illiniguy

This isn't surprising. Roy Oswalt's strikeout rate has been in a perpetual decline since he broke into the majors. You think there is a reason for it? Is he just trying to pitch to contact more?

I just find it amusing that Pujols is keeping company with Stubby Clapp and Joe McEwing. Isn't that Wilfredo?

I have all three of them. Save your money and get the Wii.

Sweet! I don't want to get too hyped up about him though - we've been let down by Prior and Wood far too often. That would be a sick pen though. Ohman Wuertz Marmol Howry Wood Dempster im all for wood comin back to help, thus giving me an excuse to break out the we got wood shirt again...haha but glad to hear dempster is goin to be back right away and that report was wrong It's nice to hear that now. I remember in the off-season many people saying how bad Dempster was. Now peeps are looking foward to him coming back. :) Because the alternative is Bob Howry.

David Wright for Omaha, TBD for Iowa - probably will be Hart or Webb. Iowa doesn't have any starters to contribute to a "good" pitching matchup. That is true, Hochevar just got called up to AAA though.

I wish I knew the pitching match up in Omaha. If it was any good I might make the drive up there.

Yeah it always fun to cheer against good guys. Especially when they aren't on your team.

We have won one playoff series in the last 100 years and Kerry is the main reason for it. That is why he can do nothing for three years yet still be the best. I sure wish Prior was granted that reprieve as well, but you're spot on. In my mind he is. Even the great Greg Maddux didn't do what these two did. Those two almost own the world series, if only Z was one year older. His '04 with those two guys.

Who do we play after the break?

=D> nice inning Bob.

That maybe, but we could be 2.5 out.

And if we knew how to hit the ball out of the yard. Yeah if Ramirez and Soriano don't homer, we don't hit any.

Losing two out of three to these guys without facing their two big league pitchers is a very cub like way to end the first half. We could be 2.5 back if we could just hit terrible lefties.

Bob Howry is terrible.

Sweet the Rates are about to be within 9 of Milwaukee. Get those playoff tickets now kids.

remember when we used to be able to pretend this was just a fluke thing and that he was sure to come around soon and still finish with like 30 homers? that was awesome. i was worried all along... mostly because with the cubs, i assume that the worst case scenario is what will actually happen that and he didn't hit many homers at all when he came back last year. Swap him for Teixeira.

and Howry brought the gas can today.

Relax. Barrett was a good hitting catcher and the pitchers had an ERA of over 5 with him as a catcher, while Blanco/Hill saw an ERA of around 2.00. Besides, they have been winning since they traded Barrett. They have been winning in spite of the catchers terrible offense. Didn't Hill throw one into center that kept that inning alive that turned into the 3 runs for the Pirates, too? Hill's defense is also horrid. We traded away the worst catcher in the division for the worst in the world. We didnt trade Barrett for hill, though. But I agree. Barrett was having a bad year. But he was still hitting far better than Bowen and Hill combined. And, yes, barrett's defense was pretty bad, but Hill and Bowen havent shown they are too much better. I'd wager that Barrett would have thrown out that baserunner today. Actually, he wasnt. I can remember several times when he would whiff at a pitch in the strike zone that the batter didnt swing at. Barretts shorcomings have been obscured by a myriad of other problems though...that and he has always been given the benefit of the doubt by reporters since he has been a stand up guy. I think Barrett was a quality person but a liability as a catcher. see Koyie Hill and Rob Bowen Ditto. For all Barrett's problems I'd still take him and his bat over these career minor-leaguers. Any day. Most teams would let Soto play.

That is making 14 mil a year.

We have won one playoff series in the last 100 years and Kerry is the main reason for it. That is why he can do nothing for three years yet still be the best.

I wonder if San Diego will give us Michael Barrett back for Rob Bowen and a prospect?

Since Jim Hendry has been our GM we have been owned by pathetic soft tossing lefties like Paul Maholm. It's a joke.

man we are playing like ass tonight.

The wind blowing out doesn't mean much for us, what with Lee having the power of an eight year old girl.

get him to third marquis