Paul Hagen: It's still early: Mets-Phillies interesting, but not critical

Signed by the Padres, he was named co-NL Player of the Week after going 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 20 strikeouts in a pair of starts. That included allowing just one hit in eight innings to the Rangers.

That sounds like Toby Keith singing "How Do You Like Me Now?" in the background.

Finally

 

A Cubs fan named Daniel Kamen has decided to do his part to help the floundering team. After the All-Star break, he'll begin a 500-calories-per-day "hunger strike" and will stick to it until the Cubbies win five straight, something a team many picked to make the World Series has yet to accomplish.

"I'm going to motivate them," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I'm going to embarrass them into winning more games."

Hmm. The Cubs are having a disappointing season despite their personal pride, the fans, their big contracts and having high-decibel manager Lou Piniella in their ears all the time. They are having trouble with volatile personalities such as Carlos Zambrano and Milton Bradley. But a guy going on a diet in the suburbs will turn everything around.

Yeah, that ought to do it. *