GaborBako

:D 33,000 unique visitors and over 2.5M pageloads in October. Whatever, though. And to think all of that without the ability to put nifty little smileys into the posts. How else would one convey wit?

The Desipio source is a minor league manager in the Padres system who was in a meeting on Monday night where various people in the Padres organization (including Towers and DePodesta) discussed the players on the table from both the Cubs and Braves. When the meeting ended that night he felt that because of the challenges of getting Jake to go anywhere but the Cubs that the deal was going to be Pie, Marshall and Theriot for Peavy, but Towers and Hendry had to work out the minor leaguers to be involved in the deal. That was the extent of the "tip" he provided. I know it was a lot more fun to just pretend that Desipio made up the rumor to get some attention, because we're so sorely lacking in readership or notoriety. And you guys can keep flying the "Bruce Signal" as much as you want, but he's on vacation with his wife in California.

How do you know the source isn't Andy Dolan? Because it's not.

I don't get this Kurt Evans photoshop at all.

Where's that thread?

First, I enjoyed how "close" Marshall and Hill's stats apparently were even though Hill had the clear edge in all four categories. As for Rich Harden, here is why Billy Beane a) won't ask for the farm for him and b) why he's willing to trade him even if the A's are on the fringes of contention. He started his career making 51 straight starts. Since, he's only made 38 starts in just over three full seasons now and his 11 straight start streak that he currently has is his longest. He was on the DL twice in 2005, once in 2006 (for most of the season) twice last year and once already this year. Only two of those were for non-arm related injuries (oblique strain and this year's pulled muscle under his arm). He has had Tommy John surgery and has a slightly torn rotator cuff. He's a talent, but one that comes with a big red flashing light on him. He's complained of a dead arm after each of his last two starts. Every pitcher is a risk, but Harden's riskier than just about any.

I like it. He comes pre-injured and he's averaging less than six innings per start. Where do we sign up?

On NSBB.com? You mean the URL this place used to have before somebody forgot to renew it?

Hill has walked 18 guys in 19 innings. He threw 27 pitches in one inning last night, 17 of them balls. Did you really think it was going to get better? Hill's not a pitcher who toughens up after a rough inning, he's a guy who falls apart when he gets to the rough inning. Which pitcher was killing the bullpen? Hill, even before last night wasn't averaging five innings per start. So he goes to Iowa, it's not like they had to DFA him, and you're all up in arms. I don't get it. As for moving Lieber to the rotation, look at his stats for those of you in the "he's not stretched out!" camp. He's pitched exactly one third of an inning less than Hill. That ought to show you how great Hill's been. He's pitched as many innings as five starts as a guy who's made nine relief appearances.

Sarcasm tends to fly by people here with the speed of an Andre Ethier line drive.

I think he should have to give the $100 he got for being the NSBB Minor League Player of the Year last year back.

Pagan's eligible for the playoff roster if he's on either the 15-day or 60-day DL on August 31. Say at the end of the season it comes down to Pagan, Murton or Pie for the final spot on the playoff roster. Say they sent Murton to AAA today to make room for Soriano, and that Pagan never came off the 15-day DL during the season but is magically healthy for the playoffs. They don't need to make a roster move to put either Pagan or Pie on the playoff roster. They just choose the one they want and if it's Pagan he's activated from the 15-day DL and he's ready to go. If it's Pie, he was on the active roster on Aug. 31 so he's ready to go instead. But if it's Murton, they have to put Pagan on the 60-day DL to 'activate' Murton. Here's my question about this. Say they put Pagan on the 60 day DL to make a spot for Murton and in the first round Murton breaks his foot. Is Pagan eligible to be added for the second round in place of Murton or are players on the 60-day DL at the beginning of the playoffs gone for the year. I think they are. Isn't that what happened to the A's last year when Mark Ellis got hurt and they had to call Mark Kiger at home and activate him for the ALCS even though he had been home since the AAA season ended on Sept. 1? The guy made his Major League debut in the ALCS. I'm pretty sure it's because the A's couldn't use anybody they'd stashed on the 60-day DL even if they were healthy enough to play. Maybe it just turns out that the guys on the 60-day DL for Oakland really were too hurt to play?

I think Murton is more likely. When it comes down to a decision about which one they want to keep up to maintain postseason eligibility I think they'll keep Pie for his speed and defense. I think Monroe spelled the end of Murton's postseason hopes. Postseason eligibility should have nothing to do with the decision assuming the Cubs aren't dumb. When postseason rosters are submitted Pagan should be on it along with Novoa, Guzman, and Prior.(This is assuming Pagan doesn't come back this year, and I don't think he will. You have to be on the 60-day DL to open a roster spot for another player on the playoff roster, and you can only replace a hitter with a hitter or a pitcher with a pitcher. The Cubs currently have no position players on the 60 day DL. If they want the flexibility to have Murton or Pie (whoever gets sent down today) on the playoff roster, Pagan's season is over and he'll need to be transferred to the 60-day DL before the playoffs start.

It's always fun to have a guy who is a legit threat to hit a HR off the bench, and nothing more. But he hasn't been able to do anything against RHP this year. Need to keep his playing time very limited. DO you think Lou will be limiting his playing time? I see him filling in for Floyd & Murton a lot more. Which is terrible. Lou may even try to play him in CF. See you in a few weeks Fox or Pie. Right, because Lou is such a terrible manager. He just does dumb stuff all the time. He certainly isn't getting the most out of this team.

Everytime I vote for Elinore it registers as a vote. Maybe it's just Vance? Maybe Cubs.com realizes he tried all kinds of tricks to keep voting for D-Lee in 2005 and they are on to him?

So Vance has asked Cardinals fans to vote for him? Shouldn't qualify for immediate disqualification from the contest? As a great man once said (sort of): All I'm saying is that you could have robbed banks, sold dope or stole your grandmother's pension checks and none of us would have minded. But begging for votes from Cardinals fans, man that's un-American.

I'm with you too, Ron! ROFL

ROFL LAME!

ComEd is reporting parents' basement electricity usage to be at it's highest point since Halo 2 came out.

It's not over until somebody spots Hendry in the vacant lot of the old Yum Yum doughnuts face first into a dozen.

How long has this been on your radar, Hoops?

That's right. I forgot. You're only allowed to work on one trade at a time. So if they are talking to the Rangers about Gagne, they can't talk about a trade with anybody else.

The Cubs have lousy catchers, a terrible center fielder and an injury prone left fielder, but do you really think they need a shortstop? Since the All-Star Break Theriot's been the every day SS and he's hit .293 with a .388 on base average and stolen five bases. That doesn't include his 2-4 tonight with a homer. Then again, a lot of people around here wanted the job handed to the great Ronny Cedeno when he came back up. Ronny's heads up play was on display again tonight when Hamels walked Murton and Kendall on ten pitches to get into the only real jam he had all night and Ronny can't be troubled to take a strike. He swings at a pitch in the dirt on the first pitch and pops it up for the second out. Shortstop isn't a problem. Theriot might not be the answer for ten years, but he's doing the job right now.

Ask the Brewers if one or two innings of solid relief work can make or break a game. Nothing kills a team faster than a team with a leaky bullpen. You'd think any Cubs fan who lived through 2003 and 2004 would know that.

But that's not true. August - End of Season 2004: .254/.348/.563/.911 2005: .237/.370/.438/.808 2006: .176/.299/.346/.645 Wow, that's quite the trend line.