I’m very happy to announce to you that Ivy Report will no longer be Ivy Report as of by Monday, August 1st at the very latest. Rant Sports has decided to take it’s blog network, and move all it’s content to a main location- Rantsports.com. With that, Ivyreport.com will automatically directly send you to the Chicago Cubs team page on Rantsports with all it’s current content. We’re all very excited about the move over, as it will consist with SEVERAL new and exciting additions to the network. Thanks to everyone whose come to Ivy Report to talk about our beloved but torturous Cubs! I look forward to seeing everyone on the other side, and until next time- this is Ivy Report saying- Hollllly Cow!

In his rookie season in 1997, Irabu went 5-4 with a 7.09 ERA in 13 games (nine starts) for New York. In three seasons with the Yankees, he was 29-20 with a 4.80 ERA in 74 games (64 starts). Irabu has his best season in 1998, when he went 13-9 with a 4.06 ERA.

Irabu was never able to cut it completely in New York, and he was in and out of the news over the past several years for negative behavior. Either way, this is a sad ending for a former big leaguer, and our condolences go out to his family and friends.

The Cubs are going to be picking up all but around 800,000 of Fukudome’s 4 million left this year. I personally am pleased to get ANYTHING back in return for him. He never was going to attract top grade A prospects from any team, but the two guys we get back? Who knows what happens with them. The important thing is saving that little money and allowing the kids to play every day. The Cubs need to see what they have in terms of young talent, and hopefully this is just the first of several trades the Cubs make down the stretch here before the deadline.

Is it safe to say that the Cubs aren’t going to make the playoffs Mike Quade?

This has to hurt Minnesota moving forward with Donovan Mcnabb as quarterback. The question I have is simply- can the Seahawks now make a playoff push? We’ll see what happens, but Sydney Rice is a key sign for a struggling organization. Get excited Seahawks Fans!

Colby Rasmus is an immature, spoiled former first round pick. He’s got some crazy tools, but has an even crazier father. Colby wasn’t meshing with Tony La Russa very well, and it obviously affected his play.

So, the Cardinals wanted to trade Rasmus. That’s all great and dandy. They couldn’t find a taker for him willing to part with more than just Edwin Jackson? Whom they’ll lose in the offseason? Octavio Dotel? Whom they’ll lose? Wow. If this wasn’t an under sell…I don’t know what is. Truthfully- for as much heat that Jim Hendry has taken for bad deals- the Cardinals GM (whom shall remain nameless) should take more. You don’t trade a 24 year old tool CF for a journeyman RHP whom you won’t resign in the off season.

As a Cubs’ fan you have to laugh a little bit at the rivals in the south. I mean, since it looks like we’re not going to be able to trade any of our dead weight, might as well be thankful we don’t have to deal with Rasmus any longer in that middle.

Carlos Beltran is obviously a real good hitter, however if the Giants pull the trigger, it would mean that RHP and number 1 prospect Zach Wheeler is headed to the Big Apple. I actually think this trade will likely come back to haunt the Giants for several years to come because Zach Wheeler is an ace in the making. He has some of the most electric stuff in the minors, and is only about a year away from coming to the show. Carlos Beltran has definitely been a force when healthy. However, his knee issues could pop up at any moment, and if he misses time down the stretch- what good is he? If he stays healthy- he definitely will help a lineup in desperate need for a bat. Another question is- does he resign? Come on- let’s get realistic. He’s getting older, and out of his prime years so why would the Giants want to resign him?

I know the Giants want to repeat, but isn’t it possible to upgrade with out sending your top prospect to a team for a 33 plus year old with serious questions regarding his health and knee? Even with Beltran- does that make the Giants a repeat favorite?

We’ll find out, but this one looks like it’s a done deal.

The Cleveland Indians are in desperate need of some left handed power, and have some prospects to deal. Lewis Pollis of Wahoo Blues wrote an article today saying that the Indians could use some help with what Pena does well.

So what would the Cubs want? I can’t say for sure, but I do think the Indians would match up. If I were Jim Hendry, I would take a hard look at LHP Nick Hagadone. Hagadone has struggled with his command for quite sometime, and with several arms still coming, he could definitely use a change of scenery, and the Cubs I believe could help this youngster reach his potential. I’ve always liked his stuff, and sometimes with young lefthanders- it takes a little more time. Throw in the fact pitching in the national league has to be a tad nicer than pitching in the AL. The Cubs are in some need of some young starting pitching- especially from the left side. I’d be a fan. Another guy I would demand back is Matt LaPorta. I think it’s safe to say Matt LaPorta is bordering on the bust line. He’s really struggled since coming to the big leagues in that big deal for CC Sabathia, and he would be the odd man out. The Cubs are going nowhere fast, don’t have a first basemen in the system ready to play, and could let LaPorta take his hacks and hope he reaches the all star potential he has. Another kid I really like is Scott Barnes. He’s struggled at times, but pitched exceptionally well in the Arizona Fall League last year, so you have to think he has the potential to get good players out consistently. He’s another guy where you can wait and see on as well.

Those three guys I believe would be a nice package for Carlos Pena. Anything else would surely be gravy. Will Pena move? Well…I think he SHOULD move…but you just never know what the Chicago Cubs are going to do unfortunately.

In the first inning, Castro lost the ball in the sun. Whatever. Part of the game right? It happens to the best of us. It’ s hard to single out Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney for this catastrophe of a team right? Not for the clown that is Mike Quade.

What a great concept. Let’s call out the two main reasons why anyone watches this team play. Let’s call out a guy in Castro that you can build the entire organization around at 21, and then call out his running mate, Darwin Barney, a guy who plays the game hard, and the right way. Let’s continue to ignore the lack of hustle by Alfonso Soriano, the failure to hit with runners in scoring position in Carlos Pena, and the multiple things Carlos Zambrano has done that would warrant some public scolding. Let’s not call out Ryan Dempster for being incredibly bad for the better part of the year, and let’s not talk a little bit about how Randy Wells can’t get anyone out anymore. I mean give me a freaking break Mike Quade. You think that game set the tone? Why don’t you ask your starting pitcher to be more efficient? Maybe a little more sharp? Maybe attack the zone a little bit more? Nope- let’s throw the best player on the team, a 21 year old kid still learning this game under the bus in the media.

” The veterans are doing a heck of a job I think.”- Mike Quade

Mr. Quade. There’s a reason why you’ve been a career minor league manager. Who are you trying to kid at this point? You have zero idea how to manage a team from a personality standpoint. You don’t have the balls to call out your “great” veterans. You have even less clue how to manage a pitching staff. You sir are a complete joke, and a complete embarrassment to history of Cubs management.

The Cubs? Are a circus. And I don’t even know how to fix them at this point. I have no idea. All I know is that it’ll take 2-5 years to get rid of Quade, Hendry, Soriano, Zambrano, and Dempster- and start completely over.

I mean…can we all just sit back and laugh hysterically at this point?

Starlin Castro- We love you. Pay no attention to your manager that doesn’t have the slightest of clues of how to manage. We the fans believe in your ability and look forward to watching you play the game for the next 10 plus years at Wrigley. Hopefully our owners figure out a way to get you some help, without calling you out in the media for a mistake that didn’t cost anyone the game.

The worst part of it all is that fans do not even do a good job! They vote in players that used to be good or are from big market cities. Most of the time, the AL squad is comprised of all Yankees/Red Sox who are only voted in because of the numbers those respective cities can put up.

A prime example would be Derek Jeter be voting in as the starting shortstop for the AL team. His vote in was a “lifetime achievement award.” Jeter is not only having a down year, but was on the disabled list at the time. There are plenty of other players who have excelled at the position and carried their teams into contention that where snubbed out of a starting spot, see: Asdrubal Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta. It is unfair to allow fans to vote someone in only because of favoritism when there are players who have put up numbers deserving of a starting role.

My second biggest disappointment for a player being voted in was Pacido Polanco, at third base, for the NL team. Sure he started off great in the beginning of the year but his numbers have steadily regressed since the end of May. He has weak power numbers for a third baseman and he is not even owned in a 100% of ESPN fantasy baseball leagues!! Not even his stat line can compare to the player who should have initially been voted in by the fans, Aramis Ramirez.

Player A has a batting average of .274, 4 homeruns, 39 RBIs and an OPS of .676 where Player B has a batting average of .298, 15 homeruns, 51 RBIs and an OPS of .843. Which player do you think made the all star game? Player B (Aramis Ramirez) obviously should have been the starter but instead, Player A (Pacido Polanco) made the team. The only reason Polanco made the team is because of the Philadelphia fan base and the fact that the Cub’s season failures overshadowed Ramirez’s efforts.

Yes it was found that Ramirez respectively declined the invitation from Bruce Bochy to start at third after it was found out that Polanco will be sitting the game out due to injury. It turns out that he had plans to visit his family in the Dominican Republic and cited this as his reason for not attending. An understandable excuse, but I think the real reason he turned it down was because he had felt disrespected. If he was on the initial roster, Aramis would have stayed in the states and represented his team and fan base because he earned it. His decision to stick with his plans is a silent gesture showing his dissatisfaction for not making the team when he knows he should have. Could he be the first crusader for a revolution in the All Star voting process?

Whatever happens, a change needs to be made to make the game fair for deciding home field advantage and rewarding players for their efforts. The core of the MLB All Star game voting system needs to be completely overhauled. The vote needs to be taken out of the hands of the “uneducated” fan, those who do not respect player’s stats from other teams, and place it in the hands of those who can vote for players deserving to make the squad due to their efforts preceding the game.

The NFL Pro Bowl can be a benchmark for the change. Their vote is split into thirds, which has the fans, coaches, and players determining who will make the teams. This will not solve all the problems but will drastically bring down players being snubbed while at the same time keeping the fan connection to the game. MLB officials will still be scared that the change would take away from viewership but instead, it should bring the “real” baseball fan to watch the game and bring credibility to a game with such a great impact to the playoffs.

I vote for a change in ’12, and I hope you all rally behind me.

Derek Dilday decided to tattoo a picture of Dirk Nowitzki’s face to his right….glute muscle. I do have to give credit to the tattoo artist, but still. A picture of another dude on your butt? How do you explain that to your wife or girlfriend?

Congratulations to Dirk Nowitzki for being the first Maverick to have their face forever engraved on someone’s right cheek. I’d also like to thank Derek Dilday for making me hysterically laugh for about 45 minutes after originally seeing this.

I’d also like to thank yahoo sports for allowing this to be seen by everyone. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Mavs-fan-wisely-gets-Dirk-Nowitzki-8217-s-face-;_ylt=Ai3xIhUuIok.o0QsLZAzDRzTjdIF?urn=nba-wp6170