This is the one you've all been waiting for -- the thoughts I have about what sort of 25-man roster, including position players, pitching rotation and bullpen I think the Cubs should put on the field in 2009. I'm also going to make a comment or two on the coaching staff, which by and large did a fine job in 2008 (well, at least until October 1, they did). This is a long post, so I'm going to make you click through to read the rest, rather than show about 3,500 words on the front page. (You're about to find out why this took me so long!)

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It just doesn't get much better than this.

(Well, actually, it could, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves).

Today's weather forecast was for hot, humid conditions with the wind blowing out -- not a good portent for Jason Marquis. But about an hour before gametime, low clouds blew in off the lake, cooling the temperature off 20 degrees; just before gametime the clouds lifted, the sun came out -- and the wind was blowing out of the east at 12 MPH, a good mark for Marquis, and he rose to the occasion, throwing seven outstanding shutout innings.

But the hero of the day, as he has been so many times before, was Aramis Ramirez, who came up with two on and one out in the bottom of the 8th and hit Tyler Walker's first pitch, a 92-MPH fastball up and out over the plate, just inside the LF foul pole, over our heads onto Waveland (where it appeared to have been caught by a kid -- ballhawk, perhaps you can provide details), and despite some sketchy play in the 9th inning, the Cubs had enough to hold on for a 3-1 win over the Giants.

Marquis had his sinker working early, as nine outs in the first five innings were recorded on ground balls, but even then, signs of weakening showed -- there were three or four flyouts that yesterday would have been deposited on Sheffield, but were held up by the stiff wind blowing in over the RF wall today. Marquis took full advantage before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the 7th. That was Kosuke Fukudome, who popped up and then remained in the game -- Fukudome and Jim Edmonds were both given the day off, and Fukudome didn't have a good at-bat, either. He stayed in the game to play right field and his arm was needed in the 9th.

Meanwhile, Matt Cain was matching Marquis, only with more strikeouts -- nine of them to Marquis' four, and Cain also had to be lifted after seven, due to a pitch count of 118. That was all the Cubs needed, as the Giants' bullpen, apart from closer Brian Wilson, has been a disaster area most of the year. After Ryan Theriot led off the 8th with a single to left-center, Mike Fontenot laid down a perfect sacrifice (nearly pushing it past Walker, too).

And then Bruce Bochy did something that absolutely stunned all of us -- he ordered Derrek Lee intentionally walked. In a scoreless game. To pitch to Aramis Ramirez. After having intentionally walked Ramirez two innings before. I just don't get it. Ramirez has consistently risen to such occasions; why would you do that? Yes, I know. It set up a possible double play.

And then why would you have your pitcher throw A-Ram a first-pitch fastball?

The answers to these questions are ones we like, of course, since Ramirez won the game with a homer, but this partly explains why the Giants are as bad as they are -- as bad as they looked when I saw them in spring training. They don't have a single player in double figures in home runs; their bullpen is in shambles, and their shortstop -- who some here would like to see the Cubs acquire, I have no idea why -- is hitting .153 and really ought to retire after a stellar career.

Good news today: Bob Howry threw an efficient scoreless inning. If he can build on this the Cubs will have many more options in the late innings.

Kerry Wood had a shaky 9th; it wasn't all his fault, but I'm not going to blame Mark DeRosa for having Ray Durham's fly ball go over his head for a double. The ball seemed to take off on him after he had it scoped out pretty well; what Lou might have done is to leave Edmonds, who had batted for Howry, in the game in CF, and move Reed Johnson to LF for defense. Doing this, though, would have left the bench with no one but Henry Blanco had the game gone to extra innings.

Which is one more reason not to have a 13-man pitching staff!!!

Rant over. The staff had one turnover today; Michael Wuertz was optioned to Iowa (surprising me, and others too, who assumed he had no options left) and Kevin Hart recalled. After the All-Star break, I assume either Hart or Sean Marshall will go to Iowa and a hitter will be recalled (Micah Hoffpauir seems the most likely, though BCB reader mrcubsfan, in from Des Moines for the weekend, told me Hoffpauir's been playing almost exclusively 1B there) until Alfonso Soriano returns, which is now tentatively scheduled for the Arizona series. (Soriano was in uniform today, shagging flies in the OF during BP.)

Finally, some Deep Goat rumors heard today: there were definitely scouts at the ballpark watching Jason Marquis today, and there is interest from more than one team. After this performance, which lowered his ERA to a not-unreasonable 4.44, interest might heat up. Cub scouts have been dispatched to watch at least one minor league team in order to gauge possible prospects the Cubs might want in return. (Sorry, can't tell you who at this time.) Also, the Cubs are still seeking left-handed relief help, so although there aren't any deals (that I know of) in the works right this minute, Jim Hendry may not be done dealing, and of course there are three weeks remaining.

A reminder: tomorrow's game is at noon, not the 2:55 on the original schedule. Since Fox blacks out EI broadcasts before 7 pm EDT on Saturdays, the only way you can see this game outside of the Chicago area (or SF Bay Area) will be on MLB.TV. If you voted in the Final Ballot All-Star voting, you should have received an email giving you a one-week free trial of MLB.TV, starting today.

Onward. I am, as I'm sure you are, excited to see Rich Harden's Cub debut tomorrow.

Last night was yet another game I had to shut off in the fourth inning -- not because I didn't want to watch, but because if I stay up that late, I won't be able to function at work -- and I had a feeling that the Cubs wouldn't be able to come back, even from only being down 1-0, just as the night before I was confident they'd keep their lead.

Right again, unfortunately, and you can't really complain too much about the Cubs' 2-1 loss to the Giants. Oh, sure, you could say that Geovany Soto shouldn't have thrown through in the first inning when the Giants perfectly executed a double steal, leading to their first (and ultimately, decisive) run scored by Fred Lewis, but the bottom line is that the Cubs got beat by a pretty good pitcher who had a dominant game last night.

Seeing Matt Cain mow Cubs down makes me wonder why he's only 5-6; poor run support must be most of the reason, but last night Cain was almost unhittable. With the score 2-0 in the 7th, Jim Edmonds tried to give the Cubs the lead with what looked like it might be a HR, but Aaron Rowand snuffed that with a good catch, and then in the 8th, Jose Castillo -- who the Giants "settled" for to play 3B after they couldn't make a deal for the White Sox' Joe Crede -- made a nifty diving stop of a Mark DeRosa grounder that seemed headed to left field, ending that inning.

So by the time Giants closer Brian Wilson -- figures, a California team would have a closer with the same name as a member of the Beach Boys -- came in and gave the Cubs a consolation run when Derrek Lee led off with a triple and was singled in by Soto, it was too late. Wilson struck out Ryan Theriot to end the game, thus wasting one of Jason Marquis' better efforts of the year -- seven innings, four hits and two runs allowed. Fortunately, the Mets decided to actually win last night against the Cardinals, so for the second day in a row, there was no change in the Cubs' 2.5 game lead in the NL Central, and they maintain the best record in the National League. Yeah, I know: apart from the Cardinals and Brewers, that isn't saying much; the Giants "improved" to ten games under .500 at 37-47, and at five games out of first place they may still be in playoff contention in the NL West, a joke of a division with Arizona leading with a .500 record.

What I was most interested in reading this morning was Gordon Wittenmyer's notes column in the Sun-Times, detailing this upcoming lineup change for when Alfonso Soriano returns:

When Soriano returns to the Cubs' leadoff spot, manager Lou Piniella said he plans to use Kosuke Fukudome in the 2-hole against right-handed pitchers, with Jim Edmonds batting in Fukudome's old No. 5 spot.

That would put Ryan Theriot at No. 8 in those lineups and possibly batting in his accustomed No. 2 spot against some lefties, with Geovany Soto or Mark DeRosa considerations for the 5 spot.

All subject to change.

Let's hear it for Lou, who appears to have finally figured out the best slot for Fukudome -- second. The same column says that Soriano may be cleared to start taking BP this weekend. If that holds and goes well, my guess is that he'll be sent on a short (maybe 3 days) rehab assignment and possibly be ready to play against the Giants at Wrigley Field starting on July 11.

Finally, Tim, who is one of the LF bleacher season ticket holders, sent me this YouTube link, a home video shot of the fight in section 536 at the Cell on Saturday:

Doesn't sound like the brawling in the stands at Saturday's Cubs-White Sox game had much to do with Cubs against the Sox.

According to Tom Lamb, head of security at U.S. Cellular Field, the Sox don't know what precipitated the brawl, but apparently some money fell out of the purse of a woman, and another fan picked it up and refused to give it back. That led to several fans punching the alleged offender. Video of the action showed a Cubs fan joining in on the same side as some White Sox fans.

The man, Brian Nolan of Woodridge, was charged with theft and taken to district headquarters at 35th and Lowe Avenue and then to the First District lockup, according to a police source. He was released Saturday night on an I-bond.

"He got thumped pretty good," Lamb said. "He did admit that he picked up the money that fell out of the purse, and said he didn't have to give it back."

Rivalries... ain't they great? Let's get those Giants tonight.