After seeing the last two games live in Detroit, I want to find something to occupy my time while this one is on. Some notes from my two days at the ballpark:

- Jake Fox looks pretty awkward at third base. He's not a mess and frankly, he's not much of a downgrade from Fontenot defensively at that position. That play on Wednesday with the bases loaded where Fox stopped the ball, but then had no play anywhere is probably one that a seasoned third baseman makes. There was also a ball or two that went through he should have gotten to.

- Jake Fox is a ####### awesome hitter. He just missed a grand slam on Wednesday and then was later robbed of three-run shot because of Comerica's immense field. The guy can rake and it's unfortunate that he really has nowhere to play once Ramirez comes back. As much as it sucks to say, the Cubs should be giving Fox as much play right now as possible to boost his trade value. If he keeps this up for a while, he could certainly be an attractive trading chip.

- The left field stands were packed with Cubs fans yesterday. The inning after Soriano made his stupid baserunning blunder, most of those fans gave him hell. Probably the best line was "At least you'll be on Sportscenter now." He also turned around at one point, which some Cub fans took the opportunity to tell him how much he sucks. He waved a finger back (not the taboo one), as if to agree with them.

- The bullpen seems really segregated. No one in the Cub pen was out there until late yesterday because of the heat, but Wednesday night, it seemed like the white guys (Marshall, Heillman, and Hart) were the only ones actually out there, while Marmol and Ascaino stayed in the clubhouse located in the pen. Marshall seems like a pretty carefree guy; he looked to be having a good time out there.

- My vantage point was apparently bad enough that I didn't realize until later that night that the called strike to end the game on Wednesday was such ########.

All in all, it was a fun two days at the park with frustrating results. I really like the lineup Lou had out there on Wednesday, but they're just still so lousy at driving in runners from second or third.

Soriano LF
Fukudome CF
Bradley RF
Lee 1b
Hoffpauir DH
Fox 3b
Fontenot 2b
Soto C
Blanco SS

So much for Bradley being benched until Saturday, eh?

Jake Fox is some sort of robot.

I'm just going to enjoy the ride until the league figures Jake Fox out. What a beast.

Soriano really, really sucks. How much more of this mess at leadoff can Lou allow?

Did Bradley get hurt leaving the on deck circle?

Milton Bradley is a complete bust. That ball was grooved down the middle. Stoney pointed out Aramis has 16 RBI. So does Bradley.

I didn't think Bradley was that bad a signing at the time. After seeing the market play out, he obviously was overpaid. What pisses me off about the signing is the logic I believe went behind it. Hendry seems incapable of understanding park factors or regression to the mean. Every guy he signs, he seems to think his most recent year is how he'll perform. It's really frustrating.

I'm still one of his defenders, but it's frustrating to see him be this bad so far. I heard he's not hurt and that Lou pulled him, which resulted in a tantrum in the dugout (this via someone who's listening to WGN radio).

Safe to say Geo's back? He barely missed one in his last AB and that just now was a bomb.

That's about as lockdown of an inning as you can have after the offense spots you a trey.

Cmon Jake put me on that 5:15 train.

Wells is at 98 pitches, so he might be done for the day. Given how Marmol and Gregg have fared in games started by Wells, I'd let him at least start the inning.

So much for that. Hopefully Marmol will have his head in the game since he's starting with nobody on base.

I really miss good Marmol.

####### #### Marmol what the #### is wrong with you.

This is inexcusable. Absolutely inexcusable.

You have got to be ####### KIDDING ME

I hate Soriano. So so much. I can't believe they're going to blow this one.

What a joke. This team sucks.

This is henious. I wish I took the 5:15.

STOP ####### PUTTING MARMOL IN IN THE 8TH INNING YOU ALCOHOLIC PIECE OF ####

Yeah load up the bases intentionally you #######. Surely this will work out for the best.

What a ####### ####### mess. This was totally in their favor. Three-run lead and the visibility bad.

Sean Marshall was a starter for 1/4 of the year, and Lou's gonna find a way to give him 100 appearances and less than 100 innings.

Poor Randy Wells.

Wow. Please score some runs so Wells doesn't lose out.

YEAH! #### you you hideous piece of ####.

How worthless is Mike Fontenot right now?

If we didn't have to waste a roster spot on David Patton, Marshall could be the 8th inning guy in Guzman's absence, but since we have to keep a guy who is used once every 2 weeks, Marshall is only allowed to face lefties after Marmol lets everyone on.

Where the #### did that come from?

I don't know if they mentioned it on the broadcast, but apparently Bradley left the ballpark after his confrontation with Lou.

Bottom third of the order. If Gregg can't lock that down, ugh. Marmol is a headcase. It's not even like last season where he was getting hit hard. He's not this year. Because no one is swinging at anything.

Does Lou realize he didn't pinch hit for Marshall in that inning? That he's allowed to start the inning to face a lefty?

You don't walk DeWayne Wise under any circumstances.

Harrelson would have an aneurysm if the Sox didn't get that strike 3.

God damn it, where did "ball 3" miss?

What a shock, the Sox announcers are unhappy with that call.

Harrelson would have an aneurysm if the Sox didn't get that strike 3.

Hopefully that did the trick.

Hawk was saying nothing when Contreras was getting some very low pitches called for strikes.

I can't believe they held on to it, but it shouldn't have been that close. Time to move Marmol to middle relief for a bit.

I didn't know Ron Jeremy was a Cubs fan.

#### Milton Bradley.

Milton reportedly left the ballpark after getting yanked. Jeez.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/06/did-piniella-and-bradley-have-it-out.html