Fear The Chorizo

for the love of God, Gabe, do you job please! ----------------------

both Cliff Floyd and Daryle Ward have left the Cubs game due to injuries - maybe they felt that DLee was too lonely while on suspension and wanted to join him in the Clubhouse. If both of those guys are out for any time, the Cubs really have zero current options on the roster since Lee's serving his time right now. --------------------

Watching the Cubs-Giants game right now resembles one of those Alumni games where a college's old timers team plays the current scholarship roster. Even though the college team isn't that great, they eventually win the game due to unathletic and terrible play by the old-timers. Cliff Floyd just scored on a past ball...from 2nd base - that about sums it up right there. ------------------------

ok, so my end is getting choppy, but it appears that Braun Ks, and fielder smoked a grounder that the 1st baseman snagged and forced him out -2nd and 3rd, 2 down -------------

all i know is having a functional mlb.tv feed going while pretending to work is a great way to spend an afternoon -----------------------

BTW, shadows are officially bad right now, pitcher in sunlight, shaded aboug 30 feet in front of the plate on in ------------------------

Counsell draws a walk, 1st and 2nd, no outs, you know who up -------------------

gwynn steals second, counsell still up -------------------

Yo worked out of the inning - bottom 5, 2-0 crew. also, it's 4-3 cubs right now, Bonds with a 2 RBI single it's funny how the Giants get at least a bit better offensively when he plays - too bad he decided to basically take a mulligan on the series before now. -----------------

small sample size, sporadic at bats or not, I think it's time to include Gabe Gross in a trade out of here before the deadline. Either that, or get him down in AAA for some consistent ABs if he still has options left once Hall comes back. ------------------

let's get another 2-3, and let the shadows take over...sunny day games are tough to hit at Miller Park ----------------

I don't know about you guys, but I'm rooting for the forfeit lineup to erupt for about 8-9 runs today! ----------------------

Dunn Phillips for: Weeks Zach Jackson Gamel Gross This is a bit of an extension of the rumor for Dunn straight up, I was thinking that there may be a chance to get both Dunn and Phillips in the same deal, especially if Weeks is included in the deal going the other way. I doubt the Brewers would want to trade Weeks away, even with his struggles. Dunn would be a two month rental, then he would leave and the Brewers would receive compensation picks for next year. Phillips would be the real key in this scenario, because Milwaukee would retain his rights for a couple of years before he hits free agency. would cincy even think of doing this (my guess is they'd need to get a better arm in the deal than Jackson to say yes, but Weeks' potential alone may be enough for the reds to say yes - although his potential may also be enough for Milwaukee to not even consider moving him) ------------------

What about making a pitch to Billy Beane for this guy? It probably would take quite a bit to get him, but his contract situation is ideal for Beane to get the most out of him - he's going to reach arbitration this offseason, and Oakland's already shown a reluctance to pay free agents to be. He's a #2 caliber starter or better, and he's been a proven innings eater. He'd be an ideal addition to the rotation, especially with Sheets out for at least a month. Blanton Bush Suppan Gallardo Capuano/Vargas That's a pretty solid rotation to run out there, especially knowing that Sheets' return would give them a very good 1-5 and to start 08, Sheets Blanton Gallardo Bush Suppan/Villenueva That's scary good, even if it is all righthanded. Throw Parra or Cappy in there if they're still on the Brewers roster after the offseason. Blanton is at about the same point in his career as Sheets was before signing his initial contract extension - if the Brewers could acquire him, they could look into giving him a similar deal to what Sheets got, especially if the Brewers are weighing the pros and cons of extending Sheets' current contract. The problem with this idea is it would be the definition of 'buying high'...Acquiring him would probably take something along the lines of Gamel + Parra/Balfour, if not more - Beane would probably have to get an offer similar to what STL gave him for Mulder (well, maybe not that rediculous)...thoughts? -------------------

Look at it this way, would you rather have D Lee miss 4-5 games against the Nationals, or against the Mets/Phillies? I'm glad he decided not to drop his appeal and serve his suspension - he's more likely now to serve his suspension against teams that have a better chance at taking advantage of Lee's absence and beating the Cubs. ------------------

I agree...it's too bad ESPN's version of entertainment is garbage. Anyone seen the "Who's Now" segments of Sportscenter recently? I hope the producer who came up with that idea to force on viewers is now working for animal control somewhere. -------------------

Also, when exactly did Weeks have his season-ending surgery last year? I know doctors had said that it would take around a full year to heal - if he had the work done during the season, maybe there's a chance he can at least get over the nagging wrist pain before season's end and find his swing again ---------------

Kendall trade has nothing to do with those guys you mentioned. Do have an inside source that told you they were laying on the couch last night? Well, they weren't on the Baseball Tonight show last night to report the trade, were they? One would think that if they truly did have insider information that their network would be better prepared to deliver correct information on the trade. All of the other entities covering baseball were able to, why couldn't ESPN? They were broadcasting the Cubs own game, for pete's sake. For every rumor that the likes of Gammons, Olney, and the rest of the experts with supposed inside information get right, they get 10-15 wrong. I'm not arguing that Gammons isn't a great baseball guy - he is far enough removed from the clubhouses and gm's offices at this point in his career to be able to provide little more than insight and opinions. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because I respect the experience Gammons draws from regarding baseball. I just take whatever speculation the ESPN gurus give for what it is, speculation that just about any knowledgeable baseball fan can come up with on his/her own. NOT insider information. ------------------

Does anyone know whether Weeks has been able to take batting practice before games, or has his wrist limited that? He looks totally lost at the plate right now, his timing is brutal, and he seems to be feeling for the ball when he swings rather than attacking it and trying to drive the ball. ---------------

Even if Sheets didn't get injured, Gallardo would probably have been bumped into the rotation right after the trade deadline anyway. If anything, Sheets' injury may give Capuano a few more starts to show that he can pitch effectively. The Brewers have enough starting pitching depth to weather Sheets' injury (as long as he's back soon) and keep Gallardo's innings limited at the same time. Once Sheets is back, Gallardo can have a start or two skipped during August if need be to keep him fresh. Parra being added to the roster basically serves as replacing Yo in the pen for now, but he's a definite option for a spot start or two down the stretch if Vargas and Capuano continue to struggle, or if trades between now and the deadline send either of them packing. -----------------

Baseball Tonight used to be a show with well informed baseball reporters who had spent many years before joining the show as beat writers for various MLB teams. They had reliable sources to give them consistently accurate and good information to contribute to the show. As time has passed, the show has become garbage, largely due to the glut of moronic ex-players that ESPN has hired to contribute to the show. It seems like they'd rather get a guy in that will read off whatever the BooYah network puts in front of them on the teleprompter rather than get explayers who actually know the game. Another reason as to why Baseball tonight has suffered has been that the same former beat writers (Gammons, Olney, Stark, etc) appear content to collect their paychecks while spitting out random rumors and trade possibilities without doing the same research/investigation they needed to do when they were beat writers. This can be easily seen by the Kendall trade last night, since it took several hours for ESPN analysts to stop mentioning that Marshall was part of that deal, even when there was information everywhere that Blevins was the pitcher involved. As for Steve Phillips, how this guy was a GM in one of baseball's largest markets never ceases to amaze me. He's uninformed, and to make it worse, he fails to acknowledge that and portrays himself like he's spent tireless hours researching his nuggets of wisdom that he spits out. "Ryan Braun hits most of his homers to left center..." Wow, Steve, you mean to tell me that Braun, a right handed hitter, hits most of his home runs to left field, the natural power alley for right-handed hitters? I'm no baseball 'expert', but I bet Babe Ruth hit most of his homers to right field. The great thing about Phillips' Braun comment is that Braun's home runs have been scattered all over the place! ----------------

guess I see why Shouse stayed in for the righties...lots of use of wise and turnbow recently plus one man short in the pen right now great job by Shouse to pitch his way through that inning - he's been very good lately ----------------

wow ned...playing with fire here ---------------

Please tell me Augie Ojeda isn't going to do anything productive here... ----------------

Now that Dessens appears to be heading to AAA for a "rehab assignment" (a.k.a. letting other organizations see him pitch so they know he's not injured), how about this proposal? Brewers get: Otsuka (if he is indeed healthy) Lofton Rangers get: Gwynn Jr. Dessens Zack Jackson this trade could take place right around the time Hall gets back to playing everyday in center, just in time for Dessens to come off the 15 day dl, and also after enough time/appearances by Otsuka to show that he's healthy. Just a thought ------------------