New Cubs crazy about winning
Piniella's team sees opportunity, says nuts to past
CINCINNATI -- A year ago it would have looked like an April Fool's joke. Not only was it sunny and 76 degrees in Cincinnati on April 1, but on the eve of their opener, Alfonso Soriano was in one lineup as the center fielder, while Ken Griffey Jr. was in the other as a right fielder.
''Crazy,'' said Soriano, the Cubs' $136 million man on the spot when the season opens today at 1:10 p.m. ''I never imagined Ken Griffey in right field. And I didn't see myself before last year playing in the outfield. So who knows in this game? This game is crazy sometimes.''
''Crazy,'' said Soriano, the Cubs' $136 million man on the spot when the season opens today at 1:10 p.m. ''I never imagined Ken Griffey in right field. And I didn't see myself before last year playing in the outfield. So who knows in this game? This game is crazy sometimes.''
Sometimes as crazy as spending $300 million on a new manager and a bucketful of players in one winter. Or as crazy as thinking you can go from 96 losses to 90-plus wins in a year. Or as crazy as Mark Prior back in the minor leagues and Ronny Cedeno back in the majors.
(AP)
Sometimes as crazy as spending $300 million on a new manager and a bucketful of players in one winter. Or as crazy as thinking you can go from 96 losses to 90-plus wins in a year. Or as crazy as Mark Prior back in the minor leagues and Ronny Cedeno back in the majors.
Or even as crazy as this: ''I was sitting at home envisioning what it would be like to be on the team that won the World Series for the Chicago Cubs in 2007. How good is that? I mean, what other team would you rather be on to win a World Series in 2007 than the Chicago Cubs?''
And you thought the last 98 years was nuts.
Whether new Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly, who uttered those words in February, proves more prophet than lost sense, it all begins today in Cincinnati -- as hit king Pete Rose pays for a ticket to attend, the greatest center fielder of his generation (Griffey) makes his debut in right field and the Cubs unveil the first look at how much difference the biggest offseason spending spree in history can make.
''I'm looking forward to it,'' new manager Lou Piniella said. ''We've been ready for four or five days now.''
The Cubs open with a starting rotation that includes only one holdover from last year -- today's starter, Carlos Zambrano. And the lineup includes three new faces since last year's opener: Soriano leading off and playing center field for the first time in his career, career utility player Mark DeRosa debuting as a starting second baseman and Cesar Izturis, acquired at last year's trading deadline for Greg Maddux, starting at short.
''It's my first Opening Day as a starter,'' DeRosa said. ''I'll be extremely nervous. But I was nervous the first day of spring training. If you lose that feeling, you should hang it up. I'm looking forward to great things.''
Piniella said he plans to meet with the team today for a quick season-opening talk.
''Just play hard and play with some passion and play to win,'' he said of the topic. ''Those are really the important things. And forget the past. We're here to focus on the present and into the future. It's a new start. I'm going to impress on them this is a talented team I'm expecting to play very, very well.''
The expectations of the players have been apparent from the start of spring training, when almost every position player reported to camp early, and when one of the more businesslike camps in recent memory began, according to longtime personnel.
''Everybody realized the opportunity that we have this year,'' said relief pitcher Bob Howry, explaining the team demeanor this spring. ''The way the organization went out and spent a lot of money on picking up some free agents, the sense of winning is throughout the clubhouse, and everyone knows we need to prepare and be ready to get off to a good start. I definitely like our chances.''
Crazy.