A small group headed out of Wrigley Field last night looking for a place to have a beer and to find out if Jim Edmonds was really a Cub. They wandered into Guthrie's Tavern, pulled out a game of Trouble, and discussed the possibility of a washed-up showboat joining the lineup of the team with the second best record in the major leagues.

"There's really no negative in (signing him)," said Cub General Manager Jim Hendry. Carlos Zambrano, a guy with a well known negative disposition toward Edmonds did not agree lobbing a thinly veiled "No Comment," to reporters.

Most intelligent people, a group discounted by Hendry, think that Edmonds is not only running on empty, but should spend a few games at Iowa and prove that he can still play.

Lou Piniella, in a move that is designed to either showcase Hendry's stupidity or comes from the Dusty "Where would we be without him?" Baker book of managing, has inserted Edmonds into the #6 hole today.

Sigh.

The only questions remaining are how many Cub fans will boo when his name is announced and are they booing Edmonds or are they really booing Hendry for bringing the guy here?

Put this writer in the booing Hendry camp.