Author Archive
UMPS CARE Presents the Seldom-Seen Charitable Side of MLB Umpires
Posted: 13th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
The prevailing wisdom in Major League Baseball is that umpires are best when they are relatively anonymous. The thinking goes that the more transparent he is in a ballgame, especially the home plate umpire, the better he's doing his job.
Well, they seem to take a similar philosophy to life itself.
How many times have you heard about an umpire doing charitable work in the community? Sure, you hear it when an ...
Will 2010 Deliver The Carlos Zambrano The Cubs So Desperately Need?
Posted: 9th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
There's an old cliche that tells us you can't teach talent.
While that may be true, some players get more out of their talent than others. To date, Carlos Zambrano has always fallen into the underachiever category.
Look, it has never been a question of whether he has the stuff to succeed; rather, it has always been a question of preparation, self-control, and health.
It's not just a matter of statistics, though everyone likes to point ...
Carlos Silva Should Be Shown the Door By Cubs, Fat Contract or Not
Posted: 7th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
This is not some knee-jerk reaction to what happened in yesterday's 15-3 blowout loss to the Sox. Sure, the right-hander gave up seven hits and six runs in two innings of work, including a pair of home runs.
But Carlos Silva has got to go.
Now this should not be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about baseball. The fact that Silva is a lousy pitcher is one of the biggest ...
We know that the Bears need a safety. Likewise, we all understand that one of the NFL 's best, Darren Sharper, is on the market after the New Orleans Saints decided not to franchise him.
Coincidentally, the Bears have said they are making the safety position their offseason priority.
So is this a no-brainer, or what?á
Surprisingly, the answer may well be "or what?".á
If the Bears were just one or two players away ...
Felipe Lopez to Cardinals for $1 Million is the Steal of the Winter
Posted: 27th February 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
Cubs fans, we should look at the Cardinals agreement with second baseman Felipe Lopez as an insult. With no sure-fire, proven starter at the position, why wouldn't Cubs GM Jim Hendry at least consider signing this guy?
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com tweeted that Lopez only got $1 million in base salary with easily obtainable bonuses that could take the deal to $1.2 million.
Look, I'm not saying that Lopez is a great ...
Lou Piniella Touts Cubs Division Hopes But Avoids Talk Of World Series
Posted: 26th February 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
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Chicago Bears Fans’ Thanks for Another Bad Season: Ticket Price Hike
Posted: 20th February 2010 by Bob Warja in NFL
Despite a third consecutive season of missing the playoffs, the Chicago Bears expect you to pay more for the upcoming season. And if you don't? There are about 40,000 fans waiting to take your seats!
Yes, about 75 percent of Soldier Field seats will face an increase in price.
The team announced that non-club seat increases range from $2 to $17. Club seats will be raised from $10 to $20 per ticket. ...
Why David Wright’s Confidence Is Refreshing for the New York Mets
Posted: 18th February 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
Good teams often have a certain attitude about them, a brashness that often borders on cockiness. That is why I enjoyed New York Mets third baseman David Wright's recent proclamation that the Mets are going to win the World Series.
According to the New York Post, shortstop Jose Reyes also got in the spirit shortly after Wright's bold prediction. According to Kevin Kernan, "Reyes said over in the minor league clubhouse ...
Aramis Ramirez’ Health May Be the Key for the Cubs in 2010
Posted: 17th February 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
Aramis Ramirez has played 150 or more games only once as a Cub. If his shoulder is not 100 percent this season, this statistic will be repeated, and the Cubs offense will struggle.
While that may seem like an all too obvious conclusion, it is the truth. I keep hearing about how "as Soriano goes, so go the Cubs". And while a return to respectability for the Fonz would certainly go ...
Chicago Bears Lovie Smith May Have Won Another Power Struggle With Jerry Angelo
Posted: 16th February 2010 by Bob Warja in NFL
The firing of pro personnel director Bobby DePauláappears to be a victory for Bears head coach Lovie Smith.
It was widely known among football insiders that DePaul and Smith didn't see eye to eye. Likewise,áthis seems to be Smith's wayáof telling team presidentáTed Phillips "hey, I did my part, what about Angelo's staff?"á
Smith was asked to shake up his team following a rough 2009 season that saw the squad go another ...