The Cubs start playing games against the junior league today, with Gallagher slated to face A.J. Burnett, according to the Sun Times. But I remember Lou talking about skipping Gallagher to set up more starts for Zambrano prior to the All-Star break. I think it would be more to make sure Z pitches in the series' against the white sox. Perhaps he has decided thats not necessary and will pitch Gallagher tonight. The Jays starter Burnett, is 0-2 in his last 3 starts and gave up 8 runs in just 4 1/3 innings against Baltimore in his last start. He is one of the pitchers that Peter Gammons said this past Sunday, that the Cubs were considering trading for. He's 5-6 on the season, with a 4.98 ERA which has been on the rise, so I can see why Toronto might consider dumping his big salary. Scott Rolen is doing a good job for the Jays and he frequently plays well against the Cubs. Containing him will be important.Toronto may only be a .500 team right now at 34-34, but in a division with Boston, Tampa Bay and New York, when you play an unbalanced schedule-thats not bad. This series will not be a cake walk.

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Go Cubs!!!!

If you're trying to get a rise out of people, thats one thing. To honestly believe that the AL is the "junior league" to the NL is not even a meatball comment. It is just out and out wrong. Fact: The AL is better than the NL. The AFC is better than the NFC. The (NBA) Western Conference is better than the Eastern Confernce. Period.

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Franklin, the AL is called the Junior Circuit because it was formed after the NL or the Senior Circuit as it is sometimes called.
I don't know if Steve is aware of that, but it is true.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Ah. Now I remember. Still though, wouldn't suprise me if steve thought along those lines.

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Thats because you are stupid. Mr Reason is exactly correct.

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Go Cubs!!!!

WYC Elmhurst Steve. You didn't call it the Junior Circuit, you called it the Junior League. Mr. Reason's post with the historical account of the term Junior Circuit is nothing more than mere coincidence. You did not intend to make that historical reference at all. You're full of shit.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

No Ghetto boy- They have been calling the American league, the Junior circuit or junior league for longer than I have been alive. Thats how Brickhouse, Harry Caray, and many other broadcasters have referred to the American League. Find something real, not imagined to rail against.
Now take your monkey ass back to your lousy job, with your crooked hand and take that crooked hand, turn that som-bitch sideways, and stick it straight up your candy ass!!

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Go Cubs!!!!

I'll help spmack out on this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldhoN3ZNO18

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Monkey ass? You got a problem with black people? What's the deal with the ghetto boy thing too? You think all black people live in the ghetto? You think it's funny callin me boy?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Darkside, you should totally get your gang to go after him...

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Steve could certainly give Magic1 a run for his money in the smack department.
Darko, you gonna need therapy, pal?

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

This is a pretty good test for you guys. Besides the Sox, the Rays and Jays have the best starters in the AL.

You'll get the Sox after these two. So you'll be facing the top 3 pitching staffs in the AL in a 9 game span.

If the Cub can go 3-3 on this road trip, I will be happy. The Jays have good pitching and this is the first taste of indoor ball for the Cub. I will be interested to see what Lou does with the lineup and the DH.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Haufpower (sp?) or Lee will DH, is my guess. Haven't the Cub played indoors in Houston already?

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I think Reason meant playing on carpet. Milwaukee and Houston are indoors sometimes but they have grass.

I'll be interested to see how the Cubs can adjust to American League pitching, not to mention the uneven FieldTurf at Rogers Centre in Toronto & Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. The White Sox had a devil of a time last month, and they lack the speed that the Cubs have at both ballparks.

Yeah, but I don't really count Milwaukee and Houston, as they don't have artificial surfaces. Toronto does, doesn't it?
I have also heard that Tampa is an awful stadium to hit in. I'll take 3-3 with a shit-eating grin.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

You take a lot of things with a shit eating grin, dontcha?

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I'll totally accept a .500 road trip when the Cub have the best home record.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Yeah. Toronto does.

In fact, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Toronto are the only teams in MLB with artificial turf.

There are no teams in the NL that have carpet. Expos were the last. Moment of silence for the Expos................Thankyou.

I've always wondered about that phrase. Who eats shit and grins about it?

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Elmhurst Steve.

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The windup...the pitch...

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Oh, that was a hoot, Franklin.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

A 3-3 road trip would be easy to accept. Go .500 on the road and clean up at home, thats an age old formula to reaching the playoffs. The first game in this Toronto series is probably the best pitching match-up. Burnett has been less than outstanding this year so far. But Roy Halladay against Marquis is a bit dicey. Then on Sunday Lilly against Litsch, probably has to favor Toronto if you go by ERA especially. But with Lilly, you never know which way he might go. The last 2 starts he gave up early home runs, but then settled down to pitch well.

Frank-Not surprised that after you stated that there is "No Excuse" for the sox not to go 5-1 on their homestand, that you declined my offer to bet $100. on it -the loser to donate the money to Mac's in support of his charity that fights autism and assists families who have children who are Autistic. You like to run your mouth, but when it's time to back it up, you run like the little girl you truely are.

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Go Cubs!!!!

That first inning is gonna come back to haunt them. They needed to get something out of that. Burnett has gotten stronger as the game has gone on.

I still don't know why the hell Patterson is in the starting lineup again. He blows and this is not the time to mess with team chemistry. Lou must have soured on Cedeno if he thinks Patterson is an upgrade. And what's wrong with Reed Johnson? I just don't get it.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Fucking Theriot, double play. Only get 1 run out of bases loaded no outs again.

That ball barely grazing the umpire really hurt too. Otherwise, there would have been 2 runs scored in the inning- and it would be tied. But one real positive, is that Edmonds continues to hit. I really thought it was a mistake to sign him. That he was done. But he sure has turned it up in the past couple of weeks. Hope that continues.

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Go Cubs!!!!

DeRosa really sucked tonight, I don't think he swung at all, k'd looking everytime.

On a 3-1 count he looked at a fastball right in the wheel house, then he swings at the 3-2 pitch that was high, out of the strike zone. Don't quite get that. How are you not looking fastball on the 3-1? And if you are, why the heck isn't he hitting a pitch that had "hit me" written all over it?

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Go Cubs!!!!