BLT: A Year in Review

It seems most sites are putting together lists this time of year of the best this or the worst that. Since we have never really had an original idea in the past, we figured it would be a good time to look back at what were the most popular posts here in 2009. So without further ado, here are some of the posts that you liked the most in 2009, or at least the ones you didn't hate as much.

#5) August 5, 2009

Governor Pat Quinn Proclaims 8/5/2009 to be Aaron Miles Day. This post proved that you can post something ridiculous on the internet and two or three people will actually email on the side to ask if it's true. Please, I beg of you, if you have stupid questions please leave them in the comments so we can make fun of you endlessly.

#4) July 4, 2009

Clock's Rehab Assignment was one of my favorites. Clock went to Elfstrom Stadium to see Aramis Ramirez in his first rehab game against the Kane County Cougars. I asked if he could snap some pictures we could use on the site, and as you can tell if you click the link, nobody does photography like Clock.

#3) July 10, 2009

Erin Andrews' Chin Attracts Balls. This was an absolute throwaway post that had nothing to do with the Cubs. It did prove once and for all though that all you have to do is mention Erin Andrews and you will get page views.

#2) June 8, 2009

A Decade of Drafts The draft review that Clock prepared received the second highest amount of page views, even beating Erin Andrews. It's like I don't even know our audience at all, here I was thinking that you guys just liked dick jokes. Turns out, you like a decade worth of assholes too. Ha! See what I did there?

#1) May 26, 2009

BLT on SportsCenter was probably my favorite day ever regarding this site. I received an email that said our blog was going to be quoted on SportsCenter and completely blew it off because I figured it was a joke. Who the hell even reads this blog anyway? Curiosity got the best of me though and I checked the Blog Buzz archives later that day and ta-da! That :30 seconds generated the biggest day traffic-wise that this site has ever seen and in the process, made Josh Elliott an honorary Bush Leaguer.

Happy RamaHanuKwanzMas To Everyone

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone that reads and contributes to this site for a great 2009 and we look forward to continuing this is 2010. May all you Cub fans and Bush Leaguers have a safe and happy Holiday. Posting will most likely be slow over the next couple of weeks, save of breaking news or trades. Let's face it though, if this is the place you come to for breaking news then there's a lot going on that you're not aware of.

So again, from our family to yours, please have a wonderful, relaxing, safe, simple, and joyous holiday. We'll see you in 2010.

Obviously, Jim Hendry Sucks

Obviously, this is Jim Hendry's opening statement to the media today about trading Milton Bradley to Seattle.

“Obviously, it was a trade we’ve been working on for quite some time. There wasn’t any easy solution to it, by any means. Many of the names that were bantered were obviously deals that would have never been considered ideal. But we also knew that we had to move the player.

"In hindsight, obviously, it was an acquisition that I’m responsible for that obviously didn’t work out. The intent, obviously, was to get a quality offensive player from the left side or a switch hitter that had been outstanding for a few years before we got him in our quest to improve on a 97-win team. Obviously, it didn’t work out. I bear the responsibility for that not working out.

"That being said, we have a tremendous amount of really good players that may not have played as well as they would have liked last year. But they certainly are guys that play hard, obviously good teammates, respectful of the great opportunity that they have here to play in front of our great fans. Obviously, in this case, it did not work out like we planned. In this case, this was also responsible for the reason that I sent Milton home, as I mentioned in September, not going to be tolerated, to treat our fans, teammates and members of the media the way he did. It’s just time to put it behind us and go forward. I think this deal helps us in a lot of ways. Hopefully, Mr. Silva will get back to where he was a few years ago. Obviously, he has struggled since (signing) his contract, but he was a quality free agent when he left the Twins. We have been monitoring him a little bit on the side and in games in Venezuela. We’ve done a lot of work on him. Hopefully, he’ll be able to get back and at least have a successful spot on our club in some way, and then we’ll go about our business of trying to add a few more pieces to make the club better before spring training.”

One could argue that this outcome was obvious to everyone last year. Except for, you know, the GM...

Don't Let The Door Hit Ya Where The Good Lord Split Ya

I was in the car when I heard the news that Milton Bradley had been shipped off to Seattle in exchange for Carlos Silva, so I immediately turned over to sports talk radio to get the reaction of the fans. I just assumed that everyone would be elated that Bradley was finally gone. To my surprise, all I was hearing were people complaining about Carlos Silva and that Hendry should've received more in return.

I'm not sure how anyone can think that we should've received more in return. The Cubs have spent the last two months actively trying to get rid of Bradley and it was very apparent to everyone that Bradley would not be a Cub in 2010. That doesn't exactly help your bargaining power with other teams. That's not to say Hendry's not at fault, he created his own situation in this Bradley fiasco, but at this point it was better to just move him. We can discuss Carlos Silva's potential role with the Cubs, if he'll even have one, another day. Ultimately, if Hendry decides to cut Silva tomorrow it will generate a lot less reaction than it would have if he had given Bradley his outright release. Either way though, he's pissed good money away.

For those Bradley supporters out there, I really just don't get it. You can argue all you want that Bradley was good for OBP and you can tell me all the things that Bradley could be if given another chance. On the other hand though, I can tell you everything that Bradley was and it would kill all of your arguments. Basically, he was a giant turd. Bradley wasn't signed to be an OBP guy, he was signed to drive in runs which is something he failed at miserably. Add to that the fact that every person on the team is now happier that he is gone and it's no wonder that Hendry had to unload him for pennies on the dollar.

Carlos Silva doesn't make this team any better and I couldn't disagree with you if you argued that he makes this team even worse if the Cubs think he's going to be the 5th starter. But this was a trade that was all about addition by subtraction, and I'm a happier Cubs fan because of it. Besides, now Jim Hendry can concentrate on signing either Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel or Coco Crisp. Wait, what?

Your Chicago Cubs On Facebook

You can learn a lot about your favorite teams by following certain members on Facebook. Some of it good, some of it not so good. I'm pretty sure the following falls into the latter category...

Mount Hee-seop? No, Not Like That...

So, like any ordinary Thursday afternoon, I was reading the JoonAng Daily online and came across an article about former Cubs first baseman Hee-seop Choi. Apparently Choi, now with the Kia Tigers, was struggling with his new team and decided to climb a mountain because that totally makes you better at playing baseball.

“I first went to Mount Seorak with the thought that if I did not break out of my slump after the tough climbs up this terrain, I would quit baseball,” said Choi.

Totally and completely logical.

Choi has the distinction of being the first Korean player to break into the Major Leagues with the Chicago Cubs back in 2002. The first baseman earned the nickname “Big Choi” and went on to post a .240 batting average, 40 home runs and 120 RBI in six seasons with four MLB teams.

Sadly, he did not earn that nickname in the showers after the game.

However, after signing with the Kia Tigers, his hometown team, Choi struggled in his first two seasons.

You mean he actually did worse than average 6 1/2 HR's a year and 20 RBI's like he did in the Major Leagues off Major League pitching? Why hasn't this man received another shot?

Looking to shed some weight and break out of his slump, Choi went to Mount Seorak last autumn. As he explains it, he went unprepared without any water, and nearly died.

Oh, he hasn't received another shot because he's stupid. Gotch ya.

Choi returned to hike Mount Seorak late last month as a way to reflect on his successful season. Choi batted .308 and hit 33 home runs and 100 RBI, playing a significant role in Kia’s clinching the 2009 Korean Series title. In comparison to his statistics from last season, when he batted .229, hit six home runs and 22 RBI, Choi had finally lived up to his billing as a power hitter.

Holy shit! How fast can we get Geo Soto to Mount Gongryongneungwynnsuey or whatever the hell you call it?

Offseason Snoozefest

So, the offseason still sucks. Not much going on this year other than purging ourselves of Aaron's, which is always nice. Normally during the offseason we have a targeted player that we're fascinated with acquiring like Brian Roberts or Jake Peavy. This year? Marlon Byrd, bitches! Now tell me, what do you feel is most painful? The 2009 regular season or the crappy offseason that follows? Death is not an option...

Finally, Both Aaron's Are Gone - Footnote Edition

After inexplicably rushing to give an over-market deal to Grabow, Hendry is now atoning for those mistakes from last offseason. The Aaron's sent by Satan to further torment Cubs' fans are both finally gone after Aaron Miles was traded to the A's along with Jake Fox. Let's take a look at some quotes from Henry about the deal with some helpful [1] footnotes.

"It's a real good trade for everyone [2]," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "Jake [3] will help the A's, hopefully Aaron will get back on track [4]. It gives us three good young players [5] and a power arm with a chance to make the club in Gray[6]."

"We've been given a very fair [7] budget the last few years," Hendry said. "[Cubs chairman] Tom Ricketts is going to be an outstanding owner [8]. He's made no bones about how he wants to be here for a long time and build for the future and keep [9] developing our players. We're in a year where if our budget is approximately the same area it's been in the last 12 months, then we have to maximize the opportunities [10] and be creative [11] and make some trades, and that's what we feel like we're doing."

Gray, who was added to the Cubs' 40-man roster, split time between the A's and Triple-A Sacramento in 2009.

"He certainly doesn't have a lot of experience pitching in the eighth or ninth [innings] yet," Hendry said. "His arm strength is very good [12]. He's not old by any means as far as bullpen guys [13]. He's got the stuff to be able to pitch in any area of the bullpen, if he's able to harness it a little bit better [14]. He throws very hard and throws strikes. Our scouts felt his arm strength was a lot like [Angel] Guzman's [15]."

"We'll continue to look," Hendry said. "We'd still like to pursue some bullpen possibilities [16]. I think the market is going to dictate how long that goes and who's left. There's also other trade possibilities that we feel might be possible for us to do [17]."

[1] - Not at all helpful, and likely not very amusing

[2] - "The A's are not yet aware the ole Trojan Horse trick was pulled on them in a Jake Fox trade and we secretly stuffed Aaron Miles into Jake's luggage"
[3] - Matt Stairs Jr.

[4] - Hamster wheel

[5] - You will never hear from any of these guys again

[6] - Watch your back ShamWOW

[7] - Outrageous

[8] - "Inexplicably he has yet to fire me"

[9] - Start

[10] - Trade salary in order to overpay others

[11] - Offer more money and years than anyone else will

[12] - He should fit in by impressively walking hitters

[13] - He's old

[14] - He's wild

[15] - Throwing arm strength > Keeping arm together strength

[16] - John Grabow is the top setup option!

[17] - "That douche Milton is getting traded if it's the last thing I do"