First Baseball Crush of the Year

Spring training games are underway and I already have my first crush of the year. Yes guys, that's what we do at the games...select who we will be following just a little closer than the other players.

His name is Michael Eugene Fontenot and never mind that he was born just days after I graduated from college! That's irrelevant. He plays for the Chicago Cubs, the best team this year! He's from Slidell, Louisiana and went to LSU for college. He's about my son Jon's height and my husband's weight so it all feels familiar. I think it's kind of cool that while he bats left, he throws with his right hand. And he apparently likes playing on Fridays, because yesterday he homered, tripled and drove in four runs to boot. Not bad.

You want a picture? Okay, here he is (on the left) messing around with Zambrano before the game:

Isn't he cute? And guess what his salary was in 2008? $405,000. I think he deserves a raise, for goodness sakes. Don't worry, I've got your back, Mike. I'll talk to the Chicago Cubs management for you.

See you next game...

Chicago Cubs Move to Scottsdale for Spring Training (One Can Hope!)

Word on the street is that the Chicago Cubs may not want to stay in their spring training home in Mesa, AZ. It's not that they don't fill the stadium for every single spring training game, but let's face it. Mesa? Not exactly a fun town. We all drive over there and curse on our way back (probably because we had to stay sober for the long drive home!).

So, I would like to propose my town for their new home that's truly worthy of hosting the Chicago Cubs:

Scottsdale

We have the best looking fans, the best restaurants and hotels around us. Just ask San Francisco. I know every town wants you and we all need the added revenue you bring. It would be hard to move, I am sure. Folks in Vero Beach will forever be mad at the LA Dodgers for up and moving to Arizona. They really had something special down there in Florida. Quite unlike Mesa.

Here's hoping that if the rumor is true that you take a look at Scottsdale. I will personally give you a tour!

Number of Days Until the First Cubs Spring Training Game

13 !

Who's counting, you say? Why, Wrigley and me of course. Tickets are available online. I wish they let golden retrievers in the lawn area, though. He would so enjoy the afternoon!

Now, you may not be aware of this fact, but this is going to be the year the Chicago Cubs win the World Series! Yes, you heard it here first!

Last Good Season for the Kitchen Chairs

Chicago Cubs get sweeped in 3 game series! I am in shock still. I have no words (at least that will be allowed on my blogger/Google agreement) to describe this miserable ending to what was supposed to be the best since 1908.

It was definitely a terrible ending to this most promising year for the Chicago Cubs. I go away for a few days to see my middle son at his College's Parents Weekend and we lose 3 games in a row and just like that...our season is over!

On days when I need to be away from the house and Wrigley is home alone I often leave the television on, especially when there is a Cubs game scheduled. He actually will sit and watch for long periods of time. However, it is not such a good idea when they are losing, because he starts to chew on the rungs of my kitchen chairs. This weekend proved to be disastrous for the Cubs and Wrigley was not at all happy.

The kitchen table and chairs were given to my Mom and Dad as a wedding present and then when I got married in 1980, they were passed down to me. The kitchen table is in good shape and may be able to be passed down another generation. The chairs, I am afraid, are not going to make it past Wrigley and the 2008 baseball season.

Laura and Beth Pick Chicago Cubs to Win the World Series

My family has always been amazed at just how well my daughter does at selecting teams to win whether it be college basketball or professional baseball. We are amazed because she rarely pays attention to the games that were constantly on the television. She didn't collect baseball cards or study the stats of each player.

Her choices for who's to win are based on a complex system she devised when she was about 5 years old. First, what colors are the uniforms? Next, you must consider the level of cuteness of the team mascot. Finally, you throw in emotional ties to the team, such as if the team is located in the town where a favorite Aunt lives.

This unique system has crushed her two brothers, a step Father and me (Mom), all devoted sports fans. We know stats, history and know the current injuries of all the teams and use this information to create our choices. So, I thought as the division series for the NL and AL begin this week, I thought I would show you my selections versus Laura's selections with her compelling arguments for her decisions:

National League Division Series:

Beth: Cubs over Dodgers

Laura: Cubs over Dodgers (Cubs have the cute bear mascot and the Dodgers left Vero Beach where her Grandmother lives and that decision made Gran mad!)

Beth: Brewers over Phillies

Laura: Phillies over Brewers ( Laura's college is in Pennsylvania, only 2 hours away)

American League Division Series:

Beth: Red Sox over Angels

Laura: Red Sox over Angels (She loved the movie with Drew Barrymore and Aunt Aimee and Uncle Dave live in Boston)

Beth: Rays over White Sox

Laura: Rays over White Sox (She LOVES fish and marine biology)

National League Championship Series:

Beth: Cubs over Brewers

Laura: Cubs over Phillies (Hard one to call, but cute bear and the fact the her step Dad was a bat boy for the Cubs during spring training when he was little, trumps closeness to College connection)

American League Series:

Beth: Red Sox over Rays

Laura: Red Sox over Rays (Family ties wins out over love of fish, plus she likes the color Red better as this is one of the colors for her College)

World Series Championship Game:

Beth: Cubs over Red Sox

Laura: Cubs over Red Sox ("It's because of that 100 year thing that Bill is always talking about!")

Well, there you have it! We will just have to see how our predictions hold up in this very exciting year! The good news, we both ended up with the best Winner even though we came to our selections in a very different manner. Go Cubbies!

The Good, Bad and the Ugly

The emotions ran the full gamut this weekend all because of three different teams I happen to enjoy following.

First the Good:

The Chicago Cubs cliched the National League Central Title! Only one other time in the Cubbies history have they achieved this title two years or more in a row, back in 1906-08. This is the first step on our way to winning this year's World Series and it could not have happened to a nicer group of guys. We were at a tailgate (see below) when we heard the good news. Everyone around started hooting and hollering and screaming, "Go Cubs". This is really 'America's Favorite Baseball Team' now and (almost) everyone would love to see this team go all the way. (The picture above is my daughter and my puppy, Wrigley, both big fans of the Cubs). IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

Now the Bad:

The Dallas Cowboys beat the Green Bay Packers, 27-16. This just isn't supposed to happen. I hated that the Cowboys won at Lambeau field. What makes this so bad to me is that it feels like the Cowboys are taking the status of 'America's Favorite Football Team' back from the Packers and that me very unhappy. Even if you've never frozen your butt off in Green Bay or watched season after season of Favre supreme quarterback madness, you probably secretly wanted to be a cheese head and own one of those cheese head hats. And, I am old enough to remember when everyone loved the Cowboys and those idiotic cheerleader costumes. (Back then, I loved the Washington Redskins, so the Cowboys were never on my fave list). Let's hope this love affair does not come to fruition.

And Finally the Ugly:

You guessed it: Arizona State University loses to Georgia 27-10. This was supposed to be like the game many years back when we were not supposed to beat Nebraska, but we did. We jumped the fence and pulled down the goal posts (not my finest moment), and it was fun. Having just lost to UNLV last week, all loyal ASU fans thought it must have been a fluke. Now, we do not know what to think. But, sitting out in 100+ degree weather, tailgating and looking like sweaty pigs is not my idea of fun. One interesting comment: leave it to the gorgeous Georgia female fans, they looked fabulous and I don't think they were even sweating. Unfair.

Cardinal and Brewer Fans Quick to Predict Cubs Fate due to Zambrano's Injury

Apparently the Chicago Cubs are doomed all because of yesterday's MRI results for Carlos Zambrano. The test has concluded that he does have a right rotator cuff tendinitis and inflammation. And true, for this weekend's game in Cincinnati, Carlos will be replaced by Sean Marshall. For sure he'll miss that start and the whole town of St. Louis is already praying that he isn't throwing yet for the game coming up on Wednesday. But, Jim Hendry, General Manager for the Cubs is anticipating that Carlos will start the series with Houston. What the Brewer and Cardinal fans fail to understand is that a little pain and injury is not going to deter the Cubs from winning the World Series at this historic 100 year anniversary.

Carlos will take his little shot of medicine and have the doctors take all kind of precautions to reduce the inflammation and he'll be just fine. The history books and the movie (I hope) will remember this bump towards the championship as a minor incident. I can see it now, in the movie, the Brewer fans are all sitting in Steve's on Bluemound (a cool local bar) all giddy and cheerful that now they have a real chance and they make toasts to Zambrano for helping out their weaker team, but then the music changes. The group looks up on the television that's located above the bar and who do they see walking out to the pitchers mound, but Zambrano himself. There is no indication that he is favoring his right leg at all. He goes on to win the game and stays in to the 7th Inning and the group drowns the sorrow in the beer.

You see when destiny is involved, no rotator cuff tendinitis or painful inflammation is going to get in the way of winning for the Chicago Cubs. I suggest Cardinal and Brewer fans to be careful what they say and how they act for the rest of the season as it just might become act three in next summer's blockbuster movie.

“George Will, Wrigley and the Chicago Cubs”

Maybe you’ve read on my blog about my fascination with George Will. Well, to add to this, I have come to learn that he loves the Chicago Cubs. I find it interesting that there’s this connection of a sort with me, my dog and George (Mr. Will seems so formal!).

My favorite GW quote on the subject: “Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal”.

“Wrigley and the Chicago Cubs”

Wrigley was born on Sept 26, 2007. He is a golden retriever that already weighs 80 pounds. There is something very special about this dog. We knew that from the minute we brought him home. It was apparent to all of us in the family that he would be different and at that moment we thought that maybe he could bring some extra luck and hopes for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series pendant this year. For non-fans, it’s been 100 years since the Cubs won the World Series. It’s long overdue.

My husband was a bat boy in the 1970’s when they played their spring training games in Scottsdale and has been an avid fan ever since. I lived my junior high and high school years in a suburb outside Chicago and have always loved the Cubs, too. So, the name for our new dog seemed perfect.

On opening day for the Cubs at Wrigley field, I turned on the television and I could not believe my eyes! Wrigley sat still for close to two hours (something of a miracle in itself) and actually watched the game. The Cubs won. And they continue to win.

Neighbors have started to mention that maybe Wrigley is the reason for the team’s success. Our neighbor who has two fantastic Golden retrievers, lovingly call Wrigley the ‘Second Coming of Christ’. (He is so handsome!) At the local breakfast place that we take Wrigley to almost every Saturday, people are starting to talk about how he must be good luck for the baseball team. We say, we hope so and continue to follow the team winning game after game.

I want to go online and find a Cubs dog bandanna. No luck so far. If anyone knows a place where I can purchase one of these, please let me know! When I find one, I’ll take his picture.

More on this as the season progresses!