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2007 Chicago Cubs Season
The 2007 Chicago Cubs season was the 136th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 132nd in the National League and the 92nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, trying to rebound after a season in which they finished last in their division for the first time since 2000, finished first in the National League Central with a record of 85–77. They were swept three games to none by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2007 National League Division Series. Offseason In an attempt to rebuild the team, the Cubs were very aggressive in the free-agent market, signing a number of players with the goal of overtaking the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in a competitive NL Central to win the World Series for the first time since 1908. The first change was the signing of a new manager. On October 17, 2006, Lou Piniella signed a three-year deal with an option for a fourth season to manage the Cubs — the 50th manager in team history after Dusty Baker was not offered an extension of his contract foll ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National League Central
The National League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the National League West (the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros) and three teams from the National League East (the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals). When the division was created in 1994, the Pirates were originally supposed to stay in the East while the Atlanta Braves were to be moved to the Central from the West. However, the Braves, wanting to form a natural rivalry with the expansion Florida Marlins, requested to remain in the East. Despite the Marlins offering to go to the Central, the Pirates instead gave up their spot in the East to the Braves. Since then, the Pirates have tried several times unsuccessfully to be placed back in the East. In 1998, the NL Central became the largest division in Major League Baseball when the Milwaukee Brewers were moved in from the American League Central. In 2013, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2007 Arizona Diamondbacks Season
The Arizona Diamondbacks' 2007 season started with the Diamondbacks attempting to win the NL West Division. The Arizona Diamondbacks' biggest move in the offseason was when, on January 9, 2007, they got their 2001 World Series co-MVP back, pitcher Randy Johnson after making a blockbuster deal with the New York Yankees, sending to New York relief pitcher Luis Vizcaíno and three other prospects. However, Johnson suffered from injuries and underwent season-ending surgery in early August. Despite Johnson's absence and the fact they had fewer runs scored (712) than runs allowed (732), the Diamondbacks had the best record in the National League (90-72), notching their first National League West title since 2002 and their first winning record since 2003. Regular season League standings National League West Record vs. opponents Roster Game log , - style="background-color:#bbffbb" , 1 , , April 2 , , @ Rockies , , 8 - 6 , , Cruz (1-0) , , Hawkins (0-1) , , Valverde (1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis (; born August 21, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins, and Cincinnati Reds. He also is notable for playing for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, serving as the team's ace. As a 12-year-old, Marquis pitched his team to third place in the Little League World Series with a no-hitter. He is one of only a few ballplayers to have played in both a Little League World Series and a Major League World Series. He also pitched his high school team to consecutive New York City baseball championships. Marquis was drafted in the first round out of high school by the world champion Atlanta Braves, and reached the majors as a 21-year-old in 2000. As a major leaguer, Marquis won 11 or more games for six straight years through 2009, and also started 28 o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ted Lilly
Theodore Roosevelt Lilly III (born January 4, 1976) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Lilly attended Yosemite High School in Oakhurst, California, and Fresno City College. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers. Professional career Minor leagues Lilly was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 23rd round of the 1996 MLB draft. After two seasons in the Dodgers farm system, he was traded (along with Peter Bergeron, Wilton Guerrero and Jonathan Tucker) to the Montreal Expos for Hiram Bocachica, Mark Grudzielanek and Carlos Pérez. Montreal Expos Lilly made his MLB debut for the Expos on May 14, 1999, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitching one inning in relief. He made his first MLB start on September 19 against the Atlanta Braves. He pitched in nine games for the Expos, with three starts. New York Yankees Lilly was traded to the New ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josh Hamilton
Joshua Holt Hamilton (born May 21, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from to , most prominently as a member of the Texas Rangers teams that won two consecutive American League pennants in 2010 and 2011. A five-time All-Star player, Hamilton won three Silver Slugger Awards and was named the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2010. He also won an AL batting championship along with an AL RBI title. During his major league tenure, he also played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Hamilton was the first overall pick in the 1999 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries sustained in a 2001 car accident and a drug addiction derailed his career beginning in 2001. Prior to the 2007 season, Hamilton was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the Rule 5 draft, but was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. Prior to the 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976) is a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs, and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Soriano began his professional career with Hiroshima in 1996, but signed with the Yankees as a free agent in 1998 and was assigned to play in minor league baseball. The next year, he was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the All-Star Futures Game, and made his MLB debut for the Yankees, with whom he would win two American League championships. The Yankees traded Soriano to the Rangers after the 2003 season, and the Rangers traded Soriano to the Nationals after the 2005 season. He signed a contract as a free agent with the Cubs before the 2007 season. The Cubs traded Soriano to the Yankees in 2013, and the Yankees released him in 2014. Soriano was a seven-time MLB All-St ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carlos Vásquez (baseball)
Carlos Augusto Vásquez (born December 6, 1982 in Sucre, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. Career Vásquez was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Cubs on February 21, 2000. Vásquez missed the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on November 2, 2000. In , Vásquez spent the season with the Single-A Boise Hawks. His 15 starts led the Northwest League, complemented by a 4.26 ERA and a 5-6 record. In , Vásquez played for the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts. He made 23 starts in 24 games and had a 10-13 record despite a good ERA of 3.74. Injuries in , while playing for the Single-A Daytona Cubs, held him to only 16 starts in which he went 6-5 with a 3.87 ERA. On April 4, 2005, he was suspended for 15 games for violating the league's joint drug prevention and treatment program. Regardless, he did not play at all in 2005, following surgery on his left shoulder. In , Vásquez became a full-time relief pitcher. Splitting the se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Aardsma
David Allan Aardsma (; born December 27, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, currently serving in the Toronto Blue Jays front office as a coordinator of player development. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves. Amateur career Aardsma was born in Denver, Colorado, and attended Cherry Creek High School in Colorado, graduating in 2000. He subsequently attended Pennsylvania State University in his first year of college. He transferred to Rice University in 2001, where he remained for the rest of his college tenure. Playing for the Rice Owls baseball team, Aardsma set school single-season and career records in saves in 2003. In the 2003 College World Series, he earned two wins and a save as the Owls won their first national championship. In 2002, while playing collegiate summer baseball for the Falmouth Commo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neal Cotts
Neal James Cotts (born March 25, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Minnesota Twins. College career Cotts attended Illinois State University where he won first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and was named to the ABCA All-Midwest Region team. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics 69th overall in the 2nd round of the 2001 draft, becoming the second highest player drafted in the history of Illinois State. Cotts finished his collegiate career ranked fifth all-time in school history in strikeouts with 263 in just three seasons with the Redbirds. Professional career Minors Cotts spent the 2002 season at Single-A Modesto of the California League, winning 12 games in 28 starts. During the off-season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in a six-player deal involving relief pitchers Billy Koch and Keith Foulke. Cotts b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1871, as the Boston Red Stockings. After various name changes, the team eventually began operating as the Boston Braves in 1912, which lasted for most of the first half of the 20th century. Then, in 1953, the team moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and became the Milwaukee Braves, followed by their move to Atlanta in 1966. The name "Braves" originates from a term for a Native American warrior. They are nicknamed "the Bravos", and often referred to as " America's Team" in reference to the team's games being broadcast nationally on TBS from the 1970s until 2007, giving the team a nationwide fan base. The Braves and the Chicago Cubs are the National League's two remaining charter franchises. The team states it is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Rangers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. In 2020, the Rangers moved to the new Globe Life Field in Arlington after having played at Globe Life Park (now Choctaw Stadium) from 1994 to 2019. The team's name is shared with a law enforcement agency. The franchise was established in 1961, as the Washington Senators, an expansion team awarded to Washington, D.C., after the city's first AL ballclub, the second Washington Senators, moved to Minnesota and became the Twins (the original Washington Senators played primarily in the National League during the 1890s). After the season, the new Senators moved to Arlington, and debuted as the Rangers the following spring. The Rangers have made eight appearances in the MLB postseason, seven following division championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa (born February 26, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2013. He played for the Atlanta Braves (1998–2004), Texas Rangers (2005–2006), Chicago Cubs (2007–2008), Cleveland Indians (2009), St. Louis Cardinals (2009), San Francisco Giants (2010–2011), Washington Nationals (2012), and Toronto Blue Jays (2013). DeRosa primarily played third base and second base, but he started at every position other than center field, pitcher, and catcher. He currently works for MLB Network as a studio analyst. A Carlstadt, New Jersey, native, DeRosa attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he led the football team to consecutive Ivy League championships as their quarterback in 1994 and 1995. He also played baseball for the Quakers, and he chose to sign when the Braves selected him in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 1996 MLB draft. Originally a shortstop, DeRosa debuted with the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
