Pulling The Riot

Gerry...is there something you wanna tell us? Not positive about this, but it seems I've seen Theriot hitting the ball to the left side quite a bit lately.

Gerald, you're not messing with the best hitter on the team are you?

If so...cut it the H-E-double hockey sticks out!!!!

Or I'll beat your minute lovin' butt!

Here's something to ponder...

So, your favorite band puts out a new CD. You run to the store, slap the cash on the counter, and run to your car. You pop the CD in, listen to the first track. Killer. Second. Awesome. Third. YES! Fourth. Hot! Fifth.. WTF? What is THIS song doing on here? I mean. I guess it's ok, but....but...huh??? But you listen to it, and the next and the next and the next. I call this the "Nothing Else Matters" syndrome, and it's horrible to experience...

Same thing with the Cubs this year. You gotta take the massive upside, with the minor downside. Soriano's defense. Theriot's and Johnson's occasional base running hiccups. Whatever. Just gotta run with it man. Hands down, this is the best team in the NL, possibly in baseball. Take Soriano. Worst left field defense since Alou. But his jack wins the game today.

Yes, they do have flaws. It'd frankly be boring if they didn't. Just gotta roll with it kiddies. All the way to the ticker tape parade...

One for the minute, two for the show...

World Series thoughts...Part Chetire

Cubs vs. White Sox and why I like our chances.

The White Sox live and die with the home run. They have the slowest lineup in baseball, which includes amateur and geriatric leagues. And they're to say the least, inconsistent. when I last heard, the Sox are 6-36 in games where they do not hit a home run. Their outfield defense is questionable, while their infield is pretty tight. They're getting bitten by the injury bug left and right, which is probably the result of decaying body parts by some of the mummies they're propping up at home plate. Crede and Konerko are a sneeze and an 0-fer away from being benched the rest of the season.

Their dangerous hitters are Thome, Quentin and Dye. The Cubs dangerous hitters are Soraino, Theriot, Lee, Ramirez, Soto...well, you get the point.

The Cubs pitching staff is composed of strikeout pitchers - you can't hit home runs if you can't hit the ball. Only Lilly and Marquis would be considered "fly ball" pitchers. Plus, in October, the wind blows in. Base hits and doubles will win the game and with the Sox outfield, that's a LOT of doubles. The Cubs in the second half have proven they can hit on the road. If it comes to it, and neither team is a lock by any stretch, I say Cubs in 5.

Sorry David Kaplan - the Sox are hands down the most beatable team of the AL contenders right now, with the Twins being a close second. David disagreed with the caller on that point.

A minute you asked for and a minute you shall have.

And Rickie Weeks still sucks...:D

interesting trade idea?

So George Sherrill, the left handed closer from Baltimore is on the block. The asking price, by latest reports is a ML ready shortstop. Hello Ronny Cedeno. Here's the problem though. Cedeno is Theriot's only backup at SS. 2nd base has depth enough to get by without him, but SS remians a question. Any kids ready to come up as a backup? I'm honestly not sure.

What I do know is Marmol, while he hasn't been terrible his last few outings still ain't right. Bob "Gopher-ball" Howry isn't right. Woody's widdle finger hurts, so long story short, we've got issues.

I'm thinking Eyre-Cedeno for Sherrill, a proven closer. 46K's in 42 IP. 7 Blown saves, which is kinda scary, but still. You trade a solid lefty for a solid uninjured lefty, and a SS in the package. Win-Win. Plus Eyre's a FA this year - Sherrill's under team control for at least another year if not more. This is all contingent on whether or not there's a SS in AAA ready to step up, and to be honest, I don't know.

Just a thought...and a minute...

Khalil Greene?

So there's a rumor on mlbtraderumors that the Cubs are looking at Khalil Greene? Why in God's name? Greene's too much of an established starter to be a backup, and Theriot's bat looks too good in the lineup right now.

Some might speculate that Theriot's September last year might be cause for concern, but overall he's just too good to give up on, especially since he's been so valuable up to now and Greene's been....well....Greene.

I could see perhaps involving him in a multi-team deal, or to be used as trade bait, but aside from that, I don't see it.

That's a minute....

Marquis performance

Man, Marquis was dealing today...think the writing might be on the wall for him. If it is, it probably says something like this - "You pitch the way you did in the second half of last year, don't unpack after the break..."

Marquis actually did kinda suck at the beginning of the year, so maybe he got it out of his system. Time (August) will tell...meantime, assuming Harden isn't a DL trip waiting to happen, he'll do just fine as a number 5.

On a cuter note, Ryan Theriot's 3 year old son Houston (Houston? seriously? You were a CUB when you named him...) sang his rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" on Sportsnite tonight. Very cute.

56-37. Hopefully we return to 20 games over before the All Star Break. Brewers lost. Eat it Brew Crew.

P.S. No looking at magic numbers until the All Star Break. I've resisted thus far - so can you...

That's my minute...