Cubs outfielder Tony Campana, who overcame Hodgkin's lymphoma as a youngster to play Major League baseball, was voted the winner of the 22nd annual Tony Conigliaro Award on Friday.

The award is presented to a Major League player who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of Conigliaro.

4 years, $58 Million, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Newcomers include ex-Cubs Bill Mueller, Tony Womack, Terry Mulholland, Jeromy Burnitz, Eric Young, and Phil Nevin, who will probably get as many HOF votes combined as I do.

Darwin Barney received two third-place votes and finished tied for 7th.

"The Phillies are closing in on a four-year deal with Ryan Madson, according to Jim Duquette of MLB Network. The contract could include a fifth year vesting option for the Scott Boras client. The sides seem to be discussing an annual salary of $11MM or so for Madson, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com."

Marmol is scheduled to make $7 million next year and $9.8 million in 2013. Maybe Madson's contract will make Marmol more attractive on the trade market?

The wait is over!

"He will be in uniform this weekend against the Pirates, although he was not in the starting lineup Friday."

"The Cubs are bad and getting worse. They fell 11 games back in the NL Central after getting swept in St. Louis over the weekend and still must visit Cincinnati and Philadelphia on this 10-game march to oblivion.

Forget about signing a free agent such as the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols or Brewers’ Prince Fielder. The Cubs are so far gone, they are much more than one player away."

Since we like to follow the exploits of certain former Cubs...

"Harmon Killebrew announced Friday that he no longer plans to fight his esophageal cancer and has settled in for the final days of his life, saddening friends and fans of the 74-year-old Hall of Fame slugger.

In a statement released jointly by the Minnesota Twins and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Killebrew said 'it is with profound sadness" that he will no longer receive treatment for the 'awful disease.'

He said the cancer has been deemed incurable by his doctors and he will enter hospice care."

Not a big surprise, I guess. Since the Cubs are stuck with his contract, let's hope he bounces back next year.

Bill Hall DFA'd, J.J. Hardy sent to AAA.

So a small market team can dump a guy due to make $8 million next year, but the Cubs can't eat a $2.9 million contract?