Opinion

The Chicago Cubs looked like a steaming pile of hot garbage on Friday in an 8-3 loss to division leading St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a crucial four-game series before the All Star Break.

Whether it's been Rich Harden's inability to gets outs past the second inning, Ryan Dempster's high jumping ability or Geovany Soto's new love handle contusion, the Cubs are giving off the vibes of a team completely out of it in the National League Central.

Before I go any further, let me say that Lou Piniella is not the main reason why the Cubs are 41-42. 

That said, at some point a manager must be held accountable for his teams struggles. 

Coming into the season the Cubs were once again heavy favorites to win the National League Central, and many saw them as the favorite to represent the National League in the World Series. While the Cubs have endured plenty of injuries, they still find themselves in almost every game. 

All three starting outfielders for one major league team are heading to the All-Star game for the first time since 1995, when the Cleveland Indians sent Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, and Albert Belle.

This season, the Philadelphia Phillies will be the club sending its starting outfielders to the Midsummer Classic with the group of Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth.

Ibanez was the top vote-getter among National League outfielders, while Victorino was voted in by the fans in the final vote, garnering about 15 million votes.

Prior to tonight’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, Mets GM Omar Minaya made an unexpected move when he announced that he traded away RF Ryan Church to the Atlanta Braves for RF Jeff Francoeur.

As many of you probably know, the Royals traded two minor league pitchers for Seattle shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

The Royals did have to give up Double-A pitcher Daniel Cortes, who has been tagged by some scouts as the best pitcher in the Royals' farm system. They also gave up Single-A reliever Derrick Saito.

I have talked to some Mariners fans, and they say this is a major win for Seattle. I beg to differ.

Center fielder Torii Hunter and left fielder/designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero were officially placed on the 15-day disabled list today.

Guerrero tweaked his hamstring and strained a muscled behind his left knee when he landed awkwardly after making a catch in Thursday night's game against the Rangers.

Hunter will be resting a a strained abductor muscle in his side that he's been nursing since slamming into the wall at Dodger Stadium on May 22.

Now, after the screaming dies down, pay attention. 

With all the talk lately about Bowker coming up, Sandoval getting screwed in the All-Star vote, Schierholtz getting his chance to play almost every day, the Big Sadowski, Tim Lincecum, and Matt Cain doing so well, I believe that we are forgetting someone who is quietly producing for the Giants.

Travis Ishikawa.

Most of his accolades concern his stellar fielding, which is possibly the best in the National League. Hell, maybe in all of baseball.

But I'm here to talk about his bat. Yes, you heard me right, his bat.

On Thursday, July 9th, Baseball America unveiled it's Top 25 prospects in baseball, showing who tops the list at midseason.  Teams with bright farm systems, like the Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants, and Baltimore Orioles were sure to have fans jumping up and down to see the list.

The fan base of the Baltimore Orioles has to be excited at the moment. In the top 10, the O's had two pitching prospects (Chris Tillman, 8th, and Brian Matusz, 9th). It's especially exciting for O's fans because the team is in dire need of starting pitching.

JP Ricciardi reminds me of myself, although maybe not in the way you think.

The world in the last three or four years has seemingly been swept up in the craze that is competitive poker. I, unfortunately for my social life, have not.

After raking a three-run triple in his first at-bat of the season, Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa was seemingly invisible at the plate for nearly six weeks.

But on May 25, Ishikawa had a career game that jump-started not just his season, but perhaps his Major League career.

Ishikawa powered the Giants to a 8-2 victory by going 4-for-4 at the plate, scoring three runs, and launching his first home run of the season, a three-run shot in the seventh inning.