Fouled-Off Bunts: Medic Alert Edition

It's operation shutdown as anyone and everyone associated with the team is being benched/rested/left for dead.

Chad Cordero, who was reported to have slight elbow tendinitis is done. Luis Ayala will the time off he should've been given when he first reported his tendinitis in July.

Brian Schneider is still having arm problems, so he rests.

Vinny Castilla's knee isn't completely heatlhy, and besides, there's a superstar in the making waiting in the wings.

Jose Vidro, Nick Johnson and Jose Guillen will play sparingly. As will Brad Wilkerson.

Typically, Sunday games are the ones that a manager will rest his regulars. In an inside-out way, Frank started his old regulars and benched his new regulars, trotting out a lineup that was familiar to us back in June. (Yet it came with August's results.)

Tony Blanco stinks.

The kid got screwed over by the transaction rules. He lost a year of development, which is probably going to set back his career. He'll play in the Fall League to get some of the ABs he missed out on this season.

Rick Short, getting the chance he always dreamed of, had shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum -- the same injury that Jon Rauch had. He has had shoulder problems all season, but things came to a head when he separated his shoulder on a diving try during Friday's game.

I wouldn't anticipate that this will cause any lasting damage for him, but it will probably put him behind the eight ball at the beginning of spring.

The hardest workin' man in baseball reportin', Ken Rosenthal has a look at possible landing spots for Mount Piniella. The Nationals make the cut. He's not saying they're close, just that it could make sense here.

I'm not the biggest fan of Sweet Lou, but he'd probably be an improvement over Frank. He's certainly not afraid to play kids -- as long as they don't make mistakes!

PT Bowden eats a little crow, then starts crowing about his accomplishments...errr... this team's accomplishments in the NY Times.

"We took a team that won 67 games and made great strides," Bowden said, referring the Expos' 67-95 record last season. "The value of the franchise has risen from $300 million to $450 million.

"Whether we win the rest of our games or lose them, it doesn't take away from what we've accomplished."

Hey, buddy, I thought this was a World Series-capable team. Didn't you tell me that two months ago? That'll be the last time I trust you!

Actually, if he is to be believed, he's a remarkable businessman. He was able to increase the value of the franchise by 50% with his remarkable stewardship! Maybe I should sign over my investment portfolio to him?

Wondered how our Korean friends are reporting the latest Sunny Kim news? Yeah, me neither.

Look at that! He pitched a shutout in FARKING COLORADO!

Great move there, Bodes!

If the Yankees can pick up someone or something called Aaron Small, why does he hemorrage pitching, and prove himself incapable of turning over any rocks to find non-detached arms?

Note to Frank: Sunny's man. All man. See:

Nevertheless, it was not merely an easy game for Kim. As he entered the ninth inning to finish the game, he said he felt dizziness and a bit of a cramp. Despite hardship, after putting giving his total strength for the game, he endured pain and managed to complete the final inning, just the way he did for the rest of the game.

That's YOUR kind of pitcher.