in the face with a pitch against the Boston Red Sox’s. On May 21, Alfredo Aceves hit Byrd in the face with a fastball and caused multiple fractures in his face. Byrd was put on the 15-day disabled list and was out for a little but over a month.

Now Byrd is back facing the challenge of standing back in the batters box and try and not worry about getting hit in the face. He is wearing a new batting helmet that protects his left side of his face. Byrd has not shown any fear of batting and could be trade bait later this month. If he can prove to other teams that he has no effects from his injury, he could be on the move. Teams that are looking for outfield help include the: Washington Nationals, Cleveland Indians. San Francisco Giants, and the Atlanta Braves. Byrd is still relative young and should be fresh after spending time on the disabled list. I do not think the Cubs will be trying to move him, but if the right trade comes along, look for the cubs to listen.

Cubs Prospect, Matt Szczur

Matt Szczur played college football and baseball at Villanova University. He was an outstanding wide receiver for the Wildcats.  His best game for the Wildcats was when he gained 270 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns in a winning effort in the 2009 FCS National Championship. He would have been drafted in the NLF draft if he decided to go the football route; instead he decided to play professional baseball.  Szczur signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs organization, which drafted him in the fifth-round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. After the 2010 season, Szczur committed to baseball and signed a $1.5 million deal with the Cubs in January 2011.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Szczur is batting .317 with 5 homers, 27 runs batted in and 17 stolen bases. He plays center field for the Cubs minor league affiliated, Class-A Peoria Chiefs. Szczur was elected to play in the 2011 All-Star weekend Future Game, where all the best prospects in baseball get a chance to show the world what they can do; he will play for the USA team. Szczur is considered one of the best outfield prospects in baseball and is the Cubs 8^th best overall prospect coming into the 2011 season. We do not know how long it will take for him to develop, 2-3 more years, but we can be sure that one day, if he is not traded, he will be playing for the Chicago Cubs. Look for him to get some playing time in the Future Game All-Star weekend; he is the lone Cubs prospect to be elected to the game.

Will Castro Start the 2011 All-Star Game?

Starling Castro is having a magnificent season and is one of the youngest all stars on the NL team this year. Some people even consider him a franchise player. Since both Jose Reyes and Troy Tulowitzki will not be able to play in the All-Star game, Bruce Bochy must give him a look.  Bochy is the manager for the National League team and he picked Mike Quade as one of his coaches, so that cannot hurt Castro’s chance. Castro is batting .307, with 2 homeruns, 38 runs batted in, and 10 stolen bases on the season so far. His numbers are outstanding and should get a look.

However, Castro is very young and his defense at times this year has been shaky. That being said, Bochy might no give chance the chance to start at short  to veteran infielder of the Reds, Brandon Phillips. Phillips is having a really good year, batting .293 with 8 homeruns and 47 runs batted in. Phillips is a gold glove caliber player and can also swing the bat. He is going to be an asset for the NL team.

Even if Castro does not get the start for the NL in the 2011 All-Star game, he is still going to get a chance to play. He is going to  be a big factor in the up coming game. Castro is going to be an all-star for years to come and he will get his chance to start the game. Will it be this year, I do not know, but it will be in the not to distant future.

Evergreen Park Native, Tom Gorzelanny

Today the Chicago Cubs will face former Cubs pitcher and Evergreen Park native Tom Gorzelanny. Gorzelanny got traded to the Nationals in the 2010 offseason because the Cubs were trying to cut some payroll. Gorzelanny is have a decent season and would be a solid 5^th starter for the Cubs, who have not been able to solidify that 5^th spot since Andrew Cashner went down in April. Gorzelanny has a 3.77 ERA and is 2 and 6 on the season.

Gorzelanny was traded on July 30, 2009 to the Chicago Cubs along with John Grabow for Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio. Grabow is still with the Cubs. Gorzelanny pitched well for the Cubs in 2010. In 2010, Gorzelanny won a spot in the Cubs starting rotation and compiled a high strikeout rate and an ERA below 4 through September 2010. However, that just was not good enough for the Cubs to keep him around in 2010.

In January 17, 2011, the Washington Nationals acquired the former Evergreen Park, IL native, Gorzelanny from the Cubs for prospects Michael Burgess, A. J. Morris, and Graham Hicks. Gorzelanny became expendable to the Cubs after they traded for Matt Garza ten days earlier. Gorzelanny features three main pitches, including a low 90's four-seam fastball that can occasionally reach the mid-90's, a sharp slider with good movement, and a deceptive mid to low 80's change-up. Gorzelanny will never be a top of the rotation starter, but he is a pitcher who can be a solid end of the rotation or long reliever. Look for Gorzelanny to pitch at least 5-inning against him former team tonight.

International Success Key to Long Term Success

It is no secrete that the Cubs Organization wants to be better as a whole. Tom Ricketts has said that he is going to start to put more money into the farm system and international player development. As recently as this week, Tom Ricketts has started to put his money where is mouth is by signing some highly touted international prospects. Many of these prospects are only 16-years old, so we will not see them for quite some time. However, the Cubs did sign Starling Castro when he was 16 and you cannot argue with the results.

Earlier this week the Cubs signed an international prospect from the Dominican Republic. They signed 16-year-old shortstop Enrique Acosta who they landed for a bonus of $1.1 million. Acosta is a highly regarded hitting prospect that projects as either a third baseman or an outfielder down the road. Today, the Cubs went into Venezuela and landed a much sought after catcher in 16-year-old Mark Malave and a 16-year-old third baseman in Ricardo Marcano. All three players were projected as top international prospects and the Cubs have to be glad that they land all three. This year, the Cubs spending on international players have doubled what they have done in the past.

Championships teams are built from the bottom up. With that being said, the Cubs plan on starting to home grown their own players. Look at an organization like the Tampa Bay Rays, they do not have a lot of money, but they draft well and develop players well and they have started to see results on the field. I believe the Cubs are trying to duplicate the Rays success.

Player of the Week, Aramis Ramirez

There has not been a hotter player in the NL than Aramis Ramirez. He has to be the least excited player that the All-Star breaker is coming up. After leading the Majors with six home runs in an eight-game span last week, Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was named the National League Player of the Week. The league announced this on Tuesday. To go along with the 6 homeruns, Ramirez hit .393 with 10 RBIs and a 1.071 slugging percentage over the eight games, and the 33-year-old was also tied for first in the NL with nine runs scored.

I have said before that I believe Ramirez is going to get traded and his value has not been higher than it is right now. He has a no trade clause, but I believe he would like to keep improving his market value, as he will be a free agent next year. Saying that, I think if Cubs management asked him to waive his no trade clause he would at a chance to win a world series.

The right-hander is batting .295 this season with 12 home runs and is tied for the club led with 44 RBIs. Ramirez leads the NL is homeruns and RBI’s and he would definitely be an asset to anyone who would want him. Ramirez came to the Cubs in 2003 to try and help the Cubs win the World Series, so it would only be fitting that he was traded from the Cubs to help some other team try and win.

Who is Roman Ortiz?

Roman Ortiz is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. He has previously pitched in Major Leagues for the Anaheim Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Anaheim Angels signed Ortiz as an international free agent in 1995 and he made his Major League debut on August 19, 1999. On August 9, 1999, he started for the Angels against the Chicago White Sox and pitched eight innings against them and got the win. His best season was 2002, when he went 15-9 with a 3.77 ERA for the Angels. He earned the win in Game 3 of the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. In 2003, he set a career high with 16 victories.

In 2004, the Angels traded Ortiz to the Cincinnati Reds. Then two years later in 2006, Ortiz signed with the Washington Nationals as a free agent prior to the season. In 2007, Ortiz signed with the Minnesota Twins for a one-year deal, but was later traded to the Rockies mid-season.  In 2009, Ortiz signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the San Francisco Giants. In 2010, he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers and then in 2011 he signed with the Cubs.

The once highly touted international prospect is now 38 years old and is going to make a start for the Cubs today against the Washington Nationals. Ortiz is only pitching because Dempster and Zambrano are both hurt. I do not expect him to be around when they Cubs once again get healthy.

The Coleman Legacy

The Cubs drafted Coleman in the 15th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Amateur Player. He made his major league debuted August 2, 2010. Coleman earned his first major league win on August 23, 2010 with a 9-1 victory against the Washington Nationals. He also pitched against the Nationals today and did quite well and for more on that check out my post, No Fireworksfor The Cubs.

Both Coleman’s father and grandfather were pitchers in the Major Leagues, making Coleman a third-generation player in the MLB. His father, Joe, played from 1965 to 1979 and his grandfather, Joe, played from 1942 to 1955. The Coleman family is the forth family of third-generation players, but they are the first third-generation pitcher family in Major League history.

In four seasons in the minors, Coleman has a 30-17 record in the minors with a 3.72 E.R.A. However his minor league success has not translated to success in the majors. He is 6-6 with a 5.50 E.R.A. in 22 career games. This season he is 2-4 with a 7.78 E.R.A and has not looked go in most of his starts. Coleman does not throw hard with his fastball toping out around 90 MPH.  Coleman has struggled a lot this year and it has made fans wonder if he will ever figure it out. There may not place for him in the Cubs rotation and maybe a chance of scenery will do him well or maybe he will just be considered a “AAAA” player for the rest of his career.

No Fireworks for The Cubs

Today is the 4^th of July and the Cubs were hoping to make some fireworks of their own, but they fell short in the 10^th inning. After Jason Werth, who the Nationals signed in the offseason for 7 years at $126 million, walked to lead off the 10^th. Werth is only batting .176 since June 1^st and has gotten his fair share of boo’s this year. He was bunted to second. Then after he stunned the ballpark by swiping 3rd, Werth crossed home plate with his arms raised after a wild pitch by Cubs closer, Carlos Marmol. Soon those boo’s Werth heard earlier turned to cheers and the long list of Cubs disappointments this year continues.

Casey Coleman started the game for the Cubs because Ryan Dempster could not go; He was out with the flu. Colemen was off to a rough start by giving up two runs in the first and it look like it was going to be another one of those games for the Cubs. He then settled down and gave the Cubs five solid innings giving up only those two runs. He left the game with the Cubs leading 3-2 and with the Cubs solid group of late inning relievers; I thought that this game might be over.

Once again Mike Quade got caught playing the matchups and not having faith in his relievers. This was ultimately the Cubs down down fall in this game. Jeff Samardzija came in for Coleman and was solid. Instead of living him in after only pitching .2 innings, the Cubs turned it over to Marshall, Wood, and Marmol, who could not hold a two run lead. Once again, this game left Cubs fan scratching their head with another Cubs loss.

The Truth About the Cubs and Sox

In this post written by Jon Greenberg, a writer for The Cubs Report on ESPNChicago, talks about the Why the White Sox, Cubs series are not as exciting as they used to be, how things will be better for the Cubs when Jim Hendry, Mike Quade, and Crane Kenney, how the White Sox’s must address Ozzie Guillen’s contract, how the Cubs need a fire sale, and how the White Sox’s will win the AL central.

Why the White Sox, Cubs series are not as exciting as they used to be.

He first talks about how both teams records are bad and then goes on to talk about how the buzz around the series peaked in 2006, when A.J. Pierzynski and Michael Barrett started a bench-clearing brawl.

How things will be better for the Cubs when Jim Hendry, Mike Quade, and Crane Kenney.

He talks about how he thinks that Hendry's days are numbered in Chicago. Also he goes on to say that he did not think that Hendry would be the long-term answer, and nothing has changed his mind this season.

How the White Sox’s must address Ozzie Guillen’s contract.

Jon is on board with the Sox’s extending Ozzie. He says that Ozzie is the perfect manager for the White Sox’s.

How the Cubs need a fire sale.

He also believes in order for the Cubs to get back into contention, the Cubs must have a fire sale and get rid of all their players like the Marlins have done in the past.

How the White Sox’s will win the AL central.

 He feels like the white Sox’s have the best overall team and should win the AL Central over the Tigers.

This is just a preview of the post; to read more, clickhere.

Memorable Events in Cubs History, July.

As June has come to an end, the Cubs have realistically no shot at the playoffs, so I decided to take a look at some of the Cubs most memorable events in July.

• July 31, 1910, King Cole pitches an abbreviated no-hitter against Cards in St Louis, 4-0. 
• July 1, 1935, The Cubs play their first road night game, defeating the Reds 8-4 in Crosley Field.
• July 8, 1947, Wrigley Field hosts the all-star game for the first time.
• July 3, 1960, Ron Santo hits first ML home run against Reds during in a 7-5 win in Wrigley Field.
• July 4, 1966, Cubs third basemen Ron Santo, extends his hit streak to 27 and 28 in a double header, after returning to the lineup after getting HBP on June 26, 1966.
• July 21, 1971, Don Kessinger ties ML records for starting 4 DP's in a 11-7 win over the Mets at Wrigley Field.
• July 6, 1980, Cubs lose a 20-inning game, losing to Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium 5-4. 
• July 1, 1987, Greg Maddux pitches his first career shutout defeating the Expos 1-0 in Montreal.
• July 21, 1989, Dwight Smith signs National Anthem. 
• July 28, 1990, Shawon Dunston ties ML record with 3 3B's in a 10-7 win over Expos in Montreal.
• July 2, 1993, Sammy Sosa has a six hit game during an 11-8 win over Rockies in Denver.
• July 3,1993, Ryne Sandberg gets his 2000 hit of career during a 5-4 loss to Rockies in Denver.
• July 27, 1998, Sammy Sosa hits his first ML grand slam. He holds a modern day record for the most HR's in a career without hitting a grand slam (247). Sosa also drives in all 6 runs in a 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks. 
• July 22, 2003, Cubs trade Jose Hernandez, Matt Brubeck and a player to be named later for Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton. Both Ramirez and Lofton played pivotal roles in leading the Cubs to the 2003 playoffs. 
• July 31, 2004, Cubs acquire Nomar Garciaparra in a 4-team trade with the Red Sox, Twins and Montreal Expos.

Wrap Up of The Giants Cubs Series

As the Giants, Cubs series came to an end today, the series was at split with each team winning 2 games a piece. This was one of the most exciting series of the year for the Chicago Cubs. After the Cubs lost the first game of the series, I thought to myself with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain pitching the next 2 that the Cubs had no chance at winning the series. Boy did they have some fight in them.

After the Cubs lost both game of the double header they did not hang their head, they kept their spirits up and kept on grinding like they have done all year. Wednesday’s game was against Tim Lincecum, former CY Young winner, vs. Ryan Dempster, the ace of the Cubs staff. Dempster got the best of Lincecum on this day. While both pitchers pitched well and gave their teams a chance to win, Dempster was just a little bit better. After the Giants scored one run in the ninth to tie the game, it was the Cubs turn to come back. The Cubs did just that in bottom half of the inning as pinch-hitter Aramis Ramirez singled to drive in Tony Campana to give the Cubs 2-1 walk off victory.

Today’s game featured two veteran pitchers, Matt Cain and Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano gave up a run in the first inning and then left the game after that because of back problems.  Marcos Mateo came in out of the pen and pitched five shutout innings to keep the game at 1-0. Then going into the ninth inning down one, Aramis Ramirez tied the game with a home run. However, Pablo Sandoval homered in the 13^th, to give the Giants the lead, but Darwin Barney's tied the game with a single in the 13^th. Then Geovany Soto won the game in another walk off fashion with a three-run shot. This 2011 season for the Cubs have not had many bright spots, but when fans look back on the season, this is something they can point to as a highlight of the season.

Players Hot, Cubs Not

As the 2011 season has officially gone half way point, a few Cubs players have started to heat up. However this has not helped the Cubs chances for the playoffs because they put themselves in a pretty big hole by losing in the beginning of the season. As of right now the Cubs are on pace to lose over 90 games. Even if they play good baseball, they probably will not be back into playoff contention.

Jim Hendry has recently said that the Cubs will not have a fire sale and keep most of their players intact on the current roster. I believe this might be the wrong move for the Cubs to just stand pat. However, I believe the Cubs will listen to trade offers on anyone except Starling Castro, so no one other than him is untouchable. With players like Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena heating up, this might be the best time to start to trade these two players and get something in return for them. These two will mostly not be Cubs in 2012, so you might as well try and get something in return for them instead of just letting them walk away after the season.

Pena has 17 homeruns since April and 3 homeruns in the last 5 games. Ramirez in June is hitting .301 and has 7 Homeruns and 20 RBIs. These two players stock on the market has not been higher at any point this year. I believe teams will be looking at these two players very closely to see if they can help them down the stretch. A team like the San Francisco Giants has a world class pitching staff, but do not have the hitting to go along with it. Both of these to players would immediate help the hitting woes of the Giants. Other teams that may be interesting in either of these players may include the Rangers, Diamondbacks, and the Indians.

Sneeze Page: Top June Posts

Should Bob Brently Be Managing the Cubs?

This is a post I wrote about Bob Brently and if he should have gotten a better look last offseason at being the Chicago Cubs Manager. Bob has won a World Series, which many Cubs fans have very experienced. When he won the World Series, he won with a team no one thought would win.

To continue reading, Click Here

A Rising Star-ling Castro

This article is about Starling Castro and how he is becoming a superstar for the Cubs at such a young age, 21. I talked about how he came crashing into the MLB scene with his debute in 2010 against the Reds. I talked about how he still must improve at some parts of his game to get to the elite level.

To continue reading, Click Here

Yankees Vs. Cubs: History Will Not Be Made

Here I wrote about how the Yankees were coming to town for only the second time in over 65 years. I talked about how the Cubs are not having a great year by their standards and that history would not be made against them. This is because Derek Jeter, who was going for hit 3000, went to the DL earlier in that week.

To continue reading, Click Here

Moreland Finding his Niche

In Moreland Finding his Niche , I talked about how Keith is growing as a broadcaster and that he is doing a great filling in for Ron Santo. I talked about how Keith had a great career as a Cubs. I also said that Pat Hughes and him might be a great duo for years to come.

To continue reading, Click Here

Review of Harry Caray's Resturant

Harry Caray's is an Italian Steakhouse in Chicago, Rosemont, and Lemont, Illinois. Harry Caray’s is named for the late Hall of Fame baseball announcer for the Cubs, Harry Caray. It opened on October 23, 1987 and has become one of the most nationally recognized restaurants in the Midwest. This legendary Italian Steakhouse serves the finest prime, aged steaks, and chops in a traditional Chicago atmosphere.

Harry Caray’s is often regarded as a 4 to 5-star restaurant for their food, bar, and entertainment. It is fairly cheap with the price range from $20-45 dollars. The restaurant is a museum to all things Chicago and the Chicago Cubs. It is a memorial and a shrine to the Cubs and Harry Caray with photos, artwork and autographed bats and balls. The restaurant has a very good menu, with a lot of American and Italian selections to choose from.

The restaurant gets a lot of business during and after the baseball because it is located in the Chicago, which is crawling with Cubs fans. It is the perfect place to grab at bite to eat or watch any Chicago sports game in the bar. It has hosted many famous events in Chicago Cubs history including: Infamous Foul Ball Destruction after the Cubs lost the in the 2003 playoffs and In 1995, Jay Leno broadcasted his late-night talk show via satellite straight from Harry’s bar.

So next time you are around the Chicago area, you have to stop in at Harry Carrys and grab a bite to eat. Your trip to downtown Chicago will not be complete without stopping in Harry Caray’s to grab a bite to eat. I have personally eaten there and could not of been happier with the food, service, and decorations. Remember Cubs Fans, Holy Cow!

Chicago Cubs Bleacher Bum's Finish Line Bookestore

The Chicago Cubs have many different outlets that seller their products, but one that stands out is Finish Line for their Cubs apparel. They have an extensive selection of all Cubs merchandise from tee shirts, sweatshirts, track jacks, and sandals. You can view some of these products that I have in my Finish Line bookstore on my website's shop at Chicago Cubs Bleacher Bum.

• The first product you will see is the Chicago Cubs Cooperstown Wicked MLB Full Zip Hoodie. The hoodie has an old school style with a new school feel.  It is made from 100% cotton material, with a stitched logo, front pouch and full zip front. It is the perfect way to show off your team pride on a breezy day.
• The next product you will see is the Reebok Chicago Cubs ZSlide Men's MLB Sandals. This shoe is the perfect way to show off your team sprit during the summer. These stylish slide sandals have the Chicago Cubs logo across the strap for everyone to see. Just put these on and wear them to a game, around the house, or show them off at a party, they are good for just about any occasion.
• Then this one is for women only. The Nike Chicago Cubs 3-2 MLB Women's Track Jacket is a great gift to buy for the women in your life. Throw on this jacket when the weather gets a little bit cooler, especially after the sun goes down. You will still look great showing your Chicago Cubs Spirit. This jacket features ribbed cuffs, bottom and side pockets, and embroidered Nike symbol on left chest.
• The Nike Chicago Cubs Local MLB Men's Tee is the forth product in my bookstore. The shirts say Beware of the Ivy with a leaf on the front of the shirt. Nike brings a new meaning to comfortable with their Dri-Fit tees that are built to withstand any and all workouts with moisture wicking technology. This tee keeps you cool and dry while providing a loose comfortable fit and supporting. This tee shirt will keep you cool and comfortable even on the hottest day at Wrigley.
• Another intriguing product is the Chicago Cubs MLB Track Jacket. This track jacket is the definition of style. This is a heavier jacket that you would want to wear during the colder month of the baseball season, typically during September and October. The Jacket features high collar, ribbed cuffs, bottom, and side pockets, and the Cubs team name stitched on the front with logo on the left sleeve.
• If you are looking to buy a new hat, you have come to the right place. With the Red Chicago Cubs MLB Basic Cap, you will fit right in wherever there are Cubs fans. The Cubs logo is on the front and the MLB logo is on the back. The New Era flag flies on the left side. You do not want to miss out on this product because the price is only $12.99!
• The next product is one that you do not want to pass up on. The Reebok Chicago Cubs MLB Men's Cooperstown Hoodie comes in the Chicago Cubs baby blue color. The hoodie is an old school one with the Cubs logo on the front middle chest. This is great to throw on at the chilly games to cheer on your Chicago Cubs. The hoodie features the team name and logo in faded printed on the front and also has front pouch for storage and style.
• If you love Mr. Cub, you do not want to miss out on this next product. The Nike Chicago Cubs Ernie Banks MLB Men's Jersey is a must have for all Ernie Banks fans. It has the Cubs old logo from when Banks played on the front and his number #14 and name on the back.
• The Chicago Cubs Cooperstown MLB Men's Hair Tee is a great buy for the Cubs fan with a sense of humor. You simply cannot be a baseball fan without these one of a kind MLB tees. The tee features a silhouette face of MLB superstars from the 70's, 80's and 90's with their hat and facial hair screen-printed on the front. This one features Andre Dawson. It is another Nike Dry-Fit, which will help you stay cool in the hottest of temperatures.
• The final product in my Finish Line bookstore is the Nike Chicago Cubs DriFit Legend MLB Men's Tee. This is just your classic Cubs tee shirt that comes in grey. It is another must have for Cubs fans of all ages.

After reading about these products, I hope I have sparked your interest. Please if you like any of these products, visit my website and buy them from there. It is the quickest and most efficient way to purchase these awesome Cubs products. So what are you waiting for, get buying!

Chicago Cubs Bleacher Bum

Hey everyone if you like my blog posts, please take some time and visit my website, Chicago Cubs Bleacher Bum. The purpose of Chicago Cubs Bleacher Bum is to provide fans of the Cubs the honest truth behind the team. I provide the ugly truth in my articles and I try to be as unbiased as possible. I have periodic reviews of anything that has to do with the Cubs, from management, the field, the organization, and players. I also want to help promote the Chicago Cubs and try and get the Cubs some more awareness for what they are doing on and off the field.

When you first log on top my website you notice that I have a link to this blog and an ESPN scoreboard with other Chicago Cubs new on it. You will notice at the top menu bar that I have a section called, “Articles”. This is the section where I keep my longer article about the Cubs. These articles have a very casual tone and are very easy to read. The site is easy to navigate and user friendly.

I have my own Chicago Cubs Bleacher Bum shop, which I designed and created the products myself. The site is still a work in progress, but I am making new improvements each and everyday. I hope to be done with the majority of the site in a few weeks. I would love to hear what you guys think and I am opened for suggestions for change. Remember Go Cubs and together we can “Reverse the Billy Goat Curse”!

A Falling Star

I recently talked about a Chicago Cubs player that is starting to become a superstar, which you can read by clicking here, but a former star is about to be on his way out of Chicago is Kosuke Fukudome. Kosuke may never of been a star in the United States, but before he came over from Japan, he was one of the best players in the Japanese Central League.

Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi  Dragons and was also a member of the Japanese national baseball team. They won a silver medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics, a bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics, and placed in first in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and 2009 World Baseball Classic. He batted .351 with 31 home runs and 104 RBIs in 2006 when in won the Japan Central League MVP. After the 2007 season, he was one of the most sought after free agents in the United States.

On December 11, 2007, the Chicago Cubs signed Fukudome to a four-year, $48 million contract. Fukudome said in an interview that one of the main reasons for choosing the Cubs was that he wanted to be the first Japanese player to play for the Cubs. He also thought Chicago had a great Japanese community and that it was a great place to raise his kids. Fukodume numbers are nowhere close to what they were in Japan and has been a disappointment for the Cubs. In his 9 seasons in Japan he averaged a .305 batting average, .398 on base percentage, 21 homeruns and 71 RBIs. In the US, he averages a .262 batting average .372 on base percentage, 9 homeruns and 41 RBIs. He has been a very serviceable player, but not the star the Cubs hoped he would turn into when they signed him.

#23, Ryne Sandberg

Ryne Sandberg is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and is one of the most famous Chicago Cubs. Ryne played from 1981–1997 and he spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Cubs.  Sandberg was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2005 and his number #23 retired by the Cubs.

During his playing career, Sandberg established himself as a perennial All-Star by making 10 consecutive appearances. He was also an outstanding fielder, winning 9 consecutive Gold Gloves and has a career fielding percentage of .989, which is a major league record at second base. His career batting average is .285, and he has 2,386 hits, 282 home runs, and 1,061 RBIs. After his playing career, he decided he wanted to be a manager and the Cubs gave him a job in their minors in 2006 for the Cubs single-A affiliate, Peoria Chief.

Sandberg then spend the next two seasons, 2006-07 with Peoria. Then the next season in 2008, he was promoted to manager of the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. In 2009 and 2010, Sandberg spend his team with Triple-A Iowa Cubs. Sandberg was named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2010. Ryne has always said his dream job is to manage the Chicago Cubs. After the 2010 season the Cubs had an opening at manager and he seemed to be the front-runner.

On Oct. 19, 2010, Mike Quade was named Cubs manager and Ryne was very disappointed. He did everything the Cubs asked him to do and he taught that he was going to get the job. The Cubs offered him his old job back, but he did not take it. Sandberg currently manages the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, which is the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Only will tell if Sandberg he a chance to fulfill his dream and manage the Cubs.

Check this interesting SI article on Ryne and his new home in Philly.