Kasper, Colvin, and Caple

We have a new video up in our Multimedia page, it’s a tribute to the old school Cactus League with a short Cubs spring opening day video and then an interview with Cubs play-by-play man Len Kasper, be sure to check it out.

Tyler Colvin on the Cubs 25 man Roster to start the season? That’s a big, MAYBE…However, according to Lou,”Colvin has had an outstanding spring”,and “played well enough to make this team”. The Cubs want Tyler to get regular at-bats and those may not be available unless Lou sits one of the three starting outfielders on a regular rotating basis. Xavier Nady is also in the mix and he actually played in the outfield for the first time as a Cub yesterday in a minor league game at Fitch Park.

The early word was that Nady wouldn’t be outfield ready until June but if he’s already getting his feet wet in the field now, an earlier go timetable seems attainable. If Nady starts the season on the DL would the Cubs select Colvin over Sam Fuld for the roster spot? Fuld has had a crappy spring with the bat but he has speed, more experience than Colvin and is very good defensively in any outfield spot. My guess is Tyler starts in Iowa so he can play everyday, but that could also leave the Cubs only a Soriano leg tweak away from Colvin potentially starting at Wrigley this season.

On March 11, 2010 Boys of Spring had the first Cubs spring photos on the net (Colvin tossing football among them) and told you of Tyler’s added muscle and weight before the Chicago media ever reached AZ .

I found out today some of my photo collection was used by ESPN.com Senior Writer Jim Caple for an article about Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field. That’s great, I like seeing my name as part of an ESPN article…that is…until I read further and saw him trashing the Cubs in the same article. I’m sure he probably got my photos from “Play Ball, The Cactus League Experience” exhibit and doesn’t know of my Cubs relationship.

Here’s a Caple statement from the article: “There are 14 other teams in Arizona — including a Chicago team that has won the World Series in the past five years, let alone the past century — and fans will be only too happy to go see them instead if the Cubs move. I say let the Cubs leave.” Caple goes on to call the Cubs “pigheaded and greedy”. Hey, I don’t mind if someone wants to use my photos for an article but at least you could ask first if you’re going to talk crap about the Cubs.

Someone brought to my attention another Cubs blog website having a “sponsored post”, paid for by an advertiser to promote the advertisers product. This is a new way to generate revenue for a website and brings to attention the Cubs touchy issues with new advertising at Wrigley Field. In spite of financial offers I’ve been very deliberate not to bring in advertising and pop-up ads to the Boys of Spring website, I like our simple and uncluttered design look. I’m going to make a promise right now that you will “never see these type of obtrusive ads on BOS” as long as I own and run this website. Yes, we have a StoreFront page and that is where we will show and sell any products that we offer in the future. Outside advertisers cluttering up BOS with ads is not going to happen.

The last of the Cubs trips to play a spring game in Tucson happens today as the Cubs make the trek to take on the AZ Diamondbacks. It’s the end of an era after 64 consecutive years of at least one team training in Tucson. Check out my March 15th post about Hi Corbett Field with some photos I took in 1991 (example at left) before they renovated. Hard to believe we will have 15 Cactus League teams all training in the Phoenix metro area come next spring. Besides Tucson, Cactus League teams have trained over the years in places like Yuma, Palm Springs, Apache Junction and Casa Grande.

Expect the Cubs to make some roster moves on Friday.