mlb – Andy Sternberg

Baseball Time is Here Again

Andy Sternberg — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:09:53 +0000

It’s been a long offseason and, as a die-hard Cubs fan, it’s taking longer than normal to get psyched up for this season. I was more optimistic than normal last year and vested much energy into the Cubs playoff run only to see my Cubs swept out immediately. No consolation that the Dodgers knocked them out — I like the Dodgers but that doesn’t matter when they’re playing the Cubs.

Today is the first spring training game for many teams. Coincidentally the Dodgers are playing the Cubs. This year MLB is touting their new MLB network as the place to see all games — even the blacked out Saturday Fox games. BUT, the MLB Network is only available to DirecTV and Time Warner Cable subscribers, leaving Dish Network and AT&T U-Verse subscribers in the dark. Worse yet, MLB.TV — the online stream, will continue to black out these games in addition to the World Baseball Classic. What’s a fan to do?

How will you follow your favorite team this year? Who will the Cubs beat in the 2009 World Series? Will MLB continue their restricting online media outlets and photographers from media access and privileges?

Photo by Seth William Page, 2/21/09, via CC-license.

MLB: Last Day of the Regular Season – 2 Playoff Spots at Hand

Andy Sternberg — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:48:23 +0000

It doesn’t get any more exciting, especially in a sport that often drags on and on for 5 1/2 months. But this year might see — for the first time ever — 2 (and possibly a third) one-game playoffs for the final two spots (the NL Wild Card and the AL Central Division Title) in the playoffs.

UPDATE: The Brewers beat the Cubs and the Marlins beat the Mets, so for the second straight year, the Mets have been shut out of the playoffs on the last day of the season. The Brewers will play the Phillies in the NLDS beginning Wednesday and the Cubs will host the Dodgers Wednesday in that NLDS. The White Sox must beat the Tigers in a make-up game Monday to face the Twins in a playoff Tuesday for the AL Central Crown and a spot in the playoffs vs. Tampa Bay (starting Thursday).

I’m listening to WGN Radio’s broadcast of the Cubs vs Brewers, where the crowd is decidedly split, but while the Cubs are starting one-time prodigy Angel Guzman (who after all these years is still 0-7 and awaiting his first major league victory), The Brew Crew sent out CC Sabathia for the third time in 10 days. I’m watching the scores on the Mets/Florida game very closely, as well as the Sox/Indians and Twins/Royals.

Here are the possible playoff scenarios:

AL Central: If the Chicago White Sox (86-74) and Minnesota Twins (87-74) are still within a half-game of each other after play is completed Sunday, Chicago must make up a rainout against the Detroit Tigers on Monday. If the White Sox and Twins finish with the same record, they would play a tiebreaker game Tuesday in Chicago.

NL Wild Card: If the New York Mets (89-72) and Milwaukee Brewers (89-72) still have identical records after Sunday, they would play a one-game tiebreaker Monday in New York.

Personally, I’m pulling for the White Sox (yes, I’m a die-hard Cubs fan who doesn’t root against the Sox) and I’d like to see the Mets and Brewers go to a playoff on Monday. Why? Because the Cubs will face either the Mets (if they win the wild card) or the Dodgers (if the Brewers take the wild card) on Wednesday. I have tickets for the Dodgers home games in the NLDS and NLCS… not sure if I’d rather see the Cubs v. Dodgers sooner (in a best-of-five series) or later (in a best-of-seven). The Dodgers are at the top of their game going into the post-season with a resurgent pitching staff and the return of a healthy Rafael Furcal, Jeff Kent, and Nomar Garciaparra. This is the best Cubs team I’ve seen in my life, and I’m loving it. Granted, come Wednesday, I’ll be nervous as hell. Last year’s flop against the D-Backs wasn’t too surprising but this year, I want to be able to forget about 2003 once and for all.

**Some game times have been announced:

Game Â Â Â Matchup Â Â Â Day Â Â Â Date Â Â Â Time ET Â Â Â TV
Gm 1Â Â Â LAD @ CHCÂ Â Â WedÂ Â Â Oct. 1Â Â Â 6:30 PMÂ Â Â TBS
Gm 2Â Â Â LAD @ CHCÂ Â Â ThuÂ Â Â Oct. 2Â Â Â 9:30 PMÂ Â Â TBS
Gm 3Â Â Â CHC @ LADÂ Â Â SatÂ Â Â Oct. 4Â Â Â 10:00 PMÂ Â Â TBS

7 Cubs are All Stars

Andy Sternberg — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:13:46 +0000

Nobody thought it would be a lucky seven — even the experts wrote that the Cubs “hoped for six” representatives in this year’s all star game as late as this morning. Well all six did and they forgot about one — Aramis Ramirez — the man I consider to be the Cubs MVP, was voted an all star by the players.

Voted by the fans to start: Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto.
Voted by the players: Ryan Dempster, Kerry Wood, Aramis Ramirez.
Manager selection: Carlos Zambrano

Carlos Marmol has been pitching like an all star until recently and leads the league in holds, but we’ll take seven. Go Cubs!

Listening to Cubs Games Can Give You Chills

Andy Sternberg — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:34:13 +0000

At least in my case it does. Check out these couple audio highlights from Pat Hughes and Ron Santo on WGN-AM served to me at the office via MLB.tv audio. On this particular game, the Cubs, who happen to have the best record in the major leagues, beat the Atlanta Braves in extra innings for a series sweep and their 11th straight win at Wrigley. A new pitcher came in to face the last batter, Reed Johnson and HIT HIM with the first pitch. A walk-off HBP (see photo). Amazing. Listen to these fans. Next year is here, baby.

Cubs in Five

Andy Sternberg — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:40:52 +0000

I wore an Aramis Ramirez jersey to both Cubs losses at Chase Field in Arizona. Ramirez went hitless in 9 at bats. The D-backs uncharacteristically scored over a dozen runs in two games. The Cubs have yet to show up in the playoffs, but Chase Field is not really much of a ballpark. It’s more of a warehouse or hangar filled with ads, a mascot, and yes, cheerleaders — two teenagers who pop on the big screen to try and rile the crowd. Sadly, the crowd — the slight majority that weren’t rooting for the Cubs — were filled with haters, who, instead of rooting for their own team, could only get into the “Beat the Cubs” chant. Lame.

My optimism remains strong.

I still believe.

Next year is here.

Cubs in Five.