Jotting

With the events out of LA, the opportunities for the Cubs have expanded tremendously.

With Shawn Green P.O.ed about the lack of a trade, the Dodgers are now in the same place Boston was with Nomar last spring: Stuck with a high-priced, disgruntled player. The opportunity here is the unload Sosa on the Dodgers and have the Dodgers pick up Sosa’s exit fees. The salaries of Sosa and Green are only $1 million apart. Give the Dodgers Sosa and a medium minor leaguer in exchange for taking the entire contract.

Carlos Beltran just lost a potential home, but the Cubs lost a potential replacement for Sosa. That raises Beltran’s price. In case you missed CT’s notes, J.D. Drew is now a Dodger. Good. I didn’t really want him for what he would cost. That makes Beltran even more of a must-have for the Cubs as there are really no other options (maybe Juan Pierre). Smart man, that Scott Boras. He shrank the market and drove up the demand for Beltran.

George Steinbrenner met with Beltran yesterday and musta schmoozed him something fierce. The Cubs are not getting in this game. High stakes chicken for Jim Hendry. If he loses Beltran again (like he did last year), he better have a big trade in his back pocket.

It seems Governor Blagoyevich wants to ban offensive video games. Raise your hands if you believe he really wants to get this accomplished? Hmm…. No hands. Now, raise your hands if you believe he is just trying to find an issue that will appeal to social conservatives in an effort to boost his chances to become President in 2008? Whoa! Too many hands to count!