If you have all night with nothing else to do, and you're in Chicago, and you like burgers, and you don't mind loud goth metal, go to Kuma's Corner.

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Yup, it's final this time.  Really.  Seriously.  1 year, $2 million with incentives.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29267535/

Apparently Atlanta is having a hard time knowing when its deals are done.  First Furcal, now Griffey. 

I think this is what everyone wanted, but wasn't the offer originally for two years?  It'll be fun to see him appreciated again, and not living out his days as a part-timer in Atlanta.  Word.

No really, it's true. 

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26664476/

In his diary entry of March 31, 1755, he says “Went to Stoke Ch. This morning. After Dinner Went to Miss Jeale’s to play at Base Ball with her, the 3 Miss Whiteheads, Miss Billinghurst, Miss Molly Flutter, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Ford & H. Parsons & Jelly. Drank Tea and stayed till 8.”

But then, "Mr. Baker pulled me to allow Mr. Weathers to confront the righty and prompty blow the bloody game to hell."  Buggers.

On a side note, why did they hide the "new diary post" link in its current location?  This format sucks.  JD, can we end this trial period and go back to the old site?

Wow, I missed this announcement last week:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkVI3lR6REYP1g6yKrk5pMyFCLcF?slug=txsutcliffecancer&prov=s t&type=lgns

BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT (TICKER) --Former Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe has been diagnosed with cancer.

A baseball analyst for ESPN, Sutcliffe was diagnosed with colon cancer following a routine physical, the network said in a statement.

"I deeply appreciate the support of the ESPN family and my family and friends around the country," Sutcliffe said in a statement.

The 51-year-old Sutcliffe will undergo chemotherapy and surgery over the next four months.

In a 15-year career in which he played for five teams, Sutcliffe compiled a record of 171-139 and a 4.08 ERA. He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 1979, the NL Cy Young Award five years later and was a three-time All-Star.

I'm no doctor, but colon cancer sucks.  Hopefully they caught it early like they did with ED.  (And I hope they caught his ED early too.)

On a related note, I can't think of any other broadcaster who is as bad as Rick Sutcliffe in the tv booth.  Except Jeff Brantley, I mean.  So, have a speedy recovery, Rick.  But please, don't call ESPN when you're ready to come back to work.

If that's what you want to call it.

If you haven't already seen it, mlbtraderumors.com </insert link here> took a stab at analyzing Jim Bowden as a GM.  Part I is Leatherpants' 10.5 years with the Reds.  

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/02/jim-bowden-trad.html#comments

To say the least, it's a cursory observation.  However, I do like the handy spreadsheet of Bowden trades through mid-2003.  And Big Mike Glab(who is new to the site) does single out JimBo's common trade trade partners.  

However, the report's draft analysis looks only at Assface's first round picks, ignoring other gems that Boy Wonder grabbed in "later" rounds (see Dunn, Adam, sidnancy, comments).  

And Big Mike claims that the October 30, 1999 trade for Dante Bichette was a playoff-stretch deal.  So Trader Jim was just a couple months late on that one or what?

All in all, it's a fun feature.  But this one was written by either (a) some dude who did a book report on someone else's article on Jim Bowden, (b) a Reds fan who knows what we know but tried to dumb it down for a larger audience, or (c) some respectable guy I don't know who will beat me down with my own arm.

Bereavement pool update:  Apparently, Edna Parker of Shelbyville, IN, may not be the oldest living human after all.  A 120-year old dinosaur in Israel has applied for an identity card.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23173016/

Sorry, Fat Vegas.

Second Bereavement Update [2008-2-16 12:0:18 by Brian B]: Steve Fossett has been declared legally dead on February 15, 2008, not the date he went missing (September 3, 2007). I still don't feel like he fits into the Osama Rule, but that's okay. There should be a rule against missing persons anyway.

This from mlbtraderumors . . .

Reds In On Cameron?
According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Mike Cameron's agent tonight said he has a new suitor.  Krasovic makes an educated guess that the Reds are that team.  He cites Cameron's desire to play for Dusty Baker, the possible defensive improvement, and the availability of Josh Hamilton as factors.  It would be odd for the Reds to spend their remaining money on a position player though.

Cameron enjoyed his time in Cincinnati in 1999, hitting .256/.357/.469 as a 26 year-old before being included in the Griffey trade.  Wouldn't it be interesting if the Reds brought back Cameron and Brett Tomko?  And Antonio Perez is probably kicking around somewhere too.

This is pretty much garbage.  How can this guess be educated?  I like Mike Cameron and all, but seriously.  Still, I thought it was worth a post so we can laugh it off before it actually happens.  This would be just the thing that could start another classic Wayne Krivsky bender . . . with Castro getting an extension through 2012.  

My "educated" guess is the mystery team is Washington, because . . . well, you know why.

In the first big trade of the winter, the Phillies acquired Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett from the Astros for Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary, and Mike Costanzo today.  This means Brett Myers is back in the starting rotation.

Didn't they do this with Billy Wagner a few years ago?  

Does anyone honestly see the Reds dealing anyone this winter?  If so, who makes the wish list?