Odds & Ends: Julio, Cubs, Springer

A fresh batch of links as we move into the evening... According to Adam Sobsey of The Independent Weekly, the Rays have released 30-year-old reliever Jorge Julio.  The right-hander had a 5.96 ERA and a 24/15 K/BB ratio in 22 2/3 innings this season with Triple-A Durham. Cubs GM Jim Hendry told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times Saturday that he is open to a waiver deal if it will make his club better. "We'll see," said Hendry. "If we find something that makes us better, we'll try.'' Need a refresher on the way waiver deals work?  Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus has you covered. The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser gathered a quote from Russ Springer moments after he learned he was headed to the Rays: "It will be nice to play in some playoff-race type games and hopefully I can go to Tampa Bay and carry my load."