Cubs Answer Brewers, Land Harden

So the Chicago Cubs have answered back to the Milwaukee Brewers and landed former Oakland pitcher Rich Harden. That sound you're hearing is a collective gasp from Cubs fans when they realize that Harden has been on the DL six times in six seasons. But why should the Cubs get nervous? Their pitchers get hurt after they land in Chicago...not before. There's no way this ends up like Mark Prior--(sorry, it's not my intention to sound this bitter).

Harden has been viewed as a second tier pitcher (with Sabathia being the only true first tier pitcher) this trading season but his numbers have been great when he's pitched (5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season). The Cubs gave up Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, Matt Murton and Josh Donaldson to aquire Harden who has not won more than 11 games in a season in his career.

Two blockbuster deals in three days? I suppose the trading season is officially on. Fasten the seatbelts.

UPDATE: The Cubs also get pitcher Chad Gaudin in the trade. Gaudin is 5-3 with a 3.59 ERA.

Bernie Mac Can Go To Hell

Harsh title right? Well, I'm pretty sure I truly feel this way (in baseball terms at least). Mac threw out the first pitch last night at the Cubs-White Sox games at U.S. Cellular Field. Back during the 2003 NLCS (the "Bartman Game" for those of you who won't let it go), Mac sang "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". However, Mac chose to be creative with the lyrics "root root root for the Cubbies" and went with "root root root for the champions" (as the Cubs were six outs from going to their first World Series since 1945). If you don't know how the game ended...the Cubs would go on to lose and Mac admitted to being a life long White Sox fan and called the Cubs the champions in order to jinx them.

However, I did a little investigative research to see who the real jinx is in this situation. Here's a look at what the Cubs have done since 2003:

2004: 89-73 (3rd place)

2005: 79-83 (4th place)

2006: 66-96 (6th place)

2007: 85-77 (1st place)
Now, a look at what Bernie Mac has done since 2003:

Mr. 3000

Charlies Angles: Full Throttle

Head of State

Guess Who

Yeah, there is a curse going on--then again, Mac just might be suffering from a case of being a terrible actor with one gear (angry black guy). Anyhow, no real point to this post. More of an excuse to post the picture above from last night's game.

10 Years Ago Today...

Has it really been ten years since Kerry Wood struck out 20 Houston Astros? Well being that it's 2008 and that happened in 1998, the math would suggest it has been (where did the last decade go?).
Since May 6, 1998, we know what's happened...Wood has gone on to win 7 Cy Youngs while being the fastest pitcher to 3,000 strikeouts and 200 victories. He was also the MVP of the 2003 World Series and basically a God to mere mortals. What? Nevermind...

Anyhow, here's the actual Sportcenter highlights from that Cubs-Astros game. I compleatly forgot that Wood should've gotten credit for a no hitter, if not for a questionable scoring decision.

Ten years later...

Fuku Sports Illustrated

I would like to thank Sports Illustrated in advance for (possibly) jinxing my Cubs before May. No doubt, the Cubs have been on fire but let's not get ahead of ourselves SI--there isn't someone else you could put on your cover? Dan Haren and Brandon Webb? Their cover could say "Desert Heat", I'm sure that would work out fine.
I'm going to be sick.