some network business etc.:
first, our tech guys think they have run down the line of code that was making ev'ybody's text turn red on IE. should be back to black. so please let me know, IE users -- problem fixed? what about the wide-screen thing, is that tic still in place? feedback plz (and thanks for your patience).
john sickels, who writes the SB Nation brother site Minor League Ball, is taking orders for his 2006 Baseball Prospect Book. he's been writing that annual for more than a decade -- i used to buy it ev'y spring back in my roto-league days in the 90s -- and there's no greater single-volume authority on the minor leagues. there's an ad for it on the left sidebar of this site, or you can click here for ordering info.
also on the SB network, Talking Chop landed an interview w atlanta gm john schuerholz -- part 3 is now up. the guy confronts a lot of the same issues as walter jocketty; remember last year when he picked up brian jordan and raul mondesi as his opening-day corner ofs? next to that pair, juan'cion and bigbie are maris/mantle, no? parts 1 and 2 of the conversation are here and here.
here's a northsider's lament that the cubs haven't seized the opportunity to make significant upgrades and catch the cardinals in a moment of seeming weakness. the guy writes in all lowercase letters, a sign of very high intelligence. . . . .side note: this article says (per player's agent) that marquis grissom is going to sign with the cubs, devon white and otis nixon apparently being unavailable.
this here brewer fan (and SB brother) projects the cards as a 91-win team in 2006; that was before the spivey/encar'n signings. and this here other, less-well-informed brewer fan has some issues w the cards and needed to vent. danup has a little fun w the guy . . . .
joe borowski signed with the marlins; say hi to aunt selma for me, cuz. so much for seeing the family name stitched on a card'l uni. but keep an eye on this dude, because if he pitches well he'll be in some contender's bullpen (maybe ours) come august.
play a hard 9 and (by inference) the 26th man are both warming to the encarnacion signing. . . . but btf's transaction oracle has not quite come to grips with the orioles' jeromy burnitz acquisition.
trade talk: the mariners are still talking trade w the red sox over cf jeremy reed (who i think's a good player), but now the return is said to be prospects papelbon and lester rather than clement or arroyo. that type of exchange makes much more sense to me from seattle's standpoint; don't know if cards can (or would) get involved dangling lambert or another young arm. . . . .
back this afternoon w a juicy discussion thread for the weekend.