Apparently Omar Infante was not meant to wear a Cubs' uniform after all. Off to Atlanta he goes, along with the out-of-favor Will Ohman. In exchange, the Cubs get 22-year-old right-handed relief pitcher Jose Ascanio. Ascanio had a 2.54 ERA in 78 innings in the double-A Southern League in 2007. He had an impressive 71 K's against just 18 BB's. He also pitched in 16 innings for the Braves, allowing 9 runs.

Ohman was set to make $1.6M in 2008 and Infante would have made something similar.

So Jim Hendry turned Jacque Jones into a young major-league ready fireballing reliever, giving up Ohman in the process but also dropping salary. Well done.

For their part, Braves blogs Talking Chop and Chop-N-Change both like the deal from their perspective as well, noting Ohman's excellent road ERA over the past three seasons.

Many of us long for the day when a manager's management of the bullpen is not dictated by that nefarious of taskmasters: the save statistic. Since Cubs' closer Ryan Dempster has been injured following the game on June 22, Lou Piniella has been freed. The Cubs have won seven of eight since Dempster's oblique injury (in addition to the last game Dempster pitched in). Piniella initially announced that Bob Howry would be the closer in Dempster's absence, as the Chicago Tribune reported. During Dempster's absence, however, three different relievers have notched saves -- Howry (2), lefty Will Ohman (1), and bullet-throwing Carlos Marmol (1).

Read more below the fold.

"The Chicago Cubs and reliever Will Ohman agreed Tuesday on a $2.5 million, two-year contract," reports the AP. "Ohman will get $900,000 next season and $1.6 million in 2008." He also has the opportunity for bonuses based on games pitched and games finished. (Hat tip: Rob G. at The Cub Reporter.)

Ohman's contract moves the Cubs' 2007 payroll to approximately $102.8M and committed 2008 payroll to $87.2M. Carlos Zambrano and Mark Prior still need to sign contracts.

OK, someone's going to have to explain this one: "The Cubs acquired left-handed reliever Neal Cotts from the Chicago White Sox on Thursday in exchange for relief pitcher David Aardsma and minor-league pitcher Carlos Vasquez," reports the AP. Cotts was very good in 2005, but hasn't been much to write home about either before or since. Aardsma was the better pitcher in 2006 (3 RAA v. -2 RAA). And he's likely to be the better pitcher going forward.

A look at some good, recent writing from the Cubs Blog Army: