Outshined_One

Just put a blue jersey on the ref and get it over with.

Seriously, is there a sniper randomly taking out Italian players on the rooftops?

Is this ref paid off, too?

He is.

Maybe the US should start throwing themselves on the ground all over the field, clutching their knees and ankles.

Oh please, he'll just roll off the stretcher and come back in within the next two minutes.

THAT'S BULL!

He's getting sloppy when in the box. Convey and Dempsey are doing a reasonably good job down there so far.

That was not frustration, that was just a flatout cheapshot. He should have come back out with the blood-stained jersey. That would have been awesome.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand Italy is in trouble. Thanks for playing De Rossi!

Well, that's one way to score!

His own goalie took him out. Ouch.

Thanks for calling the flop, ref.

hahahahaha, the US fans are bringing out an old favorite.

Cripes, whoever this guy paired with Dave O'Brien is won't stop talking about how wonderful a job the refs are doing. He's even worse than Hubie Brown.

Crazy, crazy game. That second goal was awesome. Ghana nearly scored a third, but blew it thanks to a bad pass with an offsides call about seven feet in front of the goal.

Gallagher's been sitting comfortably at 90-93 this year and has touched mid-90s on his fastball. Apparently he managed to clock triple digits on one gun during a start in the FSL, but that gun was likely a few notches fast. Atkins has mostly relied on changing speeds and location thus far, but he throws low 90s stuff. I'm not sure about what secondary pitches he throws, though. As for Wells, I'll go directly to the source:

I'm somewhat inclined to agree, but if he keeps putting up the numbers he has been as he moves along in the minors, I think there definitely is a bright future ahead of him. Heck, guys like Marshall and Marmol were always projected as possible 2/3 guys. Felix Pie is still top dog in the farm system, imo. As for your list, CubsWin, I'd throw Billy Petrick, Tyler Colvin, and Jeff Samardzija onto it.

I don't want Bynum in the outfield. He's Dubois-esqe out there and that's the nicest way I could put it. Right now I'd kill for Dubois out there. I think they should find out if Henry Rodriguez is still playing or finally retired. Quick, somebody get Brooks Kieschnick's number!

Walker is so unclutch.

Box Scores Iowa won 3-2 Box Score 2B R. Theriot 1/5, R, K CF F. Pie 0/3, 2 K LF L. Montanez 2/3, BB, RBI RF M. Restovich 0/3, BB, R 1B M. Hoffpauir 2/4, E (3, fielding) 3B C. McGehee 1/3, BB, R, RBI, HR (4) C G. Soto 1/3, BB, RBI, K PH M. Fontenot 0/1 SP L. Walrond 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3/2 K/BB, 10-8 GO-FO RP 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1/1 K/BB, 0-2 GO-FO West Tenn won 6-4 Box Score CF C. Walker 0/4, K 2B E. Patterson 0/3, BB, SB (20) LF N. Jackson 1/4, R, RBI, HR (2), K 1B B. Dopirak 3/4, 3 R RF M. Negron 2/4, R, RBI, 2 2B (11), K 3B S. Moore 3/4, R, 3 RBI, HR (11) PH R. Lewis 0/1 PH B. Sing 0/1, K SP R. Wells 6 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5/2 K/BB, 5-6 GO-FO Daytona is off until June 19th due to the All Star Break Peoria won 8-5 Box Score 2B R. Chirinos 1/4, 2 BB, R, RBI, K, CS (7) DH M. Reed 3/4, R, 2 RBI, 2B (8), K, SB (11) RF/LF J. Valdez 1/5 1B R. Norwood 3/5, RBI, K CF/RF Y. Carter 1/5, 2 K 3B K. Reynolds 1/2, 3 BB, 2 R, RBI, HR (4), K LF A. Garcia 2/4, 2 R C J. Muyco 1/4, BB, R, K, PB (3) SS J. Mota 1/4, BB, R, 2 RBI, E (6, fielding) SP S. Taylor 3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2/4 K/BB, HR, 3-4 GO-FO RP M. Avery 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1/1 K/BB, 2-2 GO-FO RP E. Campusano 1.1 perfect, 4/0 K/BB OVERALL: 3-0!

Ho-hum, another perfect day down in the minors. :D

Typically guys get shipped off to Mesa unless they're already pretty advanced. After a bit of time down there, usually they get moved to Boise or Peoria.

It's funny. All my life, I've been watching and cheering for the Cubs. Cripes, there are pictures of an infant me out there wearing Cubs gear. Yet, most of my Cubs memories start in 1998. I was a freshman in HS back in 1998 and remember plenty of the insanity that went down that year. I never did any homework in my math class because I was always busy watching the games. Heck, I even watched those atrocious 1999 games. All throughout high school, I'd try to ditch out early to catch games. I could just hop on the red line, get off at Addison, then walk up and get decent seats. Usually I'd get the ultra cheap tickets, then walk down somewhere else if no one was in attendance. The first game I attended that really sticks out for me came in 2002. It was a double header against the Pirates. I was supposed to go with this girl from HS I liked, but she stood me up. I sulked my way to the game by myself and showed up at the end of Game 1, where the Cubs had lost in an obscene fashion something like 10-1. I was a wreck. Between games, my mom inexplicably showed up with the other ticket. I was annoyed with her at first, but eventually she cheered me up. Game 2 was a blast. Juan Cruz was starting against Josh Fogg and he was in the midst of that horrible win-loss record streak where he got no run support. The Cubs were down later in the game when a series of weird events took place that led to Sammy coming to the plate. Everyone in the park got to their feet and cheered him on. He managed to hit the go ahead HR that eventually won the game. Other memories I have... -Going to the Cubs/Braves game in 2002 on 70s night. My friend Luis and I sat next to a pair of cross-dressers. Tony Orlando waved at us. Todd Hundley hit a home run, flipped off the crowd, AND threw out a baserunner in the ninth inning with Alf nailing the game down. -Being at the Cubs/Devil Rays game the day after Sammy was caught with a corked bat. That was an eerie atmosphere. My friend was disappointed that Rocco Baldelli got the day off (running joke with us). -Going to the Cubs/Giants game in 2004 where, beforehand, Sammy sneezed out his back. Jason Dubois made his debut (sac fly, I believe) and Moises Alou hit a walkoff solo HR in the 10th. -The NSBB mini-get-together against Colorado that Fred Hornkohl arranged. That was a terrible game. -Seeing the Cubs/Astros game in 2005 where Jeff Gordon got booed out of Wrigley (I started that up in my section!) and Brad Lidge imploded in an impressive fashion in the 8th.

Arencibia Stock would also be in that category if he didn't have such a great arm.