Saddle Up

A belated Happy Memorial Day to everyone. I usually don't think too much about Memorial Day. Usually it's a bar-b-que / wedding weekend. The Wife and I had the latter in Long Island for her first cousin. The wedding was at the clubhouse at Bethpage State Park, home of the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open. I guess if I golfed, that would be a big deal. Instead, it was a nice piece of filet and some amazing carrot cake and chocolate covered strawberries.

But while this event was unfolding, the dedication of the World War II memorial was taking place in Washington. What a bland slab of stone to commemorate the nearly 410,000 Americans who died so that we, today, could waste time blogging about millionaire athletic entertainers. Tom Brokaw called those who served, "The Greatest Generation." Of that, I have no doubt. Were at Hitler to arise today he'd probably win because we're too complacent of a people to do anything about it (unless, of course, that Hitler is sitting on oil and isn't threatening to us). I guess I just really wanted to acknowledge and thank, in my own nearly-meaningless way, those who sacrificed between 1941 and 1945. I can only hope what they gave is never forgotten and that future generations deserve the opportunities they provided.

But, back to the Cubs. It looks like the wounded list is going to start to thin out. Prior goes Friday (5 days later than this sheet suggested on April 14th). Merker will also be back Friday. Sosa will take BP starting today (no minor rehab stint for Sammy who should do just as well without one as he did last year). Grudz heads to Iowa. Wood is three weeks away.

None of that will really help. Yeah, Prior is as big of an upgrade of Mitre as A-Rod would be over Ordonez, but the starting pitching was very strong without him. The middle of the order continues to strike out and go deep. The bullpen remains shakey. In short, a nice upgrade, but not filling the gap that really exists.

Leadoff.

This season will be made or lost when Hendry starts to trade. It's June 1. We'll have a better idea of where this team goes in 45 days.