Wow. This news is fantastic!  Best thing to come out of Cubs camp is that Carlos has decided that the closer battle in camp with Kevin Gregg is more important. Found it at the bottom of this piece in the Trib, about Z acting like a spoiled child.

I can only imagine the thrill it would be to represent ones country internationally, but more and more players are, and I think for good reason, bowing out of this exhibition tournament.

Carlos himself said "It's hard to say no to your country". Well, with the way he was borderline abused by Lou last year, and the important role he has in this team's success, I'm really glad he did.

Side note: This Zambrano behavior is really getting tired. I get that having the media around all the time would be annoying to say the least, but to me it's part of a players job to answer questions. Anyway, I digress...

This story about Dempster passing on the WBC just came out north of the border.

As a Cub fan, I'm really glad that both Demp and Rich Harden are not taking part. Rich because of the cranky shoulder, Ryan because of the big $$ the Cubs just spent on him.

As a Canadian, it would be nice to see our best out there against countries like the US, Dominican and Japan, which are obviously superior to Canada in talent. However, my desire for a Cubs World Series wins out over an exhibition tournament with no meaningful implications.

Here's a quote from Dempster about his previous decision to pass on the last WBC while recovering from Tommy John:

"I love where I'm from and I love the opportunity my country has provided me with, but at the same time I had to do the right thing for our team."

The reason I've linked to this article is because of the comments at the bottom of the story. It's embarrassing, to be honest, the response of some people to Dempster's decision. They think him not donning the Canadian Jersey essentially translates to him spitting on the flag.

Get real, people.

Go Cubs, Go Canada...in that order!

Reading espn.com I found this funny page about the Cubs.

I know we're all tired of the curse crap, and realize it had nothing to do with the total embarrassment that was the 2008 playoffs.

However, if we don't laugh at some of this stuff, I think we'll either go completely insane or just jump off the nearest bridge.

I know it's cliche, but I believe that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Well, it's time to beef up a little more!!!

If you're not ready to laugh yet, I apologize for pointing this page out.

As Al mentioned in his game recap, there are a mere 61 games left on the schedule. Hard to believe. It breaks down like this:

32 at Wrigley - 6 against St. Louis, 3 against Milwaukee

29 on the dreaded road - 3 against St. Louis, 7 against Milwaukee

So, my question for my fellow nail-biting, stressed out Cub fanatics: How many wins will it take to win the division? My call is 37 makes it a no-brainer, while 32 makes it a dog fight.

Your thoughts?

Thanks!