She covered the New York Yankees in 2010, and is working the sidelines for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Marakovits played volleyball at La Salle, where she graduated in 2005. Pictures via her Facebook Fan Page

Marakovits got a little more national pub lately on CSN Philly’s Eagles Post Game Live where she interviewed “Angry Greg Ryan” an ornery and funny self-deprecating Philadelphia Eagles fan

And here she is with Fabio

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio shows all across the world. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

After a crazy Cubs week, full of news and groundbreaking signings like those of Trever Miller and Matt Tolbert combined with another eye-opening list of prospects from BA that no one has ever thought of before, it is hard just to catch one’s breath.

Can you sense the sarcasm? Good, because I am laying it on pretty thick.

And as I am typing this, word breaks across the wire that the Cubs landed themselves and 18-year-old Cuban prodigy. I am pretty sure that I had something to with that by typing the opening paragraph at the precise time I did. You are welcome.

And I digress, it has been rather quiet so new prospect lists are a good way to create conversation and discussion and debate. Who is the Cubs best prospect? I have no idea. That is as honest as I can be.

So, let’s shake it up with some ramblings on a Friday. And I sure hope this can create some good banter to get the Super weekend started.

• Welcome to the Chicago Cubs organizations, Gerardo Concepcion!

• Madonna is the halftime entertainment at the Super Bowl. I prefer Madonna as the entertainment in the thrilling legal feature “Body of Evidence.”

• FIFTEEN DAYS!!

• Scotty B. is not having a lot of success this offseason. Outside of Prince, it is just a slew of one-year contracts.

• I am not upset that Scotty B. is not as successful as usual.

• Yeonis, Soler, Yeonis, Soler, Yeonis, Soler, can we please get some action going soon?

• Happy belated to Mr. Cub!

• FIFTEEN DAYS!!

• I think it is clear that I like Tom Ricketts. But I have to keep the love flowing. He is throwing more money into the Dominican, and the Cubs will have the best facility in the country.

• Hard to knock that in any way, shape or form. This man gets it. This whole thing is moving in a new direction, and it is exciting as hell.

• I am really looking forward to seeing Brett Jackson and Anthony Rizzo in spring training. My gut tells me B-Jax is ready, and he is just waiting to prove it.

• Overall though, I am very excited about Matt Szczur the most.

• What Cubs prospect are you most excited about? Please share with the class.

• FIFTEEN DAYS!!

• Baseball America is in love with Baez. That is going out on a limb as far as I’m concerned. Ranking a totally unproven player second in an organization just seems silly.

• Then again, I am sure the good folks at BA really care about my thoughts.

• How much money is Garza going to get?

• I really hope Starlin’s legal troubles are resolved by Spring Training. And if he’s guilty, he should do the time.

• My point being is that I really would hate to have this hover over the entire team. History shows one person’s problems can have a horrible effect on a group.

• Derrick Rose is unbelievably good.

• FIFTEEN DAYS!!

• When the Cubs new facility opens in Mesa, the team will have two unbelievable practice facilities in two different countries. That is just good stuff.

• With the increase in international complexes, I would not be surprised to see teams start building bases near the Pacific Rim. Especially based on the results of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

• For all of you planning on getting to Arizona this spring, that is awesome. Enjoy.

• Also, I am extremely jealous.

• I perused the list of non-roster invitees. If any make the 25-man roster, I would bet on Manny Corpas or Alfredo Amezaga. How about you?

• Again, welcome Gerardo. All the best!

• FIFTEEN DAYS!!

• Enjoy your Super Bowl weekend. Next sports stop: SPRING TRAINING!!

Thanks for riding along.

And until next time …

Stay Classy Cubs Fans!!

Add Barry Moss to the parade of Independent Baseball instructional people moving to the Miami Marlins.

      Although some will know him as one of the scouts debating with Billy Beane (I know, it was Brad Pitt portraying Beane) in the award-winning movie Moneyball, Moss has been putting together Indy teams for the last decade, first in St. Paul, MN and since 2003 for Brockton, MA (Can-Am) and Fort Worth, TX (American Association).

      “I am grateful that Marty Scott opened the door for me to be interviewed” by the Marlins, Moss said from his Burbank, CA home this week.  “I am happy to be back on the field and with the Marlins in their new phase”, said the team’s new organizational hitting coordinator.

This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes year round on Independent Baseball.  Fans may subscribe for 2012 at WirzandAssociates.com, enjoy his blogs, AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com and IndyBaseballChatter.com, or comment to RWirz@aol.com.  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.

Hello again, everybody. It has been a few weeks, but it’s Friday, and I am back. So, let’s get together, and throw out some quick thoughts and observations about our favorite baseball team. There is a lot going on, and at any minute now the Chicago Cubans could really start taking shape.

Nonetheless, news could start breaking any minute so let’s get moving.

• After trolling around the rumors and comments, it seemed there was some hesitation in a Byrd for Prado trade. Um. Am I missing something? Done, done, done, done, done.

• I cannot fathom the Braves executing this trade, but I would hop on it in a heartbeat.

• I think the second-half of the 2011 season will most likely pigeonhole Barney as a career backup. It was just way too reminiscent of Theriot’s multiple August swoons.

• So, the Cubs could really use a second baseman, like, well, Martin Prado.

• Okay, I will leave it alone before he becomes Brian Roberts or Jake Peavy in my obsessive mind.

• Calm and settle, Manny Corpus is not on the 40-man. It was a split contract. It is okay.

• Also, the Cubs have not paid a reliever over $5 million per this offseason, which cannot be said for many teams cruising for a letdown in the next season or two.

• I mean, how much longer can Johnny Paps keep it up?

• I know this has been discussed at some length, but Cespedes’ performance is scary. And not scary good.

• I know Theo says his crew has scouted him for quite some time, but as many have said, Soriano comparisons are immediate.

• I am all good with Soler. Soler is great. The opportunity for nicknames with a guy like Soler is awesome. Soler powers the Cubs. Have Solar in your System totally completes it. Our Soler System does all nine jobs.

• Sorry, I could go on and on. Let’s hear some of your ideas below. This should be fun.

• However, to those who point out this is Thoyer’s last opportunity to spend on prospects due to the new CBA, you may be on to something. If one of the two pans out, then it was totally worth it.

• However, Jorge Soler just rolls of the tongue a bit easier than Yoenis Cespedes, don’t you think?

• Then again, it’s not my money, and if Tom is all good with it, then let’s do it. And it appears Tom is ready to spend. And he didn’t even raise ticket prices.

• Let’s roll out the red carpet for Rodrigo Lopez! Welcome back, young, er, somewhat young, er, just welcome back, captain!

• By not signing Prince Fielder, the Cubs have moved ahead in the infield defense rankings.

• There is also a comment here about not signing Prince Fielder and disappointed Lakeview restaurants, but I am not going there. You can if you would like below. I am classy. We are all classy.

• Three prospects in the top 100. Yea, McLeod has some work to do.

• I am just glad that Jackson and Rizzo are in the top 40. That is a good thing. There are others that really like Rizzo. It is not just our new trifecta.

• Speaking of trifecta, do we go McThoyer? Or McHoystein?

• Or, why don’t you tell me below? Sound good? “Good, great, grand, wonderful. Everybody on the bus!”

• And I will end on thought #23 in honor of Ryno. Let me hear your ideas below. We have a lot to discuss.

I hope your respective Fridays are absolutely fantastic. And until next time …

Stay Classy Cubs Fans!!

Brian McCabe
@BrianMcCabeOG

Anew tv show that I will avoid like the plague called “Baseball Wives” premieres this week. And even though that piece of VH1 crapola is guaranteed to dumb you down, I feel this week deserved a post in that vein.

The Chicago Cubs signed former Oakland Athletics OF David DeJesus yesterday, which means Kimberly DeJesus, Kim DeJesus, previously known as Kim Iliff is now in Chicago. And if she was on that stupid reality show she’d blow all the other baseball wives out of the water.

Observe.

We were quite proud when one of our former contributors, Trenni Kusnierek, went to bigger glory as a MLB Network personality. But taking her place for the niche channel based in New York is Lisa Kearny, a blonde bombshell in her own right.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

On Tuesday, the Detroit Tigers shocked the world by signing free agent and former Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder to a lucrative nine year deal worth $214 million.

As rapper/producer, Kanye West, so eloquently put it, “And if they hate let ‘em hate. And watch the money pile up, the good life.”

It’s not uncommon-place to hear people say the Tigers made a ridiculous move, but here’s why Brewers fans should be happy for the guy who established himself as a franchise great in Milwaukee over the past seven years.

Those Milwaukee fans who thought Fielder should have stayed in Milwaukee for less money are just crazy. Not only did Fielder deserve top-notch free agent money, he earned every single penny of his $214 million dollar contract. Might I remind you of his career stats; .282 batting average, 230 home-runs, 656 runs batted in, .540 slugging percentage, .390 on-base percentage and 996 hits.

In his seven years with the team, Fielder helped create memories that will endure in Milwaukee for a long-time.

Ever since his rookie year in 2006, the guy has smashed balls out of Miller Park, including a franchise record 18 during that season. He followed his solid rookie season with a MLB-best 50 home-runs in the midst of a MVP-caliber season in 2007. Next, he became more of a complete player over the next four years by learning how to draw walks and boost his on-base percentage. Not only was he impressive on the offensive end, he became a mainstay at first-base, almost never missing a game during the long baseball season.

This all culminated with a 2011 season where Prince and MVP Ryan Braun helped lead the Brewers to their first division title in twenty five years. Fielder earned MVP honors at the All-Star game and finished third behind teammate Braun in the MVP voting at the end of the season.

Rumors swirled as no one was really sure where Fielder would end up. Everyone, including the Brewers, knew the guy was going to get paid, but no one was sure whether he would get that desired long-term deal. His agent Scott Boras came through in the clutch with Detroit.

The Tigers 82 year old owner, Mike Ilitch, is obviously all-in with this move because his roster is stacked. It contains power-hitters Maguel Cabrera and Fielder as well as MVP/Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander.

Unlike during most of his tenure in Milwaukee, Fielder can finally feel he has a team built for a World Series run. It’s also nice for Milwaukee that they won’t have to face Fielder with him playing in the American League.

The only thing that could bother Fielder with his new team are the obvious comparisons to his father Cecil Fielder who played the most of his career (1990-96) in Detroit. But, at the same time,  it could be a good thing because Fielder spent a great deal of his childhood in the Motor City.

For those many critics who believe Fielder is a great deal in the short-term, but a huge risk in the long-term are also crazy. Fielder has a great work ethic and has done nothing during his young career that would make you think he won’t continue to get better. He’s also a decent defender, even though he’s given no credit for his consistent play at first base.

I foresee Fielder making many more All-Star games, hitting a ton of home-runs and winning at least one MVP award during his career. I also expect the Tigers to win at least one World Series in the next couple of years.

As a Brewers fan, that’s all the more reasons to root for Fielder, someone who transformed from that really big kid to a beast of a man in the Milwaukee uniform.

Good luck to the Prince in Detroit!

What do you think of Prince Fielder’s deal with the Detroit Tigers? Do you see him having a successful career like I do? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

The Detroit Tigers have agreed t0 terms with 3-time All-Star 1B Prince Fielder on a 9-year, $214 million deal (multiple reports via SportsCenter tweet)

So there you go- the Milwaukee Brewers will officially be Princeless this year. But you knew that already. The signs were obvious. And the Tigers are now the hands-down favorite in both the AL Central and the American League in general. In fact, they’re likely to be #1 in all spring training MLB power rankings now.

We’ll probably have another post on this soon.

At the annual Baseball Writers Association of America awards dinner in New York, the Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Ryan Braun made his first public appearance since ESPN leaked his positive test for a banned substance back in December.

In his speech following the acceptance of the 2011 MVP Award, Braun thankfully didn’t give the award back as ESPN’s Buster Olney suggested earlier in the day, but he did provide some insight on his status through these troubling times.

“I’ve always believed that a person’s character is revealed through the way they deal with those moments of adversity,” said Braun.

Here are the rest of the quotes form the night via Brewers beat writer Tom Haudricourt and his twitter account:

“I’ve chosen in life to view every challenge I’ve ever faced as an opportunity and this will be no different.”

“I’ve always loved and had so much respect for the game of baseball. Everything I’ve done in my career has been done with that reaction in mind.”

“I want to take a moment to thank the players association for supporting me throughout my career and especially for supporting me through last couple months,” added Braun.

Many thought Braun would be booed, but that was not the case at all as he received a healthy applause. The audience also contained many members of the Brewers’ front office, including owner Mark Attanasio and his wife, general manger Doug Melvin and assistant Gord Ash among others.

Unfortunately, baseball fans will have to wait anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to find out the MLB’s ultimate decision on Braun’s positive test for a banned substance.

The arbitration hearing for Braun’s appeal took place this last Thursday and Friday, but there is a 25 day window when the verdict can be decided upon. A 50 game suspension is what looms for the superstar if the appeal is unsuccessful.

With free agent Prince Fielder for sure not returning and a lot of new players in the mix, the Brewers offense may have some trouble out of the gates if Braun is forced to sit the mandatory 50 games.

What did you think of what Ryan Braun had to say? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

Anthony Rizzo

“As the Cubs’ draft went on, we were sitting around in our draft room and we could tell what they were doing. We said ‘hey, they get it, they’re finally getting it’….That got my attention, the attention of a lot of other people in the game.”

Those words, spoken by Theo Epstein at his introductory news conference in Chicago in October of last year, speak volumes about the state of the Cubs’ farm system. Obviously, there is an element of intrigue there, with the Cubs’ drafting of a very strong class last year. They got several big prospects, and they were able to sign a big chunk of them, spending more in bonuses than they had in the previous two drafts combined.

In addition to that intrigue about the quality of the class, there is an understanding that the farm system isn’t exactly brimming with talent that is ready to contribute on the field. The Cubs ended last season as the fourth oldest roster in the National League, and despite jettisoning some serious contracts from their books, they still have guys like Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd on the roster, so there is still an element of entrenched guys with big money owed them blocking the way if a hotshot starts making his way up through the system.

The one thing the Cubs’ system does have in lieu of eye-popping prospects is a tremendous amount of depth. John Sickels of the SB Nation blog Minor League Ball said the Cubs’ system may not have Major League-ready guys right now, but they have a lot of guys with potential, much like the Cleveland Indians farm system. That comparison is an accurate one, and indicates that the team very well could get contributions from these guys sometime in the future, although not in 2012.

With all of that in mind, here is a look under the hood at 10 of the top position players in the Cubs’ system today:

Anthony Rizzo, 1B 

Rizzo was acquired in the trade that sent Andrew Cashner to San Diego, and there is a good reason it took a nice return like Andrew to net a player like this. Rizzo is widely regarded as one of the top prospects in all of baseball, even being named the number one first base prospect in MLB by the league’s website.

He not only is a solid defensive first baseman (a must in an infield with Starlin Castro), but he can also drive the ball with a good amount of power, having belted 25 homers in the minors in 2010. He didn’t impress much with his first foray into the Majors last year, but General Manager Jed Hoyer obviously believed strongly enough in him to bring him along when he came from San Diego to join the Epstein regime. Bryan LaHair will likely start the season at first base for the Cubs, but Rizzo will be ready and waiting should the call arrive for him to join the roster.

Brett Jackson, OF 

Another Cub almost assured of seeing serious playing time with the big club this season, Jackson is a prototypical jack of all trades in the field. He has decent speed, some serious pop in his bat, and he is one of the best defensive outfielders the Cubs have in their system.  The main issue facing Jackson is that he is prone to striking out a lot, whiffing in 64 of his 185 plate appearances for triple-A Iowa last season.

Jackson could theoretically bump into the starting lineup with a good spring training (or if Epstein and Hoyer pull off the impossible and actually ship Soriano elsewhere), but his path will be stymied by Alfonso, Byrd, and the newly acquired David DeJesus. He has 20-20 potential and is very highly thought of (Baseball America has him ranked #1 in the system) in baseball circles.

Matt Szczur, OF 

Named the best athlete and fastest runner in the Cubs’ system by Baseball America, Szczur has a lot of scouts buzzing because of his penchant for stealing bases. He stole 24 bases a season ago in split-time action between single-A Peoria and high-A Daytona, and he was only caught five times. He is also a very solid defender, having only committed three errors in 241 chances last year.

Szczur’s most underrated ability is probably his plate discipline. It did slip a little bit in Daytona, but overall for the year, he only struck out 48 times in 480 plate appearances, and that excellent eye at the dish could lead to a future spot as a lead-off hitter for this club.

He does still need to develop more power as he gets older, and he will need to prove that last season’s dip in production when he switched teams was a blip on the radar, and not a sign of things to come.

Javier Baez, SS

The number eight rated-shortstop prospect according to MLB, Baez was the Cubs’ first round pick in 2011, and with good reason. He is a very solid hitter who wowed scouts with his bat speed and ability to hit for both average and power. In limited action in the Cubs’ system over the summer, he had five hits and two doubles in 18 plate appearances.

His defense is in need of some serious work, as he made six errors in only 27 chances last year. Rumors are swirling that he will eventually be moved to third base, but he could surprise as he is still only a matter of months removed from high school.

Wellington Castillo, C

The most likely option to usurp Geovany Soto behind the plate for the Cubs this upcoming season, Castillo has caught the eye of baseball experts with his powerful bat and his fantastic arm behind the plate. He threw out 29% of would-be base stealers last year in the minor leagues, and that number would have ranked him in the top eight catchers in MLB.

Castillo’s 15 home runs in 227 at-bats at triple-A could help land him a spot on the Cubs’ opening day roster, but he will need to work on striking out less, as he fanned 57 times with Iowa last season.

Junior Lake, SS

Lake is a prospect that a lot of people around the Cubs have been talking about, and with good reason. He has a great blend of power and speed (he hit 12 home runs and stole 38 bases in split time between high-A and double-A a season ago), and he has one of the best arms not just in the Cubs’ system, but in the minor leagues overall.

His biggest obstacle in getting to the big leagues will be whether or not he can prove capable of playing shortstop every day. With speculation growing that the Cubs could move Castro to another position, Lake would seem to be a decent fit there, but his incredible lack of plate discipline and his range could be a problem.

Josh Vitters, 3B

It has seemed like forever since Vitters entered the organization, and that’s because it has been. Drafted in 2007 (the first year of the Lou Piniella era), Vitters has been both the beneficiary and the victim of having a guy like Aramis Ramirez at third base, and the organization has made it a point to be very patient with him.

He has shown signs of coming around, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 81 runs last season in double-A, but he will need to continue to step up his game as the Epstein/Hoyer regime starts to rework the Cubs’ farm system. If he is able to become versatile enough to play first or third base, then he should be a key cog in years to come. If not, it may be time for the Cubs to go in a different direction.

Jeimer Candelario, 3B 

Candelario is a tough player to project, simply because his only numbers available have come from the Dominican Summer League, but he looks like a very promising prospect. He hit for a .337 average in 249 at-bats in the DSL, and he walked 50 times while striking out 42 times. He also drove in 53 runs and hit 16 doubles in his stint there, so his bat is definitely an asset that the Cubs are looking at developing.

He will need to work on his discipline on the basepaths, however, as he was thrown out on four of eight stolen base attempts last year.

Dan Vogelbach, 1B

The 10th-ranked first base prospect according to MLB.com, and rated as the best power-hitter in the Cubs’ system by Baseball America, Vogelbach is turning a lot of heads already. A second-round pick by the Cubs in 2011, Vogelbach stormed out of the gate with the team’s rookie league club in Arizona, racking up an impressive .912 OPS with three doubles, a home run, and six RBI in only 27 plate appearances for the club.

A big complaint about Vogelbach has been his weight, but he has slimmed down going into his first full professional season, and his development will be closely watched by a club on the lookout for talent at the corner infield positions. He should be a prospect to keep an eye on for years to come.

Marco Hernandez, SS

Hernandez is a very solid defensive shortstop, and has tremendous power to the gaps, as he illustrated in rookie league ball last year. He hit 16 doubles and five triples in only 233 plate appearances, and even though he only hit two home runs, he still drove in 42 runs. His plate discipline is also pretty good, and at only 19 years of age, he has plenty of time to develop that skill a bit, as well as his power numbers.

According to Sickels, Hernandez is a guy who could shoot up the chart in terms of prospects this coming year, so the Cubs will certainly have to keep an eye on him as he develops, despite the other shortstops that they have in the organization.