I haven't really heard this comparison yet from any of the BCB'ers so I thought I would point it out and leave it up for debate. The more I watch Sam Fuld play the more I can't help but see a comparison between he and Jacoby Ellsbury (I mean come on they even look like twin brothers).  They were both drafted pretty low (Ellsbury 23rd/Fuld 10th) and both are OBP machines and play great defense.  It is time for him to be a center piece at both the leadoff and CF positions on this Cubs team.  The guy has had 2-3 ESPN Web Gems in the last two days.  When was the last time a Cubs player had ONE other than Fuld... Reed Johnson last year?

I realize that this is going to make some people cringe at the possible $30 million platoon of Soriano/Bradley in LF in the future.  However I don't know about the rest of you but I actually get excited when I watch Fuld play the game.  He goes out there and does everything right and gives his all every single play.  When I couple that with the possibilities of having both Fuld and Fukudome out there in the field at the same time it makes me think of the energy Ellsbury brought to that 2007 Red Sox team.

This is my lineup for the rest of this year (platoon can start next year).  I'm liking the idea of Soriano PH against lefties and Fox PH against righties.

vs. RHP/LHP
CF - Fuld
LF - Bradley
1B - Lee
3B - Ramirez
RF - Fukudome/ 2B- Baker
2B - Baker/ SS - Theriot
SS - Theriot/ RF - Fukudome
C - Hill/ Soto

I know we are all jumping in joy that we finally put up more than 3 runs at Petco Park this year and ended a 5 game losing streak to the lowly Padres.   Believe you me, I was jumping in joy when I came home from work to see that we did indeed win the game.  However I became even happier when, while I was doing my normal routine of browsing the post-game columns of all the Chicago journalists/bloggers to find out anything new and interesting, I came across a tiny little tidbit from Mr. Rich Harden.

"It was great." Harden said. "Everybody came to play and played hard out there.... You can see what we're capable of when everyone is all out and we're playing that way. If we'd do that every game. It'd be nice."

Maybe I am reading into this quote wrong (and if I am please feel free to let me know) but I get the feeling that Rich may be calling out some of these guys (i.e. Bradley and Soriano) who seem to not be giving everything they've got this year.  I get the feeling that it's possible the starting pitching staff is getting sick and tired of working their butts off out there while they continue to watch these extremely well paid regulars jogging after fly balls and even missing  the routine ones while grounding/flying out and swinging at terrible pitches at the plate. Albeit Bradley has been doing his job at the plate I'll give him that but I get scared 80% of the time a ball is hit to RF.

Accountability is something that has been missing this entire year and if management isn't going to hold these players accountable then I think Rich is taking a step in the right direction with this quote.  I hate to say it because it brings up so much pain and anguish amongst this group but this is exactly why Wood and DeRo were such valuable assets to this team.  They would have never allowed the situation to get where it is at right now.

Here is the link:  Piniella likes what he sees in Cubs win

With both the sale of the Cubs to the Ricketts family and the trade deadline imminent it is time for the Cubs to do something they should have done two years ago, make the trade for Brian Roberts.  The last couple of months could turn out to be a blessing for Jim Hendry.  Just a couple of months ago everybody was complaining about our depleted farm system.  These last few weeks have shown that maybe that's not the case at all.  Even if it is the case that these guys are just overachieving for the time being we might as well take advantage of the opportunity, right?

Bobby Scales, even though he is 31 years old, has proven that he can offer something at the big league level.  Jake Fox and Micah Hoffpauir have proven that they can be major power bats.  I know Randy Wells is the man right now but if we can get optimum value out of him I think you have to jump at that opportunity.  Mix in a package of young prospects and even a Fontenot, Miles, or Baker into a deal for Brian Roberts.  He is exactly what we need, a switch-hitting bat to break up all the right handers and someone who can steal some bases and play defense.  I feel like this would give Blanco the opportunity to play some shortstop as well (imagine that DP combo).

Also, I just wanted to open up a discussion on Rich Harden.  I could not help but notice on Saturday that his velocity was at about 88-89mph.  It seems to me that when we first acquired him he was throwing about 93-94 and was mixing in some more breaking balls rather than just straight 4-Seamers and change-ups.  I know that one of the reasons for this is because of his arm issues.  However, if he is throwing an 88 mph fastball and an 83 mph change-up there are going to be a lot more days like Saturday.