Buenos Dias

Your guest host while Supertramp is splitting time between Miller Park North and South is Joe Steve. You can find him regularly bitching about the Cubs and relishing in the fact that he is no longer slinging season ticket packages in the front office for the Crew over at All Things Steve.

Nothing terribly exciting to report from last evening besides the fact that A Rod will make more than the entire Marlins squad this year and the Cardinals choked thanks to Troy Glaus, on a play Rolen would have certainly made. Let's hope Suppan has the same success this afternoon that another Card's castoff, Kip Wells, did last night against his old squad.

I know that you or someone around you was ready to jump off a ledge when Vargas was released but we're glad you didn't...especially because you would have missed this news. The Crew snagged RHP Richie Gardner off waivers from the Reds to fill the rotation in Nashville. Over two years removed from an injury, you have to like a guy that was once the Minor League Pitcher of the Year for any organization, even if it is Cincy. He got eaten up by the long ball in AAA last season but his time in A+ and AA should be something he can build on in Nashville.

Last thing of note before we await the start of today's game, unless you regularly order PPV porn rent on-demand movies, there is no reason for you to be surfing through the 800s on your digital cable. If you do make it that high though, you'll notice that MLB Extra Innings is once again in a free trial this year. Kinda like those free weeks of the Disney Channel when I as a kid, but better. I took advantage and caught the end of the M's - Rangers game last night and saw Putz pull a Gangne when Hamilton turned the first pitch he saw in the 9th into souvenir. Do we start saying Putz is washed up now too? I think not. Game Over will be back in full force soon enough.

Stay tuned this afternoon as the Crew will have a test on their hands facing Lilly with their mostly right-handed lineup. Don't be surprised if you see Kapler (.288 career vs LHP) in CF today.
[ed note: anyone else want to kick the nerds at MLBAM in the teeth for messing with the MLB.com sties? I swear 9 times out of 10 those pages blow-up my firefox...]