I'm just saying...why pay more for Pujols or Fielder, who will ask for a lot of money, when you can sign Peña for less money and get good production from First Base? With the money you save, you can better the ball club...

...if they sign one of those 2 guys, the Cubs will be similar to what they were for most of Sammy Sosa's tenure in Chicago: a losing team, but hey...they've got a superstar, so...

If the Cubs can win 38 out of the next 50, they might have a chance!................

I don't know, Agua. I don't think Pujols will get $30mil largely due to his age. But if the Cubs can get him, they should. Pujols is a legitimate draw. The Cubs have a massive media market, and they can afford to dole out the contract based on the attendance Pujols would draw alone.

Pena is a nice piece, but he's a 6 hitter on a good team. 30 HR is nice, but the key objective is to not produce an out. It's that simple. I dare ask, who produces less outs that Albert Pujols.

It's not even a question.

And about the my comments concerning the Brewers; perhaps "destroyed" was too strong of a word. Looking back, my original point was that it didn't accomplish anything outside of a cameo playoff appearance and 2 months of increased revenue. The revenue is nice, but in the long run, it served as irrelevant. The Brewers didn't go anywhere immediately after that season, and they lost out on conveted draft picks due to the Angels receiving comp picks after losing Tex to the Yankees. But conceed they were not destroyed.

221/341/439 is "good" production? Granted, the OBP is not bad, but Pujols, in a down year where his wrist was repaired, has a similar OBP, higher SLG and higher OPS. Pujols is far superior than Pena, and even if the Cubs were to try and spend their money on several players rather than one, they are not going to accumulate the lone production that Pujols alone would bring them.

Cubs need to spend their money wisely...I've read their Chicago fanbase is starting to slowly, but surely, decrease...that the games aren't selling out like they used to, even in their toughest seasons...to some, it seems like the "loveable losers" thing is dying down.

Yankees sweep the White Sox, didn't walk anybody during the series, and are tied with the Red Sox atop the AL east.

Going to be a crazy 3 days.

Yanks are riding high, perfect time to shit the bed again.

If the Cubs win six in a row, I riot.

That's definitely an AA thing to do. They basically bought a pick in the off season when they acquired the rights to Miguel Olivo.

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Albert Pujols has been worth approximately 87 wins above replacement over his career (86.7). Carlos Pena? About 14 wins (13.9).

Oh and by the way, in terms of WAR, this has been Pujols' worst year BY FAR (3 WAR, the next worst is 5.8 in 2002; career average before this year is 8.4 wins). to put that in context of the argument: Carlos Pena's highest WAR EVER is 5.3 and then his second highest is 2.9.

What that means is Albert Pujols' career FLOOR to this point is the BEST Carlos Pena has done in his career.

So yeah, I'll take Pujols. BTW, obvious post is obvious. I just like using statistics to quantify ;)

Call me old fashioned, but I would like a player who strikes fear into pitchers rather than...Carlos Pena.

The shift strikes fear into no one.

...Cubbies leading the Reds 3-2 in the 6th...awesome.

Padres are murdering the Pirates.

Davey Johnson looks way older than he is

...'Cause he lost weight and stuff.

BALLGAME OVER! YANKEES WIN! TTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!

I think the Pirates are starting to realive their fluke season is coming to an end. The Padres have one of the worst offenses in the National League, and the Padres worked them over big time.

The dream is collapsing.

Looks like they came back to reality, yes...

The Pitching was keeping the Buccos competitive but now it seems like that is gone, with no real offensive punch its not looking good again. Lord only hopes they at least get .500 this year so it's not seen as a disappointment.

Go cubs go!

Their pitching was all smoke and mirrors, anyways. It was only a matter of time before their mediocre rotation showed their true colors. Did anyone really believe in a rotation featuring Kevin Correia, James McDonald, Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens and Paul Maholm? I sure as shit didn't.

It was a nice story while it lasted, but it's looking like all is lost in Pittsburgh, right now.

It's possible the Cubs may finish in third place in the NL Central.

They have three talented starters at the top of the rotation. If their lineup produces, it's not impossible for them to get on a roll.

If Mike Quade only had to manage the last 2 months of the season, every season, he'd be the best manager in the bigs.

I know he's made some bonehead decisions. I remember Larry Bowa, who I think is an idiot, for the record, feels like Sandberg was the guy the Cubs "missed the boat on" when it came down to managing. Sandberg has managed all of 5 seasons, while Quade has been managing since 1985.

Quade deserved at least a chance to see what he could do, and he has failed. Some of that is the talent pool, or lack thereof, and some of that is him. But I highly doubt the Cubs would be much better if Sandberg was running things.

The Giants are a huge douchebag team.

I hate pretty much every player on their roster.

A lot is him. There was a great article on insider that showed the main reasons why the Cubs were losing.

Insider? I'll have to dig for it. I'm sure he's a problem, but they do not have a talented team. Pinella is regarded as a great manager and he couldn't take them anywhere. I really don't thin Sandberg would have done much better if at all, and his failures would have been blown through the roof because of his name and history.

...Sandberg's team with the Cubs was a winning team...and during the HOF Ceremony, when they presented him, I think I heard his present team is in first place too, so...

Yea, but is that due to him being an amazing manager, or because he has talent on the team? Again, Pinella is regarded as a great manager, and he could not turn the cubs around. I don't Sandberg could either. You can't make gold out of nothing.

Piniella couldn't turn the Devil Rays around either, so...I never bought into him as this GREAT manager.

All this diva-type BS we've seen from Zambrano and Dempster wouldn't have happened under Sandberg...and if it did, he would've put them in their place FAST, not shrug it off like Quade did.

He didn't turn the Rays around due to the lack of talent he had to work with. Same thing with the Cubs. Sure, there were some nice pieces there, but at the end of the day the team he got was not that great. You can't win without talent. The Padres showed it at the end of last year, the Pirates and Cleveland are slowly showing it this year. It doesn't matter who's calling the shots. If you don't have the talent, you're not going to win.

the Cubs have a very talented team, if it were 2005

But the Cubs are winning now, without making any moves, except trading KosuKe FuKudome (a lot of K's in capital, because he strikes out so much, get it?)...

...so if there had been an authority figure who demanded respect from the team, perhaps they would've had a better season...not saying World Series caliber, but, better.

Quade will be gone by next year's trading deadline, that's my guess.

And Pinella didn't command respect? I really don't buy into all these intagibles about demanding respect or playing the game the right way and all the other cliches. Demanding respect or not, they don't have a good team. Castro and Ramirez are legit starters, but Pena is a 6 hitter on a good team, Byrd is a nice player but he's not spectacular and is a borderline starter on a good team. Soriano isn't the same guy. Barney is not a starter, and Colvin, if he's getting PT in RF has pathetic plate discipline and wouldn't start on a good team.

Their bullpen's had all kinds of holes over the season, and before getting Garza, their rotation was a 1-2 punch, when Zambrano felt like showing up.

Piniella is an old man. He lost that team.

And Sandberg, at the refreshing age of 51, is young? Like I said, doesn't matter who you get in there, the team is not built to win. They do not have the fire power, or the starting pitching and bullpen to win.

Ryne Sandberg is a hero in Chicago. He's fiery. All that team needs is a fire under their butt.

and players who don't suck

It's not nice of you guys to talk about Droford this way

Burnett needs to go. Guy can't even shutdown when they put up 13 runs for him.

Brett Lawrie :heart

Juan Nicasio broke his neck last night :(

Rofl Zambrano

So, Zambrano takes it upon himself to end the Cubs' winning streak.

EDIT: Nevermind, he just homered.

Zambrano is such a fat gay.

Jurrjens on the DL. Keep 'em coming.

Geez, Cubs win 11-4...

...SEVEN STRAIGHT GAMES!

But seriously, at this point, nothing will surprise me for the Braves this year. Gonzalez suddenly wants to be LaRussa and has pitchers batting 8th. Chipper is just coming back even though he's been off the DL for weeks, Jose "George" Constanza has been outhitting Jason Heyard, and Dan Uggla has a 26 game hit streak. Freddit Freeman is even batting over .300 for the year, and has an 18 game hit streak or something. Tomorrow, we will probably sign Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux to one-year deals.

It's not Gonzalez's fault. Even under another manager, given the injury issues the Braves have had, their record wouldn't be that much better.

I never said it was Gonzo's fault (though I'm not a huge fan of his). The Braves still have a chance to make the playoffs - a good one at that. If not for the injuries, I don't think it would be close in the wild card.

Have to give it more to Frank Wren for keeping our pitching depth as the #1 priority. Mike Minor is a damn good replacement for Jurrjens for a few weeks, and who knows what the Braves are going to do with the other three top pitching prospects.

Being a hero means jack shit when it comes to winning. Just because Sandberg is managing doesn't automatically mean that the Cubs will actually become a good team, despite the holes in their roster.

He probably wouldn't fare much better than Quade is now. You need talent to win. Cubs are lacking that in too many areas of their roster.

Fister Furbush

Joe Buck has to be thrilled that a) the Yankees are losing; and B) Football is coming back. Honestly it sounds like he's a second away from crying while pbping baseball.

JESUS that was the worst home run call ever. He's making the TBS guys sound like JR calling RAW.

he was just half asleep calling the Teixeira homerun

In Joe Bucks defense he sounds sick.

Also in Joe Buck's defense, he had surgery to repair a torn something or another in his throat, thus affecting his came calling abilities. The article stated he was working his way back, so I expect nothing to come of his game calling this year. He's usually my preferred PBP guys. McCarver is the one I could do without.

Tim McCarver is the greatest human being on the face of this earth

I know the main reason Joe Buck does MLB games is to continue the tradition from his father in calling baseball games but the last few years he sounds like he's just "bored" of baseball games in comparison to football games.

:D nice win by the Red Sox and they managed to respond multiple times with their bats when the Yankees scored unlike yesterday.

McCarver is horrendous.

Damn Red Sox are literally Sabathia's kryptonite. He sucks when pitches against them, invincible everywhere else.

And seriously, Ellsbury's little tear as of late has me scratching my head.

Padres are continuing the genocide of the Pirates pitching staff. Kyle Blanks hit his first career grand slam.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...y_17727571&v=3

Fucking lazer into the first row. Blanks has more raw power than anyone the Padres have drafted since, dare I say, Dave Windfield. Even at PETCO, Blanks lofts the ball out. If he and Rizzo blossom over the next few seasons, together, things will be looking up in San Diego.

I wonder if that extra inning game the Pirates had against the Braves, the one where they lost due to a blown call, has something to do with their rapid downfall. If it had a psychological effect or something.

They were already plummeting at that point. It was in its early stages, but it was happening. The team just isn't talented enough. Their pitching staff is mediocre at best, and outside of a few, their lineup's pretty bland.

They got in the race with smoke and mirrors, and now that it's been exposed, the season is collapsing on them.

I wonder if Ellsbury and PEDroia are locker neighbors.

PEDroia? Really? Is this a tongue and cheek thing or do you seriously believe Pedroia is enhancing?

LOL crazy how people will hint that Pedroia is enhancing, yet totally buy Jose Bautista's rise as a slugger as legitimate.

PEDs dont even do anything anyway, right?

I buy Bautista. His swing was broken down on MLB Network.

The way they did it was showing how, when with Pittsburgh, he didn't load his weight to his back leg, and didn't have any leverage when he would take his stride. Because there was zero momentum, he was a punch and judy hitter who never drove his lower half of his body through his swing.

These days, he starts early, and uses that leg kick of his to shift weight to his back leg. When he strides forwards, his hips have momentum coming forward. When his front foot plants and his hips and back foot start to turn, he has a ton of torque as he swings. That's why he's tatooing the baseball everytime he gets a fat pitch over the plate.

He's always had the build and frame to hit for power. Just never put it together till now.

Pedroia can mash. I don't think he'd hit for as much power elsewhere, but he hammers line drives everywhere, and even though he swings out of his shoes, it's controlled. I'm not the biggest fan of the guy, but I'd be shocked to find out he's cheating.

BTW, I'm not implying Bautista used/uses PEDs, all I'm saying is that if you're going to cast doubt on Pedroia, who's been putting on a "line drive show" since he came up to the bigs, why not also cast doubt on Bautista, who turned his career around almost overnight?

By all accounts, both players are 100% clean, just in case.

Agreed. I think it'd be pretty darn difficult to cheat these days.

Ask Manny Ramirez.

Castro is 16-32 during this seven game win streak.

Castro is going to be to the Cubs what Jose Reyes is to the Mets. Watch.

Castro's a fucking stud. That he's so young yet so talented is ridiculous.

If he stays healthy over the long term, he will be better. i think he might grow into more power, since he leg kicks and strides into the ball, whereas Reyes stays backs and rotates his hips through the zone rather than striding.

Another reason for the Cubs not to sign Pujols or Fielder: so they can re-sign Starlin Castro to a mega deal when the time comes and they find themselves in the spot the Mets are in with Reyes.

The Cubs have more than enough room in payroll to do both. They could sign Pujols for $25mil, and still lock up Castro long term and buy out his arbitration years and some out of free agency.

IDK...Mets thought they had enough too, and now had to clear some payroll and are still not sure whether they'll re-sign Reyes (I for one think they will...they HAVE to...but, you never know).

Perhaps the Cubs WILL be able to re-sign Castro, since by then they'll hopefully have gotten rid of Soriano and Ramirez, and their big contracts.

I'm about to buy a authentic Cubs jersey. I don't know which though. Would you guys go Castro ( with all star, stars on back of neck ) or Matt Garza.

Garza is about 20$ cheaper. Both my favorite players.

Castro all the way, dude.

The reason the Mets are in the money trouble they are currently in is due to the Wilpons beind tied to that ponzi scheme, hence selling minority shares of the club.

The Cubs just completed being purchased. There's money to play with and I'm sure spending that money will not be an issue.

http://www.imgur.com/bBnRC.jpg

I'm ordering this. Can't wait to wear it at wrigley in september.

Hell yeah.

Nice!

I know the Cubs are not going to the playoffs, but I would love to see this streak last a few more games.

They may not go to the playoffs, but it'd be awesome if they could play the role of spoilers.

If they could just win today and then sweep the Nats, id be good.

Sheesh...that'd put their winning streak at, like, 11...

God, you are dumb. Shut up.

Make me.

<font color=goldenrod>Reyes leaves the game in the 2nd inning with a tight hamstring. Hamstring injuries ALWAYS linger, so he's likely headed for the DL, eliminating any chance he might have had to be the Mets' first ever MVP. The chances were probably slim anyway since voters use the playoffs as a tiebreaker, could see Fielder winning it.

Then a few innings later, Daniel Murphy comes in to play 2nd for the second time since May, and he is promptly spiked in the knee by a stealing Jose Costanza and he's fucked and probably gone for the year.

Fuck me. Guess I'm gonna be going to see the Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday. I should probably start rooting for the Phillies and Eagles now...I'll sabotage them from within and they'll be reduced to a crippled mess in no time.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>David Wright is now playing shortstop.</font>

Freddie Garcia vs. Josh Beckett. yay.

I guess the Pirates don't feel like winning anymore because according to ESPN, the team just had its worst homestand in team history and that is saying a lot considering how awful they've been for years.

Granderson, Varitek is behind the plate. Run.