Sammy Sofa

That's too much.

Right now? Yes.

Well, I partially agree with you. I said before that I think we should move someone else from our pen into that role. I don't think it's a good idea to go get big-name closer, but I do think it would be in our best interest to replace Patton with someone who is at least as good as the other guys we have in the pen (era in the 3's). When I was talking about people with an ERA in the 1's and 2's, I just meant someone who might have those numbers right now, who is having a good year. They don't necessarily have to keep up that pace all year... they just need to be effective and dependable. It's ultimately just a waste of prospects. If the Cubs make it look like they're shopping for a reliever as the main target of a deal, they're going to get milked for all they're worth. A good team isn't going to give a guy like that up and a bad team is going to want a steep return to try and salvage their year with what they can for the future. The only way I want to see the Cubs tarding for a reliever is if that reliever is part of a deal focused on acquiring another more usueful player. It's a pipe dream to think that the Cubs could target a good or even just decent reliver at this point without overpaying. On a team like this that has been as sketchy as it is offensively that is not a good idea. I would disagree with that. In the regular season, he might manage to just barely get out of jams... but in the postseason, I think it would be a different story. In a world series game, you can't bank on your closer walking a couple guys, throwing a wild pitch, and then finding some way to just barely close the game out. Planning for the postseason is not the way to win over the regular season. You can't hinge 162 games on the ideal lineup for the very limited sample size of 19 games, max. I understand what you're saying, but it's just not realistic. If guys can get the job done over the regular season then the smart move is to count on them to get it done for 11-19 more games. Any closer, no matter how good, can tank it in the limited sample size of the three playoff series. Trying to play to those hypotheticals is ultimately a futile effort. I think it's funny how fast the general consensus changes on this board. I'm not talking about you personally, because I never heard your opinion on these guys before. But, seems like a couple weeks ago, everyone here wanted to see Heilman and Gregg hung from a tree. Now, since they haven't gotten lit up lately, they are suddenly solid pitchers. I bet the next time you see Gregg or Heilman blow a game, you'll see tons of people ranting like they were before. People will rant when anyone blows a game. Dempster as a closer got the job done far more often then he blew a game but some people wanted him out of the role after practically every game That's the nature of the bullpen: no matter how well you put it together it can't be perfect. Again, that's not saying that Heilmann and Gregg are ideal, but they get the job done. Most of the reasonable commentary on Heilmann here recognized that he's had repeated success out of the bullpen and most of his pitching woes have been the result of when he's been moved to the starting rotation. The people that are going to jump to ridiculous hyperbole clearly set themselves about from those willing to look at players rationally. In a perfect world I'd love to have relievers guarenteed to be better than Gregg and Heilmann, but they're who the Cubs have right now and given their relatively limited trade resources I'd prefer that they didn't overpay for relievers to replace two guys likely to be serviceable at least over the course of the season when they still have a shot at going to the postseason and other more critical areas that they could bolster.

Again, if he falls apart you just move someone else into the role from within the team. Now is not the time when it is feasable to get a sure thing closer without drastically overpaying. So long as Gregg gets the job done he's fine, and thus far he's getting the job done. It may not always be pretty, but it's the end result that matters. You're getting way too hung up on Heilmann. He's a perfectly serviceable back end of the bullpen reliever.

I wasn't the one who brought up 2005, it was Mojo. And also, I'm not suggesting we bring in a guy with an ERA in the 3's to replace Gregg. I'm suggesting we bring in a guy with an ERA in the 1's or 2's to replace maybe Heilman or Patton. Then, completely independent of that transaction, I would move Marmol to the closer spot once he gets his control back on track. Like Dew said, you're not getting a reliever that good without giving up a good haul. And I think you're confused; I never brought up 2005 in regards to anything.

Everything is coming up Milhouse.

Nice job, Gregg! CUBS WIN!

Then that's your big trade of the season. You're not getting a proven stud closer at this point without paying huge. I could see this if the Cubs did actually have the horrible bullpen that desperately needed help as many thought, but they don't. They have a very serviceable pen that looks like it can, for the most part, get the job done. Is it the ideal pen? Of course not, but it's also not at the point where the Cubs need to dish out a ton of parts to get a proven closer.

I'm not a big fan of Woody as a closer. I was hoping he would get better after getting some experience in that role... but he hasn't been too great this year. Therein lies the problem with trying to trade for a reliever. The lights out guys typically aren't available in the middle of a season, and if they are they cost way too much because of their demand. On top of that, bullpen guys tend to be too flux in terms of reliability from year to year to be worth dishing out too many prospects (or big contracts) for. Teams are much better served trying to tweek things in-house as an add-on to a bigger trade for a starter or position player. But there simply isn't a need to go get a closer right now. Gregg has done a decent job and the Cubs would be much better off going with Marmol or Guzman if Gregg implodes than getting fleeced for a proven closer or reliever.

Hah! Great reaction by Milton to being hit.

Nice.

Sonuvabeesh.

I just don't see where he's on the edge of imploding. He's had 120+ ERA+s the past two seasons. The K:BB ratios leave some to be desired, but his results have been good. I just don't see the likelihood that he does far worse the rest of this year than he did the past two. Exactly. It's a waste of resources to go out there and trade for a "bullpen stud," who you'll have to overpay for, when the pieces seem to be in place in-house.

Guzman has the makings to be that "stud reliever," and Ascanio has shown he could be adapting well to the bullpen roll. Those two and Marmol plus Gregg and Heilmann and then whoever is a very solid pen. That very well could be... but I don't really see Lou making Guzman the closer or setup man in 2009. Although I wouldn't be against trying him out in such a role. The Cubs do not have a pressing need to switch up their closer's spot right now.

Guzman has the makings to be that "stud reliever," and Ascanio has shown he could be adapting well to the bullpen roll. Those two and Marmol plus Gregg and Heilmann and then whoever is a very solid pen.

If I heard correctly, the last time the Cubs had 3 walkoff wins in a row was June 7th, 1946.

lazy butthole now that the cat is out of the bag :-( 3:00 into this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoBmFotd_s8 I think the weirdest part is when the guy in the cat costume stands up on all fours to chase the mouse guy. Yeah, it's infinitely creepier in context and in color. Hell, the three little pigs in that clip are nightmare-inducing.

Nevermind, it's from March of the Wooden Soldiers. I sent it to a friend to try and freak her out and she knew right away what it was, which makes her instantly suspect. How anticlimactic.

So please spare the rest of us 30 minutes of searching for a weird old timey .gif.

It's a secret Why? I just want to know more about the movie/short/show/whatever it's from. It's there to be found on the interwebs. It just takes some searching. I've tried and can't find it. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal just to ask, but here we are.

It potentially ends up being a blessing that Marshall's outing was so short since I have the sneaking feeling he'll be needed for 2-3 innings tomorrow.

It's a secret Why? I just want to know more about the movie/short/show/whatever it's from.

Awesome day for Fukudome. That was much needed for him.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Poor Woody. That shot of him walking off the field just broke my heart a little.

Nuts.