FanHouse DaryleWard

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* "In 21 months, or just 324 regular-season games from now, Derek Jeter's contract expires. At that point, the Yankees have to decide what to do with Jeter and Jeter has to decide what to do with the Yankees. [...] By 2011, the Yanks could have either Jeter or just his future plaque at Monument Park play short; they will have about the same range." -- Joel Sherman, New York Post

* "Sorry Punxsutawney Phil and your six-more-weeks-of-winter prediction, but if you live in New England and are a fan of Red Sox, a sure sign of spring has arrived -- Truck Day!" -- Steve Silva, Boston Globe

You know it's a slow baseball day when the tumultuous futures of Cliff Floyd, Steve Trachsel, and Daryle Ward appear to be the biggest story out there. Nonetheless, the show must go on: the Cubs have decided to bring back pinch-hitter extraordinaire Ward, while declining options on Floyd and Trachsel.

The moves both preserve Ward's hallowed status as the Cubs' best bench player last season, and free up more time for him in right field. In the meantime, declining options for Floyd and Trachsel -- which Floyd seemed to sense early in the offseason -- frees up about $9.5 million for the Cubs next season.

What will they do with that extra money? Curt Schilling is not out of the question, nor are Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. Still, given the nebulous ownership situation on the north side, the likelihood that the Cubs make any sort of free agent splash this offseason, even one of those tiny ones the Olympic divers make, is little to none.

But yeah, Daryle Ward. Exciting. Where is Scott Boras when we need him?

On Monday morning I told you that the Cubs were close to turning things around. Maybe that was cheating because they were already on a three game winning streak. Regardless of that, with today's 4-3 win over the Nationals they've won five in a row and eight out of nine and have pulled their record over .500 at 15-14. If they can stay hot, it's looking more and more like they're going to be the only team in the NL Central that can challenge the Brewers.

As hot as they are, their win today did not come easy against the Nationals. Granted, in two weeks no one will remember that they needed seven pitchers and 21 players total (Jason Marquis pinch ran!) to get the win. And all of those players only served to get the team in position for fifth-outfielder/pinch hitter extraordiaire Daryle Ward to hit a walkoff single in the tenth inning. And Ward's single was only possible because of Ryan Theriot's RBI single in the ninth to tie the game at 3. That was necessary because the Nationals had rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead. If you're getting the impression that the Cubs really had to claw this win out, well, good, because that's the impression I'm trying to give you.

I doubt the Cubs are overly concerned with catching the Brewers in the immediate future since it's still only early May, but they don't have an incredibly easy upcoming schedule. After getting three home games against the struggling Pirates this week, they get to play a bunch of middling teams (Phillies, Marlins, White Sox) and a bunch of good teams (Mets, Padres, Dodgers) to close May out. If the Cubs come to the other side of May with a winning record, they're going to be a team to watch when things really start heating up over the summer.

Previously at the Fanhouse
Saber Bomb: The Cubs Might Not Suck This Year