That's right everyone...we are one week away from the first spring training game. Forgive the horribly pessimistic headline...this is supposed to be the optimistic time of the year, isn't it?
Before I go any further, I'd like thank Adam and Frank for calling me out on a bad joke I made yesterday. I sometimes go a bit over the top for a laugh, and I far exceeded an acceptable level yesterday, especially on a subject that hit a bit closer to home than most of the readers here. I'll do my best to be more careful and sensitive and most definitely use better judgment in the future.
Carrie Muskat reported yesterday, as no surprise to anyone, that Carlos Zambrano will likely be the opening day starter. The truth is, Dempster and Lilly (if healthy) could probably make just as strong of a case for that honor. But Z is the emotional leader of the pitching staff. So be it.
Zambrano has started in the last 5 opening days going with a 1-1 record. The last two seasons he has actually pitched quite well, giving up only one earn run total over the two starts and earning his first opening day win last year.
In other news, Mike Fontenot has been taking grounders at shortstop. The rumor is that the Cubs may be looking for some way to free up a roster spot for a veteran bat off the bench...namely Chad Tracy or Kevin Millar. Who loses out here? Well, that would be our old friend Andy White (Andres Blanco). If the Cubs decide they don't want Blanco to be on the team, he will be placed on wavers since he is out of options.
Now back to Fontenot...I like the idea of him working out at shortstop. Anyone who's followed this blog since the beginning might recall that I wrote up an entry about how I thought Fontenot was better suited to play shortstop and Theriot and his noodle arm should probably be playing at second base. I doubt anything more would be done here...Fontenot playing shortstop would be an emergency move only.
And as a non-Cubs side note, the upper deck at the original Yankee Stadium has started to come down...check out the pictures here. I love watching this place get torn down...and it makes me happy to see it done slowly, as many Yankee fans are sad to see the place go. The slowness of the process just prolongs their mourning.
Happy Friday!
