The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan reports that the Cubs "won't include [Carlos] Zambrano in any trade." No source is cited. That puts the Cubs behind the Red Sox, according to Sullivan, in the quest to acquire Miguel Tejada from the Baltimore Orioles. Again, no source cited.

Also, reports Sullivan, the Cubs are likely to invite Marquis Grissom to spring training. Yes, no source cited, but that certainly sounds plausible.

If Dave Van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune has his story right today, it looks like Jose Contreras, one of the White Sox Fearsome Four starting pitchers could wind up as trade bait to the Orioles for their shortstop Miguel Tejada. I am unconvinced the White Sox need or want to make that trade, since Juan Uribe is excellent at short, and Contreras is Contreras. But, as the story relates, Kenny Williams, the Sox GM, has his sights on ending Cubs' domination of baseball culture in Chicago, and that trade would shoot another arrow into the daring heart a/k/a the "Cub's hopes". Maybe that kind of South Side will to win will bring needed upgrades in the Cubs' strategies. Otherwise our l'il bruins will wind up at best second best in what is now, by size, the "third city".

I was watching the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge on the Universal HD channel and spotted a former Cub pitcher involved in the event.

1975 Chicago Cubs pitcher Milt Wilcox entered his dog Sparky, a four-year old male Chocolate Labrador Retriever in the Diving Dog category and won 2nd place in that event.

Congrats to Milt Wilcox and Sparky!

---------------

Ryne Sandberg Day photos

Recent reports from SI.com indicate the Cubs are not gettting anywhere trying to induce the Orioles to send them Tejada. Interesting. If you owned the Orioles, would you go back to the same store where you bought Sosa? Also interesting that Matt Clement is looking pretty valuable.

Don't be fooled by Rex Grossman's less-than-stellar numbers: 11-23, 166 yards, TD, INT. The Bears' defense played much as they did in the Pittsburgh game; sloppy tackling thorughout, and the defensive line was unable to get consistent pressure on Favre, so the Packers were therefore able to catch the secondary out of position throughout the game.

Unlike the Pittsburgh game, though, this time the offense was able to bail them out. And we saw the difference between the Lovie Smith Bears and the Dick Jauron Bears; these Bears, with Grossman at the helm, are unafraid to test the defense instead of playing safe. My favorite play call of the game was in the third quarter, with about four minutes remaining. The Bears had a fourth and one at the Packers 28. Grossman dropped back and fired an absolutely perfect throw to Muhsin Muhammad in the end zone. Muhammad dropped it, but it was a great, unexpected call, and the right one, considering the difficulties the Bears have had converting on short yardage all year.

TV listings for White Sox fans

All on Comcast Sports Chicago...
(Sadly, not available via c-band satellite)

"2005 ALCS, Game 4: Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" From Oct. 15, 2005.
Sat 12/24 3:30 PM Central time

"2005 ALCS, Game 5: Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" From Oct. 16, 2005.
Mon 12/26 12:00 PM

"2005 World Series, Game 1: Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox" From Oct. 22, 2005.
Tue 12/27 8:00 PM

"2005 World Series, Game 2: Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox" From Oct. 23, 2005.
Thu 12/29 8:00 PM

"2005 World Series, Game 3: Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros" From Oct. 25, 2005.
Sat 12/31 1:00 PM

"2005 World Series, Game 4: Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros" From Oct. 26, 2005.
Sun 1/1 9:00 PM

(Source: Tivo listings)

Carlos Zambrano has been the undeniable ace of the Cubs' staff the past three seasons. But those three seasons have seen a disturbing trend in his home runs allowed rate:

Not wanting to be outdone by an in-division rival, the St. Louis Cardinals proved that they can sign their own below average rightfielder to a three-year, $15M deal: Juan Encarnacion. Jacque Jones has been 12.9 wins above replacement level the past three seasons; Encarnacion 9.3. Take heart Cubs fans, the rival stumbleth.

Why is it that when I try to express the essence of what the Cubs experience is about, I think of people who wander the desert and see mirages? I have lived in Chicago for more than sixty years. I took in my first Cubs game with a Day Camp in (I estimate) 1949. (Roy Smalley was the shortstop. People said he was good. That should have been the tip off.)

Why is GM Jim Hendry even thinking of doing this? After making brilliant choices by signing Juan Pierre and Jaque Jones, they are going to go out on a limb to purchase some Baltimore Oriole players? Prior and Ramirez did not produce much last year because they were not playing. Play them, Pierre, Walker, Ramirez, Lee, Perez, Barrett.....Pitchers like Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddox........How can this team not contend for the division title next year(if healthy) or at least get the wild card. Going out on a limb by signing Tejada and then having to fill a pitching void left by Prior is too iffy for me. This team has at the most an outfielding position and one starting pitching position to fill. This team should focus on what won them the 2003 division crown......Pitching, pitching, pitching.....yes, they hit too, but the difference was that pitching made them a dominant team, especially when it came playoff time.

FoxSports.com reports that the Cubs are in talks with the Orioles for a deal that would send Prior to Baltimore and Tejada to Chicago but "talks are stalled, a source says, over the Cubs' insistence that the Orioles give up left-hander Erik Bedard along with Tejada if they want Prior – and the Cubs' refusal to include top outfield prospect Felix Pie or a top pitching prospect in return."

Both teams are also in discussions with Boston for a three-way deal that would send Manny Ramirez to the Orioles and Tejada to Chicago.

Usually a team's sluggers are found in the outfield, first and third base. Since the Cubs outfield seems to be undergoing radical changes, let's see how many home runs the outfielders on the Cubs 40 man roster hit in 2005...

Jerry Hairston (one of my fav Cubs) hit 4 home runs in 2005.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/t...

Jacque Jones hit 23 last year.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/t...

Matt Murton who played a partial season for the big league team last year, hit 7 home runs and might be on my favorite players list for 2006. We'll see. I usually have 4 on my favorite players list.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/t...

Corey Patterson
13 home runs for Patterson last year. I have high hopes for Patterson in 2006 if the fans in the park support him properly. (HINT: Don't boo your own players.)

How to make a Cub fan smile...

Ask them "how did that Hee-Seop Choi for Derrek Lee trade work out? "

Derrek Lee photos : stolen base, home run
http://chicagocubsphotos.blogspot.com/20...

The Sun-Times' Mike Kiley says that Todd Walker is "third on the depth chart at second base behind Neifi Perez and Jerry Hairston." Egads. Thankfully, no source is cited, and it's more than likely Kiley's internal depth chart.