OK, maybe the uniforms DIDN'T help the Pirates

I guess I was too quick to give the Pirates (and their bad ass black uniforms) credit for back to back wins.Who could have seen a 5 run 8th inning from the Cubs? I didn't.I stand by my original point: The Pirates should wear the black tops for every road game.

The Cubs choose to honor someone who beat them

Robert Redford is throwing out the first pitch at opening day at Wrigley Field this year.Hey look, Redford is a great actor. All The President's Men, The Sting, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance , The Candidate... he's been is some of the best films of all time. And he's no slouch as a director. Ordinary People is great. Quiz Show is my favorite film of his. And his new film, The Conspirator, looks

Degrees of Mike Morgan - My latest for The Hardball Times

Has there ever been a crazier career filled with more contradictions than the one Mike Morgan had? The answer is "no."What other player was a high school player brought up too soon... and a wily veteran playing longer than anyone could have thought?Who else looked like the poster child of unfulfilled talent... only to become an All Star, a millionaire many times over and a World Series champ?He

The All Time Former Cub World Championship Team - A New 25 Man Roster

If you have been a Cubs fan the past few generations, you have seen some of your favorite players experience post season glory.In a 9 year span in the 1980s, three of your bullpen closers got the final out of the World Series.And another was the starting pitcher in three consecutive World Series openers.One homered in two straight LCS games to clinch the pennant and then won Game 1 of the World

Envisioning a bold new National League - My latest article for The Hardball Times

In my latest article for The Hardball Times, I envision how competitive (and potentially profitable) the National League could be if the Cubs, Mets and Dodgers were all major contenders at the same time.Not that that is going to happen in 2011!You can read the article here.

Rolando Roomes - Another random card found in my old closet

Going through the same box of baseball cards in my old closet, I pulled out this "Score" rookie card for Cincinnati Reds outfielder Rolando Roomes.Let's face it, he had one of the coolest names in baseball. Shouldn't someone whose name has an alliteration as well as a bad ass first name like Rolando be a star? The P.A. announcer should relish saying his name every time he comes to bat. "

Rest in Peace, Ron Santo

In many ways Ron Santo was the Cubs answer to Phil Rizzuto.He was a great player, a borderline Hall of Famer who, like Rizzuto, was surrounded by many other Hall of Famers (Banks, Jenkins, Williams...)He was a fan favorite whose value went beyond the stats, kind of like the Scooter.And as a announcer, he did not fill the role of skilled broadcaster but like Rizzuto, that's what made him work

The Mets and Cubs should trade their trash

I am currently writing a new post for The Hardball Times where I try to put together a mega trade involving lousy contracts.I wrote two similar pieces last off season... one where I had a three way trade involving Vernon Wells, Alfonso Soriano and Barry Zito.The other one was a 9 team 11 player deal that was totally insane... although one part of it DID come true: Carlos Silva was in fact traded

Jim Thome and Kenny Lofton’s post season luck

So it goes for the Twins… their post season losing streak at 12 and they have been swept out of the playoffs again.Homefield advantage?New ballpark?No difference.And it also goes for Jim Thome, who in his 20 seasons, is still in search of his first World Series ring.His luck has been truly rotten.He’s appeared in 9 post seasons, including 2 trips to the World Series (1995 and 1997 with Cleveland.

Hey Bochy, stick with this line up

In the last 13 games, as I wrote last night, the Giants have scored a total of 38 runs... a little less than 3 a game.The way they are hitting tonight, they could score 38 runs before the 7th inning.I'm not kidding. 11 runs in 3 innings?The Giants?Take this line up, Bochy and keep starting it.After tonight, there are only 9 regular season Giants games left.The number of games left is the same as

I hope Ron Santo gave someone his car keys tonight

I've been listening to Ron Santo announcing part of the Giants/Cubs game tonight.Let me rephrase that.I've been listening to Ron Santo slurring his words, telling the occasional piece of analysis with many awkward pauses and grumbling "Oh no... Oh man" as the Giants... arguably the worst offense in the bigs right now put up 10 runs in the first 2 innings.He sounded Andy Capp level drunk.It's only

Offensive offense

Well, I already made the "Looks Like I Picked The Wrong Week To Quit..." joke from Airplane.But I can honestly say right now the Giants need Willie Mays... NOW... at age 79...He could easily hit 6th on this Giants team.They've gone into Wrigley Field and scored a run.One.If Buster Posey's flyball doesn't clear the wall last night they would have been shut out two straight nights.Want a scary stat

Bonnie Hunt should manage the Cubs

The Cubs have started their search for a new manager and we know 3 things... it won't be Lou Piniella, who retired to take care of his mom... it won't be coach Alan Trammell, whose experience as a big league manager and being a World Series MVP I guess disqualified him... and it won't be interim manager Mike Quade, who is a placeholder.So now you've heard the names being mentioned as who will be

I am very good at picking who WON'T win the NL Central!

Everyone in the planet seemed to be picking the defending NL Central champ to cruise to another October date... everyone except your pal Sully.Your Pal Sully took a look at the Cincinnati Reds and thought "Hey! THIS team is exciting, packed with young talent and the defending champ is overrated."So before the season began, I stuck my neck out and said "THE IS THE YEAR FOR THE CINCINNATI REDS! I