Results tagged ‘ Brewers ’
4/8 Happy Easter
On Sunday, some of the Cubs players’ children were looking for Easter eggs in the outfield grass. For Cubs manager Dale Sveum, Easter Sunday has a special meaning. Twenty-five years ago on Easter Sunday, Sveum hit a walkoff homer at County Stadium to give the Brewers a 6-4 win over Rangers for their 12th straight win. That was on April 19, 1987, so technically the official anniversary will be in 11 days.
“I actually forgot all about it until I got a few texts from the clubbies in Milwaukee reminding me,” Sveum said Sunday.
The Brewers apparently included the homer, which he hit off Greg Harris, in the video highlights shown pregame at Miller Park. By the way, Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief in that game, played at County Stadium in front of 29,357. The Brewers trailed 4-1 going into the ninth inning 25 years ago. Milwaukee had two on and one out when Rob Deer hit a three-run homer to tie the game. One out later, Jim Gantner walked and Sveum then connected on the walkoff blast.
Sveum has fond memories of old County Stadium.
“There were a lot of good times,” he said. “That’s where you grow up as a player. That’s the one thing you remember is the good times. That’s the one place I got to play everyday, too. Wherever you come up in the big leagues, that will always be a special place even though there were some pretty cold days, like we know here [at Wrigley Field]. It was the same thing at County Stadium with the wind blowing off the lake.”
– Carrie Muskat
4/7 Welcome to Chicago
Dale Sveum took advantage of Friday’s off day to outfit his Chicago apartment.
“[My daughter] said, ‘You spent more money than I did when I moved into college,’” the new Cubs manager said Saturday.
Despite losing the season opener on Thursday to the Nationals, Sveum said he has been well received in the city. He’s been recognized.
“I’ve had it a few times but nothing off the charts by no means,” he said. “It’ll happen more and more, not that you’re putting yourself out there all the time. It’s part of the game and being with the Chicago Cubs, that’s part of it. There’s nothing wrong with it. People have said nice things and that’s fine. It is what it is.”
He has yet to see his face on the billboard, part of the Cubs “Baseball is Better” ad campaign.
“You are going to be more familiar when you have a billboard,” he said, laughing.
His old team, the Brewers, will definitely see it on their way to Chicago. There’s one on the Illinois side of the Illinois-Wisconsin border next to Interstate 94.
– Carrie Muskat
3/16 Cubs claim De La Cruz
The Cubs have claimed right-handed pitcher Frankie De La Cruz from the Brewers. In three games with Milwaukee this spring, De La Cruz has given up eight runs on seven hits and three walks over 3 1/3 innings. He’s been added to the Cubs 40-man roster and will compete for a spot in the bullpen. The Brewers had hoped De La Cruz would clear waivers and start at Triple-A Nashville. Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio knows the right-hander well.
– Carrie Muskat
1/11 Roster move
The Brewers claimed infielder Jeff Bianchi off waivers from the Cubs on Wednesday, which opens a spot on the 40-man roster for Paul Maholm, whom the Cubs signed on Tuesday. Bianchi was previously claimed by the Cubs from the Royals on Dec. 9. He batted .259 with two homers, 48 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 119 games at Double-A Northwest Arkansas last season. He missed 2010 after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery on his right elbow during Spring Training. Bianchi has spent his entire playing career in the Royals organization (2005-11).
– Carrie Muskat
12/7 Ramirez declines arbitration offer
The agent for Aramis Ramirez told the Cubs Wednesday that the third baseman was declining the Cubs’ offer of arbitration. The deadline for players to decide whether to accept was 11 p.m. CT Wednesday. Both Ramirez and Carlos Pena were Type B free agents, and if they sign with other teams, as expected, the Cubs will receive a compensatory Draft pick between the first and second rounds. Pena already has told the Cubs he will decline the offer.
Ramirez may not go too far from Chicago. He is considering the Brewers as well as the Angels. There also is a third team, but Milwaukee’s advantage is that he could stay in the NL Central. Ramirez, who has met with both Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and Angels manager Mike Scioscia, has made it clear he wants to play for a contender. Ramirez, 33, won his first Silver Slugger award this season, batting .306 with 26 homers and 93 RBIs, and is considered the top free agent third baseman available.
– Carrie Muskat
5/13 Davis set to join Cubs
It was almost one year ago today that Doug Davis woke up around 4 a.m. sweating and feeling sharp pain in his chest, jaw, neck and back. Heartburn medication didn’t help.
“I Googled what was going on, and it said signs of a heart attack,” Davis said at the time.
He was diagnosed May 17, 2010, with pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart. The left-hander was pitching for the Brewers then, and had made his last start May 10. He was told not to rush back because if he did, he would run the risk of having heart problems for the rest of his life.
Davis did make one more start on July 7, 2010, and on Saturday, will make his first Major League start since then when the Cubs play the Giants. Davis signed a Minor League contract with the Cubs in April and tuned up with two Minor League starts, although his last one was cut short so he’d be ready for Saturday’s game.
Doctors said the left-hander had a mild case of pericarditis. He’s probably had enough of hospitals. In March 2008, Davis was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He made two starts before having his thyroid removed.
According to reports, his contract with the Cubs states that if he joins the Major League team, he will make $900,000 with possible bonuses that could bring his total salary to $2 million. He’ll get started on Saturday.
– Carrie Muskat
11/11 Dye looking for job
Jermaine Dye rejected an offer last year from the Cubs of one-year, $3 million, and wound up sitting out the season. Now, Dye is trying to connect with a team for 2011. The outfielder told FoxSports.com that he’s been contacted by three teams, the Phillies, Rays and Rockies. Dye says that besides the Cubs, he also was contacted by the Brewers and Nationals last year. Dye says he won’t do a Minor League deal and wants to play for a contender.
– Carrie Muskat
11/10 Spring Training
The Cubs have yet to announce their 2011 Spring Training schedule, but the Brewers did, and they will open the Cactus League season Feb. 28 with a game in Mesa, Ariz. The Cubs and Brewers also will square off March 2 in Maryvale. The Indians also have released their schedule, and they will play the Cubs March 10 in Mesa and March 28 in Goodyear. We expect to get Cubs full schedule soon.
– Carrie Muskat
9/10 Winning is best therapy for Z
Carlos Zambrano improved to 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA in his last seven starts with a victory Friday over the Brewers. The right-hander gave up three hits over 8 2/3 innings and had three hits himself, including a RBI single.
“That’s one of the better games I’ve seen pitched all year,” Milwaukee’s Dave Bush said. “His efficiency and the way he was attacking the zone — it was one of those days for us.”
Big Z nearly went the distance but retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth and then Ryan Braun singled. Prince Fielder reached on an error by shortstop Starlin Castro, and after 119 pitches, manager Mike Quade pulled Zambrano for Carlos Marmol. The Cubs closer needed one just pitch to get Casey McGehee to fly out and end the game.
“To me, that was vintage,” Quade said of Zambrano. “He had the whole package tonight.”
Zambrano has appeared in control of himself on the mound and off since returning following his dugout tirade June 25.
“I’m not attuned to what’s going on,” Quade said. “I know winning is good therapy, I know that whatever personal stuff he took care of at home — there’s probably a million things. Not only are you allowed to get better but you’re allowed to mature. [The therapy] is none of my business as to what he’s doing but whatever he’s doing, I hope he keeps doing it.”
The Brewers were impressed.
“He had great movement tonight and great location, too,” Fielder said. “He’s locked in, oh yeah.”
Zambrano is hoping all the rumors about the Cubs possibly trying to move him this offseason are over.
“I feel happy here and I love this team, I want to stay here for the rest of my contract,” he said. “No more trade talk.”
Does he think the Cubs front office has forgiven him for his transgressions?
“People make a mistake,” Zambrano said. “Not only players but people in the front office make a mistake. We’re human. The most important thing here is to learn from it and keep going. You can’t put your head down and think about what happened [June 25] or whatever. You have to keep your head up and walk like a winner. There’s nothing you can do about it except keep pitching and keep doing your job and everybody will say good things.”
– Carrie Muskat
6/6 Up in the air
In a span of about 57 hours, give or take a few, the Cubs will play in three different ballparks, beginning Sunday in Houston at Minute Maid Park. They have a makeup game Monday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh (11:35 a.m. CT) and then fly to Milwaukee to open a series Tuesday night against the Brewers at Miller Park.
* Last season, the Cubs played three games in three days in three different ballparks when they met the Indians at Wrigley on June 21, 2009; then play at Atlanta, then at Detroit.
* The last time the Cubs played three games in three days in three different road parks was 2004 when they faced Cincinnati on Sept. 19 (a 5-1 win), then played a doubleheader in Florida Sept. 20 (which they split), and then traveled to Pittsburgh Sept. 21 (a 10-inning win). Hurricane Francis in Miami forced that crazy itinerary.
– Carrie Muskat
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