TBDS Late Night: Gentlemen, Start Your Lawn Mowers!

And while you're at it, trim the bushes!

Announcement: TBDS Late Night will now be a full-time fixture on this blog Monday through Friday and select weekends. That lengthy intro will no longer apply. Which means more room for items like the following.

Expect Wrigley Field's playing surface to be in pristine condition this weekend as two of the National League Central's best landscapers converge on Wrigley Field this weekend.

And here's hoping the Chicago Cubs got that whole losing thing out of their system because they enter a big four game series against arch-rival (pun intended?) St. Louis Cardinals, who happen to be in first place in the NL Central. After a weekend of smacking around their neighbors from the north (Milwaukee for those of you who are geographically challenged) three out of four games, the Cubs offense was grounded in its two losses against the Atlanta Braves.

And that's with savior Aramis Ramirez back in the fold. Yesterday, I suggested a whole slew of changes. But since we all know Creighton people can't read, this blog probably went heard upon deaf ears. Or in the case of this site, blind eyes.

So that brings me to this. Rich Harden, it's time for you to get your shit together. Now.

There isn't a better time to revert to the pitcher that made you the must-have pitcher after CC Sabathia went to Milwaukee from Cleveland and proceded to drop the periods in his name en route to leading the Brewers to the NL's Wild Card berth.

Last season, Harden posted a 5-1 record with a 1.77 earned run average in 12 starts. His WHIP was 0.972 as he whiffed 89 batters while walking only 30 in 71 innings. My how things have changed in 2009.

Harden is 5-5 with a 5.35 ERA, which is at its highest point in his seven-year career. He has struck out 77 batters in 69 innings, which isn't bad. But his WHIP (1.493), hits-per-nine innings (9.3) and homers-per-nine innings (2.0) are up while his strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.41-to-1) is down.

Dick Hardon could get back in my good graces with a quality start Friday as three members of Team TBDS will be in attendance. Including the Cardinal-loving SalukiOrphan.

Quality Linkage:

• Proof that Cubdom is, in fact, Cubdumb. [Hire Jim Essian]
• An interview with that cute blonde chick who sits with Colin Cowherd. [Awful Announcing]
• Baseball wives and road beef. Didn't Steve McNair teach you good folks anything? [Deadspin] Oh, and the new commenting system is up. Have fun with that.
  
• Where's the outrage that the little guys succumbed to the BCS bullies? [Denver Post]
• Bartolo Colon has apparently been found, proving once again it's hard to lose someone who weighs a metric ton and still finds a way to fit into baseball pants. [Chicago Tribune]