Tom Mihalek/AP
- These last two losses have been a buzzkill, but they haven't really been bad losses. We were in both games right up until the end, and they both came down to Brad Lidge being our daddy. Good starts by Voltron and Homer could salvage a nice road split for us.
- Ryan Freel is on the DL. (See also BubbaFan's FanPost.) Corey Patterson is the likely benefactor, but there's not really a good replacement to be found in the minors.
- This Baseball America chat (free) takes on Jay Bruce's future (more muscle and a spot in right field), Daryl Thompson (not as good as Bailey, Volquez, and Cueto) and Juan Francisco (pseudo-stud).
- Hal McCoy surmises that Kent Mercker will soon announce his retirement (again?)
- Matt Maloney struck out 8 but allowed 6 runs in the Bats' loss. Chris Valaika had 3 hits in Chattanooga's loss. Juan Francisco had 3 hits in Sarasota's win.
- John Sickels has us taking Aaron Crow with the seventh pick. Some other sources seem to have Crow and Matusz slipping in favor of hitters, though. I think (and hope) we're more likely to take a college position player.
- Finally, I did a Q and A for USA Today's Sports Weekly. I'd provide a link, but it's not online. If you happen to pick it up (it's really an excellent publication, especially if you're into fantasy baseball), it's on page 8.