The Cubs returned to their non-winning ways last night, but none of the beat writers seem to care enough about the game to have written a recap with quotes and such. So we’ll just use the material we’re given, namely trade rumors. As mentioned in last night’s game thread, speculation on the impending trade of Ryan Dempster picked up some steam when he was seen in the outfield bleachers with Theo Epstein before last night’s game.
Ryan Dempster, the subject of trade talks, had a long chat with Theo Epstein, Cubs president of baseball operations, in the stands at Wrigley Field prior to Wednesday’s game. The topic? Dempster told MLB.com they were talking about an upcoming fundraiser Epstein is involved in. But the two could have discussed Dempster’s future as the Trade Deadline approaches.
The consensus seems to be that Ryan Dempster will be traded if he waives his no-trade rights. The jury is still out on Matt Garza, though he’s willing to show up and pitch wherever he’s told.
“I love the city, my kids love the city and it would be a great place for them to grow up,” Garza said. “But like I said, it’s out of my control. I’ll just keep going out there every five days and keep plugging away.”
Saying that he just wants to play isn’t a new mantra for Garza. He was using the same language this offseason as well. In 2011 he left a number of games with a lead only to watch the bullpen let his chance at victory slip away.
“It doesn’t matter to me, I just want to play,” he said again. “When they tell me I can’t play anymore that will be the worst day of my life. I just want to keep playing, it doesn’t matter where. I’ll pitch on the freaking moon. I just want to keep playing. As long as people keep asking for me I’ve done a good job. When they stop asking then it’s time to worry.”
Newt Gingrich’s Moon Colony, anyone?
For all the Ian Stewart fans out there, you’ll have to go 15 days without seeing him as he will be placed on the DL.
“He’s been battling as much as he can through it,” Sveum said. “It just got to the point today where it was pretty bad. Took him out of the lineup and we’re going to get it evaluated. We’ll put him on the DL (Thursday) and go from there.”
But before all you Josh Vitters wackos start getting excited, we won’t be seeing him just yet.
Sveum said former first-round pick Josh Vitters is not an option, but the Cubs may call up infielder Luis Valbuena from Iowa.
Luis Valbuena? Sweet!
I’m starting to think that Friday might be the last time Ryan Dempster pitches a game for the Cubs.
I’m not sure why so many people are so high an Valbuena…I’ve been hearing a number of people calling for him to be promoted for a while now. He’s not that good.
I was being sarcastic.
I know you were…but I stand by what I said. A lot of people think Valbuena is the second coming or something.
So far in this middle of the week Tigers series, the Cubs have averaged well over 41,000 fans per game.
That’s significantly higher than the attendance for any of the games for the weekend series against the White Sox last month. So why exactly do people want to keep these rivalry games?
Ian Stewart fans? Was that supposed to be plural?
Well… you figure him…
his mother…
uhhhh…
Aaron Miles, Ronnie Cedano, and Blake DeWitt.
Call it camaraderie in the competion for worst Cubs infielder over the past decade.
He retweeted me once!
Welington Castillo has been activate. Takes Koyie Hill’s spot on the roster…Koyie DFAd to make room for Valbuena on the 40 man roster.
“Welington Castillo has been activate.”
Did you pick that up from the google translate version of mlb.jp?
Ugh.
you think they would have waited until after Dempster’s next start to DFA Koyie.
They had to make a move because Valbuena wasn’t on the 40 man roster.
Maybe a Dempster trade is coming sooner than we thought!
Is that like what happens with the Transformers?
Come on, people. Koyie Hill is gone! Where is the excitement and joy?
I’ve been trying to log in all morning. First of all, Garvitar does not believe my login and password from LOHO,then this a.m. the Internet was down, and I finally got a signal, then had to sign in.Anyway, regarding Dempster, if the Dodgers are in the hunt, Theo should ask for a good pitcher, and not one of there infield castoffs that keep going back to AAA. Though I bet the Dodgers offer Guerra, now that he has stopped being effective and lost the closer role. I would prefer a deal with the Yankees, since they tend to stockpile pitching, and up till losing Rivera, had a good bullpen as well. My hope is the Yankees don’t try to fob off Russell Martin for Dempster. I figure the Yankees would want to go for Dempster, since they got Kiroda for almost nothing, and he has turned around and is having a much better year than 2011….
Sorry Doc, it’s kinda tuff to type when busy doing back flips…
Typing? How quaint.
Dictated on my iPad
Sorry, I was away from my computer dancing and making much merry at the news.
“And there was much rejoicing: yaaaaay”
Um . . so . . this is our game thread. Obviously.
Busy day over here. Maybe you’ll get a game thread tomorrow.
KOYIE HILL IS GONE!!!!!
i’ve been in meetings all morning!
Really? He’s gone? I had no idea!
I have permission to go on the net, thanks to the fact that my boss is even more non-techie than me, and also that he is from Egypt. So I will be going back and forth from the not-to-pretty real world, and the ever-amusing LOHO world. Is the game on WGN?
No no-no for Verlander today.
Oh no! No no-no? You know?
Is that so?
Again Ugh….