In Lieu of News
The Cubs do not view Crisp as a viable alternative if they fail to acquire Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts; Crisp's .329 career on-base percentage makes him ill-suited for the top of the order, and the Cubs don't want a center fielder who might block Felix Pie or Tyler Colvin; they would prefer a platoon partner such as the Rangers' Marlon Byrd.
And on Roberts...
Trading Roberts would be the logical next step in the Orioles' tear-down, but even though the team finally is on the verge of sending Erik Bedard to the Mariners, a Roberts deal might not quickly follow. The Orioles and Cubs have spoken infrequently over the past several weeks, sources say, and while some Cubs officials believe that a deal remains possible, others aren't so sure. The Orioles are likely to insist on Pie, a player the Cubs are not willing to move in a package for Roberts ...
At least the last sentence about not willing to move Pie is encouraging.
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A short doc on a long ago MLB legend
Semi NSFW
http://www.roopstigo.com/reel/morganna-a-kissing-b...
This awesome
http://mlb.mlb.com/photos/gallery.jsp?content_id=4...
Baseball America Hot Sheet:
Christian Villaneuva, 3b, Cubs
Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .435/.500/.739 (10-for-23), 3 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO, 1-for-2 SB
wow...Arizona Phil's universe intersects with Wrong-way Phil Rogers!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Pete...
per Roto...
Remember Albert Almora? The Cubs’ first-round pick last June is almost all the way back after breaking his hamate bone in mid-March. He’s been playing center field and hitting in extended spring games in Arizona and should soon be assigned to the low-A Kane County Cougars. There’s no sign yet of Junior Lake, who suffered a stress fracture to the top rib on his right side in mid-March. Outfielder Reggie Golden, a second-round pick in 2010 recovering from two torn ligaments in his left knee, appears close to completing his recovery.
USA Today Article on Mark Appel.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/...
Scouting report
http://orioles-nation.com/2011/07/28/scouting-the-...
#2 Mark Appel
"Analysis: This is Appel or Gray, assuming one of them goes first, with Appel the preference. The Cubs are in the catbird seat in this draft -- they don't have to pay the premium that comes with picking first overall but are guaranteed to get one of the two huge arms in the class."
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9277478/...
Why would you want the threading on the balls to be different?
then maybe the greater story is that when he pitched here on the 6th the balls he was using, at least in the 1st inning that day, were PCL's...otherwise, as that Gilda Radner character used to say on SNL, 'never mind...'
America's wang.
MIKE: MLB rehab pitchers always get to use MLB baseballs when they pitch in a minor league game, even at Extended Spring Training. Healthy MLB pitchers use MLB baseballs when they pitch in a Minor League Spring Training game, too. You'll notice the home plate umpire changing out his baseballs every half-inning (unless two MLB pitchers are pitching against each other in the same minor league game).
However, MLB position players rehabbing in a minor league game or playing in a Minor League Spring Training game have to hit minor league baseballs.
The hemorrhoid of America.
florida
Garza at 42 pitches through 3 IP. No runs, 2 hits, 4 K's, No BB. 1-0 Iowa Cubs after 3.
Go Mike!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa4aCVOpPIo