AGRI Biz

Filed: Nov. 3, 2009 Bruce Levine of ESPN 1000 is reporting that the Cubs and reliever John Grabow are in the midst of heavy talks for a multi-year deal. Levine reports that the offer is reportedly to be a $6.5 to $7.5 million pact, with a third year being a possibility. Some people never learn. I expected the Cubs to make a meaningful offer to retain John Grabow, especially given that he ...

Filed:October 30th, 2009 Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts And with one 20 minute press conference this morning, an historic event has come and gone, with the Ricketts family officially announced as the Cubs owners. The new group, fronted by Tom, with a board led by family members Peter, Todd, and Laura, promised first and foremost a World Series championship, and a legitimate commitment to establishing a perennial contender. In fact, Tom stated ...

Sigh. After the lost season for the Cubs, I could have easily stayed away until the organizational meetings next month. But when someone delivers you a gift, such as the Cubs in signing Rudy Jaramillo to serve as the new hitting instructor, you're obligated to say "Thank you!" Say it with me now. A hitting coach is now a panacea. A hitting coach is not a savior. A hitting coach is ...

Filed: Oct. 4, 2009 (Click here for the photo gallery of this weekend's games.) It's over. The Cubs ended the 2009 season in a game that pretty much sums up the year: They got some good pitching, someone homered, and in the end, they couldn't come through in the clutch, this time losing 5-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cubs finish the season 83-78. Yes, I said good pitching. I mean, Ryan Dempster was ...

For as much as I expected the Cubs to finish the season strong, it wasn't going to make up for the fact that a number of teams in front of them in the Wild Card chase are not only better composed, but are actually riding pretty good hot streaks. You watch the Rockies play, and realize that the likelihood of a September fade is unlikely. Yesterday, the Rox took another step ...

Sigh. One week. There are two times of the year that I absolutely hate. The first is that week between Christmas and New Year. Everything is slow, no one is around, it's cold, and all you're really left to do is watch bad bowl games and reflect on a year that probably didn't live up to your expectations. The other is this weekùthat last week of the baseball season when your playoff ...

Filed: Sept. 19, 2009 In a surprise move, the Chicago Cubs have suspended outfielder Milton Bradley for the remainder of the season over controversial comments made about the organization and its fan base to the media. With the move, Bradley's career as a Cub has, in all likelihood, drawn to a close. Outfielder Tyler Colvin is expected to be called up from Double-A on Monday to provide outfield help. The crux of the ...

Filed:Sept. 16, 2009 The Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano (Cubbie Nation/file) Stop it. Everybody. I know playoff hopes are slim. That writers, bloggers, and editors are hard-pressed to deliver meaningful musings as the season winds down, and teams are eliminated from contention. And frankly, it understandable that fans are dreaming of big free-agents signings and resurgent teams in 2010. But when you start—and I’m pointing a big finger at large media outlets—completely disregarding teams ...