Two weeks from today Chicago Cubs pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park here in Mesa. That’s all, just 14 days and we start a new year of Cubs baseball. The WGN radio broadcast schedule for this spring is posted below, the first broadcast will be the Cubs spring opener on February 27, vs the Oakland Athletics. In practical terms this means the decision on who will follow Ron Santo in the seat next to Pat Hughes on WGN will come soon. Apparently the choice is down to Chicago native Dave Otto who filled in for Ron on many occasions and former Cubs third baseman Keith (Zonk) Moreland. Moreland is currently color analyst for radio broadcasts of Texas Longhorn football and baseball as well as having filled in as color analyst for WGN-TV and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
Taking the unofficial temperature on the prospective color guy subject out in the Cubs blogosphere, Moreland appears to be the favorite choice of Cubs fans between the two candidates. Of course Moreland being a big part of the 1984 Cubs team gives him a clear sentimental edge. Having participated in my first Cubs spring training in 1984 as the part-time PA Announcer I have a strong allegiance to that ballclub, so I’m probably biased towards Zonk. The fact is neither Moreland or Otto can replace what Ron Santo was for us fans but I think Moreland’s place in Cubdom gives him an edge. Not to take anything away from Otto but when I interviewed Moreland last spring he was a wealth-spring of interesting stories and anecdotes. Any new Cubs color man likely will only get better once teamed with the outstanding skills of play-by-play man Pat Hughes, but from a historical and sentimental perspective I’m hoping its Zonk.
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| Zonk yesterday at Hohokam |
Moreland was here in Mesa this past week for the Randy Hundley Cubs fantasy camp and was having a great time yesterday playing in the week ending big game that pits the ex-Cubs against the campers.
If you plan to make the pilgrimage to Arizona for Cubs spring training, be sure to check out our ‘Game FAQ’s’ and ‘Tips’ sections on the BOS website for valuable info. There are also many fun and amazing things to do here in AZ and the Valley of the Sun when you’re not at a Cubs game, so check out our ‘AZ Fun’ page for info and links on cool and memorable places to visit. Throughout this spring I will be showcasing some of these fun excursions to help you get a better feel for what you may like to do while you’re here.
2011 WGN Radio Cubs Spring Training broadcast schedule
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Date
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Pregame
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First Pitch
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Sun Feb 27
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vs. Oakland in Mesa
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1:30
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2:05
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Mon Feb 28
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vs. Milwaukee in Mesa
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1:30
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2:05
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Sat Mar 5
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vs. San Diego in Mesa
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1:30
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2:05
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Sun Mar 6
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vs. L.A. Dodgers (SS) in Mesa
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1:30
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2:05
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Sat Mar 12
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vs. Cincinnati in Mesa
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1:30
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2:05
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Sat Mar 19
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vs. San Diego in Peoria
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2:30
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3:05
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Sun Mar 20
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vs. San Francisco in Mesa
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2:30
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3:05
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Mon Mar 21
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vs. Cincinnati in Goodyear
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2:30
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3:05
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Sat Mar 26
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vs. Texas in Surprise
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2:30
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3:05
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Sun Mar 27
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vs. Colorado in Mesa
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2:30
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3:05
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Tue Mar 29
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vs. Arizona in Mesa
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2:30
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3:05
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All Times are Central Standard
KEITH MORELAND WAS A CUB FAVORITE BUT WAS TERRIBLE AS A CUB ANALYST. HE IS VERY BORING. LETS GET SOMEONE WHO IS ENJOYABLE TO LISTEN TO AND SPEAKS WELL. PAT HUGHES IS SO GOOD LETS GET OUR BROADCAST TO TOP SPEED. I WAS NOT A RON SANTO FAN LISTENING TO HIM IT WAS AWFUL YOU COULD NOT FOLLOW THE GAME AT ALL