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And Now For Something Completely Different

Today is a day off for the Cubs. Much as many of us would like to see player or management moves made today, I suspect we'll wake tomorrow to the same sad cast and crew.

So today, I wanted to present to you something positive, something that will, I hope, remind all of us why we are Cubs and baseball fans, and in so doing, do something for some people who really need help.

My daughter Rachel has a good friend who is a HUGE Cubs fan. Her name is Jenna and she is 12 years old, and a year from now, she will be Bat Mitzvah. As part of preparation for that, she has created what is called a "Mitzvah Project". For those of you who aren't Jewish, this is basically doing good deeds in the community, for those less fortunate than you are.

And, as you might guess from a kid who's a baseball fan, it's baseball-related. Here, in Jenna's own words, is her project:

I have been collecting autographed baseballs since Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa signed balls for me back in 1998. Before the home games, I wait outside Wrigley Field or inside during batting practice and ask the players to sign my baseballs. It takes a lot of time, but usually the players are nice enough to give me their autographs.

Since my Bat Mitzvah is coming up next August, it was time to choose a mitzvah project. I decided to find projects that involved my love of baseball. This summer I volunteered for Keshet's Buddy Baseball Program. Keshet provides educational and recreational programs for children with special needs like autism. I enjoyed this because I could help kids with special needs enjoy baseball by helping them hit the ball or run the bases.

I also decided that I wanted to raise money for some of my favorite charities. I created the Jenna Shaw Bat Mitzvah Mitzvah Project. I have decided to have an auction and auction off my favorite autographed baseballs on eBay. I am excited because the Cubs and their sponsor Walter E. Smithe chose my mitzvah project to be part of their "Best Seats in the House" Contest. They have given me their 2 seats right behind home plate for this season's Sunday September 17th game against the Reds to use in my auction. The highest bidder gets to not only sit behind home plate, but also pose for pictures on the field and have their name on the scoreboard. Although the Cubs are not having their best year, it still is a great thing to do!

Money raised from my auction will go to 3 charities. The first charity is Cubs Care. They help underprivileged kids play baseball by sponsoring programs throughout the city. The second charity I want to give money to is ADHD research. I have ADHD and it makes it hard to learn. I would like to help others with this. The third charity I want to give money to is Keshet's Baseball Program. From spending time with these kids this summer, I was so touched by how much the baseball games meant to them and their parents.

The auction will begin on September 5, 2006 and will run for 7 days on eBay, ending at midnight on September 12th. I hope you will check out the site and bid on these items. Thank you so much for helping make this auction a grand slam.

This auction is not yet posted. I have been assured by Jenna's parents (who are posting the items) that it will be up in the next day or so. To find the auction items click here, on eBay's "Items by Seller" link, and enter "mitzvahproject" (no quotes) as the seller's User ID.

Check it out. You might find something you'd like to have for your personal collection, and if you do bid and win, know that you are contributing to what I think is a very worthy cause.

UPDATE [2006-9-1 15:59:11 by Al]: I accidentally misspelled the eBay user name above. It is "mitzvahproject". Items will be posted soon.

0 recs | Comment 51 comments

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I love it.
Glad to see kids doing good things. Too often they are recognized for the bad things they do. It's nice to see some recognition for the good things. Nice post Al.

by BadGuy on Aug 31, 2006 9:37 AM CDT   0 recs

wow
what a mature young woman, good for her.

by mike bornemann on Aug 31, 2006 10:07 AM CDT   0 recs

'bout time
That is the first good news I have read on this site in months.  Well that and Neifi is no longer a Cub.
"The only way to prove that you're a good sport is to lose." - Ernie Banks

by madog93 on Aug 31, 2006 10:11 AM CDT   0 recs

Nice job
Yes we sort of lose sight what really is important somedays.

Good to see at such a young age.

Throw out your Gold Teeth and see how they Roll

by Johnny Callison was a Cub on Aug 31, 2006 10:29 AM CDT   0 recs

Wow
That's incredible Jenna, way to go!  I'm linking this article on my site as well.  Good luck!
Check out my Cubs Minor League System website: Top Cubs Prospects

by jonpyardi on Aug 31, 2006 10:34 AM CDT   0 recs

This just is
The copy of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" (out of about 4 copies) that was stolen a few years ago from the Munch musem in Oslo (as well as Munch's "the Madonna") were recovered today. Ironic that Al would use "the Scream" only a few days ago, but it was appropriate as we Cub fans remain mired in existential crisis.

by Thelonious on Aug 31, 2006 11:41 AM CDT   0 recs

Thanks for this...
.... here is a news article about the recovery.

Maybe this is a good omen for the Cubs, too.

by Al on Aug 31, 2006 11:47 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You can also accurately reflect the current...
state of Cub fandom with this or this with the garden representing 2003, and the angel representing Hendry.

by Thelonious on Aug 31, 2006 12:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I hope
Jenna raises lots of money for her charities. Reading this made my day.  So nice to read something positive for a change.
Football season is here. GO HAWKEYES!!!!!!

by sue369 on Aug 31, 2006 11:53 AM CDT   0 recs

Wow
The tigers have Neifi batting sixth in today's game against the yankees. I guess it is because against johnson, Neifi is batting on his "power" side.

by Thelonious on Aug 31, 2006 12:37 PM CDT   0 recs

And...
... I-Rod is leading off. When was the last time he did THAT?

by Al on Aug 31, 2006 12:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The...
last time he was off the "juice".....
he hath no fury like a cubs fan scorned

by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 3:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Which reminds me
Neifi's quest to save the Tigers: .172/.226/.172/.398   5-29, 1 Run, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K

Go Neifi Go!

by VS on Aug 31, 2006 12:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Will Carroll was on WGN 720 recently
and really slammed the Org.  A cliff-notes version of what he said, thanks to a poster on NSBB.

  • He was calling for wholesale change from Team president to manager.
  • He was saying that the orginzational philosphy for pitchers has to be changed because so many young pitchers get hurt in the Cubs system and he says that doesn't seem to happen to other clubs.
  • He brought up Dusty's "clogging the bases" quotes about OBP. Rightfully slamming it as ridiculous.
  • He ranted about Jaque Jones not being able to hit the cut off man or throw decently. At this point Waddle did pipe up and start saying that Jones has put up some offensive numbers. But Kaplan seemed to discount this because Jones not hitting the cut off man isn't playing "winning baseball".
  • He asked why Ronny Cedeno isn't playing 2nd base every day. Kaplan said that when they traded for Isturis that everyone in the cubs management team told him that Cedeno was going to be their 2nd baseman next year. So when Isturis goes down, instead of keeping Ronny at 2nd to learn the position during meaningless games they move him back to short because "it wouldn't be fair to the pitchers".
  • He lamented Dusty continuely running out Neifi to play while he was hear instead of young guys like Theriot. In fact he went through each of Theriot's call ups and how many at bats he got during each.
  • He said the worst thing for the Cubs was not that Cub fans were picking up the phones and ranting angrily on their radio show every night. It was that most Cub fans had become apathetic about the team which was much worse.
  • The overall point he articulated was that the Cubs didn't seem to have any orginzation wide plan and that they had to get a management team in here with a plan or nothing will change.

by VS on Aug 31, 2006 1:02 PM CDT   0 recs

Hopefully Hendry was listening to that
Not that that isn't stuff all of us have already been saying, but it carries some added weight when said over the radio by a baseball mind with clout like Carroll.

by Thelonious on Aug 31, 2006 1:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Am I the only one...?
Am I the only one who finds Jacques Jones' numbers less than adequate for RF?  It seems like Cubs management and the die hards are falling into the "tallest man in XiaXing, China" trap here:

..."but he's only 5'5" tall.  I don't think he'd make a good Center for our basketball team in Jersey."

"What are you talking about?!?!  He's the tallest man in the whole city of XiaXing!!!!"

Maybe it's just me, but I really find his numbers sub-par, especially for RF and ESPECIALLY for a player who is guaranteed two more years of the job while entering his mid-thirties.  ~.280/26/72-ish numbers with sometimes cripplingly bad throws and baserunning just doesn't seem like "problem solved" to me.

Just the fact that someone looks at those numbers and says it's decent output speaks VOLUMES about the Cubs offense in recent years.  Jacques Jones may be one of the taller men in XiaXing, but he still can't play Center for my basketball team.

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" -- Bender Bending Rodriguez

"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."

by The Jade Scorpion on Sep 1, 2006 7:51 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

RC/25
For those who care for such stats (and it is only one stat), Jones comes in slightly below average compared to other right fielders when using the RC/25 stat.  

Too lazy to look up/compare other stats.

by gravedigger on Sep 1, 2006 9:18 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey, good for Jenna!
Thanks for letting us know about the auction, Al, I'll be checking over there to see if I want to bid on something. Please keep us posted as to how she does with the Miztvah Project.

So Will Carroll thinks we should be more vocal with our displeasure? Hmmm. Anyone know the snail mail address for the Cubs? Should we write to the Trib instead? I'm willing to spend the time to send a letter.

by helen on Aug 31, 2006 1:23 PM CDT   0 recs

As I've said before....
... you can try email...

firstinitialllastname (at) cubs (dot) com

Remember, it's MACPHAIL

Or, the snailmail address is:

Wrigley Field
1060 W. Addison
Chicago, IL 60613

by Al on Aug 31, 2006 1:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought....
you said the Cubs management did not listen to the fans???;)
he hath no fury like a cubs fan scorned

by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 3:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Actually.....
you did.

"Bitching has done absolutely nothing. As I said in my post yesterday, you can yell as loud as you want, but management is going to do as it pleases."

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2006/7/25/51247/1762

he hath no fury like a cubs fan scorned

by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 3:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you did say that Al
I'm just sayin'
"The only way to prove that you're a good sport is to lose." - Ernie Banks

by madog93 on Aug 31, 2006 3:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well then...
... HAS bitching done anything?

Now, maybe constructive criticism CAN do something. I've tried to do that, and will continue to.

by Al on Aug 31, 2006 4:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Constructive criticism and bitching....
the differences are in the eye of the beholder.  I am not trying to be a smartass.  I just found it odd that you changed your stance on this.  Do you really find any difference between booing and writing a letter asking for change.  IMHO, I think the booing is more impactful.
he hath no fury like a cubs fan scorned

by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 4:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You may very well be right about that...
... and yes, I have booed when booing was called for. And will continue to do so.

by Al on Aug 31, 2006 4:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't know her
but I admire her. She gives me faith that there is a little bit left to the human condition.

Thank you Jenna, and may you always be held in good graces.

"I respect the mind's power over the body, it's why I do what I do" - Dr. Jonathan Crane

by Faith plus 1 on Aug 31, 2006 2:02 PM CDT   0 recs

AL......
...Are you the thief?
...from a pile of lead paint chips emerged a Cubs fan:(

by santo for prez on Aug 31, 2006 2:36 PM CDT   0 recs

Any and all...
...pressure we can put on at this point could lead to Macphail walking the plank of his yacht and Hendry eating himself into a Krispy Kreme induced coma. :) but seriously a good ass kicking always seems to do better than a 5 minute timeout.
cubsfan4life

by cubfan4life on Aug 31, 2006 4:27 PM CDT   0 recs

Not worthy of it's own thread
but man, Tigers fans are already fed up with Neifi.  Some quotes from Tigers forums.

To all Tiger fans going to this weekend's games against the Angels:

Show Dombrowski and Leyland how unhappy you are with Neifi Perez by booing him everytime he steps on the field. This was one of the worst trades in team history, worse than any deal Randy Smith ever made including Phil Nevin for Nick Skuse. Perez is killing this team, and the powers that be need to be taken to the woodshed over this one.


Leyland's love affair with Neifi Perez needs to be broken up. Perez s.uc.ks, what does Omar Infante need to do to prove that he should be our starting 2nd baseman until polanco returns. He was worked his A$$ off filling in for Polanco all year and he had 2 hits today with a HR off Johnson in yankee stadium. He can hit, perez cannot.

neffi perez is terrible! at least 2 of the 1st 4 runs the yanks scored today would not have been scored with a decent shortstop. the a-rod bloop would have been caught by carlos g if he was at short. perez also cut off thames' throw to 2nd on the abreau (i think it was abreau) double that would have gotten the runner if it wasn't cut off. perez has been bad at 2nd base as well. his range seems limited, and he bobbles balls all the time. he doesn't look like a gold glover (or even a wooden glover for that matter). he has no bat. why does leyland pigheadedly continue to force him into the lineup

Well you gotta hand it to him, he manages to bring together the entire fanbase of the teams he plays for...in an effort to get rid of him.

by VS on Aug 31, 2006 5:31 PM CDT   0 recs

Better
them than us.
Football season is here. GO HAWKEYES!!!!!!

by sue369 on Aug 31, 2006 5:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Rotoworld
This is hilarious:

Infante played second with Neifi Perez at shortstop today. Perez went 0-for-3, leaving him with a .156 average, no extra-base hits, one run scored and one RBI in 32 at-bats over nine games for the Tigers. Infante, meanwhile, finishes August with a .400 average in 35 at-bats. Of course, he doesn't have Neifi's ability to charge balls from second base, make the barehanded play and then miss getting the runner at first base by just a step or two.

by VS on Aug 31, 2006 5:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey Al -
what's with the Comcast ads in the posts/diaries?  

by gravedigger on Aug 31, 2006 6:48 PM CDT   0 recs

If I recall correctly
Al has no control over the advertisements on this site, just SBGlobal.  However, this is where Firefox and the AdBlock extension come in handy!
Go Nebraska Football! Beat USC!

by sanantonecub on Aug 31, 2006 7:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You are correct.
In fact, I was surprised to see the new ad. Only after I saw it, did I see an email from the SB Nation folks telling us about "new ads on certain sites". We were told it's "part of our
general campaign to increase revenue".

by Al on Aug 31, 2006 7:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ah
That makes sense.  I knew you had no control over the ads, but I thought you might have asked.  I hope they come to know that the ads in the middle of the posts may generate some extra funds, but they sure do look tacky.

by gravedigger on Aug 31, 2006 8:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Nevin to the Twins?
Anyone else see this yet?

by LT on Aug 31, 2006 9:04 PM CDT   0 recs

Yes
I just saw that. Whats going on with Mabry???

by FLCubsFan on Aug 31, 2006 9:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Phil has GOT to be happy ... because
He's yet another Cub gets to be taken off the leaky lifeboat and is hauled into the relatively safe harbour of a contender.

It's like the guy just won the Superball drawing!

Good luck, Phil!

"The good news is, the Cubs have reached rock bottom. The bad news is, they've started to dig." Bob V., May 2006, WGN Baseball Blog ...

by Littlerock Rynofan on Aug 31, 2006 10:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Good luck
to Phil. I wish I could be traded to winning team. :(
Football season is here. GO HAWKEYES!!!!!!

by sue369 on Sep 1, 2006 7:04 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That's how...
I should've been when I was 12.  I wasn't involved in anything.  If she has a Z one, I will definitely bid.  I don't have any autographs, so I can try to start one with this.

I'm very impressed. I'm so impressed I'd even bid on a Neifi one.

Cubbie Blue will always sPaRkLe in my eyes, but please stop losing. PLEASE!

by sparkles721 on Aug 31, 2006 10:40 PM CDT   0 recs

Im Glad
Hendry is so keen on paying contenders to take our veterans in reward for a season "well played"..
Peter S. Escape from New york

by HerrProf on Sep 1, 2006 7:57 AM CDT   0 recs

Nevin traded
How long until we retire his number and run it up on one of the foul pole flags right beside numbers 14 and 23?

by danimal15 on Sep 1, 2006 9:04 AM CDT   0 recs

Larry Bowa
 Heard on the score he is in the mix for the managers job. They did not say where it came from but I assume this mornings paper. The one thing about Bowa, he is definitely the anti-Dusty.

by jimhickman on Sep 1, 2006 9:11 AM CDT   0 recs

Oh lord, no
This is the LAST kind of guy the Cubs need -- sort of a poor man's Piniella.

by Al on Sep 1, 2006 10:01 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bowa
I've always liked Bowa as a player, but don't know if he has what it takes to be a manager. He seems to antagonize his players, and soon they all hate him and don't want to win for him.

by danimal15 on Sep 1, 2006 11:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

On a side note
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060830/ap_on_fe_st/nepal_shortest_boy

"Khagendra Thapa Magar, 14, is only 20 inches tall and weighs 10 pounds."

Jim, where are your scouts? Shouldn't they be covering something this big?

"According to Min Bahadur Thapa, president of the Khagendra Thapa Magar Foundation, they are expecting to receive a reply from London-based Guinness World Records in the next few days."

..and the Chicago Cubs to offer him a huge contract to play SS in lieu of Ronny Cedeno.

"I respect the mind's power over the body, it's why I do what I do" - Dr. Jonathan Crane

by Faith plus 1 on Sep 1, 2006 9:45 AM CDT   0 recs

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