Here is the official patriotic Chicago Cubs Stars and Stripes hat by New Era. You will see the Chicago Cubs wear the Stars and Stripes Cubs hat on July 4th weekend and again on September 11th. The first 10,000 fans to Wrigley on the 4th of July, 2009 received a commemorative Cubs 4th of July baseball cap.
All Major League Baseball teams will be wearing the stars and stripes hats to honor our nation and the people who have defended our country. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each stars and stripes hat will be donated to the Welcome Back Veterans fund. You can support your team, celebrate freedom and help welcome our war veterans as they return from serving overseas.
Carlos Zambrano wears the 2009 Stars and Stripes Hat
Patriotic Cubs Apparel
I think it was a good idea to create a hat to honor our veterans. I like seeing the Cubs wear a different hat for the special occasion. It’s fun for something different and it’s a good cause too.
And as a bonus, it brought good luck and the Cubs won!
There’s more patriotic Chicago Cubs MLB Stars and Stripes Apparel available at Amazon including Cubs Stars and Stripes T-Shirts, Cubs Stars and Stripes Baby creeper and a cool Stars and Stripes Cubs Jersey. CLICK HERE to View All Chicago Cubs Stars and Stripes Gear.
Sam Fuld has contributed big to the Cubs with little playing time
Sam Fuld Returns to Chicago
Hey Sam Fuld, it’s NICE to see you again! For those of you that don’t remember, Sam Fuld was a Class-AA minor leaguer called up to Chicago in September 2007 during the heat of the pennant race. That year Sam Fuld only had 6 at bats but saw action in 16 games, mostly as a late inning defensive replacement or pinch runner.
The Sam Fuld Catch
But in his short call up in 2007, Sam Fuld made a big impression with Cubs fans by way of a SPECTACULAR catch he made on September 22, 2007 at Wrigley Field. It was late in the game and the Pirates were trying to cash in on a scoring opportunity with a man on first.
Nijer Morgan bashed a sharp drive to right-center field. Sam Fuld charged hard at the ball, brick wall be damned, and made an amazing catch before crashing into the ivy. Fuld wasn’t hurt though and bounced of the ivy and came off immediately throwing a perfect shot to Derrek Lee at first base for the double play. The home crowd erupted and Sam Fuld received a standing ovation for his run back to the dugout.
You can definitely mention “The Sam Fuld Catch” and any Cubs fan who saw it will know exactly what you’re talking about. Sam Fuld’s catch was great, right up there with The Amazing Catches of Reed Johnson or Jim Edmonds.
“Yeah, it was great. I mean, you go up there in September… you’re going to have limited opportunities…. and your goal is to just make any sort of impact you can, and to be able to do it in a situation like that was incredible“. - Sam Fuld on “The Catch”
Sam Fuld has been remembered by that catch ever since, but mostly just because we’ve never seen Sam Fuld in the majors again. Although he was considered to be “in the mix” for centerfield going into 2008 spring training, Fuld would not make the team. The Cubs gave the starting centerfield job to Felix Pie, which he eventually lost to the spectacular Reed Johnson and Jim Edmonds platoon. Fuld never ended up being called to join the team in 2008.
Sam Fuld 2009
Though we didn’t see Sam Fuld in all of 2008, many fans still remembered him because of that catch and we hoped that he might get the call up again. Fuld was invited to spring training in 2009 and made a good showing. Although only considered to only be a “mid-level” prospect, he had shown the Cubs that he was “a gamer”, and Chicago sports fans love a “gamer”.
Sam Fuld finally got his chance when he was called up to join the Chicago Cubs again on June 29, 2009, taking the spot of Aaron Miles who went on the disabled list. He had been swinging a hot bat at Iowa and the Cubs management decided to give him the call.
Not only did he get the call up, Pinella gave Sam Fuld the start in left field in place of the resting Alfonso Soriano. Fuld even got his chance to shine by being placed in the high profile lead off spot, rather than the number eight place you might expect a rookie without a hit in the major leagues to see action.
Sam Fuld Leads Off
So what did he do with his chance to impress? Sam Fuld finally got that first major league hit, a single to lead off the game against the Brewers. Two batters later he would score on Derrek Lee’s towering two run home run.
Fuld ended up going 2/4 with a walk, made two good catches in the outfield and even threw out a baserunner trying to score at home in spectacular fashion. The Cubs won that game against the Pirates 4-1, giving another rookie David Wells his third straight winning decision and a much needed win on the way home. Welcome back!
Pinella rewarded Fuld’s performance with a second start in left field and hitting leadoff. Sam Fuld would reach base three times yet again, including reaching base to lead of the game for the second time in a row. He then scored again, on yet another hot hitting Derrek Lee home run. Fuld contributed with his bat and his glove once more, but this game will end up being known for Derrek Lee’s 7 RBI.
Sam Fuld has looked great in the lead off spot. I had almost forgotten what a traditional lead off man looks like: taking lots of pitches, working the count so the guys behind him can see the pitchers “stuff”, leading off games by getting on base, and taking a walk every single game. I liked what I saw. I don’t how much of Fuld we’ll get to see but he looks like he has the potential to contibute. The Cubs won both games he led off in, he hit, walked and scored in every game. You can’t argue with results.
Welcome back to the big leagues Sam Fuld!
Keep playing like you have and you’ll see more playing time.
Hey Cubs fans! I’ve tried to find all the great Chicago Cubs games, as in board games, that you would be interested in. It’s always good to have a few games around the house, especially if you have family game nights. I’m a big believer in family game night as away to schedule some quality family time so everybody can have a little fun together and enjoy each others company. After all, it’s the little things in life that make it special sometimes.
Derrek Lee hit 2 Home Runs and had 7 RBI’s to cook the Brewers sausage
Derrek Lee’s Big Night at Wrigley
It was an unusually cool July evening with a game time temperature of only 63 degrees for the first game of an important series between the 4th place Chicago Cubs and the 1st place Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs were only 3 1/2 games behind the Brewers and now had a chance to gain ground in a four game series at Wrigley, where the Cubs have a 21-13 record.
The Cubs had played well at home this year and just like always, so had Derrek Lee. On July 2, 2009 though, he would have two memorable hits. Two towering home runs, one of which was a three run homer and the second of which was a grand slam that left Wrigley Field and would prove to put the game away for the Cubs.
Derrek Lee has been on a tear and has really helped carry this team with his .326 since May, a 21-game hitting streak and now three home runs and now 3 home runs and 9 RBI in his last two games alone.
Derrek Lee received a standing ovation and curtain call from the Wrigley fans. The sound of the crowd as well as Pat & Ron’s reaction to the Grand Slam were terrific. I’m so happy to see one of my favorite players get some love from Cubs fans. He took a lot of heat for his slow start and some people were questioning whether he was losing it.
There was no crazy talk like that here at the Delusional Cubs Fan. I’ve been wearing my Derrek Lee jersey proudly.
Good win guys. There were also home runs by Jake Fox and Geovany Soto, Ryan Dempster got the win and Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless night. Big win to start off the series.
Alfonso Soriano’s .204 batting average in June was as underwhelming as the Cubs record
Chicago Cubs Record in June 2009
The Cubs finished June of 2009 with an 11-14 record for the month and a 36-38 record overall. This record left the cubs in fourth place, 4 1/2 games behind the first place Brewers, second place Cardinals, and third place Reds. The Cubs longest losing streak was 4 games and their biggest wins streak in June was also 4 games. Not exactly setting the NL Central on fire….. yet.
Luckily for the Cubs, noone has run away with with the division….. yet. The Chicago Cubs are waiting for the right moment to make their move. I think they’ll take it easy up until the All Star break, get their rest and show up strong for the second half. Yeah.
Here’s how the Cubs record as of July 1, 2009 compares to recent division winning seasons:
So now it’s July. The season is no longer young and the Cubs can stop using the excuse that it’s early in the year. There’s still plenty of time for them to make a move in the division but they need to get started soon. They have several games coming up against division rivals so now is the time to turn it up a notch and go on a big winning streak. As frustrating as the Cubs have been, somehow they are only 4 1/2 back. There’s lots of baseball to play still.
Rich Harden provided just a tiny bit of drama by giving up nine hits (photo by Global Voyager)
Cubs Win Despite Lack of Incident
The Chicago Cubs beat the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates! Not a big surprise there as they’ve dominated the Pirates the last couple of years (as they should). The surprising part is that the Cubs won the game with no incidents or drama for the first time in a week.
This victory featured:
No one ejected
No hit batters
No defensive errors
No extra innings
No off-the-field news stories
No bashing of the Gatorade cooler
No Pinella outburst
No Zambrano outburst
No Bradley outburst
No White Sox
No thrown helmets or bats
No Rich Harden meltdown
No walks given up by Carlos Marmol
No Kevin Gregg putting the winning runs on base
No Mark DeRosa
And yet somehow the Cubs still won! Rich Harden posted his first victory since May 12, striking out nine while walking only one. Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg were perfect in relief. There were no major incidents of any kind. Just a Cubs win in a short, well played game. Well… the Cubs offense did leave double digit runners left on base again, but hey…. a Win is a Win!
It’s time to start pimping your car Cubs fans! There are plenty of ways to show your Cubbie loyalty with your car, truck or whatever vehicle it is you’re listening to Pat & Ron on the radio in. We’ll start with a simple one: a Chicago Cubs license plate holder.
Every car has license plates so these are appropriate for any vehicle. Pick out a Cubs license plate frame that you like, order it up, and install it in a few minutes using only a screwdriver, no automotive skills needed at all. It doesn’t get easier than this.
Ozzie was just upset he missed the Pride Parade on Sunday (photo by 550)
Ozzie Calls Cubs Fans Stupid
Oh Ozzie. Did you have to be so angry? Just last week you said Wrigley Field makes you puke but that you “had nothing bad to say about Cubs fans.” Then Ozzie changed his mind and had some things to say about Cubs fans.
Now Ozzie’s ready to dis Cubs fans after the white sox win two out of three games at the crosstown series in white sox park. The Cubs only won the first game, when Soto smoked a three run homer instead of his offseason doobie to support Randy Wells’ great start.
Chicago wants to talk about anything except the White Sox. Why is that Ozzie? Why is Wrigley Field packed and Hell in the Cell only has a sellout when the Cubs play there?
“Because our fans are not stupid like Cubs fans. They know we’re sh**.”
Oh really. And why do Cubs fans show up at Wrigley to support our team, even when they’re not playing that well, unlike on the south side where your team with a similar won/loss record has half the stadium sitting empty?
“Wrigley Field is just a bar.”
Back to that old argument huh? Cubs fans just go to Wrigley to drink, not because they like the Cubs? I’m sorry that a visit to US Cell phone park in the ghetto isn’t conducive to anything other than praying for your life, but yes, Wrigley Field and Wrigleyville are great ways to spend a day. But that’s not the only reason we’re there.
The Chicago Cubs inspire loyalty. Delusional-type loyalty. We bleed Cubbie blue through and through. We support our team through ups and downs. Some people consider loyalty stupid. So be it. Others consider loyalty a virtue.
Just because sox fans only come to the stadium when the team is doing well doesn’t mean that’s the way it is for everyone. Even with a new ballpark, the sox had years of half empty stadiums until they became a champion. Now the shine has worn off the trophy and suddenly sox “fans” are jumping ship. Ozzie may think fair weather Sox fans are smart - Cubs fans don’t.
This is one of those times Ozzie should have kept his mouth shut. To be honest, I actually like Ozzie Guillen. But Ozzie, just because all sox fans are jealous of the fact that so many more people love the Cubs doesn’t mean you have to say stupid sh**. After all, you are the one who knows your team is sh**. For us, we know that this is the year.
Hey Cubs fans, did you think the Cubs trade of Mark DeRosa couldn’t get any worse? Well it just did. On June 28, 2009, the Cleveland Indians traded former Cub fan favorite Mark DeRosa back to the NL Central divison leading St Louis Cardinals.
That’s right, Mark DeRosa is now a Cardinal. The Cubs worst offseason trade of the year is now coming back to bite the Cubs in the ass. The Cubs most hated rivals just got better and it’s all because of Mark DeRosa.
You thought that when Mark DeRosa came back to Wrigley Field last week that it would be your last chance to see Mark DeRosa at Wrigley Field. WRONG! You thought you could just give DeRosa a standing ovation and then savor the Cubs sweep of the Indians. WRONG. Sorry to break it to you but we’ll be seeing him again sooner than you’d like.
It’s hard if not nearly impossible to find a Cubs fan who thought the trade of Mark DeRosa was a good idea. If he was on the Cubs right now, DeRosa would lead the team in both home runs and RBI’s, which sure would help our weak hitting offense. He also would have filled in perfectly at third for Aramis Ramirez’s injury. It also didn’t help this week when DeRosa’s replacement Milton Bradley was sent home for a temper tantrum, unless you consider DeRosa’s replacement the .203 hitting Aaron Miles in which case you’re still mad.
But yes, it just got worse. Mark DeRosa will now be a Cardinal. It’s even worse than if he had been traded to the White Sox because DeRosa makes the first place Cardinals even better.
And what makes it even harder than the fact that the Cubs have noone on the major league roster to even show for their trade of DeRosa, is that the Cardinals didn’t have to give much up to get him. All the Cardinals had to give up to get DeRosa was middle reliever Chris Perez and a player to be named later.
That’s it?! Couldn’t the Cubs have come up with a package at least that good? Chris Perez has 1 save and a 4.18 ERA, not exactly setting the world on fire. Would they have taken Heilman for DeRosa? How about Ascanio? He’s a good prospect but I would have given him up for his bat and consistancy.
Just yesterday the Chicago Sun Times reported that the Cubs were talking to the Indians about reaquiring DeRosa. Everybody knew that he was on the trading block. Inside sources say that the Indians even contacted the Cubs to see if they’d have any interest in getting DeRosa back. I never got my hopes up that the Cubs would get him back, but I can’t believe that the Cardinals got him. Cubs fans are left feeling like we took it in the Pujols with this trade. UGH.
Sorry DeRosa. When you were in Chicago last week you were quoted saying that your time in Chicago was the best two years of your major league career. It made us all feel good. You’ve been elevated to mythic status since your trade, partially because the Cubs have been so mediocre since you left. Sorry, but next time you’re here, we can’t give you a standing ovation.
It’s not your fault, but you’re the enemy now.
GO CUBS!
—–
Related Stories:
Cardinals make their move early with Mark DeRosa acquisition - Chicago Tribune
Cubs off the Mark again: DeRosa trade to Cardinals pretty much summed up by Ryan Theriot: ‘It sucks’ - Chicago Sun Times
Soto is congratulated by Fox and Fontenot after smoking a three run homer
Cubs Beat White Sox 5-4 at the Cell
Hey, that’s more like it guys! The Cubs ended their four game losing streak at the perfect time with a Friday afternoon victory against the crosstown rival White Sox.
Game Highlights:
Randy Wells pitched seven strong innings and received his second consecutive win in a row. 6 strikeouts against 2 walks, giving up 5 hits. He looked confident out on the mound again and threw strikes. I love the pace of Randy Wells games and how he doesn’t waste any time on the mound. This seemed like one of the fastest games of the year for the first seven innings. Congrats on career win #2!
Jake Fox had his second consecutive 3 for 4 day, once again hitting a single, double and a home run. Fox also looked solid at third base again. He is earning his spot in the lineup every day and we love seeing his bat in there. As long as he keeps hitting like this, he’ll get more starts. To be honest, he should probably be the starting in one of the corner outfield positions right now.
Geovany Soto had two hits, one of which was a three run homer in the seventh which gave the Cubs the lead for good and helped Randy Wells get that win.
Sean Marshall came in from the bullpen to bail out the wild Carlos Marmol again. Marshall got probably the biggest out of the game, forcing A.J. Pierzynisky to hit into double play with the bases loaded. Marshall has to this point has not allowed a single inhereted runner to score since he moved into the bullpen. Though his moment was out shined by everything else that went onto the game, Marshall saved the day.
Great game guys! The games highlights all came from some of the Cubs youngest players: two rookies (Fox & Wells), one second year player (Soto) and one player in his first full season in the majors (Marshall). This is how you earn respect from your teammates and earn your spot. It looks like Wells and Fox could both be here to stay. They are definitely all contributing and helping pick up some of our slumping veterans.
