You woke up this morning...mouth...chalky.  No, not chalky, more like a film.  Or at least a TV series on the WB.  Either way, it's a little funky.

Need coffee.  No coffee filters.

The morning paper...hmmm

*rustle rustle rustle*

*fold fold fold*

*filter!* 

*percolate!* 

Mmmm...Folgery goodness.  DAMNIT.  Used the sports page.  Need baseball content. Think think...

Goatriders!

Yes kids, we know you'd love to get the Trib if only it didn't cut into your beer money.  Luckily for you, my parents don't let me drink and so I've poured over each and detail of the sports page which I will now enter it into my text to binary converter and shuttle it DIRECTLY INTO YOUR BRAIN.

First off, Cubs win - Leaving work early so I could listen to a bit of the game in my car on the way to the train station, I managed to catch the 7th inning.  Down 3-1, I thought I was just listening to be polite as this was clearly a Cubs' loss in the making.  But then...

Walk to Blanco.

Single by Theriot.

Triple by Pagan!  And there was much rejoicing (read: awkward high-five between me and the wife)

and then a passed ball gave us the lead.  Woot.   The train was coming, so I was left to wonder all the way home if the bullpen could possibly hold a one run lead.  Luckily they didn't have to (the Cubs tagged on a couple insurance runs), but it was still an uneasy ride home.  In the end, though...

Cubs Win

Lou Piniella and his Mystery Machine (linking to the Sun-Times as the tribune online article is messed up) - What is Piniella playing at?  Supposedly there is going to be some sort of shocking move regarding the bullpen/rotation and the secret won't be revealed until Monday.  I hate cliffhangers.  What I've heard:

The Tribune speculates that Marshall could be called up and take the 5th starter's spot - I don't really get this.  Do we need a new 5th starter?  Have innings been a problem?  What more could we get than we've been getting from Guzman?  What I would prefer would be Marshall taking Ohman's spot, although he was excellent in his last outing.

Idiots on the radio stated that the only thing they could figure was that Dempster or Howry would be moved into the starting rotation.  And the bar for sports talk radio is lowered just a bit more.  This is perhaps the stupidest thing I've ever heard.  Maybe Dempster or Cotts, but at least pick two people who might start in some sort of theoretical parallel universe.  Regardless, this again confuses me as Guzman has been fine.  We need bullpen help, not a new starter.

And final bit of info is that Eyre and Howry aren't going anywhere.  Hendry still loves them, according to the Trib article which I can't get online.  It's the unconditional love a momma seal feels for her baby seal.  If only someone would come along and club that damn thing.  So what will happen?

I really don't have much of an idea.  My best guess would be the release of Ohman and the insertion of Marshall in the bullpen.  Other options include the insertion of Cotts in the 5th starter spot, Marshall takes Cotts' spot,  and Guzman bolsters the bullpen. If either Marshall or Cotts takes Guzman's spot and brings him to the bullpen, who goes?  Don't tell me Wuertz goes down?  That would just be insane.  Hopefully Piniella and his staff would realize that they don't need three crappy lefties and would release Ohman when Guzman goes to the bullpen.  Okay, that's my official speculation:

Marshall to rotation, Guzman to pen, Ohman to the firey pits of hell.

And finally...

Derrek Lee not quite better

There will be more to follow as events warrant.  If you have something to speculate regarding the Cubs' pitching, please speculate away.

And go buy more coffee filters.