WANTED

For kidnapping! Someone has stolen Manny Parra! Either that, or he switched uniforms with the entire bullpen while we weren't looking, and Mitch Stetter was actually the one that pitched 7 shutout innings, while Parra burned down Miller Park with 5 runs in 2 innings. Those are really the only two logical explanations for yesterdays game. Also fun from the game yesterday was the line on ESPN BottomLine this morning: Fielder 2-3, 2B, R....Rest of team 1-25. Yikes. Are we SURE that starting pitching is the problem here? Or is it just a maddening lack of consistency by everyone?

You certainly can't give a break to the lineup. Hardy, Hart and Kendall have been borderline fucking terrible all year. Only Fielder, Braun and McGehee (and maybe Weeks for a month) have arguably exceeded expectations. I would say Counsell and Cameron are what they are for the most part. Hall has been a waste of oxygen. Gamel gets an incomplete.

Of the starting pitching I would say Yo has met or slightly exceeded most expectations, Bush has probably slightly exceeded (other than a few bad starts), Looper and Suppan are what they are, Parra has sucked.

I would say that this is the same thing that most MLB teams face. You have a bunch of guys who weren't very good to start with, continuing to not be very good, you have a few stars, and a few guys that bomb out or get injured. I'm starting to feel like unless there is a fire sale somewhere, you stand pat if you are the Crew. Although, I wouldn't hesitate to get rid of Hall, Hardy, Hart or Kendall if you were getting something good in return that would improve your team right now.