Little Slide Rooter

uhh Ramirez, Lee, and Fox as of now for me Randy Wells? :? Or are you just naming position players Sam Fuld.

Heilman walked a guy, whod a thunk it, but then again, it was a righty, so Marshall couldnt possibly have faced him.

Mark DeRosa was great for us, but I wouldnt call trading him dismantling the team. Other than him and Edmonds, we have the same basic core, and they're not getting the job done unless were facing really bad pitchers.

why Lou, why?

Please just put a merciful end to this charade of a game. If only we had Patton, he could end it quick.

Id say Reed Johnson looked inept in that at bat, but that would be an insult to all the inept people in the world.

Id they havnt learned by now, it isnt going to happen. Just go get a lefty if thats what it takes.

at least Bako didnt beat us.

sad, sad, sad. I wouldnt be shocked if the rest of our sickly division allows us to backdoor our way into the playoffs ala 2007, but they'll just embarass themselves in 3 games again. Maybe its time to give someone else a chance.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090721&content_id=5978762&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc Why not just give Jim Edmonds a call? What other affordable options are there?

Come the hell on, if the Phillies offense is going to pound you, thats one thing, but theres no reason not to be able to hit these guys. Do we really need to play bottom feeders in order to score?

Jim Hendry will do something mind numbingly pointless like trade Andres Blanco for Luis Rodriguez.

Pretty much any team who trades for Halladay is going to get bent over long term, so it better be a team who can guarantee themselves a WS win in the next 2 years.

Jay Jackson and Josh Vitters.

Halladay stays in Toronto. Holliday stays in Oakland. Cliff Lee ends up with the Cards, Brewers, Phillies, Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers, or Yankees. One of those teams gets Doug Davis as a consolation prize. Jim Hendry makes some pointless aquisition ala Matt Lawton/Jody Gerut/Steve Traschle, if not now, at the waiver deadline. Freddy Sanchez ends up in San Fran for Jonathon Sanchez+ Orioles trade a bunch of guys.

I trust road-evening Harden, and surely we can touch up the master of mediocrity Joe Blanton.

However the season pans out, the 2 guys I can pretty much guarantee are gone are Reed Johnson and Aaron Heilman. Nothing against them, but they're too replaceable through the farm system to sign. Also, Koyie Hill will likely be gone and replaced with Chris Robinson. When it comes to backups and role players, Im all for bringing them up through the system rather tham waste money on Aaron Miles' and Joey Gathrights. I also cant see Greggre signed, however, Marmol hasnt shown he can be a closer this season. Perhaps BJ Ryan could be considered for the job if he looks good? Harden is doubtful, but you never know. If they do plan to trade for Peavy, consider Harden gone. Soriano, Fukudom, and Bradley are going nowhere. No chance. As for the rest, You never know. D Lee might be traded, but Id asume that its more likely at the 2010 deadline if the Cubs are out of it. Ramirez, Soto, Theriot, and probable Fontenot are back. The X factor is if we make a big trade for someone like Peavy, and even then, I dont see a lot of major big league pieces moved aside from Sean Marshall, and maybe Randy Wells. The bench will likely consist of backup catcher, Fox and/or Hoffpauir,Fuld, and Baker or Miles(hopefully hes gone), perhaps Blanco. However, if we mamage to aquire a 2B or SS, Fontenot could be back on the bench or traded and wed probablt just need 1 of Baker, Blanco, or Miles. Z, Lilly, and Dempster are all back, as are Marmol and Guz. The rest of the pen likely includes Jeff Stevens and maybe Samardzjia, who could be in the rotation. To some it up, next year, expect to see Soriano Fuku Bradley Ramirez Theriot Soto Fontenot Lee Fox Hoff Fuld 2 of Baker/Miles/Blanco Z Lilly Demp Guzman Marmol Stevens Samardjzia Marshall and Wells too if they're not traded.

I believe there's little to no chance of that happening, I 'm shooting for the Cubs not being completely out the game by the third. Actually, there is a sizable chance of that happening. Harden's at his best this year in road night games. I think his ERA is 1.5 or something then. EDIT: it's 2.13 I like evening-road Hardens chances against Blanton, whose definded mediocrity throughout his career. If we cant touch Blanton up for some runs, than the Washington series truely was a fluke.

I can just imagine going to be with my team up 13-5 vs. a horrible offensive team and waking up to check the score in the morning. That would mess my whole day up.

Assuming he can stay healthy. And assuming that no one else gets hurt and we lose just as much. This team has no depth at all. We've gotten a .262 .332 .435 line from our 3b this season. That's not what Ramirez would put up, but it's not like it's been a black hole. Losing Ramirez also downgraded 2B We had to move Font to 3rd, which was a significant downgrade for Ramirez, and then had to juggle Miles, Freel, Scales, and Blanco at 2nd, which was in fact a black hole.

I love that by your standards, 20 teams in the majors and 10 in the NL have "laughable bullpens". Because there are 19 teams in the majors and nine in the NL that have a higher ERA and OPS allowed than the Cubs do. And if you like WHIP, the Cubs are 13th in the NL and 21st overall, but they're .01 away from Colorado, which is 7th and 15th. If we were to get Sherill, and BJ Ryan were to somehow get back to its old self, nobodt could deny that along with Gregg, Marmol, Marshall, and Guzman, it would be the most dominant pen in the league, but those are huge ifs. The O's want top prospects for Sherill, and I dont see it as enough of a priority to give up those kind of chips for. As for Ryan, if he can be slightly better than Cotts, Ill consider it a sucess.

Cards lose 3-2 and Brewers down 6-2 in the 5th, so we may just break even today.

Thats good to know, of course anyone who runs into the Phillies or Dodgers with Halladay in October wont have a lot of fun.

Knowing McPhails love for the Cubs old garbage, maybe JR Mates and Jason DuBois will do the trick.

The next Milton Bradley. Does anyone know if BJ Ryan has pitched at all yet?