Unless, it comes with a guaranteed World Series title this year, no thank you.

Edmonds looked done last year and I was surprised the Padres signed him for as much as they did. Edmonds is batting a whopping .178/.265/.233 and is not aging gracefully in CF.

I know our OF has questions, and that Pie needs to hit and to have playing time, but would this seem like a good move to anyone here?

I wasn't a Dusty hater. I have a hard time being a hater. But Dusty made some strange decisions as manager of the Cubs and it seems he's making some similar one's with the Reds.

In a Cincinatti paper (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080429/SPT04/804290344/) Freel, who's had a pretty good season so far .292/.327/.681, is just a bit frustrated that he's being benched in favor of Cory Patterson (.213/.281/.756). Given current trends and the choice of replacement, I can understand.

Also, it seems that Reds organization has some internal communication issues that precipitated this. One of the jobs as a manager is to listen to your staff and figure out how best they can contribute to the task at hand. At our work, it's assigning the right people for the job based on their workload. If an MLB ball club, which has payroll in the tens of millions with a whopping staff of 40+ can't get on the same page then someone should look more closely at how they got there and make changes fast. Having discord this early for the Reds doesn't help anyone there.

Does our community here believe that at some point we'll have similar turmoil here in CF with Johnson and Pie or do you think that management has prepped the players and themselves well?

Bought two tickets to every Smokies game this week only to be diagnosed with vertigo the day of the first game - went anyway for about four innings but had to leave because the park kept spinning on me.

Veal pitched last night and I was sorry to miss him. The performance in box score looked good and it would have been good to get some footage of him. Spearman who had a good night the first game this week ended last night's extra inning contest with a 3 run shot in the top of the 12th.

If I feel up to it tonight I'll get back out there and see if Samardzija starts.

Caught only five innings of this game but saw Tyler Colvin break a bat for a ground out, fly out and strike out still make first and force a runner home.

Weird inning in the fifth. Bases loaded two out, Tyler strikes out on a pitch hitting six inches in front of the plate the runner from third catches the pass ball/wild pitch and runs home, Tyler makes it to first. Next at bat McGehee reaches first on an error scoring another run from third. BAD Lookouts defense.

Other excitement was Mitch Atkins in his second at bat (walked both) loosing his grip on the bat and sending it over the guest dugout (two feet above my head) and into the stands. Just missed a woman's head and picked up by a college kid. Mitch walks towards the stands and asks for his bat back (likely a modest portion of his annual income) and get booed by the fans. A few of us got it back from the college kid and handed it back down to Mitch (who then proceeded to take a BB).

Jemel Spearman and (Hip Hip) Jorge Cortes had a good night; both going 2-4 with a walk each - making solid contact while doing it.

Kyle Reynolds, who sits so far back in the box that his back foot is over the line, walked in his first at back and in hit a ball two feet foul that's likely now just coming down. Even so, he went 0-4 with a BB and run scored. The rest of the offense was a bit flat.

I think Mitch Atkins started this game with a 14.5 ERA or something in four innings of work at this level. He looked good at times tonight but never seem to put any batter away - often getting to full counts after being up on the batter. It burned him in the forth when he allowed a hit after getting ahead on Michael Griffin, then got two outs, hit Rosales, then gave up a bomb to Drew Anderson... there was no doubt on that one. I thought they were going to pull Atkins that inner or PH for him in the next but they kept him in till the 6th.

In general, The Smokies defence looked sharp with extra credit going to Robinson Chirinos for some very good plays at SS. Jemel Spearman made a highlight grab in RF and over all the kids looked like they handled the defence in good form.

The was no sign of Samardzija. He pitched two nights ago so I hope he'll make it into the rotation sometime this week while they're here.

Asides: caught three balls tonight. Okay two of them were essentially thrown to me, but one was a rip foul that was heading for my face - glad I was both looking and not holding a camera to my face at the time. Gave the first ball to my oldest son with me at the game and the other two to kids around me. I became quite popular by the forth inning.

I shot some video but will wait till tomorrow to resample it and get it online.

Not sure it's worth a diary post in and of itself but I started looking at the rest of the season's schedule and came up with what seemed like a realistic 25 additional wins - putting our boys at 85 by year's end.

Boy, I'd sure like to have had a few more back from this road trip. Moving from 85 to 88 would be a hole lot more comfortable, but again, the 25 I'm hoping for is still many days away.

In looking at the Brewers schedule they could easily have another 24 wins left, putting them at 86.

I'm not a doomsday kind of guy, heck I cheer for the Cubs, but it'd be great to see our boys in blue show me that they've got some fire in them and beat some folks up on this upcoming home stand.

Quick notes: glad to see Ward back, my heart goes out to the Floyd family, very nice defense JJ, and stay away from thin air Rich and Kerry.

I'll be at every TN Smokies game next week as they're in town to play the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Other than taking special interest in Tyler Colvin, Jeff Samardzija and Donnie Veal is there anyone else  you all would like photos of or special attention given to?

I'll post a photo collection each night at http://www.flickr.com/photos/11058250@N04/

Just left my local coffee hang out and spent some unexpected time with a MLB scout from a non-Cubbie club. Good guy and good conversations about the business and his time in it (been in the biz a while).

Out of respect for his job I'll refrain from sharing who he was with but I will relay that when I mentioned my fan affiliation he was quick to mention his liking of Matt Murton. Said he had followed him for years and he's a bit perplexed by his poor transistion to the majors. Hoping it wasn't a "called up too soon" scenario and that his recent stint in AAA would be productive.

Anyway, heading celebrate my son's 4th birthday party and then onto the local AA game tonight (kid's helmets and fireworks). Tonigth's matchup is the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds) play the Mississippi Braves.

at least in my EA MVP Baseball game.

Not trying to be a jerk, but this diary is mainly a question about how to respond to rumor posts.

I'm not discounting or supporting any post. The truth of those are irrelevant to the following questions.

When seeing a rumor posted in a forum like this it seems the general consensus is to automatically give it enough merit to talk about the pros and cons of such a trade. True or not, it seems to promote good discussion as to whether or not such a deal would be "worthy." Whether or not it's a "valid rumor" (rather oxymoronic) seems to be of less importance.

Do we tend to just like these kinds of rumors? Giving them more leeway than other types of posts just because we like to debate the theoretical issues?

Tom Snarkey is a diary cop in Chicago who's demoted to lurking after a botched comment. In the depths of this lowly division...

Anyway, I miss baseball already. I'm finding myself reading all these sites talking about signings, trades and rumors of trades.

While we wait for more actual games to be played what do you all plan on doing with this new found free time?

It's only the first week of June and the temp's just starting to rise in the South. Wait till mid-July when the air is hot and humid you can feel the air flowing in and out of your lungs like warm milk... ah, the south. That's why I escape it at least three weeks per summer - unfortunately this was the first Cubs v. Braves I missed in ATL. Bummer to hear that you were there in ATL while I was in Chicago of all places.

Back to making a baseball post though. Even with the ugly loss last night - propagated by a frightful start by Marquis - I'm liking how this team has been looking lately.

It was good to see Pinella essentially use last night to figure some things out. Putting Gallagher out there to see what he could do and giving Eyre some rope to see if he made a hangman's noose or a rope bridge.

I'm still not ready to write off this team's season off yet because we're in such a wonderfully mediocre division and I still believe we can become the kings of mediocrity.

Through no effort of our own, our beloved Cubbies are in second place - only five games out of first. It's like we died and went to the NL West of recent years.

So unlike, Al, I'm in the temperate zone of Chicago this week and next. Seeing at least one game on BCB day and hoping to find a way out enough meetings to catch another while I'm here.

Go Cubs.

The San Diego trib seems to indicate that Todd may be sent home before Spring Training. News to me that you can opt out of a player's arbitration with minimal penalty ($658k if released).

Not sure why Walker is so unattractive to teams.  He wasn't a stellar infielder, but he seems better than other options out there for teams.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070227/news_1s27padres.html

I'm not sure how much more of it I can take, but today's Sun story (http://www.suntimes.com/sports/deluca/263046,CST-SPT-deluca19.article) is one of a myriad of poorly postured stories that have me shaking my head this off season - PLEASE, please baseball season - come soon - perhaps real live games will root out the poor math and lackluster writing that I've been barraged with - or at least distract these writers with scores, off field antics and steroid scandals.

The Sun's De Luca didn't start the movement and unfortunately he'll likely not be the last to use the numbers so misleadingly. It seems I've read thirty stories this off season about how the Cubs are spending $300 million dollars on this year's team... yeah right, sure they are and LaRusa is coming back to the White Sox. Yes, the Cubs this off season have committed to spend at least $300 million over the next several years, but really folks - can we come up with a better way of phrasing things? I know $300 million is one of those nice big juicy numbers, but can we back away from the exciting (and ambiguous) phrasing and bring a little more insight to the table?

The sad thing is the way these numbers are being batted around pretty soon we'll hear on WGN and ESPN televised games about the '07 Cubs $300 million dollar payroll... leaving the average fan likely wondering how the Cubs came up with that kind a money for this season. I know that writers get stuck with having to come up with stories that will either intrigue or goad the reader into paying attention - but I know you all can do better.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070123&content_id=1784822& vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws

With Posednik out, the Sox evidently wanted a $3 mil. Ernstad insurance policy for the outfield.

Ernstad was a name that'd been batted about as an outfield possibility for our Cubbies, though the rumor mills still seem to point to the possiblity for Floyd to be in a Cubs uni.- AP NEWS

UPDATE:
REMAINING OUTFIELD FREE AGENTS
Steve Finley
Cliff Floyd
Todd Hollandsworth
Ricky Ledee
Shannon Stewart
Michael Tucker
Bernie Williams
Eric Young

In honor of the fast approaching MLB HOF voting I offer up this trivial challenge.

Please feel free to check the internet or your favorite sports trivia book AFTER you make your gut guess. I have stunning new Braves blanket (they give out all kinds of schwag down here) that I will offer up for either enjoyment or destruction to the winner.

Update [2007-1-4 1:22:47 by stelmodad]:

1. Tom Seaver: 98.84
2. Ty Cobb: 98.23
3. Hank Aaron: 97.83
4. Johnny Bench: 96.42
5. Babe Ruth: 95.13
6. Carl Yastrzemski: 94.63
7. Ted Williams: 93.38
8. Willie Mays: 91.98
9. Brooks Robinson: 91.98
10. Mickie Mantle: 88.22

Reading through Ben Maller's snipits and learned that the Cubs front office seemed to close any doors that Pinella opened for Elia's return to the Cubs organization.

The story seems to indicate that the move is quite final stating that Elia has taken a position with the Devil Rays as a scout.

http://www.benmaller.com/archives/2006/december/07-elia_not_hired_by_cubs_because_of_famous_rant.htm l

I was wondering how much liberty a new manager had over their staff - this seems to indicate that the leash must be much shorter than I realized. From what I gather Elia and Pinella have worked well together in the past and he'd been looking forward to having him on his staff.

It's been a few years since the Baker signing and my memories a bit shot - did he have similar problems getting coaches approved?

It was 72 degrees here yesterday and a windy but beautiful 50 this morning here in Chattanooga.

The disadvantages of being so far from my Cubs in the summer make so much more sense in the winter. I plan on working in the garden this weekend - shoveling top soil and compost instead of snow...

While the Calvin (and Hobbs) in me misses the snow at times I can say with certainty I do not miss the cold.

http://www.chase3000.com/userpages/calvinhobbes/

Kenny Williams stood in the hotel lobby as general managers started to leave, talked about his starting pitchers and said the $51.1 million fee the
Boston Red Sox bid merely for negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka had given him an idea.

"Instead of trading one of them, I'd rather post him," the
Chicago White Sox GM said. "If you can get that much for a guy that hadn't pitched here, what are you going to get for some of the guys in our rotation?"

full article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061117/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_gm_meetings

I'm glad to see GM's realizing how this whole Matsuzaka posting thing is distorting the free agent market.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061115/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_managers_of_the_year

I get so tired of the political back stories in business. I deal with it every day and it frustrates me when I see it occur in sports, a pastime that I know I hold in a near utopian regard.

But for now, I would like someone to explain to me why a manager who was able to take what was essentially a AAAA team and pull off a .481 season? This man belongs with a team and not in a broadcast booth. This isn't knocking down Pinella, but it seems like there's a few clubs out there that could have used someone like Joe.

Seems like our beloved Trib isn't getting the price propositions it had hoped for.

If these buyout talks continue on at the pace they're currently being dealt then we may have more of an interesting post season on our hands.

see article on CNN Money here: http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/02/news/companies/tribune.reut/index.htm?section=money_latest
Also, it seems Kuroda is still an option. I thought I had read somewhere that he resigned with Hiroshima but this article indicates that I must have been mistaken : http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061102/kyodo/d8l4ruao1.html

I'd like to pick up:

Nixon, Lugo, Gary Matthews Jr. and Jeff Suppan.

If I couldn't resign Ramirez, then I would have to find another 'big bat' - picking up Mark DeRosa (who isn't big) instead of Nixon and then try to land either Carlos Lee or Alfonso Soriano to supplement the offense.

Rotation and bullpen are damaged but more solid than many in the NL adding Suppan would bring some health and stability. Cubs bullpen could stand firm with Wood possibly coming in as a 3-4 million $ closer with Dempster moving to relief or clean up roles.

Lugo brought in to bring some respectable plate appearances to the SS position. Matthews signed to close the hole made by the imminent departure of Pierre - also helping defense of corner outfielders.

If Ramirez signs OF would consist of Murton/Jones, Matthews and Nixon; if not, Lee, Matthews Murton/Jones. If there are suitors out there for a midland outfielder, package Jones with Izturis for either a comparable prospect or a ground ball 4 or five position starter.

Nixon brings needed balance to both defense and leadership. Matthews brings moderate speed and a possible leadoff. Lugo is more consistent at the plate than any of our current options. Suppan is not a star, but a known quantity; he has composure and experience that our younger starters need. While Suppan is not a typical #3 guy he consistently throws 190+ innings years; he could reside there till Hill or Marshall prove worthy of taking over the spot.

Having a starting rotation of:

Zambrano, Prior, Suppan, Hill, Marshall + bullpen (@$40)
Bullpen: Dempster, Eyre (L), Howry, Miller, Ohman (L), Rusch (L), Wood, Wuertz  

Daily lineup (@ $58-60 million with FA signings)

C Barrett (R)
1B Lee (R)
2B Theriot (R)
3B Ramirez (R)
SS Lugo (R)
LF Murton/Jones (R/L)
CF Matthews (S)
RF Nixon (L)
P

without Ramirez:

C Barrett
1B Lee, D.
2B Theriot
3B DeRosa
SS Lugo
LF Lee, C. (R)
CF Matthews
RF Murton/Jones
P

Bench: Bynum (L), Pagan (S), Izturis (S), Cedno (R), Murton/Jones, Blanco or? (R)
Use off season moves/opportunities and Spring training results to confirm 12 or 13 man pitching staff and final bench situation.

Total payroll @ $100, leaving room for July acquisitions and response to possible market opportunities. Use off season and early season to find possible buyers for excess pitching, Cedeno, Izturis and Jones. Turn in a solid season, build minor league system and hope for a 89 win playoff birth.

Saw this in the news the other day and was surprised no one posted or commented about it.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printedition/ny-spken294952770oct29,0,1085539.column?coll=ny-sports-pr int (bottom of the article - no more than what is in the headline)

A link for those history buffs and not faint of heart: http://www.speakeasy.org/~bucky/elia_tirade.html

and a decent article by ESPN putting that tirade in perspective: http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/rogers_phil/1546310.html

Having former lives in both public relations and politcal campaign management (the latter leaving scars for life) I trust that the recent managerial chum in the water is merely fishing for response and gauging the effect of certain rumors.

While Pinella would not be the worst hire (Dave Wannstedt, Brian Sutter and Steve Lyons could likely do worse for instance) he sure doesn't seem to be anyone but the columnists favorite.

I will grant that he has a LONG and storied career in this great sport, but he seems more akin to that crazy CEO you'd hire to turn the company around for a couple of years - freaking everyone out in the process and making only shareholders happy for a few profitable quarters.

I was traveling today, like many other days these past few months, and I was relegated to 'watching' only the box score of yesterday's game via my phone while somewhere in the middle of Georgia.

To me, the box score kind of encapsulated the season for both teams. Weak starting pitching, inconsistent defense, and winning or losing determined by whose team was more incompetent on that particular day.

ESPN gave the game about as much attention as it deserved (I think about eleven seconds) and tried to spin it as a battling comeback for the Pirates - but I disagree. For the Pirates and Cubs, they don't win many games - other teams loose games. Yesterday it seams the Cubs handed the Pirates the game and as bad as both of these teams were, it could have come down either way.

I tire of watching these games and have lowered my expectations to just watching the players', not the team's, performance. I look to see who might be around next year, I look at the composure of the younger pitchers and I imagine a team rebuilt around winning and not just participating in a game of baseball.

and looking to catch a ballgame while there. Though I'll be closer to the Angels, I'd like to catch Maddux that week at Dodger stadium.

Any advice for an LA newbie? Any predictions on which night Maddux might be pitching? His next probable start is Thursday, August 3rd.

Insights and admonitions welcome.

Highlights:

West Tenn's 20-year old hurler, Sean Gallagher (5-3), went 5 2/3 innings giving up four runs on seven hits; he walked seven batters and fanned three.

West Tenn scored first in the third inning, Carlos Rojas struck out swinging but reached base on a wild pitch. Chris Walker's base hit to left moved Rojas to third. Rojas scored on Eric Patterson's ground out to second. West Tenn 1 Chattanooga 0

West Tenn scored another run in the eighth off reliever Jon Coutlangus. Chris Walker tripled leading off, and scored on a fielder's choice. Chattanooga 5 West Tenn 2

Jim Abbott set the D-Jaxx down 1-2-3 in the ninth inning in a non-save situation.

box score here: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2006_07_24_ wtdaax_cngaax_1

posted originally on July 24, 2006 at
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_89786.asp

by Tim Evearitt (friend, retired teacher and baseball writer)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/scorecard/06/27/truth.rumors.mlb/index.html

Seems like too little too late for everyone involved. Baltimore is looking to move Tejada, and some contender will likely take this opportunity to add a great infield bat to their lineup. I would be STUNNED if our Cubbies where anywhere close to these negotiations, let alone if they would come away with him. Maybe someone could hypnotize their GM into taking Hill - throw in Aardsma for good measure...?

I've been busy commiserating with other local Chicago transplants - bemoaning what seems to be a LONG summer ahead. Many of us are heading down to the ATL series and a few are heading up for the Mets series (that will be a rough one to watch).

I wonder who we'll still see in the lineup come that early September game in ATL?

The Sporting News after informing readers about the likelihood of Willis staying put in FL this season they go on to report on our Cubbies chances at Willis:

"One N.L. manager says the Cubs' window is just about closed. "I love (G.M.) Jim Hendry, but he got pressured into making some of those deals over there. He felt like he had to get a leadoff man, but (Juan) Pierre just isn't the same player he was a few years ago. They gave up three arms for him, but I wouldn't have given up (RHP) Ricky Nolasco for Pierre straight up..."

full article here: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=101444

"Twins outfielder Torii Hunter says he would waive his no-trade clause if either the Red Sox or Cubs were to try and deal for him reports the St. Paul Pioneer Pioneer Press. Where Hunter would fit with the Red Sox (who have Manny Ramirez, Coco Crisp and Trot Nixon in the outfield and David Ortiz at DH) is unknown, as is the motive for the well back of the leaders Cubs to deal for a pending free agent.  Detroit, Tampa Bay and Toronto remain on Hunter's undesirable list."

Full article here: http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=168848&hubname=

As reported in the Dayton Beach News:

"The Daytona Cubs will get their third different manager in six months starting Monday.

In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Chicago Cubs announced a staff restructuring that will result in current manager Don Buford going to the organization's Mesa, Ariz., complex as a roving bunting and fielding instructor next week and current roving catching instructor Buddy Bailey taking over as Daytona's new skipper."

full story here: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Baseball/sptCUBS01061506.htm

Intriguing article in Bloomburg today that has implications for our Cubbies.

"Tribune Co., under pressure from investors to revive newspaper and television profits, may find itself on the same course that led Knight Ridder Inc. into the arms of a suitor.

The publisher of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune should sell units or put the whole company up for sale, some of the company's largest shareholders said. They cited a 10 percent drop in the stock in the past year and management's failure to maximize profits of TV stations and the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=ahfDnnOL7qKw