CubinNY

Good call...according to the transactions on MLB.com for that day, no other 40 man or DL changes had to be made. So I guess its completely fine. Show you what I know about transactions in MLB. However, I see very little reality in the idea when Hughes is one of the guys the Yankees are banking their future on.

This is what I'm thinking too...I would absolutely love the Cards to make the playoffs over the Brewers. I'm sure the rest of the NL agrees too. That said, I might develop an ulcer if the Cards stay this close to us for the rest of the season. CCP's logic does not take into account the teams in the NY East. Whomever does not win the NL Central will be fighting with at least two other teams for the WC spot. Therefore, the Cubs need as much distance between themselves and the two other teams behind them in their division. If they go on a 14-6 or 13-7 run that takes them to the second week of August, they should have the division wrapped up. Not likely, but a boy can dream. He did mentioned that... The NL East Teams don't need to pass them. This is a zero sum game. Teams are going to be playing within their division more now. The only way for the scenario to work out is if the NL East teams split amongst themselves. If the Cubs and the winner of the of the Brewers/Cards consistently win, it won't matter because both teams get in either way. In my opinion, what the Cubs want to have happen is that both the Brewers and the Cardinals tread back to the pack so they are fighting for the WC. If all the teams in the Central tread and the teams in the East don't, that's bad for the Cubs. It's especially bad b/c their September looks horrible.

This is what I'm thinking too...I would absolutely love the Cards to make the playoffs over the Brewers. I'm sure the rest of the NL agrees too. That said, I might develop an ulcer if the Cards stay this close to us for the rest of the season. CCP's logic does not take into account the teams in the NY East. Whomever does not win the NL Central will be fighting with at least two other teams for the WC spot. Therefore, the Cubs need as much distance between themselves and the two other teams behind them in their division. If they go on a 14-6 or 13-7 run that takes them to the second week of August, they should have the division wrapped up. Not likely, but a boy can dream.

I think that the couple of weeks of games are a not indicative of much (outside of the 9 walk game). The pitchers the Cubs have faced have been throwing strikes for the most part. Aside from Fukudome, they're just going through a stretch where the pitchers they've faced having been getting ahead in the count.

"Taking care of business" should not even be in the equation. If it is, it doesn't really matter what the Card/Brewers do. I'd take a split depending on where the Cardinals were in the standings. At this point the Card/Brewers need to win and not tread water. The longer they tread water the less it matters what the Cubs do (barring a collapse).

Hughes is on the 60 day DL with a rib fracture.

A split and the Cubs sweep (and win over the Marlins) and the Cubs are 4 up on the Cards and 5 up on the Brewers heading into the weekend. That's best case.

I'm worried and have been for a long time. I just hope he stays healthy this season. This by far the best Cubs team in my lifetime (I was born in 1969).

They still haven't fixed the bullpen and they still have Ned "I want to platoon pitchers" Yost managing the team. I'm not worried. The Cubs are a better team. The Brewers and the Cardinals have been getting fat on the same teams everyone else gets fat on. This is going to come to down to head-to-head match ups. Advantage Cubs.

He was striking out guys in AA with that pitch. At least it looked like a splitter. It could have been a change up.

Regardless of if they run the Cubs for profit (which I think any owner will do) they also need to field a winner if they want people to come to the ballpark. The Tribune Company has been very fortunate that the Cubs have had "good" teams, at least on paper. My dad told me that when he use to go to games in the 1960s the upper decks use to be closed. If the new owners are perceived as only out to make a profit and not put out a good product people will stop going to the games and profit will suffer. That neighborhood is totally different these days than it was in the 60s (or even the 80s). People will still fill the park to see a loser because it's a great way to spend a day. They just won't be paying 3-5x face value to a scalper/broker. Contrary to popular opinion, people do not go to Wrigley Field, they go to see the Cubs. I don't know anyone who goes to Cubs games and gives two craps about Wrigleyville. If the new owners are perceived as not really caring about the product people will stop coming to see the Cubs. That means they will stop going to Wrigley.

Regardless of if they run the Cubs for profit (which I think any owner will do) they also need to field a winner if they want people to come to the ballpark. The Tribune Company has been very fortunate that the Cubs have had "good" teams, at least on paper. My dad told me that when he use to go to games in the 1960s the upper decks use to be closed. If the new owners are perceived as only out to make a profit and not put out a good product people will stop going to the games and profit will suffer.

What's baseball? I don't agree at all. Why should Barry Bonds or Greg Maddux get credit for time served? It's stupid. The strike zone for a game in Milwaukee should be the same for a game in Boise or Mobile or anywhere professional baseball is played. Quirky umpires should not be able to determine the outcome of at bats and sometimes games.

Ditto. And not just because, you're a new Mod. but, whatever

I will be so fired up if Rebel makes it to the bigs. What a great name.

I'd settle for Hot Stove and prospects. Maybe some Winter league action. Knowing MLB they won't have anything interesting. For example, I'm almost positive they won't have Nate Silver on talking abut quantitative analysis.

To get to the end of September healthy. The are the best team in the NL. They need to get/stay healthy and Lou needs to let Marmol, Howery, and Wood rest up.

This is exactly correct. It doesn't make much romance for the sports writers but it is exactly correct. No it's not. The manager first of all doesn't have to keep him in the game but showing a little mental toughness helps a pitcher when he is struggling. I don't want him out there if he is gassed or feeling sore but this isn't always a "hey I pitched my 6 I've done my job" type of thing. It's also when he's getting hit in the 2nd and you need him out there to help save your bullpen a couple more innings of work. It's fine for guys to be laid back but it's also a team game and sometimes you have to take some lumps in order to help your teammates. That's nonsense. Saturday Randy Johnson, arguably one of the best pitchers all time, went out to the mound after batting and during warm ups decided he'd done enough and walked off the mound.

Tim Lincecum is a joy to watch :hello: DeRosa's misplay was the biggest play of the game. I've said it before, things like that will happen when people are playing out of position. Overall, I expected a tough day.

I don't think the league has figured him out. Yesterday was a combination of luck (bloop hits) and bad baseball (by Marmol and Theriot). IMO, Marmol is just tired. He's a little worn down. The ASB will do him well.

It's a joy to watch Lincecum pitch. I hope the Cubs beat him, but I'm excited to watch this game.

The Brewers bullpen is their Achilles Heel. Ned Yost is their Joseph Hazelwood.

It's the fact that you can't just disagree with people who don't share your opinion. You have to crush them, take potshots at their username, and make them out to be bad people. There's no need for the judgement on people who disagree with you. Essentially it comes down to he's getting his ass kissed because he plays in Texas. That's the variable. If we keep everything the same but he plays in San Diego, there's no Triple Crown madness, there's none of this. So Josh Hamilton is Horatio Alger because he plays in Texas. Sorry, that's nonsense to me. I've been more on board with Kinsler who has better splits, but Hamilton? It's not just talk about the guy himself, now everyone says he's "an incredible ballplayer." He'd be "an incredible ballplayer" if he didn't have like a .300 point OPS split from home to road maybe. Nobody celebrates that Jonny Gomes was homeless as a kid and had a heart attack at the age of 20 or something. In the grand scheme of things, no, Hamilton did not hit "rock bottom." Pointing out this is media froth shouldn't get personal attacks in return. Go back and read my original post. We're talking about how the media has made him into a better baseball player than he is because of this. How do I put this? Did you read my post? I've essentially agreed with you to some extent. The "media" doesn't understand splits. They understand that he has triple crown numbers. Really, who cares what his splits are? Should he be penalized for hitting in Arlington. Should MLB make a rule that all the numbers from Arlington be multiplied by .6 or something? The media loves a good story and this is one.

Hey, that's great. Everyone who disagrees with you is a "prick." Wonderful. I'm glad we had this discussion. Here's a reason to me why this media love-in looks bogus. If Josh Hamilton plays in San Diego, there is no story. He's got no one to drive in and no park to inflate his numbers. But since he plays in Texas he's like John Henry and Paul Bunyan put together. Your reaction really baffles me. This is why people are so frightened to question the media's sacred cows these days, because of all of this puffed up outrage people get hit with. Baffles you? Your complaint about the situation is a little more legitimate, although I disagree. If Hamilton doesn't have the numbers he's not such a great story. However, complaining that celebrating an incredible life changing turnaround diminishes those who did it "the right" way is more than just stupid, it says something about the person who makes the complaint. If you can't see the difference in the arguments here, that indeed is badnews.

GM Jim Bowden and special assistant (and former World Series MVP) Jose Rijo of the Nationals it is: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3483972 Maybe that's why the Cubs are staying away from the Caribbean. It's a corrupt cesspool.