deluca
Chris De Luca biography
National Baseball Columnist Chris De Luca began covering major-league baseball in 1986 and was a beat writer covering the San Diego Padres from 1988 to …
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Last call for a hallowed Hall with Sosa, Bonds, Clemens on deck
On the Sunday night of induction weekend, all of the Hall of Fame players gather for a private dinner. No wives. No family. No friends. Just Hall of Famers — because these guys love the exclusivity of their club. They gather in a ballroom at …Read More
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Ron Santo remembered on eve of Hall of Fame induction
CHRIS DE LUCA: So many old Cubs converged on Cooperstown this weekend to honor Santo as he gets inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Wife Vicki will give the acceptance speech, son Jeff Santo confirmed. It’s an emotional time for the old Cubs. They have waited years for Santo’s day to come. And now they wish he could be here to soak it all in.
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Cubs announcer Pat Hughes knows how much Hall meant to Ron Santo
CHRIS DE LUCA: Pat Hughes took his seat in the home radio booth Thursday at Wrigley Field and gave serious consideration to the question about Ron Santo. No one outside of his family was closer to Santo during the last decade of his life than Hughes. If anyone truly knew how Santo felt about being consistently passed over for the Hall of Fame, it was Ronnie’s radio partner for nearly 15 years.
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Ron Santo Hall of Fame honor overdue
CHRIS DE LUCA: Sitting with Ron Santo in his broadcast booth at HoHoKam Park before a Cubs spring training game a few years ago, swapping stories about mutual friend and ageless fan Sara Davis, the conversation turned to the Hall of Fame.
Hey, Cubs fans, baseball execs aren’t rock stars
ST. LOUIS — Here’s a rainy-day activity while the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals take an extra breather before Game 6 of the World Series. Quick, name the general managers of the teams in the World Series. Could you identify these two men in …Read More
Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer expected to be Cubs’ 1-2 punch
CHRIS DE LUCA: Despite a rash of reports hinting that talks between the Cubs and Boston Red Sox for general manager Theo Epstein were stalling or even crumbling, top-level Cubs sources stressed Wednesday a deal will be completed.
Hiring Theo Epstein won’t guarantee Cubs will end Series drought
Shortly before he officially took control of the Cubs in 2009, chairman Tom Ricketts issued a warning to giddy fans who believed one of their own would splurge to end the longest title drought in baseball by repeating the same phrase: ‘‘There is no silver bullet to winning a World Series.’’
Steroid Era backlash gives hope to holdover Hall of Fame candidates
CHRIS DE LUCA: From an odd ode to the 3,000-hit club to a reminder of the exclusive fraternity that is the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the induction ceremony Sunday was more a celebration of baseball than a fete for Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven and Pat Gillick.
Lincecum bests Lee to give Giants first title in 56 years
Chris De Luca: Bruce Bochy's crew of misfits and castoffs brought to San Francisco something Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Bobby Bonds or Barry Bonds couldn't do. They even wiped away the ill feelings of Dusty Baker's Giants being five outs from winning it all in 2002. This group of rookies and trash-heap veterans won the 106th World Series.
Giants up 3-1, credit Cubs with wake-up call
Chris De Luca: If you want to find where the San Francisco Giants insist their 2010 season changed for good, you have to go all the way back to Chicago. Hard to imagine, but Wrigley Field actually played a part in the World Series. And you thought the 2003 Florida Marlins were the only team to use Wrigley as a springboard to the Series.
Rangers take a Giant step
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There's the offensive imbalance we've been expecting for the 106th World Series. The Texas Rangers flexed their famous muscles, and the San Francisco Giants seemed to be on a mission to strand runners in key situations just like they did throughout the …
Marlins had their chance to get Ozzie Guillen
Sun-Times exclusive: As Ozzie Guillen stepped to the Fox TV platform nestled between the giant Coca-Cola bottle and old-time mitt in left-center field at AT&T; Park on Thursday, he enjoyed the same kind of rock-star treatment in the Bay Area that he often gets on the South Side.
Giants' fans believin' with Uribe providing needed clout
SAN FRANCISCO -- With fans decked out in black ''Don't Stop Believin''' sweatshirts and an October revival of Journey's song, it was worth a double-check of the GPS on Wednesday. Juan Uribe was here, so was Aaron Rowand, and there was an Ozzie Guillen sighting. …
World Series breakdown
STARTING PITCHING The Giants got here based on strong pitching, especially from Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA), Matt Cain (13-11, 3.14), Jonathan Sanchez (13-9, 3.07) and Madison Bumgarner (7-6, 3.00). The Rangers' top four of Cliff Lee (12-9, 3.18), C.J. Wilson (15-8, 3.35), Colby Lewis …
Giants' Bochy was Hendry's guy had Lou fallen through
SAN FRANCISCO -- Bruce Bochy came thisclose to spending the last four years as the Cubs' manager -- even if he never did get a formal interview during the courtship of Lou Piniella. Despite wild speculation -- and over-the-top Cubbie love -- Joe Girardi was …
Best candidate for the job: Sandberg
Each time his phone rings these days, Ryne Sandberg must wonder if THIS will be the call. He has been through this process before, waiting for three tries to get a call from Cooperstown, the one that finally came in 2005. This time, the anticipation …
