Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck/Marry/Kill - May 14th

This is the second installment of "Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck, Marry, Kill." I received some emails asking me for fantasy advice. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer all of them. You can email me at bobbymcrib@gmail.com.

Who made the list for a second week in a row? Do I trust David Robertson to close games for the Yankees? Should you begin looking for starters to replace Josh Beckett and Ubaldo Jimenez?

Welcome to "Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck, Marry, Kill"...

Before I begin, let's go over the F/M/K terminology. The guys that I list under "Fuck" are guys that are currently hot and you need to pick them up. "Marry", are guys that you need to stick with, even if they are struggling a bit. "Kill", are guys that you need to think about dropping for better players in the free agent pool. 

* In the player description, the "owned %" was taken from ESPN.com leagues.

OF Josh Reddick - Oakland A's - 90.7% owned - Unless you are in an AL-only league, I doubt that Josh Reddick was drafted. He's being added to leagues as a feverish pace. I doubt the A's or his former team, the Red Sox, thought that he would be showing this much power. He's batting .291 with eight home runs so far. If he hasn't been added in your league, pick him up, especially since Yoenis Cespedes was just put on the disable-list.

OF Allen Craig - St. Louis Cardinals - 72.2% owned - Since he came off of the disabled-list, he's been on a tear. In the past two weeks, he's batting .324 with four homer runs and 13 RBI. There could soon be an issue with Craig's playing time, since Lance Berkman comes back from injury in the next few weeks. If you own Craig, ride him while he's hot, but keep an eye out on Berkman's playing status.

3B Will Middlebrooks - Boston Red Sox - 39.5% owned - When Kevin Youkilis went down with an injury, Red Sox Nation didn't even expect a productive replacement. Middlebooks has taken his opportunity and made the best of it. He has a stat line of 3/11/.282 over the last two weeks. If he keeps this up, he could steal some at-bats at either third-base or designated-hitter. If Youk struggles, Boston could start looking towards the future and deal him. It's a "what if," but Middlebrooks is a nice short-term fix.

C J.P. Arencibia - Toronto Blue Jays - 21.9% owned - If your catcher is struggling at the plate this season, Arencibia is a nice replacement. You know what you're going to get out of him and he delivers. His batting average won't be very high (probably hovering around .240), but you will get power. He has hit a couple dingers in the last two weeks.

3B Chris Johnson - Houston Astros - 42.1% owned - Johnson was on this list last week and his ownership jumped by almost 30%. He is still on a hot streak and I think he is the real deal. He was productive last year and he's continuing to improve. In the last two weeks, he is batting .368 with four homers and 11 RBI. Don't let the fact that he's on the low-scoring Astros scare you away. He will still produce numbers on a bad team.

SP Joe Blanton - Philadelphia Phillies - 13.6% owned - When you think of the strong starting pitching on the Phillies, Blanton is the last person you would name. He is the hottest pitcher on their staff and available in nearly every standard mixed league. He has two starts this week with favorable match-ups. Over the last two weeks, he's averaging nearly a strikeout an inning (21 in 23 innings) with a couple wins. He's worth a pick up and/or spot start this week.

SP James McDonald - Pittsburgh Pirates - 37.6% owned - It has been a long time since a Pirates starting pitcher looked this great. McDonald has been hot since the beginning of the year. He has a 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 39 Ks in 44 innings...All-Star caliber numbers. His K/BB rate isn't great, but his balls are missing bats. He has only given up 31 hits in seven starts this year.

SP Carlos Zambrano - Miami Marlins - 47.0% owned - As a Cubs fan, it pains me to see Zambrano having a good season. In his last three starts, he has only given up one run with 21 strikeouts in 23 innings. He's red hot and you should pick him up and ride him until he has a six walk performance. He will have a few of those outings per year. The key in owning him is knowing when to drop him before his numbers hurt your team.

RP Alfredo Aceves - Boston Red Sox - 61.9% owned - Aceves started out the year bad, to say the least. His first few outings were horrible and his ERA & WHIP still show the affects of those appearances. He settled down and has a firm hold on the closing job. He has only given up two runs in his last 11.2 innings and has converted his last five save chances. Boston should start winning more games soon and he'll rack up some saves in your roto or head-to-head league.

SP Edinson Volquez - San Diego Padres 29.5% owned - Even though the Padres are bad, their pitchers still get to pitch half of their games at spacious PETCO Park. Volquez is on a hot streak and has only given up four runs in his last 25.2 innings. You won't expect many wins from him, but he has won his last two starts. He will help you a lot in strikeouts to make up for the lack of wins.

SP Brandon McCarthy - Oakland A's - 77.0% owned - McCarthy was drafted in most leagues, but was one of the first pitchers dropped in a large percentage of leagues. His starts weren't bad, but they weren't wowing any owners. His numbers started to improve and he has his pitches working and looks like old Brandon McCarthy. He won his last three starts and recorded ten strikeouts in his last start against Detroit.

OF - Jason Kubel - Arizona Diamondbacks - 81.8% owned - He keeps hitting, yet his owned percentage continues to drop. He hasn't shown a lot of power over the last couple of weeks, but in the last week, he has a hit in every game. The power will be hit or miss, but Kubel is a consistent hitter for your team.

OF - Logan Morrison - Miami Marlins - 67.0% owned - Based on past performance, you have to stick with LoMoMarlins. He is a streaky hitter, but at the end of the year, he'll have good fantasy numbers. If Ozzie Guillen starts to leave him off the lineup card, then it is time to think about dropping him.

OF Gerardo Parra - Arizona Diamondbacks - 50.3% owned - A lot of team owners get scared away by the word "platooon." Parra is on the ride side of the platoon, since he only sits when the Diamondbacks face a strong left-handed pitcher. His ownership has started to level out after being a trendy pick-up. He will give your team batting average, medium power, and some steals. He's a perfect fourth or fifth outfielder in standard mixed leagues.

1B Mark Trumbo - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 77.2% owned - I can understand why people have dropped Trumbo, the Angels' lineup is crowded. They have Kendrys Morales, Albert Pujols, and Trumbo all sharing time at first-base. It helps that the Angels are working Morales back slowly and putting Trumbo in left field. He's getting at-bats, but he's getting left off the lineup card often. I expect the Angels to make a trade to free up playing time or send Trumbo to a better situation. Hold on to him, he is going to put up solid numbers. Keep in mind, he will soon be eligible to roster as an outfielder. He could have a rough week, since the Angels will not have the DH option for four games this week (they play in National League parks).

2B Neil Walker - Pittsburgh Pirates - 77.9% owned - Walker is sitting at one home run this year, but his average is at .278. By the end of the year, he'll have around 12-15 home runs and with an average near .300. His numbers have improved this week and has shown the ability to get on base and score runs.

C A.J. Pierzynski - Chicago White Sox - He is consistent and you know what you are getting when you own him. Pierzynski is not a guy that you brag about owning on your fantasy league. He isn't going to hit 30 homers and bat .325, but he has double-digit power w/ .280 average potential.

SP Jaime Garcia - St. Louis Cardinals - 90.2% owned - I'm not sure why team owners are giving up on Garcia so easily. He's a guy that will have a couple bad outings every couple months, but he will get his ERA under 4.00 by this time next month. He isn't going to strikeout a ton of batters, but he gives you other categories. He will give you wins and low ERA over the course of a season.

SP Matt Moore - Tampa Bay Rays - 91.0% owned - Moore went fairly high in fantasy drafts based on his performance in last year's playoffs. He showed poise and delivered a lot of filthy pitches. He is having trouble with his pitch count and not getting to the sixth inning. Once he finds how to get outs without having to strikeout batters, he will be able to get deeper into games. He could be a stud by August, so hold onto him right now.

SP - Hiroki Kuroda - New York Yankees - 80.4% owned - He impressed me last season and I have confidence that he will get plenty of wins when the Yankees start winning. He isn't the reason for the Yankees troubles. He has only had two bad starts, which inflated his ERA & WHIP to 3.56/1.37 respectively. If you take out those two starts, he has an ERA under 2.00 and a 1.10 WHIP.

OF/DH Kendrys Morales - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 67.4% owned - The Angels play four games in National League parks and I don't see him playing in the majority of those games. They play a lot of Interleague games in June, so his ownership value will take a big hit. It is getting more difficult for Morales to crack the starting lineup. It doesn't help him that Mark Trumbo is hitting so well.

1B/OF Carlos Lee - Houston Astros - 97.0% owned - I'm not saying that you should instantly dump the former All-Star, but it could be time to start thinking about it. There are a lot of quality outfielders and first-baseman in the free agent pool. You drafted Lee for power and RBI and he isn't delivering. Keep an eye on his numbers, because it could be time to pull the trigger.

2B Rickie Weeks - Milwaukee Brewers - 88.1% owned - Weeks has been an up & down player for his entire career. He is either hitting under .200, knocking multiple homers in a game, or in the disabled list. It is nice to have power at the second-base position, but he has a nagging injury and his batting average is killing your team. If you don't have a suitable free agent replacement, put him on your bench while he's working through his injury.

3B/1B Chris Davis - Baltimore Orioles - 73.1% owned - Davis started out the season on fire, but he has came back down to Earth in a hurry. He reverted back into the player that couldn't hold onto a job in Texas. He will not finish the season with an average over .220 and his power is streaky. If Will Middlebrooks is available in your league, he is a better option than Davis.

1B/OF Lucas Duda - New York Mets - 63.2% owned - The NL East is loaded with left-handed starters. The Mets have Duda on a platoon and usually sit him when they face a lefty. If the Mets were in another division, he would get more playing time. He has a lot of skills and when he plays, he's solid. Unless you are in a deep mixed or an NL-only, there are better free agent options as a replacement.

1B Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona Diamondbacks - 44.3% owned - He is another player that is stuck in a platoon and shares time with Lyle Overbay. Goldschmidt was a late-season fantasy surprise last season. He was drafted in hopes that he would continue his above-average production. Goldschmidt has disappointed owners and it's time to pull off the band-aid. He could be a pick-up option later in the season if he ever hits his way out of the platoon.

SP/RP Chris Sale - Chicago White Sox - 94.4% owned - He is pitching through elbow issues and the White Sox are indecisive if they want to move him into the closer role. He has been an above-average starter this season, but elbow injuries always scare me as a fantasy team owner. He will either turn it around and have a solid season or completely lose his command and inflate his ERA and WHIP. He is a pitcher to keep and eye on and read the injury report on a daily basis. I have a feeling that he will make a trip to the DL very soon.

SP Josh Beckett - Boston Red Sox- 82.9% owned - He is in a messy situation in Boston. Beckett isn't known for keeping his cool and is labeled an emotional pitcher. I am not sold that he will end the season on Boston. A trade could come sooner than later. If he has one more bad start, it could be time to open up a spot on your roster for a rotating starter.

SP Ubaldo Jimenez - Cleveland Indians- 71.8% owned - He made the "Kill" list last week and he had another bad start. He walked five batters, allowed nine hits, and gave up seven runs in 4.2 innings. His ERA now stands at 5.18 and carries a 1.78 WHIP. I'm not sure what team owners are waiting on. Drop Jimenez now and pick up a guy like Christian Fredrich, Ross Detwiler, or Drew Smyly.

RP Grant Balfour - Oakland A's - 74.0% owned - He recently lost his job as the closer to Brian Fuentes. Bob Melvin, Oakland's manager, left the door open for Balfour to earn his spot back later in the year. He has had many opportunities to close games on other teams, but he has never succeeded as a closer. He isn't worth a roster spot in any mixed league format, unless you are in a roto league with a Holds category

Zambrano To Retire In 2012? C'mon!

Carlos Zambrano, the token hot-head on the Chicago Cubs, came out yesterday and said that he will retire after the 2012 season. He is signed up until then and says that he has missed out on a lot being a Major League baseball player. Really? I'm pretty sure that the $91 million dollar extension can buy back some of that time. Is Zambrano bluffing or is he for real?

Zambrano was expected to anchor the Cubs rotation this season, but somehow ended up falling out of favor with management. He spent a portion of the season coming out of the bullpen, which lead to an "indefinite leave" from the team around the All-Star break after an altercation with Derrek Lee in the dugout. He went through counseling and since returning to the starting rotation, he has registered an ERA below 2.00 and a 6-0 record. He still has a fired up demeanor, but has been able to keep it in check and has been a better teammate.

Is this a pitcher who has came to terms with his problem or a player that is pitching with no pressure? He admitted to a reporter that he no longer wants to play and that's the reasoning behind his retirement after his contract ends. He has a career record of 114-74 in nine years for the Chicago Cubs. His career started out very rocky by going 5-10 in his first two seasons, but hasn't had a season that he hasn't had more wins than losses since. Zambrano's major fault is that he walks too many batters and his WHIP is always in between 1.30 and 1.50, which is well below average for an MLB pitcher. Statistically, he has had a comparable season in 2010, since his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2:1, which is his average. He has just been very inconsistent and his numbers would be very bad if not for his recent resurgence.

The Chicago Cubs are looking to rebuild this team with a new manager in 2010. GM Jim Hendry is on the hot seat and will be looking to make moves in the off-season. Zambrano will be his #1 priority to move and his stock is on the rise with his recent play. The Cubs will have to take a discount in their return for the former All-Star, since he is owed $36 million over the final two years of his contract. The most the Cubs could get for him, at this point, would be mid-level prospects. A lot of teams will be scared off of him, since his past anger and hostility could come back. It will be interesting to see what the Cubs can get back in return and how much of his remaining salary they will have to eat.

Do I think Zambrano will retire after the 2012 season at the age of 33? I think he is currently having a hard time professionally and personally and his judgment is a bit skewed. He has never been a free agent and who knows how well he will pitch over the next two seasons. A lot factors in his decision and this isn't the first time he has mentioned a possible early retirement. If he starts loving the game again, I can see Zambrano signing another contract, but I don't see him being a Jamie Moyer pitcher and staying in the game near or over the age of 40.

What The Cubs Need To Do This Off-season

Now that the Yankees have won the World Series and the season is officially over, it's time for Cubs fans to start thinking about what the team needs to do this off-season. Can the Cubs do anything internally to upgrade their bullpen? Can they afford to wait on their high-priced player to contribute or should they deal them to a team for prospects and re-build? We identify some needs, some players that need to go, and some free agents that Tom Ricketts need to sink some money into.

The Cubs have a lot of dead weight on their roster. They have used a lot of money to sign high-priced players that haven't lived up to their potential. Alsonso Soriano, Milton Bradley, Kosuke Fukudome, and Carlos Zambrano didn't have great seasons last year and their combined payroll is most than many small market teams. Their pitching staff, especially their closer position, was very rocky and Carlos Marmol completely imploded with a WHIP around 1.50 for most of the year.

Let's start off with players that are free agents from the Cubs. Kevin Gregg, Reed Johnson, Rich Harden, and John Grabow all are free agents this off-season. First off, let Gregg walk, he wasn't good on back-to-back days and he played himself out of the closer role. I would also agree with letting Harden leave as well, there are some nice 4th and 5th starters in this free agency pool that could step in and go more than five innings. Harden put extra burden on the bullpen to close games and many of the games Harden would give up a lot of runs the last inning of work. I would say to re-sign Grabow and Johnson to contracts. Grabow is a nice left-hander that could be a possible closer candidate. You would have to give him at least a three-year deal, but I would be okay with that, he showed promise with the Cubs. Reed Johnson would be a nice two-year player as a platoon with Fukudome in center. He is nice off the bench and pinch-hits very well.

Tom Ricketts needs to spend money to make this Cubs roster a contender. You have at least one more year of Pinella as your manager and you need to stack the deck. As a new owner, you will need to make a splash, so your first move should be to sign Mark DeRosa and get him back on the Cubs. The biggest mistake that they made was trading him away. They did get a few nice minor-league pitchers that will probably be on the 40-man roster this next season, but throw the check book at DeRosa. He probably wants at least a three or four year deal, but try and get him for $10 million a year. They shouldn't care what it costs, it will bring all the Cubs fans together and support Ricketts as the new owner. DeRosa can play nearly every position and if there is an injury, like last year's injury to Aramis Ramirez, it won't cost the Cubs games with DeRosa filling in. If you go another season with Aaron Miles and Jeff Baker as your options in case of an injury, you're going to be hurting.

The other free agents that you need to look at are Bobby Abreu (who they should have signed last year), Chone Figgins, Justin Duchscherer (could be a nice, cheap option as a 4th starter), Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets, and Miguel Tejada (if he would agree to a one-year deal). Abreu will be looking for a huge contract and will probably be out of the Cubs price range. Figgins would also be looking at a huge contract and it would be a multi-year deal, it could be risky, the older he gets, the more his speed could diminish. Justin Duchscherer was out all year recovering from surgery, but his 2008 season was amazing. I know he has injury concerns now, but they could get him at a discount. I would love if they signed him, his upside would be tremendous. Randy Wolf is dependable and you know what you get with him. His upside would be last season when he was coasting through games with an ERA around 3.00. He could have played himself get into nice contract, so the Cubs may have to outbid a few teams if they really want him. I listed Ben Sheets because I think he still has something left in the tank. Who would have thought that Sheets and Jake Peavy would be in baseball no-man's land, if you add in Brandon Webb, those were the best three pitchers in the league just two seasons ago. You could get Sheets cheap, I would love this signing. Miguel Tejada is the last on my list and rumors have been floating around since he was in Baltimore of a possible deal/signing with the Cubs. If the Cubs were more of a contender, he would sign a one-year deal, but it doesn't look like they are on the short-list to win the World Series next year, so it would be unlikely.

The Cubs need to do their best to move some player this off-season. Milton Bradley would be the best candidate for this to happen, mostly because of his attitude and the fact that they still owe him more than $20 million over the next two seasons. Some rumors are flying around a trade with the Blue Jays for Vernon Wells, but I don't see how that makes sense. Wells is a nice player, not great, but he is signed to an ungodly contract. Wells still has five years left and $107 million dollars left on his deal, but the rumor is that the teams would split the contract in half. I still don't see this happening for the Cubs, since they have received plenty of interest from other teams and the Blue Jays would have to sweeten the deal.

Jake Fox is another player that has to be moved before next season. If the Cubs were in the American League, Fox has the ability to be their franchise designated-hitter for many years, but unfortunately he doesn't have a position on the Cubs. If they could move him for a nice young starter, it would be in the Cubs best interest to make that deal. The Orioles have a nice stash of young pitchers and we all know how the Cubs love to make trades with the Orioles. I can see this happening, even though I wrote many posts about how the Cubs need to stop trading with bad teams and getting little in return.

Tom Ricketts has a lot to think about this off-season. A lot has been written if the Ricketts family can afford to add to the payroll and it has been a mixed bag of responses. They want to put the profits back into the Cubs and improve the facilities, but before you do that, make one push to get this team to the elite level. They did a great thing by signing Rudy Jaramillo as their hitting coach, he did some great things for the Texas Rangers. These are the things that the new owner needs to do to improve the team. Build the team around fundamentals and get these high-priced players to get back to hitting and pitching and doing everything right. I don't know what the window of is on this team to be good, but it's closing. Zambrano could bite the head off of a pitching coach any day, you never know.

If Cubs Trade Bradley, Could Zambrano Go?

Milton Bradley was suspended for the rest of the season by the Chicago Cubs and he still has two years left on his contract and more then $20 million owed to him. It will be hard to get a team to take his contract and/or eat all of that money. Sure, the Cubs could probably trade him, pay most of it, and get little in return, but they need to formulate a plan to get the most in return. How can they do that? Well, Carlos Zambrano could be packaged with him, but would this work?

Carlos Zambrano and Milton Bradley are both vocal and emotional players. Sometimes that emotion can get the best of them, so they are risky players to obtain through a trade. They are both owed a lot of money and signed for multiple years. What teams would be interested in them and who could afford their contracts? Lastly, if a team meets both of those requirements, what players would the Cubs receive?

I scanned through the teams and it seems like the New York Mets would be the best fit. MLBTradeRumors.com offered a scenario earlier this week that maybe an Oliver Perez for Milton Bradley trade could work out for both teams. Perez had a pretty nice 2nd half in 2008, but looked horrible in 2009. The Mets need an outfielder and maybe Perez just needs his mechanics re-worked. I don't know if a trade like that, even though it would work just in money terms, but if you add Zambrano, maybe the Mets may let go of a player like Jose Reyes or Luis Castillo. Reyes is a great fantasy player, but they were hoping that he would develop into a superstar, which he has not. He has been out nearly 75% of the season this year and his injury affects his speed, his value to the team would drop. Luis Castillo is a nice 2nd baseman, he's getting a little older and the Mets could be looking to get rid of him. Zambrano would help them secure a top-tier pitcher for their pitcher-friendly new stadium.

With the ownership finally looking like it could be finalized this off-season, the Cubs may try and get some new blood in the organization. It has yet to be seen if Tom Ricketts will be a free-spending owner, since it has been rumored that most of his net-worth is tied up and may not be the "Mark Cuban-esque" owner that most Cubs fans want.

This upcoming season may be the last season for Lou Pinella as the manager of the team and if you eliminate Zambrano and Bradley from the team, it could be a good move. Pinella hasn't seemed as fired up as he was the first couple years with the team. I don't know if that is a great thing for the team, but the remarks and comments by Big Z and Bradley has distracted the team and put the spotlight on them in a negative light. If the Cubs can move both players in one move and get 40 cent on the dollar, I would do it. Zambrano is a good pitcher, but he is so inconsistent and emotional that you never know what you're going to get. For the long-term success of the team, as a Cubs fan, I would support this move.

I Give Up: A Manifesto Of A Pissed Off Cubs Fan

This post may be epic and wordy, but I have a lot to get off of my chest. I have stuck by the Cubs through thick and thin, but I am at a point where I may sell my "fanhood" to another team, just like the Cubs have tried to sell the team for the past 24 months. In the following post, I am going to explain why I'm pissed, what the Cubs can do to win me back, why I'm allowed to question my loyalty as a fan, and what the future holds for the Chicago Cubs.

Listen, I am 28 years old, I've been through some thin years as a Chicago Cubs fan. I know some people older than me have had even worse experiences than me, but you got to enjoy Jack Brickhouse and Harry Carey longer, so we're even. The last six years, as a Cubs fan, have been probably some of the best years an Cubs fan could realistically ask for. A few division championships, a few playoff wins, but not one World Series appearance. I know that if a Cubs fan rarely believes that his team has a chance to win the World Series. There is always hope, but you have visions of Steve Garvey, Ivan Rodriguez, and even Augie Ojeda go through your head and grounds your hopes.

This is why I am pissed off. Jim Hendry started off his career as a GM very well. He got pieces that the fans wanted and made everyone excited about the future of the Cubs. We finally had someone that wanted to go out and win right now. That may be the underlying problem with everything that is wrong with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs haven't manufactured any great talent out of their farm system in years. Mark Grace was the last great player to come through the farm system. They have lacked the expertise to develop their own players, so they traded their young pieces away for mediocre talent in return. If a team is always in the playoff race, young talent will not have the time to develop at the Major League level. My examples are Rich Hill and Felix Pie, I know neither of them are winning post-season awards right now, but they didn't have time to develop. Rich Hill bounced around the minors and Chicago the last few seasons. He dominated in the minors and had trouble pitching in Wrigley. Pie also bounced around between Iowa and Chicago and was mostly kept around to make Alfonso Soriano comfortable. They were both traded to the Orioles for scrubs and I hope they flourish in Baltimore.

Which leads me to another reason that I am pissed. Why does Jim Hendry always trade with Andy MacPhail in Baltimore? I know that MacPhail was his boss when he was first with Baltimore, but this personal relationship has severely damaged the Chicago Cubs. If they are such good friends, why was it so difficult to pry Brian Roberts away from him? A rumor floated around for about two seasons that they were in trade talks, but nothing ever happened with that, but somehow we ended up with Ryan Freel and Garrett Olsen? Hendry needs to quit being so chummy with MacPhail and talk with other teams when trying to improve the Chicago Cubs.

Ownership changes have drained this team of any emotion. The players knew that they had to play the entire season with the players already on the team, since they couldn't add any more payroll because of the sell of the team. Injuries hit the team and Geovany Soto, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, and Carlos Zambrano were all missed time at the beginning of the year. The team lacked emotion and even a Lou Pinella rant couldn't bring them out of their funk. They attempted to get Jake Peavy from the Padres, but couldn't take on his salary, which lead to the White Sox getting him at a discounted rate near the trade deadline. I'm not saying that Peavy would have won the NL Central for Chicago, but it could have showed the players that management wanted to do everything to win. With no major additions to the team at either trade deadline (I'm sorry John Grabow doesn't count), the Cubs slipped down the standings as the Cardinals added Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday. This ownership change happened at the absolute worst time, since this team was a right-fielder and a dominant closer away from at least a Wild-Card spot.

The Cubs have one of the worst farm systems in all of the Major Leagues. They have been signing Type-A and Type-B free-agents the last few seasons and don't have many blue-chip prospects. Josh Vitters could be their lone future star, but Wellington Castillo and Tyler Colvin both look promising. The problem there is that Vitters plays 3B and Castillo is a catcher, two positions that the Cubs have a small need for. Colvin could turn into a player that they could use, but they are currently tied up in a few bad contracts in the outfield and there isn't any room for him. John Grabow, Rich Harden, and Kevin Gregg are all Type-A free agents and if they sign with a team, the Cubs could get that team's first-round draft picks. Jim Hendry was smart in keeping them, even if they have no interest in re-signing the trio. This could help restock the farm system and build this team from the ground up. If only they had the minor league managers and instructors that could develop any of that talent.

I am allowed to question my loyalty to the Chicago Cubs. They are the only team that I have ever rooted for, but they have let me down in a way that I wasn't ready for. Selling the team at this point, when their team has elite talent, is such a horrible ending to this team's arc of improvement. I believe that they need to blow up the team. I said it, I didn't think that I would get to this point, but just ride out the contracts, trade the pieces away that you can get young talent in return, and give me a product on the field that I can feel good about myself while cheering for you. Milton Bradley's attitude and racially-filled paranoia added with Zambrano's lack of focus and his inability to sound like he even cares, has made me dislike this team. Give me players like Kerry Wood, who was willing to take a pay-cut to stay with the Cubs out of loyalty. I don't know if I am at a point where I can see the greed in the players eyes, but there is something that I don't like about this team.

I'm not asking for a World Series, I'm not asking for an NL Central crown, just give me a team that looks like they are trying and you will have me as a fan of your team for as long as you'll have me. If any players read this, go out there, run out ground balls, slide hard into double-plays, dive for foul balls, and have fun out there. The season is officially over at the end of the regular season, you'll have plenty of time to be lazy this off-season.

Are The Cubs Finally Making A Run?

The Cubs may not be making any huge trades over the next 24-hour period, but their current players have finally started to hit. What would happen if Milton Bradley actually starts to produce for the Cubs? Can they keep pace with the Cardinals, who added Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday over the past couple weeks? Geovany Soto and Ted Lilly are both on the DL, but with Ryan Dempster and Aramis Ramirez coming off, this could be the beginning of a nice second-half of the season.

Alfonso Soriano, who has battled a leg injury for most of the season, has finally started to swing the bat well. They moved him down to the sixth spot, and since then, he has been hitting .383 with 5 homers and 15 RBI. I'm not sure if the move down in the order sparked this offense, but resting during the All-Star break could have added to his numbers. I like him hitting behind Ramirez, Fox/Hoffpauer platoon, and Bradley, they have all found their numbers have increased. Ramirez has had an extra base-hit in 9 straight games and Bradley hit is eight homer of the season this afternoon. If they get their pitching in order, maybe they can keep pace with the Cardinals. Adam Wainwright and Cris Carpenter are the only Cardinals who has pitched well after the All-Star break, with Ryan Franklin finally looking human. If the Cubs can get a mid-level bat or someone like John Grabow over the next day, it could help their cause.

Geovany Soto has not had a great season this year, but he is expected back in a couple weeks from an oblique injury. He started to hit well before his trip to the DL, but I like the way Koyie Hill has called games for the pitching staff. Randy Wells has looked great and even Kevin Hart has looked like a professional over the last two weeks. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Soto is out longer than expected, but I would like him to get a couple weeks of regular season activity at the end of the season, if the Cubs make the playoffs, I don't want him rusty.

The rest of the league are scouring the league for trades, but the Cubs can't afford to do that, nor should they do so. If their line-up starts to hit to their potential and Zambrano doesn't eat someone's face off, they will be in the race. The Cubs don't have any blue-chip prospects other than Josh Vitters, who they hope will develop into something great. He's a third-baseman, so he'll either be an insurance policy for Aramis Ramirez, or a possible position change to first base, if Derrek Lee's performance begins to decline.

I have really turned the wagons around the last few days concerning the Cubs season. If the Brewers get desparate and trade their lot of prospects away for Roy Halladay, I could head back the other way, but it looks like Doc Halladay isn't headed into these parts anytime soon.

Speak Before You Think Monday

After a long weekend, it is easy to do or say something that is completely insane. Your mind isn't right on a Monday. You are still thinking about how you should have gotten that blonde's number at the bar or how your team still has a shot at the National Championship, even if you lost a nationally televised game 35-3 (sorry Buckeyes, i live in your territory and I shouldn't be so ill, but it's real talk). Here is a few observations of things people are saying or what they have done without thinking things out clearly.

- The Milwaukee Brewers fired Ned Yost. Really? Before the Brewers hired him, they hadn't had a winning season since dudes named Yount and Molitor were sporting the yellow and blue gear. I know that they imploded last season, but the team was full of rookies, I am not sold that they are used to the long Major League season. You can't make much of an argument that they are tanking again this season, because they haven't been in first place since the beginning of the season. Milwaukee is realizing that they only have Sabathia and Sheets for this one season and they will not be able to sign them, so they must win now. Rickie Weeks has been a disappointment so far and J.J. Hardy is not consistent. The trade talk has already started about Prince Fielder, they realize that they can't win every game with their offense and your #1 starter cannot be Dave Bush or Manny Parra. Fielder is set for abitration soon and he will also grant a huge contract when free agency comes around. The Brewers may still make the playoffs, but now they have to combat the Phillies/Mets, whoever doesn't win the NL East, and Houston. Not a smart move by the upper management in Milwaukee, Yost will get a job next season, either as a manager or a high-profile bench coach.

- Carlos Zambrano is back. I'm a Chicago Cubs, everyone who reads this blog knows this is true. Historically, Zambrano is extremely good on a long rest. He nearly had a no-hitter mid-season this year after he took some time off for injury. He may throw another gem next time out too, but it's too soon to say he is back. Houston evacuated a hurricane and their minds were not 100% on baseball. The game was also played in Milwaukee, which is Wrigley Field North. If you go to any Cubs/Brewers game, the Cubs fans/Brewers fan ratio could learn in Chicago's favor, let alone Houston fans versus Chicago fans. Also, Ted Lilly took a no-hitter today into the 7th inning against Houston and the last few games I watched Lilly pitch, he looked horrible. Zambrano needs his last few starts to be solid for me to be sold.

- Ohio State still has a shot at that National Championship. Even if OSU runs the table in the Big Ten, the best they can do is a birth in the Rose Bowl. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, if USC loses a game or two, they will meet there. I don't see USC losing any games, but there is a Pac-10 team that usually gives them a close game or beats them (i.e. Stanford, Oregon State). The Buckeyes do have a chance to turn the season around, but that would mean Todd Boeckman would lose his job as starting quarterback. Terrelle Pryor looked pretty good against USC, but it was a too tough of a test for a true freshman to face. Beanie Wells may have made this game closer, but he wouldn't have won the game for Ohio State. Wells would have helped them have some ball control and help manage the clock. The score would have been around 27-10, still an embarassment. Ohio State has no shot at making the BCS Championship game, so I do not want to hear about a slim chance, there is no chance.

- The Minnesota Vikings will still make the playoffs. They are 0-2 and it looks like the NFC North will be very solid this year. I know that they lost to the Packers and Colts, two teams that are playoff caliber, but the way they played in those games didn't look like a playoff team to me. Adrian Peterson should have ran all over Indianapolis, which he did, but never got into the endzone. Tavarius Jackson isn't a starting quarterback in this league, yet. He may be a starter in the future, but with the kind of talent this team has, minus wide-receivers (they really don't have any #1 receiver), they need an establish quarterback to spread the defense and let Peterson run amok. The Bears are better (they play them twice), the Lions can score points, something Minnesota has trouble with (they play them twice, the Packers own them (they play them again), and they play the AFC South (which is one of the best divisions in the league). I would suggest that you look at the remaining schedule of the team before you put them in the playoffs, Mike & Mike.

- Denver Broncos is the best team in the AFC. They have looked impressive so far this season, but they played the Raiders and a San Diego team that haven't found themselves without Shawne Merriman. Eddie Royal has been a huge surprise, Brandon Marshall caught about a million pases this week, and Jay Cutler looks like John Elway. The NFL loves to scheme and take players out of the game, I'm guessing the next few weeks that teams will start pressuring Cutler more and make the young quarterback think faster on his feet. They will have to run the ball more, which may fall into Shanahan's lap, but this core of Denver running backs aren't Terrell Davis or Clinton Portis, it's Selvin Young and a few castoffs from other teams. Denver looks like they will win that division, it looks to be very weak, but they are not the best team in the AFC. They will have to beat New England, Indianapolis, or Pittsburgh to garner that honor.

Big Z, That Was A Close Call

The Chicago Cubs should be popping champagne bottles in celebration that Carlos Zambrano won't need season-ending surgery for his shoulder. He was diagnosed with tendinitis and inflammation in his shoulder, which is much better than what the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times was hinting at the last few days. The Cubs will only go as far as Zambrano can make it.

Rich Harden is having some issues and will have a start pushed back, Dempster hasn't thrown this many innings since he was on the Florida Marlins, Lilly kind of imploded at the end of the season last year, and I will never trust Jason Marquis. The replacement starters for the Cubs would either be Sean Marshall or long-reliever, Jon Lieber. Marshall seems to pitch one good game and followed it by two awful outings. I don't think Lieber would be a sufficient addition either, he has been hurt for most of the season. Angel Guzman could possibly start a game, but he has been hurt for nearly the entire season and has yet to win a start in his limited history as a starter.

I think that Zambrano and Harden should make it to the post-season, but their ability to go on 3-days rest on a few occasions isn't an ideal situation. Zambrano hasn't been good on 3-days rest and would fear Harden would be over-worked. My theory would work and think it would be best. I know Kerry Wood has been a great closer, but he has post-season experience and seems to be pitching really well. If they were to convert Wood back to a starter for the rest of the season, they would have to start building up his arm strength right now. I know Jeff Samardzjia was a starter in the minors this season, but his ERA wasn't great and doesn't have the ability yet to get guys out the 2nd or 3rd time through the lineup.

If Zambrano or Harden can't make it through their next start, you have to think that starting Kerry Wood would at least make it through Pinella or GM Hendry's thought process. He is a free agent after this season, so Wood may not want to risk injury, but it may be the Cubs' best option to winning their first World Series since 1908.