Starlin Castro obvious as Chicago Cubs’ top newcomer of 2010

Of course we’re stating the obvious in naming shortstop Starlin Castro the Chicago Cubs’ top newcomer of 2010.  He’s got some competition on the roster, but no one who broke into the majors in recent Cubs annals the way he did. Castro was just 20, the youngest full-time Cubs regular player in memory. Kerry Wood [...]

Edwin Jackson top Chicago White Sox newcomer during 2010

Juan Pierre may have led the American League in stolen bases, but right-hander Edwin Jackson earns the award, such as it’s worth, as top Chicago White Sox newcomer of 2010. We’re going to get away from the typical year-end lists to simply name the best-performing new arrival of last season with the greatest potential for [...]

Rudy Jaramillo expects ‘new person’ from Chicago Cubs’ star Aramis Ramirez

You’d think when spring training begins just around the corner, Chicago Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo will have a bigger job to close up the holes in youngster Tyler Colvin’s swing than to fix what went awry in longtime clutch hitter Aramis Ramirez’s hitting mechanics. Wrong. Colvin’s a hard, willing worker and will toil with [...]

Keith Moreland, not Rick Sutcliffe, gets my endorsement as Chicago Cubs radio voice

Our good friend Bruce Levine, writing for the Chicago outpost of the World Wide Leader, offered up seemingly an entire nine-man lineup of candidates to succeed the late Ron Santo to team with Pat Hughes in the Chicago Cubs radio booth. Lots of smoke, but is there really fire? The two Ricks in that group, [...]

This time, Chicago White Sox may finally have found Minnesota Twins’ soft spot — the bullpen

  After all these years of a gaggle of Chicago White Sox lineups, rotations and bullpens being psyched out by the Minnesota Twins, the South Siders may have finally found the Achilles heel of their tormentors. No matter how pedestrian (and low-paid and inexperienced) his starting rotation, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire could always play a [...]

Chicago Cubs need to retire Phil Cavarretta’s No. 44 jersey

Next season will be full of Wrigley Field nostalgia as the Chicago Cubs honor Ron Santo’s memory. But while management acknowledges probably the most popular figure in recent team history, they ought to not forget an all-time Cub who matched Santo in stature, but was out of sight, out of mind the past 55 years [...]

Cashner would enter new world of workouts as starter for Chicago Cubs

  Kerry Wood’s return to the Chicago Cubs opens up an entire new world for fellow hard-throwing Texan Andrew Cashner — and not just a potential shift into the rotation Wood’s bullpen presence will permit. Cashner will need a new, more rigorous routine to prepare for the endurance test of starting after logging 100 and 111 [...]

‘Kid K’ Kerry Wood, grown up, now the unquestioned grizzled leader of Chicago Cubs

“I just pitch,” said the reluctant Chicago Cubs leader back in the day. That always was Kerry Wood’s mantra, similar to Greg Maddux’s, whenever you tried to drag him into deeper issues, such as Sammy Sosa (no, Woody did not mash the boombox all by himself) or what it takes for the Cubs to finally [...]

Cooper: Sale, Thornton ready to close for Chicago White Sox

  The White Sox are just about tapped out budget-wise. They don’t have enough money to hire a closer, and no doubt Kenny Williams is waiting to do some bargain-hunting when the glut of free-agent relievers will result in some good deals for the GM. That means the closer’s job vacated by Bobby Jenks will [...]

Wilken gets $$$ backing from Ricketts to boost Chicago Cubs scouting

  Tom Ricketts has had a tough rookie year as Cubs owner. Almost everything he’s touched or vouched for has turned to stone. He can’t even win unanimously for a noble venture like a eulogy for Ron Santo at the latter’s memorial service. Someone who does business with Ricketts’ organization wondered why the team chairman spoke [...]

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