Keep Fox in the line up next year, get rid of GREGG today!!!Sign Derosa for long a long term contract. Trade Zambrano i have given up on him. bradley is out! Get fuld more playing time, and lets wait to see who is out there in the winter.

Thank you God. Thank you Big Ernie. Thank you Jake. Thank you team. Cubs 6 runs and 10 hits. Cards 3 runs and 7 hits. Eleven innings of battle. It doesn't make up for the season, but it could be a stepping stone for the rest of the season.

John Wayne just passed along (via Big Ernie), "That was True Grit men--even if your General's thinking got a little shakey here and there."

Cubs Win!!!...an unusual night..But Z still should have gotten the win.

The last time Z walked off he pointed skyward and asked Big Ernie, "How did I do?" Big Ernie replied, "You got the win on the only scorecard that matters."

There is some peace in the valley for Z tonight.

God, I hope Marmol passes his test tonight. A bunch of other guys have and a win would be a hell of a boost.

Thank God Lou kept Fox burried on the bench week after week. Who would want that looser ruining team chemistry?

Man!

I don't care you let go of Lilly (15 W+), let go of Blanco (glove), trade Bradley for a bag of balls (salary and trouble dump), Mr. Hendry...

Keep Fox in our 40 man roster!

JAKE!!!

11th homer!

Jake Fox!!! Why is Scales our staring LF again?

Aaron...how can the Cubs be 3-3 in the 11th on the road against a Cy Young candidate and the Division Champs and have shown no pride? A couple of mistakes, yes, including Lees running mistake, but they have played very hard. And they are still in it. You must have missed most of the game.

The fly ball that Miles hit a year ago today that Neil mentioned in his post was the highlight of his Cubs career... and he was with the Cardinals.

Oops! It's still Caridad auditioning for a job.

Caridad is cool. He seems to be a "for contact" fastball pitcher. But I need to dig his minor number to see what went right (or wrong)...

hate to say it, but Morgan has been dead on about the Cubs all year on nearly every broadcast. "Cubs are a horrible base-running team, and it's not just that play...it's not taking the extra base, going first to third, and not smart baserunning." Earlier this season, these same guys---Morgan, Miller, and Phillips were railing on the Cubs for awful hitting approaches, especially with 2 strikes.

When Joe Morgan is right.....that's a REALLY bad sign. I really hate this team, and hope they completely blow it up this offseason. It's so ugly, and you'd think they'd be playing for pride right now, but they have no pride...not a single one of them do

Maybe the Cubs should button down the hatches on Free agents...Let Adduci Colvin and Fuld battle for the outfield...hold Soto unless they can get an advantageous salary deal.

Bring up Castro...errors and all for platoon at short...he was signed five years ago.

Whatever trades they make...use them for

more prospects.

Then if the Cubs are in it midseason...

get ready to pounce...and if not, trade most of the team for mlb ready prospects.

Kind of white flag 2010 for a really good 2011.

Mr. Fox again!!! 2 run Homer!!! Damn Lou fr not playing him.

Taguchi did not check his swing but the umpire thought he did. He gets a hit. Soto overmatched trying to hit it out. Now Marmol is called upon to forget his last bad inning.

0-5 tonight for Soto including that embarassing ko....We still need to search for a better catching alternative

in case last years Soto = Jerome Walton.

Taguchi is a real mystery. How the h*** he got all these hits in crucial situations? while his career sucked?

SO gets a hit...cmon Soto!!!

DLee gets the leadoff single.

Our team has not suffered a lack of grit tonight. Lee doubled off on ARAM's low liner to short. Not good Derrick.

Now I remember why I dont watch ESPN Sunday Night games....Joe Morgan sucks.

A return of karma... another doublplay of the rare (or less rare compared to wut just happnd in the 9th)

Thats the most bizarre bottom of the 9th game ending non ending of a game I've seen....lol

The Cards' magic number...

Thanks to Lou, was almost two.

But Holliday's errant slide

Keeps the Cubs' hopes alive.

Longfellow

The right call, Holliday was well out of the basepath...

Interference???!!! Double Play???

Is the moon full...what a strange day.

Yeah, exactly. Holliday made a mistake by going too far from the bag, and ran directly into Theriot as a result (intended) of that skid.

I've been keeping an eye on Caridad: a graduate from Hiroshima's Dominican School, played a year in Japan, and came over here through some sort of agreement b/w the Cubs and Hiroshima. But his numbers aren't encouraging (not matching his runs allowed). I wondered where he's real talent lies.

Tonight's the kinda game I can find out, hopefully.

Leadoff single for Cards in the 9th. It looks like we won't have to suffer extra innings. DeRo proves again that he's not a good bunter. He gets the second attmept down. Albert is walked intentionally, and it will be Caridad facing Holliday. Caridad or Marshall should have started the 8th.

Santo: "I'd like to go extra innings for a change, I really would!"

...and Heilman coming in to give up the losing runs.

Fox walks to put the lefty Reyes on the lefty Dome with two outs. Incredibly, Dome walks. And now it's Aaron Miles' turn. Miles is called out on strikes. Mo has left our dugout in this one.

On the day Milton is suspended, Gregg blows his seventh save and Miles makes another out. Hendry's horrible off-season is on full display on National TV...

Miles goes to the plate swinging after Reyes walks two batters on eight pitches. WHY?!?!?!?!?!

Because he is Miles...if they don't dump Miles...I'm not watching at all next year.

Aaron Miles..... Wow....

couple things...

1)unless my eyes were playing tricks on me...I re-winded Pujols' RBI double like 5 times, and I swear that ball was foul, as it bounced in front of the bag, and landed in foul territory

2)You guys HAVE to read this:

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/09/dempster-on-bradley-look-in-the-mirror.html

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just go to the link, and trust me, it's one of the best reads on the year. Effective immediately, if Bradley comes back, I think you'll see a mutiny on this team. They do NOT want him one bit

I'm glad to see Colvin will be brought up...Should've been the more deserving and "speedy" Adduci, but since when has Jimbo ever made the right move?!? But at least we have an ACTUAL outfielder coming up...as of now, all we have is Fukudome. Scales and Fox are infielders at heart, and so is Hoffpauir as a 1B. Fuld is hurt, and Taguchi is like 60 years old playing on his last leg.

By the rule, Aaron, if the ball crosses the air territory above the bag, then it is alive. It's not about where it lands, but where it flew across the bag (above the bag).

I didn't even think it did that...I knew that rule, but I'll have to watch it again...that was my point

Aaron, all of the comments made by Milton's teammates are unbelievable. I have a full recap of all the comments ready to go for the am.

WHY IS AARON MILES HITTING?

Fox has enough guts to launch a Jimmy Dean sausage company, but Lou is going to send his cold butt to the plate to pinch hit with two outs and nobody on.

That Jake Fox siting must of been part of some prisoner release program.

Molina drives a grounder out of ARAM'S reach to tie the game. Then 300 lb. Molina steals second on Gregg. Lou has Marshall and Marmol ready in the pen. It simply doesn't make sense.

Rats. Why can't Lou see what everyone else does....Maybe we should send Milton to live with him in the off season as penance for all the bad moves.

A walk and a wild pitch, then Molina steals second. Z deserved the win tonight, he pitched extremely well.

Gregg and nobody warming up in the pen? that's Lou flipping off Hendry once again.

Why is Gregg still in there?

Lou and Gregg are threatening to blow this one. And I'm mad as hell.

I'm having trouble on the Saints, Agustin. Is there a Saint Kermit?

Ye Gods and little Fishes...I'm Irish and Catholic...and NO Jim, there are no muppet saints.

Pujols against Gregg....No match at all. Albert grounds out meekly to ARAM. For the next few minutes, I'll be thanking a number of Saints--and I'm not Catholic.

Classic!

Lou's bringing in Gregg to pitch to Pujols again...it worked the other day...

but this might be one time to many..

I hate seeing Gregg in a close game.

At least he's a ROOGY now.

Rightie Only One Out Guy.

That limits his damage, and perhaps adds some effectiveness to our bullpen. For the time being.

It's up to Grabow and the pen now. Blanco doesn't help on a difficult bounce, one out error. No matter what happens the rest of the way, the Cubs were competitive in this series. That, I think is a key building block for this team.

And Scales makes a leaping catch of a line drive over his head. Runner back to first. Yea!! And now Lou turns to Gregg. Oh my!!

You got your wish JimK...Z is out...but pitched a good game...After today's events...I don't think he'll say: "Trade me to Boston".

The more I read on Bradley...the more certain I am there's no way he comes back...and might not have a job in mlb next year...to a man...his teammates side with Hendry.

I love it!

Lou lets Zambrano bat, then pulls him!

Z is hitting. I hope that's just a reward, and I hope the pen is ready. Incidentally, Soto has called and managed an excellent game tonight. Everything has been uptempo.

Z gets the shutdown inning after about a 9 pitch strikeout of Ryan. I would turn the game over to the pen. Z has done his job, and the hitters have scratched out a hustling 3-2 lead.

Z is approaching 100 pitches. Ought not be a problem, but with his (admitted) conditioning issue, six innings may be all Z has. The double play just helped very much.

Nice DP.

Z gives up a leadoff hit. We need a shutdown inning Z!!!!

Micah Money get the lead RBI. Cards error on a double play ball allows ARAM to score run number 3. Micah's hard slide caused the error. We've got some guys playing solid baseball tonight.

Micah deserves a look as a full-time player...or at least full time platoon.

Unbelievable! second pushout mistakes in this series by the good Card' infielders.

JimK, Z is changing his gameplan now, after three rounds faced. It's still effective, but we'll see what happens the fourth time they face him.

"Whatever inning is, I fear Gregg pitches even while one out left."

Micah delivered...and so did SOTO!!!!

CUBS UP 3-2...little Babe Ruth is up.

Nice slide at second to breakup the DP by Hoffpauir

Strange strikezone against both sides today.

ARam is finding his skill back. Fine contact. Won't hurt his shoulder w/out the hard swing.

May Hoffpauir deliver?

All of the quotes and news on the Bradley front is unbelievable. I will have a full report up in the morning.

Hendry has to be beside himself with regrets. I don't think he'll accept many

invitations to be keynote speaker at sports banquets this fall/winter....Too many embarrassing questions.

Dorasaga....Well, Z won't hold them under two, since they now have 2. DeRo's double got too much of the plate, but Albert hit a sinker in and off the plate down the line for the second double. I don't fault Z because he made an excellent pitch. Albert is the best player in the bigs.

Now, can we surprise by scoring two more? Not likely, but still possible.

Down 2-1....Actually the Cubs have kept it close against the Cards on the road with a makeshift line-up again.

I still would like to have an verbal

explanation from Lou...why Fox isn't being used.

Blanco delivers a double off the wall, and the Fontenot scores (after his second hit). Observations: Fontenot hangs well on the curve ball. Blanco could be a keeper. Cubs lead 1-0.

And then there's the terrible problems in the outfield corners.

Z is pitching very well after three. And so is 18 game winner Wainwright. Two runs are likely enough for the winner tonight. Yeah, the Cards have the best chance to score two.

JimK, you must be reading my mind. Three minutes ago, I wondered if Z can hold an at-plate-struggling lineup under 2 runs for 7 innings, then we might have a chance.

But I quickly dismissed the idea. Z's chance to perfect himself would be decimated if he kept walking batters.

seriously, what a catch!

And it's 0-0 instead of 0-2. Even Sam Fuld will needa try hard in order to beat that!

What a catch by Kosuke!

He's hurt...

I almost laughed when Jon "I hate steroid and baseball" Miller commented (along this line): "It will be tough for the Cards. They will face the Cubs ace, C. Zambrano..."

Hehe... What a joke.

Dempster's wife must be weeping in pain. So are all the rest of Cubs fans!

and there goes Morgan declaring yet again internal love for Pujols. He should "chart" a plane and ride it through the stadium with a Will you marry me Albert sign. Dude shut up

According to Muskat...Tyler Colvin will join the team on Monday...it will be good to see a glimpse of him.

-Wish they would have also brought up Adduci.

You are right Suzy, Lou said Colvin would be with the team on Monday.

Problem is they do not have the room on the 40-man to keep adding players at this point. I would think Chad Fox would be placed on the 60-day DL to make room

Neil...several questions...

A) Does the 60 day DL carry over to the next season?

B) If not...they have Cotts/Soriano/Johnson and possibly Guzman they could utilize.

C) I suppose it's to late to add Bradley

to the DL?

Suzy, no the 60-day DL does not carry over. In fact all players must be activated from the DL before the rosters are frozen.

Reed Johnson is supposed to be back at some point in San Francisco.

Neal Cotts would have to be recalled then placed on the 60-day DL.

I would think Chad Fox will be placed on the 60-day DL.

To be honest I am not sure how the suspended list works. They still have to create a spot on the 40-man. You are right on Soriano but at this point the move is just a technicality.

I don't know the answer...but will look into it a bit....so JH should have technically placed him on the DL and then suspend him...so there would be 2 outs...

I consider Bradley untradeable at this point. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out....the common sense approach would be a negotiated settlement...but common sense doesn't always apply in legalese.

Either way...both Milton and the Cubs lose....somehow, I don't think we'll see him at a fan convention.

I can find a thread of reason in transactions like the DeRO and Marquis trades, but for a seasoned GM not to be able to get a clear picture of Bradley's highly problematical psyche is a dereliction of duty. Salvaging anything from what has become a bad wreck will be a pleasant surprise to me.

Tonight, I'll be looking for strong contributions from Hoffpauir, Soto, Blanco and Z. Should Soto present evidence the rest of the way that last year was not a fluke, we can move catcher down the worry list or use Soto in a productive trade. If Blanco can put up .260 numbers, he becomes a complete player. Hoffpauir and Z doing well enhances their values with us or in a trade.

I think we could add the Angels to a very selective group of contending teams (Red Sox and Yanks) this winter who would have interest in Z. If the Angels opt out of the Lackey sweepstakes, they could see a fit for Z.

Hendry "growing a pair" would've been suspending him indefinitely for his run in with Piniella, thereby voiding the incentive that allowed him to have the 3rd year guaranteed (which we are stuck with now...considering Hendry actually helped him now YET AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! because he could've just punished him more by disabling him for the remainder of the season and making him more tradeable AND less expensive for us to trade)....Hendry...just plain overmatched in every facet of his job

Aaron, is there a "professional comportment clause"in most contracts?

unfortunately, no. The player's union would never allow this. There is, however, ways to dock pay with actions "detrimental to the team". But it's so difficult to actually enact that clause because of the appeals process.

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The Rockies tried this with Neagle, and while I couldn't find any information on whether or not they were able to terminate his deal, I did find this little nugget:

Rob Manfred, baseball's chief labor executive, said: ''Money may not be the issue, but I'd be shocked if they intend on paying him. I'm certain their intention is not to pay him.''

But Manfred also acknowledged that he was unaware of any case in which an arbitrator ruled in favor of a club's right not to pay a player it released under paragraph 7 (b) (1) of the uniform player's contract.

''I don't believe a 7b1 termination has ever been upheld by an arbitrator,'' Manfred said.

A club may terminate a contract, the provision says, if the player ''shall at any time fail, refuse or neglect to conform his personal conduct to the standards of good citizenship.''

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These 2 cases are VERY similar. Both players underperformed, and both had equally volatile personalities, though, obviously, Bradley has ALWAYS been worse. I would be interested to find out if anyone has any more information on this, because if they do, there'd be precedent, which, you know holds weight in judicial proceedings.

unfortunately, no. The player's union would never allow this. There is, however, ways to dock pay with actions "detrimental to the team". But it's so difficult to actually enact that clause because of the appeals process.

****************************************

The Rockies tried this with Neagle, and while I couldn't find any information on whether or not they were able to terminate his deal, I did find this little nugget:

Rob Manfred, baseball's chief labor executive, said: ''Money may not be the issue, but I'd be shocked if they intend on paying him. I'm certain their intention is not to pay him.''

But Manfred also acknowledged that he was unaware of any case in which an arbitrator ruled in favor of a club's right not to pay a player it released under paragraph 7 (b) (1) of the uniform player's contract.

''I don't believe a 7b1 termination has ever been upheld by an arbitrator,'' Manfred said.

A club may terminate a contract, the provision says, if the player ''shall at any time fail, refuse or neglect to conform his personal conduct to the standards of good citizenship.''

*****************************************

These 2 cases are VERY similar. Both players underperformed, and both had equally volatile personalities, though, obviously, Bradley has ALWAYS been worse. I would be interested to find out if anyone has any more information on this, because if they do, there'd be precedent, which, you know holds weight in judicial proceedings.

yeah but Milton negotiated with JH a clause that he has to be suspended 12 times before the team can activate the "professional comportment clause" and punish him. lol!!! just kidding!

Glad to see Milton gone. What a waste of space. Should be the last we see of him. Jim Hendry better fix the huge mistakes he made this offseason.

Hendry growing a set.....nice job!!!!!!

Finally JH shows his gonads. The true season finally begins. I don't think we'll ever see Milton in Cub Blue again...It's both sad and incredible.

What happened guys?

JH suspended Bradley for the rest of the year for comments he made to the press...

see Neils update and follow the link.

TKS Suzy.

oh ok, got it...sorry