What I Learned On My Summer Vacation

Injuries Suck.

Out: Ryan Church, Nick Johnson
In: Rick Short, Matt Cepicky.

Healed up: Joey Eischen
Sent out: Travis Hughes

Cristian Guzman strained a hamstring and missed 4 games or so. (Whom we didn't really miss until Jamey Carroll showed a distinct lack of range on the game-winning hit yesterday-- though in fairness, he was shading up the middle to keep Reyes close)

The Cubs Suck

We can beat them on the land. We can beat them in the air. We can beat them in the sea. (Cubs = Nazis?)

Those wins were especially gratifying because the Cubs are one of our fall-back-option Wild Card contenders. We didn't hammer their coffin shut, but we made sure there's a really fat lady sitting on it to keep it pinned closed.

The Maximum Number of Saves a Road Team Can Blow And Still Win The Game

In Sunday's game, Chad Cordero blew his first game since Cristian Guzman grabbed a handful of mud. (When you're facing Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, that'll happen sometimes)

In extras, Hector Carrasco (who was pitching in his fourth straight game) gave up two runs, and another two-run lead.

Yet, they won. go figure.

Awards are hard to dole out when you're only seeing boxscores and Sportscenter Highlights.

Monday: Marlon Byrd wins the Lame Duck for his ofer. He solidified it with his pathetic throw to the plate in the 9th inning. Not only did it not come close, it got away from the cut-off man, allowing another runner into scoring position.

Sunday: Brian Schneider hit the game-winning homer, but he wouldn't have had the chance had Ryan Drese pitched seven shutout innings to win the Majority Whip. He allowed just four hits and zero walks. I reallllly hope it's just his arm angle that was screwed up. We need him!

Saturday: Another close game, another Chad Cordero save. It wasn't his toughest, as he had a two-run lead, but he got the job done. As did the rest of the team.

Friday: Livan Hernandez was coasting until the eighth inning when the dam began to break. With the tying run on third, Brian Schneider whipped the ball down to third to pick off Jeromy Burnitz, effectively winning the game. If one play can win you a whip, that was it.

Thursday: The Senor Statesman Vinny Castilla led the way after a brilliant-turned shaky outing by Esteban Loaiza. Vinny's homer and two-RBI single provided Loaiza with the kind of offensive support he hasn't seen this year, sweeping the Pirates back to Pennsyltucky.

Vidro might be healthy

He could be activated as soon as today. Just in time for Pedro? Lucky boy!

There's nothing so tiresome as whining about the All-Star Game

Livan and Chad Cordero made it. People are whining about Jose Guillen (who Peter Gammons is now touting as an MVP candidate!?!?) and Nick Johnson not making it.

Who do you take off then? Remember, all teams have to be represented.

There are fewer things scarier than the thought of Eric Milton

His name has been floating around as a trade possibility.

The Inquirer provides the deconstruction.

5.5 games is a pretty damn big lead.

The Braves aren't dead yet! We'd get San Diego if the playoffs started today. ;) Not that I'm tracking or anything....

And it's not like I can say I saw it coming either. As I said in January:
"There's a list of about 10 things that would need to go right for us to make the playoffs. I'm not counting on many of them. But there's no reason why this team couldn't play .500 baseball (yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm pretending that we don't need to score runs!) And considering everything they've been through, that would be a pretty damn good success."