Squeeze Bunts...

* From the category of 'world's worst picture,' what is up with Sean Gallagher's team mugshot? Just brutal...

* Okay, so the Cubs have lost three of four games, including two at home. Not exactly the best stretch, but you had to imagine that a lull was coming after being fire-engine-red-hot recently. I'm not worried.

Keep in mind, it could be a lot worse. Look around. The Phillies are leading the NL East, but have lost eight of their last nine. And the Diamondbacks have fallen apart (they're now .500 at 40-40), yet are still winning the putrid NL West.

Who would have thought that the three best teams in the National League (right now, at least) would be from the NL Central?

* Ryan Theriot said in Sports Illustrated this week that people would be surprised to know he listens to gangster rap music.

He's right. I am surprised to know that.

* On the trade front, the Cubs are considered one of the leading contenders to get C.C. Sabathia, the Cleveland hurler who is the reigning American League Cy Young winner.

Downsides: It would cost a fortune in prospects to get him, and he's a free agent, so there's no guarantee he would be more than a second-half rent-a-player.

Upsides: He's a dominant left-handed pitcher who would immediately share the 'ace role' with Carlos Zambrano (imagine Ted Lilly as a No. 4 starter). Plus, if he did leave as a free agent, the Cubs would receive two first round picks in the draft as compensation.

But here's the thing...

You gotta love, Lou Pinella.

While Dusty would worry about things like walks clogging up the bases, Lou's smart enough to realize that one of the biggest concerns with this team (even though they have the best record in baseball) is an overworked pitching staff.

As of Sunday night, four relief pitchers for the Cubs had appeared in 25 games or more:

Carlos Marmol -- 33 games
Kerry Wood -- 33 games
Bob Howry -- 30 games
Michael Wuertz -- 28 games

Only three pitchers have appeared in more games this year than Marmol and Wood:

1. Luis Ayala -- WAS -- 35 games
1. Will Ohman -- ATL -- 35 games
3. Blaine Boyer -- ATL -- 34 games
4. Pedro Feliciano -- NYM -- 33 games
4. Heath Bell -- SD -- 33 games
4. Carlos Marmol -- CHC -- 33 games
4. Kerry Wood -- CHC -- 33 games

Meanwhile, Howry's number of appearances puts him around the top 20 in baseball. And Wuertz's puts him near the top 50.

That's a reason to be concerned, on multiple accounts:

1) Having your relievers pile up that number of appearances means you're running the risk that they'll be tired down the stretch, while is probably the time when they'll need to be sharpest.

I'm not necessarily worried about Howry or Wuertz. Both of these guys are veterans of the bullpen and understand how to pace themselves (Howry, in fact, was at his best down the stretch last year).

But I'm concerned about Marmol and Wood. Marmol has never had more than 59 appearances in a year; he'll eclipse that very soon. And Wood's career has been as a starter; I wonder how he'll handle 70-80 appearances in a season.

2) The number of appearances for those four relievers is an indication that the starting pitchers aren't going very deep into games. Among the starting rotation, here are the statistics for average length of outing (rounded to the nearest third of an inning):

Carlos Zambrano -- 6 2/3 innings
Ted Lilly -- 5 2/3 innings
Ryan Dempster -- 6 1/3 innings
Jason Marquis -- 5 2/3 innings
Sean Gallagher -- 5 1/3 innings

So, three of your five starters are lasting fewer than six innings on average. That's troubling. And it's the reason the bullpen is getting so overworked.

Solutions:

* Put more trust in Scott Eyre. His statistics - albeit in a limited role - are worthy (7 IP, 4 H, 1/10 BB/K, 0.00 ERA).
* Find someone among the likes of Neal Cotts, Kevin Hart, Carmen Pignatiello, Jose Ascanio, Sean Marshall, Chad Fox who can eat some innings and provide decent relief. Right now, most of that group hasn't been able to.
* Get Ted Lilly right. I think 5-6 innings is about all we can and should expect from Jason Marquis and Sean Gallagher. But Lilly needs to be a 6+ inning guy. If he can do that, it will ease the burden on the 'pen.

And then Lou can finally something else to be worried about.

Squeeze Bunts...

* Out on the farm in Iowa, Rich Hill had to leave his last start. Team says it was back stiffness. The way Hill has pitched down there (1-2, 3.38 ERA, eight walks in 13 1/3 innings), I don't see him back in the bigs any time soon.

I love Lou's quote about Hill though: "Let's not make it too serious. It might not be serious at all."

Sounds a little like wishful thinking to me. 'If I don't think it's bad, than it can't be bad!'

* Lou says Daryle Ward is likely heading to the disabled list with a bulging disk. And his replacement on the roster? Not Matt Murton, but Micah Hoffpauir. The spring training star is recovering from his early-season injury and will probably get his first chance in the majors.

* Nice to see Sean Gallagher's first win, after pitching six innings of one-run ball against the Pirates. Really fascinating story on the Cubs' website about Gallagher's weight. Apparently Kerry Wood is the next Jenny Craig.

Didn't think this was a post we would have to do, but...

...who should be in the starting rotation right now for the Cubs?

Your choices:

Carlos Zambrano

Ted Lilly

Rich Hill

Ryan Dempster

Jason Marquis

Sean Marshall

Jon Lieber

Sean Gallagher

Other

My opinion:

1) Zambrano (given)

2) Lilly (recovering)

3) Dempster (run support or for real?)

4) Marquis (streaky)

5) Marshall (deserving)

I prefer Lieber as the long reliever. He's a veteran and understands the role. I don't feel comfortable bringing Hill back yet, or giving Gallagher the shot yet. My thought: let's see if Marshall can eat up some innings.

Leavings...

* The bullpen is thinning. Out the door to AAA are Jose Ascanio (pictured), Sean Gallagher and Neal Cotts. Ascanio (indirectly traded for Jacque Jones; Jones to Detroit for Omar Infante who was then shipped to Atlanta for Ascanio) didn't impress me in the games I saw him pitch. Gallagher's just trade-bait with the O's. And Cotts? Well, Cotts is a batting practice pitcher who is still somehow employed by a major league team because he throws with the wrong arm.

* The spring is also done for Josh Kroeger (some nice pop in that kid's bat) and Koyie Hill (Paul Bako with a cooler name). Both were reassigned to the minor league camp.

* Rumor is Lou will decide on his starting rotation by Monday. My vote is for Lieber and Marquis. But my gut says it will be Lieber and Dempster. Oh, Canada! He'll also announce his closer. Let's hope Kerry Wood doesn't twist his testicle when he gets the news.

Squeeze Bunts...

* The Baltimore Sun is reporting that trade talks between the O's and Cubs have stalled. Like we had guessed, it appears Ronny Cedeno and Sean Gallagher would likely be involved in any deal for Brian Roberts (along with pitching prospect Donald Veal). But the sticking point, according to the Sun, is a fourth player. And the Birds are dreaming big, asking about Felix Pie and Tyler Colvin.

Two words: No way.

* There's also talking of adding in aging veterans Jay Payton and Jason Marquis to the deal, with Payton heading to the Windy City and Marquis getting moved to Baltimore.

When you trade crap for crap, you still have crap.

* Why does everyone have a problem with Joe Buck? Was reading a message board on CBS Sportsline, where the question was posed: Who are your favorite and least favorite broadcasters? Scores of people were listing Buck as the worst. I don't get it. Even if he does have a St. Louis pedigree, I think the guy's among the best in the game (and he's just as good at football as he is at baseball). Smart. Incisive. Doesn't get in the way of the game. Maybe someone can clue me in...

* Chalk it up to Dusty being Dusty. Two days ago we were singing the praises of rookie first baseman Joey Votto. Yesterday, Dusty was bashing the guy.

* Aramis Ramirez saw his first spring training action on Friday. I say his health is among the top 10 keys to a successful 2008...

Looking at birds, they're looking at us...

The latest on the Brian Roberts trade front: The Cubs are scouting Roberts in Florida and the O's are scouting Chicago players in Arizona. We should probably be rooting extra hard for Sean Gallagher and Ronny Cedeno over the next week; the more they produce now, the more attractive they are to Baltimore.

While I strongly support getting Roberts (we badly need a lead-off man and badly need to move Soriano into the 5-spot so he can drive in some runs), I hope there isn't a way Baltimore can convince GM Jim Hendry to give up Jeff Samardzija. Like that kid too much...

A lineup shift...

* I said here (at the bottom of the post) that - while I love Kosuke Fukudome - I don't see him as a No. 3 hitter. Apparently Lou Pinella saw the same thing. He's considering moving Fukudome to the No. 2 hole and seeing if "he might be more comfortable there."

Fukudome's strengths seem to be his plate discipline (he has a great eye), his ability to make solid contact and his decent speed. In the two games I saw in person, though, I did not see the potential for tremendous power. I don't foresee more than about 15 home runs from him and he seems better suited to be a table-setter than a big basher.

Another thought: He does seem like someone who can still hit well from behind in the count. That might allow Alfonso Soriano (hitting in the No. 1 hole) to run a little bit early in the count without fear of putting Fukudome at a serious disadvantage.

So No. 2 is far more logical to me than No. 3. Big fan of the move...

* The gang over at Wrigleyville commented on my thoughts on Ronny Cedeno, speculating that his nine innings in centerfield yesterday might have been a way to showcase him to the Orioles in a trade for Brian Roberts. Very possible. They also think Murton might be involved in a deal. I wonder if Ronny Cedeno, Matt Murton and Sean Gallagher might be enough to get it done. I hope so, but I doubt it. I think the O's would want at least one of the top (likely pitching) prospects as well (I don't consider Gallagher one of them).

* Can anyone think of a worse-sounding injury than Felix Pie's "TWISTED TESTICLE?" I've been trying all morning to concoct one; it's damn near impossible. Any ideas?

The Importance of Roberts...

The more and more I think about it, the more I am convinced the Cubs need to trade for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts. Trading for Roberts would accomplish at least three things:

1) Give the Cubs a true leadoff man to set the table for Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, and...

2) ...Alfonso Soriano, who Lou Pinella can then move down to fifth in the order, where he belongs.

3) Put Roberts at second base, move Mark DeRosa over to shortstop, and make Ryan Theriot the super-sub (a role, I feel, he is more suited for than starting at short and batting second).

A Q&A with Dan Connolly from the Baltimore Sun predicts it will take Sean Gallagher, a top pitching prospect, and others to get a deal for Roberts done...

The need for Roberts...

Trade rumors continue to swirl regarding Brian Roberts. The Orioles second baseman, who recently admitted to using steroids in 2003, has been coveted by the Cubs the entire off-season.

While I don't think GM Jim Hendry should give up an elite prospect for Roberts (Felix Pie, Tyler Colvin), I do think Roberts would make a tremendous addition to the team, and I'd be willing to give up Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno, and even Sean Marshall to get him.

Mostly, I think Roberts would be an ideal lead-off hitter, allowing Lou Pinella to shift Alfonso Soriano down to the middle of the order where he belongs.

Consider: Roberts on-base percentage last year was .377 and he hit .290. Soriano's on-base was .337 while hitting .299. Roberts drove in 57 runs on just 12 homers. Soriano drove in just 70 runs on 33 homers.

Get Roberts to the top of the order where he'll get on-base more often than Soriano. Get Soriano to the middle of the order so his power won't be wasted (getting just 70 RBIs out of 33 home runs is a waste).

Soriano will just have to learn to hit in the No. 5 spot. I'm sure he can.