Is it time to call Sean Marshall selfish, given he keeps telling reporters he wants to be a starter - and (gasp!) bat?

"I like getting handed the ball and having a chance to win the game and get credit for the win," Marshall said. "Sometimes you come out of the bullpen and run into some luck and get a lead, or have a lead change when you're in the game and get some wins that way.

"But I like knowing I'm going to pitch every fifth day, knowing that my name is going to go across the ticker and I'm going to be the guy that has the ball and is in charge that day. I like that. And I like in the National League that pitchers get to hit because I like to hit. It's just my competitive nature I guess, to be the guy in control."

Alfonso Soriano says he prefers to bat leadoff but will do whatever Lou asks and he is selfish. Carlos Zambrano says he likes to bat (and even practices doing it) and he's damaging the team.

Sean Marshall? Plucky gamer!

Tom Ricketts is making sense about the aesthetics of Wrigley Field, saying there is no good reason a Toyota advertisement shouldn't be added to left field:

“Everyone should just take a look at the real facts. It’s fairly innocuous. It won’t affect any rooftops. Everyone will be able to see. It’s really not a big deal,” he said.

“When we see something like that that could really help the team [financially], we should be able to do that. We’re very, very committed to the preservation of Wrigley. We’ve shown it and we’ve really done it. So, I think we’ll get it through.”

Or people could just keep objecting to anything that will bring in new revenues for the team, including a Jumbotron, advertisements (Toyota, Under Armour, etc.) or even a new ballpark. Either way.

Wrigleyville23 now has an app for the iPhone and Android.

Download it. Use it. Live it.

Eventually, you will be able to comment via the app. Right now, it's basically reading. Reading the 17th best Cubs blog in the world.

According to Sun-Times headlines, White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy has a problem with the Cubs:

White Sox ace Jake Peavy: 'I don't like the Cubs'

If I recall correctly this was the very same man who actually wanted to be a Cubs player before the 2009 season.

"I made it very clear that I had the ball in my court for quite a while and that I wanted to go to Chicago. I gave the Padres knowledge of that and the Cubs knowledge of that. We did everything we could to work it out. Obviously, the [Cubs'] ownership thing got in the way, but I believe everything happens for a reason."

Apparently, Jake did want to be a part of the Cubs at one point, maybe he has hard feelings because it didn't work out.

"I don't think it's anyone's fault; it just wasn't meant to be."

(click "read more" for full article)

Congress has given me an idea: MLB should just deem the Cubs the 2010 World Series champions (in seven games over the Yankees).

And deem it the most-watched World Series in history. And demand huge payments from advertisers.

How could it fail?

Tom Goodwin in Baseball Prospectus on the differences and similarities between Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds:

“I had a great time with them. Sammy worked as hard as anybody when it came to his defensive work, his offensive work, getting down to the cage, almost to the point where it seemed like it was too much. Barry was the same way, although for him it came a little more naturally because he had so much raw talent. But he still worked hard in the cage and to get himself in shape for a full 162-game season. Both of them of them were set in their ways. Sammy wanted to be liked by everybody, while Barry didn't care what anybody thought.”

How does this fit with the Sammy-was-a-selfish-player meme that dominates a goodly portion of Cub fandom? It doesn't, of course, but the demonization of Sosa is well baked by this time.

It's time for everyone associated with the Cubs to let it go and bring back one of the greatest Cubs of all time - something the team very well may be trying to do.

(h/t Bruce Miles)

The morning Phil is typically Phul of nonsense, baffling Lou (above) with this lead:

Carlos Silva vs. Carlos Zambrano: Who knew this would be a debate? Silva, referred to as a release candidate in this space last week, has been an absolute revelation in his last two starts for the Cubs, throwing a combined seven scoreless innings.

Where, precisely, is anyone debating anything regarding Silva and Zambrano? Zambrano is the Opening Day starter and Silva is hoping to land a spot in the rotation, at least until Ted Lilly gets back.

Then again, Phil is the one who believed Zambrano should be traded for a bag of balls last summer. This is just more of the same.

Yesterday, it was Phil Rogers using small spring training sample sizes. Today, it's Paul Sullivan:

Flash forward to the 2010 Cubs, who added a designated "goofball" in Kevin Millar into the spring training mix in hopes he'll play his way onto the team.

The early returns are positive. Millar has hit .333 with a 545 on-base percentage, and melded well with his new teammates.

Wow! .333 and .545! That's great! Except it's in 15 at-bats. In spring training. Against spring training players. In spring.

The only reason to use .333 and .545 without the 15 at-bats is to pump up his new buddy, of whom Sullivan will write nice things because he's nice to reporters.

How in the world did we miss this?

Former Brewers manager Ned Yost ... was hired during the off-season as a special assistant to Royals GM Dayton Moore and spends time scouting as well as instructing. "I'm getting to see both sides of the game," said Yost. "It's a lot of fun."

This, of course, gives us an opportunity to revisit Ned Yost's greatest hits, including:

September 26, 2007 - Ned orders Seth McClung to throw at Albert Pujols. In the midst of a pennant race. With the Brewers within striking distance of the Cardinals in the game - and the Cubs in the standings. Ned's foresight opens the floodgates and the Brewers lose. The game. And the season. At least he had his honor. Brewers fans largely approve.

(click "read more" for full article)

In an attempt to boost page views, the Web site for the Philly Inquirer and Daily News is running a slide show of athletes and their wives and girlfriends. But just the hot ones.

After cycling through Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and some other Philly-based athletes, they get to the national guys. Including Tiger Woods and a politely euphemistic caption that harkens back to a more polite time in journalism:

That says, "They are currently working on their marriage." (Had to resize to make it fit the page. Stupid Internets.)

That's one way to look at it.

The very next picture (No. 18)? One of Tiger's alleged mistresses. Ha.