The Ellipses...

...with Michael Barrett missing his third straight game due to some sort of owie, why didn't the Cubs drop the appeal of Barrett's suspension and have him start serving the 10 days while he was already hurting? The brainlessness of this team's front office never fails to amaze.

...and if you are wondering why Glendon Rusch will not be designated for assignment, it's simple: It would mean the Jim Hendry could be DFA'd as well. See, back in 2004, many smart people suggested DFA-ing one Alex Gonzalez and signing Miguel Tejada. But the Cubs, in their cheapness, did not do that because that would mean eating five million bucks. If the 2006 Cubs announce that they are willing to eat five million bucks to get rid of a single player now, wouldn't they then also be willing to eat the estimated two-point-five million bucks that is owed to the guy responsible for spending over two hundred million bucks to be 20 games under .500 over the last 220 or so games? No chance in hell Hendry releases either Rusch or Neifi Perez. It's only Hendry's job that would come up for release next.

...do you think Detroit Tigers fans are as pissed at the Cincinnati Reds as White Sox fans are at the Cubs?

...and as bad as Dusty Baker has been since October 2003, the roster this year is nearly all the responsibility of Jim Hendry. Every player on the roster accept Kerry Wood and Mark Prior are here because Jim Hendry made the decision to sign them. Then again, pointing this out is just counterproductive, I guess.

...speaking of that, isn't refusing to stop purchasing a product with which you are dissatisfied the definition of counterproductive while complaining and lowering demand the definition of productive? However minimal?

...as the Cubs head to Cleveland and the Pirates head to Kansas City, what are the odds the Cubs have the worst record in the NL by Wednesday?

...short of a 10 game winning streak, what could possibly get the extend-o-meter to turn red?