The Cubs have announced that they have re-signed 36-year old Bob Howry.  He will join the team tonight in Texas before the Cubs renew their long-standing and bitter rivalry with the Rangers.  The Rangers lead the all-time rivalry 4-2. 

My only comment concerning Howry is, why?  Granted, the Cubs need another arm for the bullpen.  The only criteria Howry fills though is that he is right handed.  Other than that, he has been a mess this season.  He has always been prone to the long ball, but this year he has given up six dingers in just 14 innings.  It seems to me that the Cubs are throwing gasoline on their bullpen fire.

Given the chance, I have to believe that one or more of the Cubs young arms could step in to shore up the bullpen.  Guys like Justin Berg, James Russell, Esmailan Caridad come to mind, but there are also Triple-A starters like Jay Jackson and Andrew Cashner who are available and throwing great this year.  Why would the Cubs elect to go with an apparent reclamation project instead of giving one of their up-and-comers a chance?

I hope Howry joins the Cubs and is lights out, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it.  He has struggled all year and a simple uniform change probably won’t make much of a difference.  Of course, stranger things have happened.  Take Carlos Silva for instance…