Snobs vs. Slobs

With the first games of the World Baseball Classic coming up on Friday, I suspect a lot of people don’t know much about the teams in the tournament. Because I am interested in the classic, I’m starting the “Introducing the world” series outlining each group with quick facts on each “group.” I’ll examine one group a day until the first games on Friday. Today, being the first day, brings Pool A. (more…)

I wouldn’t usually comment about the Cubs signing a guy to a minor league contract like Brian Boehringer, but this signing is too symbolic of how Jim Hendry has pandered to Dusty Baker by finding players he liked in San Francisco and signing them. (more…)

...Bucky Jacobsen! I’ll pause so all the Sox fans around the world can cheer for this big Mormon. (more…)

I have come around on Ken Williams. I’ve taken many shots at him, but he’s clearly improved as a GM. His trades all show an interesting, largely different way to solve the team’s problems (trading for pitching when the market goes nuts, getting Thome at a discount, turning bullpen into bench, etc.). While I don’t agree with him, I agree with a friend’s (Yekkel) assessment: “Put a bright guy [Williams went to Stanford] with an open mind in any situation and something good is bound come about sooner or later.” (more…)

As per last week, Spring Training comes and brings the about some questions…

1. Will Brian Anderson replace Aaron Rowand?/What are the Sox’ options in CF? (more…)

Ross ripped off my idea to do one of these, but somehow managed to travel back in time to post his first. That wily bastard.

1. How healthy is Kerry Wood?
For the fourth straight season, the Cubs’ chances at making a run at the pennant are resting on the right arms of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano. With all three of them healthy, the Cubs are a force to be reckoned with. Without one of them, their chances to contend become less good. Without two of them, the Cubs are a 79 win team again, if not even worse. (more…)

I find that some of the worst winter days are the ones between when pitchers and catchers report and when spring training actually starts. The air of anticipation of the baseball season has peaked, yet there’s no baseball to watch quite yet; the first spring training games are still a couple of weeks away.

So to help to get you through these last couple of weeks without baseball, here are some interesting things to read on the internet… (more…)

“Pitchers and catchers report.”

Is there a better baseball phrase to hear in February than that one? After months of having to watch football, hockey, pro basketball and the Olympics (all of which I enjoy, on some level), it’s great to know that the greatest sport in the world is back. (more…)

I’m not going to pretend like I’ve been thrilled with the moves the Cubs have made this offseason. The Cubs entered this offseason with glaring holes to be filled in center and right field, the leadoff spot, the bullpen, and shortstop. For better or for worse, the Cubs filled those holes. (more…)

Despite the fact that I’m interested in it, the WBC isn’t garnering the attention ESPN wants it to. Players are pulling out, there was a brouhaha over Cuba’s participation and two of the countries have no MLB players on their rosters.

Compare that with, say, the World Cup. The people with whom I’ve spoken are, by no means, soccer (or fútbol) fans. In fact, most of them are huge baseball fans. Yet many of them prefer the World Cup to the WBC. (more…)