SportsMonday: Upper Deck Reserved

"I drink better beer when I go to bars these days, but at the game Old Style or Bud will do," Jim Coffman writes in Upper Deck Reserved, cross-posted here.

Thumbing My Nose At Sabermetrics

I'm sure Tony La Russa had has reasons for deciding to bat his pitcher eighth back in 2007, but I was suspicious of his motives.

Have You Heard The News?

Byrd is the word.

Ricketts Has "Confidence" In Hendry

When Tom Ricketts hired Ari Kaplan as the Cubs' statistical analyst manager, it was an indication to many - including us - that the new owner was ready to move his franchise's baseball operations in a different direction.

Ronnie Misremembers

Jeff Baker hit a solo homer in the first inning Thursday - his third of the season - and it led to some informative radio courtesy of Pat Hughes and Ron Santo.

Section 218, Row 15, Seat 2

My friend, Kevin, won an auction last winter and was awarded 50 terrace reserved tickets to a Cubs game, plus the right to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.

The Bleacher Aristocrat

Len Kasper and Bob Brenly called Sunday's WGN telecast of the Cubs-Pirates game from front-row seats in the left field bleachers and Cubs chairman and "bleacher veteran" Tom Ricketts, sporting a white Cubs polo shirt, stopped by to once again demonstrate to the fans that he is a man of the people.

Supreme Cubs Fan

"In one of his last public speeches before retiring, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens on Monday bypassed talk of the court's deep ideological divide and the battle to replace him and instead talked to a Chicago legal group about his beloved Cubs," the Tribune reports.

Ivy Man Not Allowed In Ballpark

"Officials tell him it would be too hard for other fans to see the action on the field with all that fake ivy in the way," Jeff Long writes in the Tribune.

Random Throw

Having random fans throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday's game was a nice touch.

In the future, I would like to see fans chosen at random to lead the crowd in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch.

I would enjoy that far more than watching the seamlessly never-ending parade of "B" celebrities that we have been subjected to in the past.