17 Seconds

So is it true that Harden is getting like 2 weeks off?

So either the teams will have to use a 4th starter, or pitch the game 1 starter on short rest.

A week from Thursday? That makes no sense, that's like 2 weeks off. I'd say he's more likely to get hurt that way. Dumb.

I like that Fontenot is in there over Fuku, but why does he keep moving Theriot out of the 2-hole? He's been great there all season. Plus I like Fontenot as more of an RBI guy towards the middle- bottom of the order than I do Theriot. Maybe he wants Theriot on base before Soriano?

Okay, so what NL offense(s) do you trust in the playoffs?

So did they say Zambrano is definitely starting this game?

Aubrey Huff is having a career year wth a .945 OPS

Pretty funny quote from Ned Yost (about pulling Sheets)- Yeah, unless it's CC, right Ned? Then it's okay to leave him in for 198 pitches.

What does an overachieving fofense have to do with their pyth record? Not sure what you're talking about Ryan Theriot Derosa Edmonds Johnson Fontenot All key contributers who are playing wayyyy above expectations. If those guys return to where we expected them to be, how much better is this offense than last year? Better,m but not significantly better. How about if Lee and Fukudome perform where we expected them to be? And you're overlooking a huge upgrade to the offense at catcher. It went from being a complete black hole last year to being one of the top 2 or 3 in baseball, and it wasn't totally unexpected. Lee and FUkudome? You really think it's realistic that they "snap out of it"? I don't. I think it's pretty clear by now that Fukudome is not good and Lee is declining in a big way. That's a poor example. I think it's much more likely that guys like Theriot, Derosa, and Edmonds to fall back to where they should be. Will it happen? I don't know, but it should be a concern. And I know Soto is an upograde, that's why I said the offense would still be better than 2007, just not signifcantly better. I mean, think about it. The 2007 offense was very mediocre. So what has changed since then? Soto is the one definite upgrade. Fukudome is a downgrade in RF (offesnively), Derrek Lee is performing way under his 2007 numbers, and then center field is the last position that is different. My point is that 3 of the 4 biggest upgrades (2008 Theriot over 2007 Theriot, 2008 DeRosa over 2007 DeRosa, and the CF platoon over the 2007 CF situation) could revert back to 2007 ways in an instant. ALl I'm saying is that it concerns me that on paper, this offense is very close to the 2007 offense in terms of players.

Again you focus on insults instead of telling me what was wrong with my statement. All I did was question whether or not we'd be able to get the same production out of overachieving players and I get jumped all over.

Sorry, but that's a losers mentality. I want this team to earn it dow the stretch, not rely on the Brewers fading. You really have no clue how magic #s work do you? Huh? I understand exactly what he was saying, I just think it's a loser's mentality to be clinging to the fact that we have a 4.5 game lead with a full month left to play. "Oh well, we lost, but who cares! And whoi cares if we win tomorrow? The Brewers might lose then too" I don't want to fade down the stretch and rely on the Brewers losing to win the division. I want them to go into the playoffs hot.

What does an overachieving fofense have to do with their pyth record? Not sure what you're talking about Ryan Theriot Derosa Edmonds Johnson Fontenot All key contributers who are playing wayyyy above expectations. If those guys return to where we expected them to be, how much better is this offense than last year? Better,m but not significantly better.

Sorry, but that's a losers mentality. I want this team to earn it dow the stretch, not rely on the Brewers fading.

I can't believe how rapidly Lee is declining.

So much for winning 100 games. So when do we start worrying about the possibility of the overachieving offense mailing it in in September?

no decision

I don't agree with Sabathia throwing this many CG (except for today) but why is this just assumed that Sabathia got lit up from being overused? He did face the 2 of the best teams in the AL last year in the postseason. I heard on the radio that this year the NL is going to allow only good NL teams into the playoffs too.

Haha, who's still following us compared to the wild card?? We're making the playoffs, live with it. Is THIS a joke? omg Why? I understand that we're fans of the Cubs and we should watch what we say about stuff like this, but we're making the playoffs. Let's say the Cubs slump and go 10-15 down the stretch. The Phillies would still have to go 20-5 just to tie us. The Cards would have to go 21-4. Niether team is equipped for that kind of run.

- Astros are on a hot streak and always hit well against the Cubs - Cubs are in a mini-slump right now - Jason Marquis vs. Roy Oswalt - Brewers on a winning streak with no signs of slowing It's a perfect storm of pessimism. Plenty of reasons to be negative about this week. Seriously, what did you people expect vs the Pirates? You're acting like the Brewers just reeled off 17 in a row against the AL East or something. The Brewers are beating up on terrible teams like they should. The Mets are not a terrible team.

I like their chances off winning tomorrow better than ours. Marquis vs. Oswalt and the hot Astros. Fun.

doesn't work anymore

OH NOES WE'RE NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS NOW. ONLY 10 GAME LEAD AFTER WE INEXPLICABLY SPLIT A SERIES VS A GOOD TEAM? THIS IS MADNESS

Uh... Their starters did, no "uhs" about it Hamels did and that's it. How many scoring opportunities did the Cubs waste? Blanton pitched poorly and got let off the hook, Myers gave up what, like, 11 hits? Moyer's line is nothing special either.

Uh...

Extremely disappointing to split this series after winning the first 2. Just like that, the division lead is not so comfortable.