Here's the latest out of the National League Central, where we're seeing some really tough news for the Cubs and Cardinals:

• Cubs' Ian Stewart to Miss Rest of Season - Chicago Cubs third baseman Ian Stewart will undergo wrist surgery next week and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, reports Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Pirates Option Jose Tabata; Recall Gorkys Hernandez - The Pittsburgh Pirates have optioned outfielder Jose Tabata to Triple-A, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• Astros Rumors: Houston Could Still Seek Taker for Carlos Lee - Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports that just because the Houston Astros failed to complete a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers involving Carlos Lee, it doesn’t mean the club won’t seek a new taker for the 36-year-old.
• Chris Carpenter's Season Is Over - Viva El Birdos - The Cardinals made official today what has been feared by Cardinals fans since spring training: Chris Carpenter will not pitch during the 2012 season.
• Is Yunel Escobar a Possible Trade Acquisition? - Bucs Dugout - Published reports indicate that the Toronto Blue Jays might be thinking about trading shortstop Yunel Escobar. Could a deal with the Pirates make sense for both clubs?

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Bigger Loss: Ian Stewart or Chris Carpenter?

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