Cubs Hold Felix Pie Out Of Iowa Lineup

It looked like Felix Pie was on the verge of being traded, after being pulled from Thursday's game in the fourth inning and not playing since. Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus reported that Pie and fellow Iowa outfielder Josh Kroeger were both pulled on Thursday and were not injured. It turns out that wasn't accurate. The word out of Iowa is that Pie has a strained quadriceps and is day to day. Kroeger was placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique.

The latest rumor is the Cubs are interested in Baltimore's Jay Payton. Payton has a contract for next season, however, and we do not know if they can take on salary beyond 2007 because of the impending sale.

Payton is having another mediocre year, hitting .270 with 4 hrs, 37 rbi, a horrible .312 obp and an equally horrendous .385 slugging. He's making $4 million this year and will be overpaid again next year at $5 million. I think Matt Murton could easily put up similar, and likely far better numbers than those for 1/10th the salary. And we wouldn't have to give up prospects to get Murton.

If the rumor of going after Payton is real, Hendry has lost his mind.