Hey Kal - how you liking Rich Harden now?

Hec,

Depends on whether or not his arm has secretly fallen off. He's pitched absolutely incredibly, but they're holding him back a couple starts with the GM saying "Planned rest" and other people saying "He's got some arm soreness" which is worrying enough without Zambrano being 0-for-August in the win column, taking himself out of the game after 5 innings yesterday because his arm didn't feel right and then refusing to get an MRI today.

So at the moment I'm reserving judgement on Harden as a whole until October.

That said, with the way things have gone since the trade, even with super secret possible arm problems for Harden and Gaudin currently sitting out with back problems, I think we definitely got the better deal. I'd heard Gallagher was hurt and Murton got shipped back to the minors, again. How bad is/was Gallagher's injury and when do they expect him back?

I'd heard Gallagher was hurt and Murton got shipped back to the minors, again. How bad is/was Gallagher's injury and when do they expect him back?

Gallagher's injury is relatively minor - not career threatening. After his first start he's been very inconsistent.

Murton will be in the pack of outfielders - all of which have very similar profiles - fighting for a starting position next season. It'll be Murton, Sweeney, Carlos Gonzalez, Travis Buck, Aaron Cunningham. All of them young doubles hitters. We need a power hitter, and we need a left side of the infield.

Gallagher's going to need some seasoning.

I think Harden will be fine after some rest. As long as he and Z are available for the post-season, the Cubs should be okay. It was cool (though a little bittersweet) to see Harden v. Blanton.

Since I'm home today, I finally watched Dr. Horrible, since it's on Hulu.com (which FUCKING ROCKS).

I heart Neil Patrick Harris. I heart the hell out of him.

Also, I'm beginning to see why women (and men, I'm sure) find Captain Tightpants Hammer to be attractive. (Although he was pretty much The Tick, sans the blue outfit, wasn't he? ["The hammer is my penis."])

Anyway, I went back and read the watch-and-post through Act III, but nothing after that. And w/r/t Penny's death (PLEASE tell me I don't need to spoiler-font), the only thing that bothered me about it was that Joss is turning into Pat Conroy -- he's got, like, 3 main themes that are the only things he can ever write about, and they all show up in ALL of his work, without fail. I have utterly no doubt that if Firefly had gone longer than less-than-a-season, Joss would have iced Kaylee.

So the utter lack of originality in killing YET another sweet female character just made me roll my eyes forever. Okay, Joss, we get it.

But I didn't mind, in a more general sense Penny getting killed, because (1) she bugged the SHIT out of me, and (2) she wasn't a character; she was a one-dimensional object to be attained. She was a frickking PLOT DEVICE. So kill her off, whatever.

Otherwise, the whole 3-act story gave me the giggles big time. And during the ending montage, right before Dr. H. puts on his Red Outfit Of Horrible Horribleness, I thought, "Damn, I really wanted to see Bad Horse," and then BOOM! Bad Horse!!!

And NPH kicks ass. I was rooting for him all the way, poor noodle.

Gallagher's injury is relatively minor - not career threatening. After his first start he's been very inconsistent.

As a non-follower of baseball. This makes me laugh and laugh.

As a non-follower of baseball. This makes me laugh and laugh.

Does it make you think of Gallagher the comic whacking himself inadvertently with a watermelon mallet?

Pretty much, yep.

Pretty much, yep.

More reviews of standup comedians ought to read like sports items.

"Carrot Top couldn't control the joke zone and his wildness effectively sank the show."

"Carlin's a crafty old lefty who can pitch to both sides of the plate."

"Pryor mowed through the audience with a breathtaking mix of power, speed and taboo-breaking stuff."

"Bruce was thrown out of the game for calling the umpire a c***sucker."

"Newhart phones it in"