rawaction

This is a good trade for the Pirates, but will really test their minor league instructors. The Pirates not only need pitching depth, but they need some guys that can throw the ball hard, get some Ks and take the heat off their defense some. Not saying power arms are all that matters, but if you are a team that doesn't have a high payroll, you gotta get some pitching that's going to have at least the potential to be more than mediocre. The Pirates have seriously lacked that since Bullington and Van Benschoten's injuries. Ohlendorf is pretty interesting. He's kinda like Samardzija in some ways. He's a guy that can rush it up to 97 mph coming out of the pen, but struggles with his command of it. Or he can throw a 92-93 mph sinker and get some groundballs. He has an ok curve, but is working on a splitter. Pirates should move him back to starting, and he could be a decent rotation option for them next year. Kontos is another guy that can strike guys out. He probably doesn't have quite the arm of Ohlendorf, but he's a guy that has been solid. He can probably come up in August and September and give the Pirates some decent innings this year. He's never gonna compete for an ERA title, but could be a decent backend rotation option. Coke is similar to Kontos in that he could give the Pirates some solid innings this year out of the rotation. But I think ultimately, they'll look to him to replace Marte's role.

My guess is Angelo told the agent to tell Devin, "Remember when Urlacher showed up to OTA and then they signed him?" They probably refused to sign him while he was holding out, and told him, show up, and then we'll sign. That could be true. At any rate, I'm listening to alot of silly hand-wringing on the radio this morning about how this is "typical Bears" and they should have "given Hester his money long ago." Honestly, do most Bear fans feel this way? Looking at the picture, I really don't see how the Bears have botched their negotiations this offseason. I think they've actually done a pretty good job. Hester's a player under contract -- he has asked for more money. The Bears have agreed to negotiate a new contract. What else can reasonably be expected here? I had to defend the Bears at work this week. Everybody thought the Bears were stupid because Hester wasn't signed long-term yet. I got all the "he's their only way of scoring points". People don't realize that Hester has only played 2 years. He hasn't been a factor on anything but special teams until last year when the season when the season was no longer in doubt. I think it is more to Hester's benefit to be in camp than it is to the Bears. Hester wants to be paid like a #1 WR. Yeah, the Bears want him in that role, but if he isn't it's not like they don't have other options. I defended the Bears and told everyone that a 455K/year player wouldn't hold out for long at 15K/day.

Wow. Game threads are stupid.

By "it" you mean just that Johnson can't hit RHP well? Cuz Lou still has bullpen management issues.

Dang! 1 day away from the 2nd straight Harden/Johnson matchup, preceeding the matchup of Harden/Bush next week. This game is going to be tough. Josh Johnson is a good young pitcher. He won't throw more than 90 or so pitches, so obviously patience is a virtue Cubs need to have. Demp needs to be on. Keep Hanley in his slump. Get Cantu out for a change. Keep the ball in the park. I expect a close low-scoring game.

I didn't know Downs was still in the system. And I doubt this is a precursor to any other deals. Rays need a RH OF and a LH reliever. Cubs don't have either to spare. Rays aren't going to be in the business of helping the Cubs, because they are leading the AL East.

His July numbers: .367/.412/.608/1.019 Last 10: .417/.447/.750/1.197 Last 6: .412/.444/.824/1.268

That was Joe Lieberman. And Billy Crystal was told to wait by the phone.

thank god!

Marmol now at 30 pitches.

Braun goes deep. Brewers up 4-3.

both had big HRs the last 2 games, though.

fixed.

Who is closing for the Cards? I thought it was Franklin but he just pitched the 8th.

lefty starter.

No Z and Cotts did. Gaudin. Zambrano hasn't pitched this inning.

Nice job by the 2B who shouldn't be in RF right now.

Bringing in Cotts to face Jacobs with Helms on the bench is almost as bad as bringing in a LHP to face Lenny Harris with Mike Lowell on the bench.

Lou is stupid.

Zambrano threw 130 vs. the Dodgers on 5/28. He went on to have a 5.28 ERA in 4 June starts before getting injured. Ironically enough 5/26/07 he threw 125 vs. the Dodgers. His next start he gave up 7 runs on 13 hits in 5 IP vs. the Braves. Of course 2 starts later he threw the 1st of 4 of 6 starts over 120 pitches and had his best stretch of the season, giving up 10 ERs in his next 80 innings.

125!!!

I like seeing them show-up and reading the stories, but the minute-by-minute updates of practice, and fan reaction to practice, is a bit much. It would be impossible not to follow it at all until September though. i'll take nightly updates or newspaper snippets. That said, I don't even watch pre-season NFL games. They are the most boring thing in sports I like watching the very beginning of the first one, just cause it's the first football I've seen in months and months. Also like watching the 3rd because the starters play a good amount. Otherwise, I agree. Preseason games are ok. I like to see how a lot of unproven players are doing. The 4th quarters of preseason games are worthless, though. Watching guys who I know won't make the team play horribly is like the watching the XFL wearing stolen NFL uniforms.

I like home Cubs better than road Cubs.

The real fun thing about it is that we all play each other in the last 5 weeks... Hopefully Wainwright comes on strong and stays uninjured in the last 5 weeks. Fixed.

It's on Eastern Division! Let's go! Picked up Cain, Peavy, and Kazmir! It's gonna be a dogfight from here on out!