sigh. Jim Hendry, the Cubs general manager, has made yet another blockbuster trade for the 3rd year in a row. In 2003, he obtained Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton from the Pirates. In 2004, he grabbed Nomar Garciappara and Matt Murton from the Red Sox for prospects. This year he gets Matt Lawton of the Pirates, a lead-off hitter with a .380 OBP for bench player Jody Gerut? Ok, those are all awesome trades, but this year it came too late. The Cubs are still sitting on a .500 record a few weeks after the all-star break. To even get the wild-card the Cubs need to be at least 20 games over .500 at the end of the regular season. We needed this leadoff hitter months ago, and the Pirates have been bottom dwellers for atleast the last month now, Hendry could have pulled this trade off before the deadline. Now the Cubs are sitting 4 games out of the wildcard, behind a streaking Houston Astros team who have an easier all-around schedule than the Cubs, for the remainder of the year.The Cubs have to gain ground on direct play with the Astros and the Cards to do any damage here, but the pitching has failed them this year, and Hendry did NOTHING to address the bullpen problems we've been having. Remlinger gave up a Grand Slam to a .215 hitting Arizona D-Back catcher this afternoon! Sorry to say, but Houstons starting rotation is yards better than what the Cubs have, and they have a great closer in Lidge. I think this trade is just coming too late in the season to have an impact, and as long as Dusty Baker is running this ballclub, this team will remain around .500. The man is an idiot.