Baseball

Chicago sports radio stations are reporting that the Chicago Cubs will place starting pitcher Ryan Dempster on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Friday, July 3.

Dempster reportedly has a fractured toe on his right foot.

Kevin Hart, who was just demoted on Monday, will be recalled to fill Dempster's rotation spot between now and the All-Star break next week.

UPDATE: Because the Cubs had optioned Kevin Hart to Iowa after the injury occurred, the team was not able to make the listing retroactive. Dempster's 15 days begin on Tuesday.

I believe it was the Beach Boys who sang the song "Wouldn't it Be Nice?" Perhaps the song could use a new stanza:

"Wouldn't it be nice if Mike Hampton,

Could pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates ever day?

Then the Houston Astros could get ready,

For a World Series ticker tape parade celebration day."

OK, sports fans, as you can plainly see, my songwriting will never, ever compare with the Beatles, Bob Marley, Billy Joe Shaver, or [fill in the name of the songwriter you love whom I neglected to mention].

Back to the ranch.

Peter Gammons was on ESPN 1000 with Waddle and Silvy today, and the possibility of Roy Halladay to the Sox was a major topic.

Blue Jay's GM J.P. Ricciardi recently said that they'll have to at least listen to offers for their ace starter, and the Sox seem to make a lot of sense as a landing spot. They've already tried to acquire an ace pitcher once this season, and they seem to have the requisite young talent to make an offer.

Buy low, sell high.

It's a maxim that serves Wall Street investors well, and over the test of time, it has proven true in baseball as well.

When Mark Shapiro of the Indians traded Bartolo Colon and got Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, and Lee Stevens, he was bashed mightily by Indians fans. How could they give up on Bartolo Colon? He was coming off of two consecutive 200-strikeout years! And all they got were prospects?! They got hosed!

Or at least that's what the fanbase thought.

How do you think that trade looks to Cleveland now?

The All-Star break is less than a week away and it’s time to take a look at how the first half has treated the five NL West teams.

Last week I updated the progress of the Dodgers, Giants, and Rockies in the month of June. This breakdown will be focused on the entire first half production (or lack of production) for all of the NL West clubs.

We’re 24 days away from the trading deadline.

Somehow, the Red Sox went from in dire need of a shortstop and a DH/power hitter in the four slot to questionable needs.

Now is not a good time to be a Mets fan. Injuries to three key everyday players have left the Mets with what looks like a AAA lineup that can’t score any runs. The possible return of Oliver Perez this week sounds like nails scratching on a chalkboard. Oh yeah, and the team with the best record in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, come to town for a three-game set starting Tuesday.

Since the end of the 2006 season, San Francisco Giants' general manager Brian Sabean has found himself on the hot seat.

In that time span, the Giants have not won more than 76 games, and have consistently been a non-factor in the National League West.

To make matters worse, it doesn't help Sabean's case that every team in the division has made a playoff appearance in that time span except for the Giants.

It has been a long seven years since the Giants were one inning away from winning a World Series title, and the fans haven't been too happy about it.

In a laugher, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds by three touchdowns last night, 22-1, led by a stunning 95-yard interception return for one of the touchdowns by cornerback Shane Victorino.

Phillies quarterback Cole Hamels threw for 275 yards and a touchdown before giving way to backup QB Scott Eyre. Kevin Kolb was unavailable.

"I was really in the zone tonight," said Hamels, who completed 17 of 20 passes with no interceptions. "The protection was amazing, and how about that catch and run by (Philadelphia Tight End) Ryan (Howard)?"