Soto all of a sudden came up hurt in batting practice (???) … remember he really sucked at the time.

Interesting, but he didn’t suck at the time. His last game was on June 6th.

From 5/1 – 6/6, he put up a line of .250/.336/.565 OPS: .902.

I’m getting the feeling the Cubs are using the DL like a parking spot for extra players.

I have thought this at least three, maybe four distinct times this year because for awhile there they seemed SO against using the DL when they should have, but then all of a sudden when a roster move was looming … voila, a handy injury. I wondered about Harden, definitely Patton, Miles, and now Blanco (though he’s not out of options so that would have been an easy fix). Believe it or not it even crossed my mind when Soto all of a sudden came up hurt in batting practice (???) … remember he really sucked at the time. I think I dismissed it though because he was sort of getting a little better and they wouldn’t intentionally put themselves in that position with no other viable catchers, would they? Anyway I’m glad I’m not the only one who wondered.

Bring back Todd Walker, Jerry Hariston Jr and Ronny Cedeno.

Is Blanco really hurt?

Yes. His ability to hit is badly broken and the prognosis doesn’t look like it will get better anytime soon.

I’m getting the feeling the Cubs are using the DL like a parking spot for extra players.

They don’t have much choice, since most of these guys are out of options.

The point is moot now since Blanco’s hurt but I’d have chosen to go with Baker if for nothing else than to give him a chance to show what he can do. I hope Dave’s right about him being DeRosa’esque.

Congrats Cap’n and also great job Koby … thank you both for being the first to jump in so future contributors will know what to expect. I thoroughly enjoyed both entries!!

Get Heath Bell assuming he clears waivers

I can pretty confidently say that Heath Bell will not clear waivers.

Now, the Cubs could put a claim on Bell and make a trade for him, if they win that claim, but I would think that the following NL teams (with worse records that the Cubs as of today) would also put a claim on Bell: Marlins, Braves, Cardinals, Brewers, and possibly the Mets or the Astros.

I would love for the Cubs to be able to pick up Bell, but strange decisions would have to be made by other teams for that to actually happen.

Surprising that nobody mentioned AAAron Miles. Must be because he’s rehabbing.

Get Heath Bell assuming he clears waivers, send Marmol to Iowa for seasoning, and send Gregg to the Padres for a bag of balls and a half dozen maple bats.