Better go get Rich Harden.
We need a solid #1/2 pitcher. After Zambrano, we only have #3 quality starters. (I don't care about Dempster's season...history says he is not THIS good)

Go get Lofton as well. If Hollywood slumps, then Soriano's absence will be even more painful.

Couldn't agree more on Aramis...you just know a big streak is due.

Yes...please start Hoffpauir over Reed "BTS" Johnson. At least while Soriano is out.

Don't pick up a "depth" starter, ala Steve Trachsel last year...pick up a difference-maker, like Harden. This division is in the bag...a playoff appearance is in the bag...this is the year to go for it!!!!

We need to definitely go afet a #1 quality guy whether Z is out or not. I would rather take Sabathia over Harden. It won't take but a couple prospects to Cleveland for him since he is pending free agency. Murton? Hoffpauir?

Absolutely not on Lofton....we dont need another aged veteran. I'd like to see Reed in CF full time. he's a scrapper!

I agree bye bye Bob...and why dont ya stay another couple years Scott.

Maybe someone can crank up a winter heater in the dugout so that Aramis thinks its August.....

That cash register is awfully loud when Demp steps on the mound...I hear it here in San Diego! I think all players should get one year deals so they are playing in contract years!!

What is Marla Collins doing these days???

Okay Faithful, take a deep breath and check this out;

Okay we lost a pair in my home city of ST Petersburg. Listen, the Rays are young, athletic and we learned last night that their Manager is quite the Baseball mind. I am not freaking out with thoughts of a curse but only concerned about how deep we really are as a team.

Our starting rotation now becomes our greatest concern as it was already chaotic w/o Carlos and his shoulder issues. (It was Soto that called Lou out to the Hill BTW) I believe that Carlos needs to shut it down for some weeks (thinking about "a season" left to play) and this now leaves the organization with a mandate to get Sabathia/Bedard/Harden/AJ/Sheets etc.... I felt like we made a mistake not jumping all over Ponson as the Yankees did. Maybe that is why they have twenty something WS Banners? BLUF, Our starting rotation to me is our lone question mark.

I'm not seeing why we would still need to look at Coco...... We have enough OFs, too many infielders and two great catchers......

We need another Pitcher.... Quality..... No bargain basement specials.... No experiments.... A proven winner..... and they are out there for us "if" the organization is as serious as we all believe them to be they will aquire one before Zambranos next scheduled start.

I vote C.C. of Bedard

Last thought for me this morning..... I am tiring of Fontenot..... I would rather EP be brought up to stay. More athletic..........

Have a great day Faithful and let's take the final game in Tampa to prepare for the Southsiders!!!

GO CUBBIES!!

A few nickname ideas for formerly Kid K:

The shooter 2.0- Because if he'd just grow a mullet, shave the bottom part of his goatee, gain 35 pounds and dye his hair brown he would look like the second coming of Rod Beck. Ok maybe that one's no good.

Man K- He's older and wiser now than when he was Kid K but this isn't very original.

98 K- Cause he can still hit it on the gun and maybe it would influence him to pitch like he did back then once again. Still, this one isn't my favorite. What is my favorite? Glad you asked.

The Warden- Simple explanation: He lets the opposing team know when it's time to hit the showers. Don't drop the soap gentlemen.

Brian, as always, love the ramblings.

I right there with you, put the Hoff in Left this weekend, and if he continues to hit, keep him there.

Jason, I agree we need another starting pitcher, whether is be Sabathia, Harden, or Burnett, especially now with the unknown statis of Z.
One thing I don't understand is, why don't you care about Dempsters season, who CAREs what history says, History also says we haven't won a World Series in 100 years but you want that to change right?

I am with Joe, No to Lofton.

It is time for Lee and Ramirez to go on their Hot streaks, I think it starts tonight!!

let's go Cubs!

BTW, our thanks to the Royals for helping keep the Cubs 3 1/2 games up. Who would have predicted that? And nice that the Cards now go to Fenway for the weekend.

Thank You Brian! I will stop crying now...I really wanted for the Cubs to win this series but we have to move on.

The only thing Hoffpauir needs is to practice the Fukuway so that he can see more pitches. But he is a ball player!

Brian...Dempster was recentlty hired for a Gillette comercial to be filmed after the World Series...

Nick...I agree.

**Bedard-CC any of this two.

**In the comercial he will shave it next to a Goat,a black and a cat. Moises, Gonzo and Bart...will be the supporting cast.

Kerry Wood desereves a title:
1-The Ninth Inning Surgeon
2-Doctor K
3-K-Wood as in kaywood

Kerry Wood should have a dark/goth closer nickname, just because he is the furthest thing from Goth, so it would make no sense, and therefore I would be amused. Something like "Eternal Crimson K" perhaps. Probably wouldn't go over with Len and Bob, though.

I am not anti-Dempster...but he has a pretty large body of work in his career...this season really stands out statistically. To me, that means he falls down to Earth in the 2nd half.

Now, in most years the Cubs have won the playoffs, you get a great year out of an otherwise good pitcher, such as Mike Bielecki in 1989.

Perhaps Dempster will win 18 games and finish strong. Keep in mind that no one in 2003 won over 14 games, except for Prior. So I just am being realistic that he probably won't keep up this pace. But if Soriano comes back quickly, and the offense keeps clicking, then the run support will be there, and that will help inflate the records of all the starters.

You can't rely on Gallagher, as he is unproven, so he is a wildcard, and shouldn't have the pressure of being a #2 or #3 at this point. Lilly seems to have had his Dempster-like season last year, and has come back to Earth a bit. I think he will be solid, but not great.

I think most agree we need another #1 or #2.
We can continue to pile up victories with our rotation of solid #3 and #4 starters.

But the problem is that in the playoffs, we won't have the luxury of facing the other team's #4/5 starters anymore, and guys like Gallagher, Dempster, and Lilly will be overmatched against Brandon Webb, Danny Haren, and Randy Johnson, etc...

That would be a great commercial for Dempster, btw!
Probably almost too inside of a joke for the nationwide audience, but it would be great on Comcast or WGN.

My nickanme for Kerry would be "Varnish" because he's not the same "Wood" he was when he was 21. Also, "Varnish" "Saves" "Wood".

Random Note.....

Now that the Blackhawks did the right thing and brought Pat Foley home.....the Cubs should follow suit and bring Stoney back home!! No offense to BB, who has been remarkably candid this year, but Stoney is as much of a Cubs Icon as Harry and Jack in the booth. Maybe a 3 man booth until Sweet Lou walks away and then shift BB down to the field?

I 100% agree with you Joe S on Steve Stone. He doesn't get reconized for his part in Cubs history.

I would love to see him back in the booth.

Rambling On: About depth and our late season possibilities. For post season success, the highly paid star players ($12 to $20 million per year) have to stay healthy and perform very well on all participating teams but the Yankees and Red Sox. That's because the $120 million and under payroll teams carry more below average players to stay within budget. Three or four early years' players who earn less than $1 million and emerge as exceptional players usually combine with the stars and a few steady veterans on the teams that compete for championships. Our hopes are on our stars Soriano, Z, Rameriz, Lee and Dome, our emerging stars Soto and Marmol and steady veterans DeRo, Wood, Lilly, Dempster and Theriot. That IMO is our quality depth--12 players who would play large roles on other good teams--and whose very good performance is essential for late season Cubs' success. The rest of our team are either journeyman or low-priced fading veterans and rookie unprovens. No malice there. That's the way it is.

The bad news is that, if two or three of our stars or emerging stars are lost to injury for extended periods or turn in sub-par years, our season ends in September. Our depth is not deep (said Mr. Obvious).

The good news is that no other N.L. competitor has more overall depth, but a couple may have either more quality pitchers or more emerging stars. As most everybody here states, we don't have a competitive edge if we don't get a top of the rotation pitcher. He won't come as an emerging star from our system this year--so JH, please get us a top pitcher. Otherwise, we will need more than our fair share of good luck to be singing "Go Cubs Go!" in October.

I too would love to see Steve Stone back in the booth. That guy is just great.
And, I do believe Kid K has gone through his rites of passage to now be called "Mr. K". Id even go so far as to call him "Sir K".
Sir K and Senor Nasty. I hope the two of them close out the game tonight.

A great nickname for Wood would be lights out Kerry.