According to the Des Moines Register, Ian Stewart, once optioned to Iowa, has not shown up to the clubhouse. He has 72 hours to report. What makes this weird, he was already in Des Moines.

With the way he has hit so far, maybe he is mulling retirement.

Rezoning request

I didn't see this anywhere else. Ernie Banks turned 82 years young on Thursday.

The Cubs avoided arbitration with James Russell and Jeff Samardzija, Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com reports (on Twitter). Samardzija obtains $2.64MM while Russell gets $1.075MM, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reports (on Twitter).

We need a few things to happen. Like the Cubs win the World Series; that would automatically do it (film an "11th Inning" for his Baseball documentary).

Ryan Freel dies at age 36

Alfonso Soriano is NOT overpaid--HARDBALL TIMES

Alfonso Soriano is a popular totem for the failures of the Cubs' Jim Hendry era, and he often is considered the quintessential scapegoat of excessive free agent spending by "old school" general managers who valued guts and brand names over aging curves, walk rates and other modern sabermetric standards.

He is routinely ranked among the worst contracts in baseball (did I miss any major media outlets there?). If Vernon Wells' contract was tradeable, what did that say about the unmoveable Soriano? Heck, even I have been guilty of Soriano contract bashing from time to time.

But you know something? The more I research the matter, the less I am convinced that Soriano is an "overpaid bum." Let's examine the facts.

Springsteen pays Tribute to Ronnie

"Giants All-Star Melky Cabrera has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for testosterone. He will miss the rest of the 2012 season."

Jeff Baker dealt to Tigers for two PTBNL