Hey everybody,

Greetings from lovely Las Vegas. As we've talked about on the air, we are all about nothing but the work on this trip, so it's been hotel, ballpark, hotel, ballpark. I should mention I think I found a casino in the ballpark but that's all I'm going to say.

This afternoon at Cashman Field, we got the chance to watch Kerry Wood throw to hitters for the first time this spring. He did about two innings and looked like his velocity was very good. Hopefully, he'll feel good tomorrow. Usually it's the day after throwing and the day after that which turns out to be the key. Let's hope we'll see Kerry back on the big league mound within a month - if all goes well he could be back before May 1.

We're looking forward to seeing the projected fourth starter in the Cubs rotation tonight in Sean Marshall. His first regular season start in a major league game is scheduled to come against the Cardinals next Sunday night at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs acquired utility infielder Freddie Bynum from the A's today in a three-way trade with John Koronka and a player to be named later going to Texas as part of the deal. They essentially have the team they are going to have on Opening Day and I'm very excited, as I know Bob is. Just talking with Dusty Baker every day, you can sense how really excited he is. We are looking forward to heading to Cincinnati after tomorrow's game and let's hope the Cubs win a lot more games than they did last year.

Len

Opening Day - April 7 Ray Meyer Family
Saturday - April 8 John Cusack
Sunday - April 9 Rex Grossman
Tuesday - April 11 Ron Santo
Wednesday - April 12 Simeon HS Boys Basketball Champs
Thursday - April 13 Conant HS Girls Gymnastic Champs

Can't go to Vegas without checking the odds at Caesar's:

ODDS TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES:
St. Louis 6/1
NY Yankees 3/1
Cleveland 10/1
Boston 5/1
Atlanta 10/1
LA Angels 10/1
Philadelphia 20/1
Houston 20/1
CUBS 7/1
WHITE SOX 7/2
Milwaukee 40/1

ODDS TO WIN NL:
St. Louis 3/1
NY Mets 3/1
CUBS 7/2
Atlanta 6/1
LA Dodgers 5/1
San Fran 8/1

PLAYERS TO HIT MOST HRs IN MLB:
Alex Rodriguez 4/1
Albert Pujols 5/1
Manny Ramirez 7/1
Derrek Lee 12/1
Aramis Ramirez 40/1
Adam Dunn 8/1
David Ortiz 9/1
Andruw Jones 10/1

PITCHER TO WIN MOST GAMES:
Roy Halladay 4/1
Roy Oswalt 5/1
Chris Carpenter 5/1
Johann Santana 6/1
Bartolo Colon 10/1
Randy Johnson 12/1
Carlos Zambrano 15/1
Jake Peavy 15/1

*It's Sean Marshall, bidding for a spot in the Cubs rotation, going tonight for the Cubs against veteran Woody Williams for the Padres. WGN-TV has the game tonight at 9p Central and tomorrow's contest at 2p Central.

*The Cubs are 15-12-2 in spring training play this year.

*Marshall has been nothing short of outstanding this spring with 5 appearances, no runs and only one hit allowed in 10.1 innings pitched.

*Aramis Ramirez leads the majors with a .538 spring average. His 20 RBIs ties him for the major league lead.

*Angel Pagan's five homers this spring are fourth in the majors and lead the club.

*The Cubs have reached double-digit hit totals and hit .339 in their last three games.

The Cubs head to Las Vegas later today. Again, you want to stay healthy in these games as a number one goal. Then again, it is Vegas. When I was managing Arizona, I can remember getting on the bus the morning after our second game in Vegas and fortunately we didn't have to play a real game for several days, because I don't think we would have been much good had we had to play that night!

It's a little opportunity for guys to blow off some steam at the end of spring training. They have worked very hard down here and believe me, it can get to be monotonous. There will be a full stadium, the fans will be fired up for the game, and you should be able to have some fun with that. Hopefully, everyone will be able to go out on the town for a good time knowing that in a few days, it's really going to be time to get down to business.

Bob

1982 ushered in the Dallas Green "Building a New Tradition" era to Wrigley Field along with new manager Lee Elia, Larry Bowa, and a kid 3rd baseman named Ryne Sandberg. Oh, and if you watch the clips, there's also a new announcer on the North Side. Extra credit if you can spot Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti.

Show Open - A Look At The Cubs - 1982

Lee Elia Explains His Plan For The 1982 Cubs

Don't forget this weekend's WGN-TV telecasts from Las Vegas against the Padres. Friday night we're on at 9p central and on Saturday afternoon at 2p. There are plenty of things to watch for:

How will Greg Maddux look pitching in front of the hometown crowd?
Will Sean Marshall secure a spot with a good outing on Saturday?
Can we drag Bob Brenly from the blackjack table to do either game?
Will the mayor appear with those great showgirls again?

But I digress. It's going to be a great weekend of baseball and I hope you'll join us.

bob v

As we finish up these last few games of spring training, as a manager you are just trying to get out of Arizona with all your pieces intact. This is the part of camp where you will hear the same thing across the country - guys are ready to go, chomping at the bit, and ready to get started. However, you still have to finish out the week so you have to very judiciously use your starters to make sure they are ready but at the same time, try to avoid any kind of injury either from the grind of spring training or something coming up late in camp.

A tough balancing act can also come when a guy is just all kinds of hot at the plate out here like Ramirez and Murton are this year. You want to keep that momentum rolling into the season, but it is a long season, too. Remember how great Nomar was last spring, then seemed to hit a wall to start the season? If having good production for the entire year means giving them a day off or two the last week of spring training, that's what you have to do. But you also worry they might lose what they have going for them, so it's a real balancing act for a manager.

Bob

It's been a busy day already for the Cubs as they've traded Todd Wellemeyer to Florida for a couple of minor league pitchers and gotten word from Marquis Grissom that he's retiring. A couple of quick takes...in Wellemeyer's case, great stuff but he just hasn't been able to put it all together and be a consistent guy. Too many walks too. In Florida, he'll maybe have a chance to develop a bit and there won't be as much pressure. I don't know much about the guys the Cubs got in return. If either turns into anything useful at the big league level down the road, then it's a great trade. If not, it's not the end of the world because Welly's time with the Cubs was likely short anyway because he was out of options.

In Grissom's case, wow, what can I say...on a personal level, I can't think of a nicer human being I've ever met in this game. That's the honest truth. Grip has ALWAYS gone out of his way to not only say hi but to ask how I'm doing, how my family is doing. He's just a class act all the way around. And while we saw a guy at the end of his career, remember, he was once a BIG TIME base stealer, a Gold Glove outfielder and a clutch post-season hitter. Grip, you left a great mark on this game in your 17 years and I wish only the best as you move on with your life. I'm proud to say I know you.

And Angel Pagan...welcome to the big leagues.

Len

Each year with the Cubs help, WGN-TV takes a group of sponsors who make our telecasts possible out to Arizona for some sun and a firsthand look at the Cubs. This weekend's trip had great weather, saw a fantastic pitching performance on Saturday, then mingled with the team at a dinner Saturday night.

WGN Sponsors At Saturday's Cub Game

It didn't turn out to be the Ken Reitz-Steve Henderson era and the Cubs didn't fare well in either half of the strike-interrupted 1981 season. But if you want a quick glance of Ty Waller or Joe Strain, don't miss today's look back.

Show Open - A Look At The Cubs - 1981

Manager Joe Amalfitano Looks At The 1981 Cubs

As we launch into the last week of spring training, their are still jobs to be had on the Cub staff. It's kind of hard to call at this point - the good thing is that the company line is that there are a lot of good options. I think that's true more so this year than in year's past when there were injuries and the team had to dig a little bit deeper than you would like to fill out the rotation.

The guys fighting for spots in the rotation are better options this year, but it's still to early to call. There's enough time left in camp to sort it out. As you know, we've got some guys on their way back from injuries plus some youngsters who have an opportunity to pitch their way onto this roster. This last week is of special importance to all of them and hopefully we'll see some good performances that will sort this all out.

Bob

The Cubs of 1980 were in the midst of a trough that begin in mid-1978 and wouldn't see the team on the rise again until 1984. Preston Gomez was the latest manager and talked with an apparently happy Milo Hamilton about his expectations.

Show Open - A Look At The Cubs 1980

Preston Gomez & Dave Kingman Look At The Season

Hey Everybody, we're back in Arizona for our final stretch of spring training. We'll have Saturday's game vs. Oakland on WGN as well as the two games in Las Vegas vs. San Diego the following weekend.

Looks like the 5th starter competition is heating up with Marshall/Guzman/Hill/Ryu battling it out. The bullpen is fairly set with a spot or two at most still up for debate. And the second base competition continues.

For those of you who want Alfonso Soriano, looks like he and the Nationals have settled their differences and he's going to play the OF. To be honest, with his subpar defensive skills at 2B, I'm not sure he would be the right fit here anyway. Plus, he strikes out a lot. Yes, he hits for a TON of power and has terrific speed, but his huge K/W ratio is far from ideal for a club that really needs patience.

I'm sure BB and I will delve into all the spring battles and the health updates of Prior/Wood/Miller/etc. as well. We can't wait to get back on the air Saturday @ 2 p.m. Chicago time.

Len

1978 was a time of great hope on the North Side. Bruce Sutter was becoming one of the great relief pitchers in the game and the Cubs had added Dave Kingman's bat. Another second half fade would sink the season, but hopes were high that spring.

Show Open - A Look At The Cubs 1978

Lou Boudreau With Bruce Sutter

Time to skip forward a few years in our spring remembrances to 1977 as Herman Franks took the helm for the Cubs. It was a time of new faces including Bobby Murcer and Bill Buckner which led to a fun summer until the Cubs faded in August. Pay particular attention to the grooming tips from the Cubs skipper in his clip.

Show Open - A Look At The Cubs 1977

Manager Herman Franks Talks About The 1977 Cubs

Beginning this Saturday at Hohokam, the WGN-TV schedule moves into high gear. Be sure to check out our upcoming games (all times central):

Saturday, March 25 2pm - A's vs. Cubs in Mesa
Friday, March 31 9pm - Padres vs. Cubs in Las Vegas
Saturday, April 1 2p - Padres vs. Cubs in Las Vegas
Monday, April 3 1p - 2006 Opening Day Cubs vs. Reds
Friday, April 7 12:30p - "Next Year Is Here" special
Friday, April 7 1p - Cardinals vs. Cubs Home Opener

The Cubs run of success in the early 70's came to a halt in 1973 as the team finished 30 games under .500. There were wholesale changes going into the 1974 season including Ron Santo gone to the White Sox and Jim Marshall as the new manager. So it's no surprise the year's preview show focused on memories and fun. Don't miss outfielder Jose Cardenal's performance in the show open.

A Look At The Cubs - 1974 Show Open

A Look Back At Cub Heroes From 1974 Spring Training Show

Hey Everybody, if you listen to sports talk radio in Chicago, you've probably heard me on occasion talking baseball over the last year. This season, I've been asked to appear a couple times a week on ESPN 1000 to talk Cubs baseball, which should be a lot of fun. As many of you know, I enjoy writing for our blog and I've done lots of Q&A's with other Cubs-related blogs. In general, I like to be in tune with what Cub fans are thinking and talking about. Same with the radio talk shows. I don't listen everyday, but I do like to sample what sports fans are saying about their teams. I actually did a sports talk show for several years when I was in Milwaukee and while it wasn't my passion and I wasn't particularly good at it, I did enjoy the forum where a bunch of sports addicts could get together and analyze or vent, depending on the hot topic of the day. Now, the medium has been criticized for making a big deal out of...well, just about everything that happens, and I do find myself yelling at the radio every once in awhile. But I have to admit, having done the 3-hour show on a Saturday afternoon in mid-July, I understand how tough it is sound knowledgeable about every sport on the planet and to be able to drum up calls when there doesn't seem to be much to talk about.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to lending a little insight and having some fun with the folks at ESPN 1000 this baseball season. I'll be in-studio with Bruce Levine from 10 am-noon this Sunday talking Cubs baseball. Give us a call if you can.

And regarding the hot topic of the day - Mark Prior -yes, it's incredibly frustrating for everybody I'm sure that with Mark on the brink of getting back to competitive action that this setback has happened. But, let's wait and see what the doctor in LA says. And let's hope it's nothing major. Thankfully, it's only March 15.

Len

Tuesday was full of "hold your breath" news from the Cubs and the scenario is all too familiar. Rich King had the story.
Frustrating Tuesday For Cub Fans

The road down spring training memory lane stops today at 1973. How many trumpet-playing infielders are in the majors today? The Cubs had a fine one back then in Carmen Fanzone and he provides the soundtrack to another great open. As the players talk about their new manager Whitey Lockman, don't miss the comments about the "new style of player".

A Look At The Cubs 1973 - Carmen Fanzone Open

Manager Whitey Lockman Assesses The 1973 Cubs

They call it the Valley of the Sun, but Saturday, the Phoenix area received a MUCH NEEDED dose of rain. In fact, it rained and rained and rained and rained some more. But nobody was complaining. It followed a drought that lasted a whopping 143 days, so it's safe to say they could use some more wet afternoons.

For the Cubs, it forced a postponement vs. KC, but in the end, having a surprise respite in the middle of spring training isn't the worst thing in the world either. It's a long, long season, and every once in awhile, an extra breather helps.

As I write this on Sunday morning, it's a typically gorgeous bright and sunny (albeit chilly) day. We're about 3 weeks from Opening Day in Cincinnati and all in all, things are looking good in camp.

Kerry Wood is ahead of schedule after knee surgery (he was walking 35-40 minutes after the procedure), Mark Prior is throwing a simulated game today and Wade Miller is making nice progress.

The Cubs still have 55 guys in camp, so there will be a bunch of cuts coming up in the next couple weeks, making for some intense competition in what ends up being baseball's March version of Survivor. Only in the MLB version, tribal council isn't made up of your peers. It's the GM, manager and front office. I almost expect to see Jeff Probst in Dusty's office at the end of camp...

Len

Our stroll down spring training memory lane brings us to 1972 today. It would turn out to be Leo Durocher's last year as the Cubs went 85-70 and Whitey Lockman stepped in for Leo during the season. Durocher's status was a focus that spring, but Joe Pepitone stole the spring training show with his crooning.
A Look At The Cubs 1972 - Joe Pepitone Sings


Leo Durocher's Return In 1972 And His Team Preview

There are still questions about the Cubs rotation that will be sorted out as we play more games here, more so now that Kerry Wood will miss some more time.

There is one pitcher who has come to camp below the radar that interests me. If he keeps coming along ahead of schedule, I would imagine Wade Miller will get a real strong look. The Cubs picked him up in the offseason for a good price and it's a no-lose situation. If he comes in, pitches well, and earns a spot, it's a good thing. If it doesn't work out and he goes away, it doesn't cost you much. Because of his experience and his track record, plus the fact that he appears healthy for the first time in a few years, he could be a guy that could jump up and take a spot in the rotation.

Today, Bob helps us uncover one of the great mysteries of spring training.
Why Do Managers Sit In The Sun During Spring Games?

It was a beautiful day in Mesa for our first spring training broadcast of 2006 last Sunday. We managed to step away from the action for a moment and take a few photos.

Nothing typifies the renewed hope of spring training more than a team's annual photo session. Pat Tomasulo was on hand when the Cubs had their Picture Day recently.
Picture Day at Cubs Camp

Ron Santo & Joe Pepitone Sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"
Time now to stroll back down memory lane, back to the spring of 1971 as the Cubs added some new faces like Milt Pappas and Joe Pepitone to their mix and attempted to put on a happy face.
A Look At The Cubs 1971 - Show Open

The U.S. plays its first game in the World Baseball Classic today and as we talked about on Sunday, I'm not a huge fan. I just don't know if it's an accurate gauge to the rankings of the various teams when your pitchers are so limited in how many pitches they can throw and your rosters are limited because many players have dropped out due to injury or worrying about being injured in a game that doesn't involve the team that signs your paycheck. I take it all with a grain of salt - it's baseball and I love baseball, but I think perhaps with another year of planning perhaps it could've been done in a different fashion. However, it is a start so we'll see what happens.

Bob

I hope everyone had as much fun watching as we did calling Sunday's Cubs game from Mesa. It was great to be back on the air with Bob, who was in mid-season form. Unfortunately, a very scary moment in the first when Jerry Hairston was beaned, but luckily, he walked off under his own power and hopefully won't have any lingering effects.

The pitching was terrific as Rich Hill worked a couple scoreless frames and we got our first look at Scott Eyre and Bob Howry in a Cubs uniform. Also, lefty Sean Marshall impressed with a couple solid innings.

We were thrilled to be able to bring you some sunshine on a snowy Midwest afternoon. Cubs baseball is back!

Len

Welcome to our second season with Len & Bob's baseball blog. To our old friends, thanks for your support and comments. To our new readers (and viewers now that we have video), welcome. We are all looking forward to another great season on Cubs baseball on WGN, as well as hearing from you on the blog.

We'll try to keep the information coming, shoot some fun photos, and make good use of our video capability. Len & Bob are great to work with on this site and very giving of their time. It's great to have baseball back on WGN!

bob v

Hi everyone, it's great to be back on WGN for our first game of the year today. What I've seen so far from the Cubs is a very relaxed, yet very focused spring training. I think a lot of the distractions of years past are gone and the guys the come in and just concentrated on what they need to do to get better.

I think the biggest difference the fans will see from this team as opposed to years past is their ability to score runs without hitting home runs. The addition of Juan Pierre and Jacque Jones makes this a team that can manufacture runs if they have to and that something Cub teams have not been able to do much of lately.

We're going to have a lot of fun this year. It's great to be back with Len and we're going to some great broadcasts.

Bob

One of the great rites of spring in Chicago was the annual Cubs spring training shows on WGN. Jack Brickhouse, Jack Rosenberg, Arne Harris, Bill Lotzer and others ventured west each February to put together a preseason treat for baseball-starved Cub fans. I thought it would be fun to take a fresh look at these shows from the 70s and 80s, especially the opens which were always innovative and fun. To me, the gold standard is the open to the 1970 show - on the heels of the Cubs demise in 1969, the newspaper headlines tell the tale all too well.

bob v

A Look At The Cubs 1970 - Show Open

Jack Brickhouse & Leo Durocher Preview The 1970 Season

Well, the Cactus League season is underway and the Cubs offense has been in mid-season form, although in all honesty, run-scoring here in Arizona should always be taken with a grain of salt because of the light air.

The hotel at which I'm staying has been buzzing all week with sports teams coming through town. One of them...Team USA. I've seen A-Rod, Al Leiter, Dontrelle Willis and I was told Johnny Damon was spotted here last night as well.

I have to say, I'm starting to get a little bit excited about the World Baseball Classic in that, I'm very curious to see how the U.S. team matches up with some of the other countries. I know not everyone who could play is playing, but there are still some impressive guys participating.

I read something this morning (not sure where) that made a lot of sense. Everybody is concerned about pitchers getting injured, but the point made was, many pitching injuries (i.e., arm-related injuries) occur after either overuse or a lot of use. It's the fatigued arm that is most susceptible to injury. It's a great point to be remembered. If a guy blows out in the WBC, he probably would have blown out anyway. And there are taking extra steps to limit pitch counts.

Now, I suppose the flip side to the argument is that a guy may "push it" too hard in an international competition than he would in spring training and therefore put undue pressure on an arm that may not be ready to go too hard and I don't have an answer for that. I would just say it comes down to a guy understanding his own body and trusting that he's not pushing it too hard. Look at this way...if you're making a TON of money and likely will make even more down the road on the laurels of your right or left arm, you have more to lose than anybody. Therefore, I think guys will be smart about it. If they're not, there could be a problem.

I'm sure MLB is holding its breath a bit in hopes nobody blows out. In a way, that issue alone (whether or not everybody makes it through unscathed) might solely determine how this tournament is viewed.

Len

How to live for six-plus weeks in Mesa is a personal choice that varies wildly for all Cub personnel. WGN's Pat Tomasulo visited Cubs players Jerry Hairston and Scott Eyre at their home of choice to look at both ends of the spring training housing spectrum.
Pat Tomasulo Visits Cub Spring Training Homes

Construction continues on the bleacher project at Clark & Addison. It's five weeks plus one day until Opening Day 2006 at Wrigley Field so we had to drive by and take a few photos.

March 1 was always a festive day in Mesa for one reason - Harry Caray would show up at Cubs spring training each year celebrating his birthday. Like the Pied Piper he was, Harry would entertain the crowd and make his initial appearance each year on this day. My favorite line was in the mid-80's when he announced to the crowd: "Anybody need a blood transfusion? I've got a pint in each eye."

There was never anyone like him and there certainly never will be. Harry, we miss you, we thank you, and we will always remember you.

bob v
Harry Caray On Baseball And The Fans