http://twitter.com/cst_cubs/status/6476339772

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports the Cubs are close to dealing Milton Bradley to a "surprise" American League team.

The Rays have expressed interest, but a deal with Tampa Bay certainly wouldn't qualify as a "surprise." Bradley, 31, batted a disappointing .257/.378/.397 this season with Chicago and is owed $22 million over the next two years. Wittenmyer's source says the deal could go down "tonight."

Yahoo story link

Note from Al: the original post was copied/pasted in its entirety from Rotoworld. This is a copyright violation, so I deleted it. Please don't do this -- please put links from other sources, maybe a sentence or two in a blockquote, and some of your own thoughts when you are making a FanPost. Thanks for understanding, and if you need more hints on how to make a good post, please check the links under "BCB Specials and Site Info" on the right sidebar.

 

The Pirates are "pushing hard" to trade All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez, according to a National League executive this morning.

The San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies are two of the teams with which the Pirates have spoken, the source said, but there are as many as four or five more.

I really hope Jim Hendry is all over this...trade them Fontenot, some cash and Guzman...done deal? 

After all...this is the cash strapped Pirates our personal trade partner 3x over.  Does the Baker signing make this moot?

Linky: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09190/982829-100.stm

 

 

Hey Cards fans....I know..101 years etc etc.  But actually I don't hate the Cards.  I have always respected what they bring to the table and how can anyone not enjoy the force that is Albert.  As we all know the Cubs are pretty awful and uninspired this season....not to mention Cubs fans obsession with DeRosa, so Sunday night I did the only thing I could do to make me laugh and hopefully you did too.  Here is the link to my post over at bleedcubbieblue.com.

Feel free to post over there and hit the rec. button.  Enjoy DeRo...he is a pretty solid player and a great guy to cheer for...however, my cheering days are over...check out my pictures and especially the last picture I fondly call, "The Ghost of DeRo."

 

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/6/30/930376/my-own-personal-forgetting-derosa

So.  I'm tired of all of the DeRosa talk.  I am even more tired of watching bad baseball.  And after the 6-0 Sox beating, I decided I needed to do something to make myself feel better about this season and about the RedBirds getting a pretty useful Ex-Cub.  Some people will chide me for being childish or immature....fine.  I don't care.  This felt a little like that famous scene from "Office Space" with the guys and the fax machine....and now forever...I will never again think about Mark DeRosa...no more standing O's at Wrigley...he got that already...from now on I treat the same way I would treat Nyjer Morgan.  Enjoy the pictures...hope they made you laugh.  I especially liked the last "ghost of DeRosa" picture...

So...since I burned the DeRosa shirt the Cubs are 1-0 and the Cardinals are 0-2.  Forget the other pictures...these are the ones to remember on bleedcubbieblue.com....post DeRosa burn records....here come the playoffs!  Feel free to Rec this!

GO CUBS!!!

via i618.photobucket.com

via i618.photobucket.com

via i618.photobucket.com

via i618.photobucket.com

via i618.photobucket.com

So I work in a "Sox dominant" office.  Apparently, one of their Sox sources informed them that there were numerous Cubs scouts at the Sox v. Tigers game to watch Fields.  I know that everyone is going to ask for a link and obviously I don't have one so I figured I would pass this information along for a few reasons:

1. Al- has Deep Goat mentioned anything about this?

2. Is this why Miles is back-up for a show case?

3. Who would the Sox want?

Thanks to all that can either add fuel to this rumor or put it out.

As a Cubs fan I am totally miffed of the attitude about the Brewers moves.  The Brewers were one of the best upcoming teams in baseball.  Attendance goes through the roof fans care again and season ticket sales nearly double.  Now, after you make it to the playoffs one year out of 25, the team and ownership has decided to essentially re-build?  That is really an awful way to do business and reward loyal fans.

I would be 10x more angry.  Depending on those starting pitchers to be anything other then awful is really not taking a good hard look in the mirror.  Jon Garland signed for about what the Brewers paid Hoffman and that in itself is enough to make any smart Brewers fan throw up.  It was truly a pathetic off-season. 

Can anyone here actually tell me the Crew have a shot in the NL Central this season?  **crickets**

 

So it is likely that Gallagher will go on the disabled list to make room for Gio Gonzalez on the roster. I don't know the extent of Gallagher's injury, but one source told me yesterday that he had heard that Gallagher had felt a "pop" in the shoulder in his July 25 start against Texas. I haven't been able to confirm that with Gallagher, who I didn't see at all yesterday, but it might explain some of Gallagher's wildness in his start Monday night.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/edetail?blogid=21&entry_id=28848

Hmmm...so did the Cubs dodge a bullet here?   I would assume this is just a coincidence, but pretty scary nonetheless.  That is why NO player, Rich Hill circa 2007, or Gallagher version 2008, is "untouchable."  With a talent like Harden, you simply roll the dice and throw caution to the wind with an injury history on a player.  Look what can happen...if you would have given out odds after that deal, that Sean would go to the DL before Harden they would have been ridiculously favoring Harden going to the shelf.  Another reason (as if we needed another) that Hendry made a great move.  Just feel sorry for Sean.

What I particulary find revealing is the A's fans comments after the article.  They are so bitter, and frankly...I don't blame them one bit.

This comes from the Toronto Star. 

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/443988

"Blue Jays fireballer A.J. Burnett may have talked his way out of town even before the opt-out clause in his contract takes effect after this season.  Burnett insisted he was simply being honest when quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times yesterday as being receptive to an opportunity to play in a baseball-mad city like Chicago.  I don't really care about how the fans take it," Burnett said. "If they won't read the part where I said where I'm at in my mind (focused on Toronto), whatever. I'm a Blue Jay now and I'm a Blue Jay until they tell me otherwise. I'm proud of that."

I guess I am left feeling pretty divided about this.  On one hand it makes me a little giddy that a guy like Burnett blatantly says that he would love to come to Chicago.

But on the other hand, reading further into the article in a start Burnett got shelled and he left the field mocking the fans by tipping his cap to them.  Is this a guy we even want around our team chemistry?  Maddux has never done anything even remotely close to this on a mound, but Zambrano hasn't exactly been the most classy player to grace the sacred ground at Wrigley.

Like we have all said, if a guy like Burnett can help us win a championship then I have no problem bringing him over to the Friendly Confines.  Curious as how other are perceiving his situation as it continues to develope.

I finally think  I am going to pull the trigger on some of these tickets this year.  I thought that some members of BCB may have some first-hand experience in participating in this day.

Per Cubs.com:

Families and fans of all ages have the opportunity to spend 50-minutes playing catch in the outfield, running the bases or chatting in the dugouts of beautiful Wrigley Field.

Participant tickets are $150 each and include a commemorative t-shirt, photograph, baseball and lunch in the Friendly Confines Café. Each participant entering the field will need a participant ticket.

Guest tickets are also available for $15 and include access to the stadium and lunch only for those family members who wish to watch but not participate on the field. Children three and under do not need a guest ticket to enter. If this pretty accurate?  Seems like a nice deal to allow a guest in for $15 dollars.  My girlfriend would be able to take some priceless pictures of us out on the field. Any experiences would be very helpful.