Paul Bako and Mike Stanton are out of work after being cut by the Cubs.  Bako battled with Koyie Hill all spring for the #2 catcher spot behind Geovany Soto, and ultimately lost out to Hill’s youth and bat.  Stanton of course is older than Jesus and was always a long-shot to make the roster.  [...]

In something of an upset, Lou Piniella has named Kevin Gregg as the Cubs closer for 2009.  It was assumed all along that Carlos Marmol would get that job, but obviously, Gregg’s fantastic spring numbers – 0 earned runs allowed so far in Cactus League play – swayed the manager.  Marmol will be the #1 [...]

I’ll give this to Kosuke Fukudome – he doesn’t mince words about himself.  When asked by reporters why he struggled so much last year in the second half, the platoon centerfielder and overall disappointment replied:
“My stupidity.”
And then Fukudome was heard to laugh.  Like a man unburdened or a man consumed with anxiety?  We do not [...]

No, this is not some kind of crazy high-tech vehicle used by the CIA to disrupt communications in war zones…it’s Alfonso Soriano’s Hummer H2.  I don’t know about you, but if some guy drove a thing like that around my neighborhood, I’d have to seriously consider investing in an RPG launcher.  Obnoxious doesn’t even begin [...]

It had to happen sooner or later, and now it has:  Fansided.com has added a Cardinals blog to the network.  The new site is called Red Bird Rants, and it’s written by a couple of schmos named Mike West and David Frissell.  I’m not sure why any sane person would want to read a blog [...]