By Steve Rhodes

Contrary to what many sports pundits continue to insist, Dale Sveum was never hired to simply be a caretaker manager who would be replaced by a “real” manager once the Cubs were ready to win. That makes no sense on several levels – the first being that Sveum’s bosses were counting on him to develop the team’s prospects while instilling a new culture into a locker room whose managers have notoriously allowed the asylum to be run by the inmates.
If Sveum fulfilled that mission, tossing him aside just as the team was on the brink would have been madness.
No, hiring Sveum was part and parcel of The Plan. That’s why the team made such a public spectacle of the hiring process. (The confusing failure of Sveum only goes to show how fragile The Plan really is.)
The hiring of Ricky Renteria, on the other hand, has caretaker written all over it. His chief attribute – as touted by his own bosses – is his relentless optimism (along with an ability to speak Spanish).
His lack of managerial acumen is way down the list. And in his first week at the helm, he didn’t disappoint. This guy is going to be a disaster – in a very Cubs-like way.

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Posted on April 8, 2014

By Roger Wallenstein

There is one baseball record that never, ever will be broken.
It’s conceivable that some iron man can break Cal Ripken’s consecutive-game mark of 2,632 or an ageless singles hitter can amass more than Pete Rose’s 4,256 hits. The Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton hit 117 home runs in his first four seasons, 33 more than all-time leader Barry Bonds had at the same stage of his career. Stanton is just 24. Keep an eye on him.
Mike Trout is the best young hitter in baseball. Could he break Joe DiMaggio’s mark of hitting safely in 56 straight games? Not likely, but if anyone can do it, Trout can.
No, the magic number is 161, not a recognizable milestone in baseball. However, with the advent of replay review where a manager can challenge umpires’ decisions, Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox’s all-time record of getting tossed out of 161 games is forever secure.

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Posted on April 6, 2014

Wisconsin Means Big Business For Final Four Vendors

“From food to merch – Wisconsin fans are spending big in Dallas this year.”
The bookies are also glad to have them.
Our Final Four preview.
1. Bodacious Barbecue.

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Posted on April 4, 2014

By Dan O’Shea

Don’t you hate it when you draft a top-tier player and he can’t even make it past Opening Day (or even to Opening Day) without getting hurt?
That’s already the kind of season we’re having in 2014. The top two fantasy starting pitchers are already on the disabled list, along with one of the highest-ranked shortstops.
Here’s the breakdown, with suggested next steps:

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Posted on April 1, 2014