NCCubFan

That would make me upset too. What reason do you have to believe that is what happened? Because Hendry said so himself on an interview on WGN TV during a telecast after the trade.

A 30 game suspension means that, for all practical purposes, his season is over. They may have a handful of games remaining when his suspension is over, but I doubt it would be more than five.

Kotsay's off my list; I dropped him in favor of Dave Roberts because he's day-to-day with back spasms.

After beating the second and third place teams in the East the past two weeks, this week I play the fifth place team. If I'm anything like the Cubs, I'll lose this week playing a lower team.

i'm pulling for you! With a good game from Hunter, plus a good start by Burnett, I think I'll win. I currently lead by almost 17, and I doubt that any points my opponent gets from Flash Gordon tonight and my overnight deductions for total bases allowed would overcome that spread. And I still have points for Burnett's QS to be added. Of course, to be an equal opportunity spoiler, I'll also need to take care of you when we play again. :D

Several were, but there were also several that said he didn't have enough good pitches to be a successful major league starter.

Even his first start this time up he pitched great in the first inning. Unfortunately, things fell apart after that. But with his past two starts, I think at least he's earned a spot in the rotation for the rest of this year to show if he can build on this success.

I'm down by 1.1 points, but I have two pitching starts on Sunday and Buddiga has none. I like my chances of continuing my spoiler role in the East (I will have beaten two of the three playoff teams in back-to-back weeks if I pull this out).

So far the response has been underwhelming; only one other participant(not an NSBB member).

Here's the official rule from mlb.com: So a sacrifice bunt will not count against a streak, but a sacrifice fly will.

Jaxx now two games behind Chattanooga and four games behind Tennessee. They don't need to keep losing these extra innings games. :(

I didn't go to this one. I may go to the game either Monday or Tuesday night. Since they have only this one series here this year I'd like to see a couple of games.

Good to see Sing hit a HR as well; he's really been struggling this year.

NC Cubbies (8/5/06) Mark Kotsay Randy Winn Gil Meche Eddie Guardado Adrian Beltre Miguel Batista

Re-posted in JPEG format (slower to load but large enough to see).

Even if the streak were still alive, a day off doesn't end a streak.

These turned out much smaller than I expected. I'll try re-posting them with a larger size later.

It doesn't matter that Penny was already there. It's common courtesy in baseball that, when a team trades for a superstar, a player currently wearing the superstar's number customarily changes to a different number so the superstar can wear his number. It's no different than when Barrett changes his number on the Cubs when they traded for Nomar.

The Marlins used that strategy in 2003 (Jack McKeon), and we all know too well what happened with them that year.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4528.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4529.jpg Gallagher warming up in the bullpen before the game http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4530.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4532.jpg Walker http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4533.jpg Patterson (rough game; 0 for 6 with 3 errors, 2 in one inning leading to 4 unearned runs) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4534.jpg Lewis http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4536.jpg Dopirak http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4537.jpg Moore (the offensive star; 3 for 5, with 1 HR and 3 RBI) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4539.jpg Moore meets Aunt Florence..... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4540.jpg .....and things look good (alas, it was not to last) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4541.jpg Negron http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4543.jpg Muddy the Mudcat (he's no Ribbee) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4542.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4544.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4545.jpg Three shots of Gallagher's practice pitches in the bottom of the 1st http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4547.jpg Cates http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4548.jpg Richie http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4550.jpg Gallagher's only at-bat (he struck out, resulting in a giveaway of free windshield washer fluid to all fans in two selected sections) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4553.jpg Meeting on the mound during a difficult inning (4 unearned runs) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4557.jpg Weston (pinch hitting for Pignatiello) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4561.jpg Rojas (pinch hitting for Holdzkom) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4562.jpg Free baseball http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/NCCubbieFan/IMG_4564.jpg Sing (replaced Dopirak in a double switch)

I'd have to go with the Dodgers. I'm more interested in Maddux and Nomar getting a chance at a championship than Walker and Bellhorn. Although I'd be happy if any of them got the chance.

Exactly. What goes around comes around. It would be fine for the Cubs to claim Jones if they're serious about trading for him, but not just to block another team. If the Cubs were in contention blocking another team from getting a player would be fine, but not for a noncontender.

Unfortunately, it was by striking out as a batter. In the Djaxx half of the second inning at Carolina Friday night, if the Carolina pitcher struck out any Djaxx batter, all of the fans in two selected sections (including my section) would win a coupon for a free jug of windshield washer fluid. After the first two batters were retired by other means, Gallagher struck out to end the inning, and all the fans in those two sections got their coupons for free windshield washer fluid. I'd have gladly given up the free fluid in exchange for a Jaxx win. :(

I went to the Jaxx game at Carolina tonight. I took some pictures, which I'll post within the next few days (after I've had a chance to edit and upload them). I thought Gallagher looked really good in the first two innings, getting the first two batters out each inning before allowing a runner in each (Patterson's first error in the 1st, a base hit in the 2nd). He then got the third out in both innings without any more errors. Then the wheels came off in the third. After getting the first out by striking out the pitcher, Patterson's second error, followed by a base hit, resulted in two runners on. The next batter hit what should have been an inning-ending double play, but after getting the lead runner out, Patterson's third error allowed the first run to score and the batter went to second. From there, Gallagher was hit hard and wound up giving up four unearned runs. The Jaxx tied it at 4-4 in the top of the 7th, when Walker drove in a run with a two-out bunt hit. Carolina took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 7th and could have scored more, but Holdzkom relieved Atlee and slammed the door despite coming in with the bases loaded and none out. The Jaxx tied it again, 5-5, in the top of the 9th, when Sing hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice. Neither team scored again until the bottom of the 13th, although the Jaxx had their chances. In the 10th Lewis was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a single, and in the 11th Sing was picked off first after reaching on a single. Brownlie pitched two scoreless innings, then batted for himself with two out in the top of the 13th, but gave up the winning run with one out in the bottom of the 13th. All in all it was an entertaining game to watch, but disappointing to lose a game like that when you're fighting for a playoff spot.

Gordon's injury was a major factor in the collapse. He missed the first part of the season due to injury, but Fassero did a great job of filling in as closer. He got injured again near the end of the season, but this time Fassero couldn't do the job.