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Ozzie Guillen was victimized 3 times ? Haha.

A brown paper bag that says: "I don't boo 'cuz Dusty says not too, (dude)"

Dusty still won't let the kids play. Macias and Holly will get his total attention. Macias is just 81 hits from the 500 career-hits milestone and Hollandsworth is 10 HR away from the 100 career-HR mark. You don't want to take away valuable AB's in their quests for these great feats.

Something tells "playoff atmosphere" will not be in the air when the Cubs/Cards play. You can thank the recent play of the Cubs for that. Actually, I expect the Cubs to win 3 of 4 to try and mess with the fans minds just a little bit more.

Brad Mills, Manager Rick Petersen, Pitching Coach Rick Down, Hitting Coach

The Daily Herald agrees: The Cubs will recall Corey Patterson today after the center fielder continued his surge Monday with Class AAA Iowa, blasting 2 home runs and driving in 4 runs against Las Vegas. Patterson was optioned July 7 to Iowa after hitting just .232 with an on-base percentage of .270 in 83 games with the Cubs. He has batted .297 in 24 games with Iowa. After Jose Macias struggled in center field this weekend, Cubs manager Dusty Baker shuffled his outfielders Monday, moving Jeromy Burnitz from right to center and Matt Lawton from left to right. Rookie Matt Murton started his 11th game of the season in left.

Murton's concept of the strike zone continues to impress. He's had the best AB's of the night for the Cubs. I'll take his knowledge of the strike zone, ability to hit the ball hard, and put it in play at age 23 over any Cub who's come through the system in the last 5 seasons. Teaching a kid the strike zone is something far more difficult than allowing a 6'2", 215 lb'er to develop HR power at this level.

It's simply the fact that Claussen is a lefty. Don't get used to a lineup of 8 ML caliber hitters any time soon.

Single Double Play Pop-Up Single Double Play Pop-Up Single Double Play Pop-Up Repeat x2

Nothing new, just Baker excuse-making for his beloved veterans: “It was 3-2 (the count) and he was running,” manager Dusty Baker said in defense of Macias. “That was a long single in the gap. Our defense was shifted around for Clifford to pull. Macias hustled after the ball. It was not that he was loafing after it.” The overall theme is bad enough, but the defense was shifted for Cliff to pull ? In that case, Macias would have been shifted closer to the gap, making it easier for him to get to the ball. Again, that's besides the point; if Macias throws to the correct base, the game remains 1-0 after the 1st. Of course, Dusty makes no mention of this. Had that been Corey Patterson or Adam Greenberg in CF lofting the ball 40 feet into the air and 40 feet up the line, they would have been called out for a lack of fundamentals. But, not Macias.

Go study. It's probably more enjoyable then this side-show Cub team.

Zambrano will have the best AB of the inning.

I get the feeling Baker will be booed in Chicago this week everytime he steps out of the dugout. I think even the sidewalk Cub fan has had it with Baker.

Over/Under on pitches Macias faces to lead off the 3rd: 2

This club is so afraid to have two strikes on them that they swing at the first fastball in the strike zone. When your organization preaches aggressiveness at the plate and your manager says a strikeout is an embarrassment, it's no wonder some of these guys take that approach at the plate.

You gotta get those lemons one start per week to keep them fresh. However, this does not apply if you are under 25 years of age. That's how they did it in the 60's, you know ?

Incomprehensible.

Francoeur maybe playing over his head, but no right-handed batter has done much of anything against Carpenter this season. Of course, Francoeur has driven in 2 of the 3 Braves runs today with a HR and double off the wall against Carpenter.

Jay Payton's numbers in 19 games since being acquired by the Oakland A's: 24-80, 6 hr, 19 rbi, 12 runs, .300/.330/.562/.892

i don't think he's hot though. if he was hot, he'd be hitting the ball hard on a more regular basis. I think that's a difficult statement to make for a batter who's come to the plate 2 times since July 30th.

This bit from Bruce Miles today: Where’s Murton? Rookie Matt Murton (15-for-35, .429) hasn’t started since July 30, when he played left field against the Diamondbacks. On July 31, the Cubs obtained left fielder Matt Lawton in a trade with the Pirates. The Cubs called Murton up from Class AA West Tenn on July 7, and one has to wonder if he wouldn’t be better off getting at-bats somewhere. He was supposed to start Saturday, but with the Mets replacing lefty Kaz Ishii on the mound with righty Jae Seo, Murton sat in favor of Lawton. Baker seems loath to starting the right-handed hitting Murton against right-handed pitchers. Before the series began, general manager Jim Hendry said Baker is not at fault. “When we traded for Lawton, which was certainly my doing not Dusty keeping Murton out of the lineup, Lawton needed to bat first,” Hendry said. “I think he’s done a good job for us so far getting on. “That’s not a reflection of Dusty doesn’t like young players.” Again, Bruce is the only member in the mainstream media taking these guys to task for their handling of personnel. Why not put Murton in RF for a game or two to give Burnitz a rest as he continues to embarass himself at the plate (2-20) ? While I am pleased that Lawton is on the club and think he will help create runs for this lineup, he has not done a good job so far as Hendry suggests. His OBP is .274 since joining the Cubs; scoring 1 run and driving in none. This club is in desperate need of offense and Murton has provided it when he has played. Considering Dusty only looks at batting average; I think it is fare to conclude that he cannot handle playing Murton on a regular basis because he is 23 years old. Jeff Francour is now the Braves everyday RF and #3 hitter because Bobby Cox eased the kid in and when he was still hitting .400, he put him out there every day. I see no difference in the Cubs situation with Murton other than the Cubs have an idiot running the club.

If healthy, and with an acquisition or two, the Cubs could have a nice bullpen next season: Dempster Ohman Williamson Novoa Rusch Wood/VanBuren/FA

Remlinger's closing thoughts: "If this team doesn't do what it's supposed to do, then it's going to come down to him, and that's the nature of the game," Remlinger said. "I don't have any simple answers. I don't think you can criticize any aspect of Dusty's managing. But for whatever reason, things haven't clicked." Excuse me ?

Bruce Kimm

Baker didn't exactly offer a ringing endorsment of Patterson's potential return to the Cubs: "You'd think he'd be the logical choice," manager Dusty Baker said (of Patterson). "If nothing else, we need somebody to catch the ball." ...