6-15 Off Day Notes: Former Cubs Updates, Ryan Freel Rehab, Minor Leauge Report, and More!

Well let's start by checking in with our former Cubs!:

• Mark DeRosa (CLE): .277 AVG, 11 HR, 44 RBI
• Kerry Wood (CLE): 2-2, 4.84 ERA, 8 SV, 27 K
• Felix Pie (BAL): .202 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI
• Rich Hill (BAL): 2-1, 5.81 ERA, 23 K
• Ronny Cedeno (SEA): .139 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI
• Jason Marquis (COL): 8-4, 3.77 ERA, 41 K
• Henry Blanco (SD): .193 AVG, 3 HR, 7 RBI
• Bobby Howry (SF): 0-3, 4.24 ERA, 14 K
• Michael Wuertz (OAK): 2-1, 2.86 ERA, 28 K
• Chad Gaudin (SD): 2-5, 6.16 ERA, 46 K
• Luis Vizcaino (CLE): 1-2, 2.19 ERA, 11 K
• Joey Gathright (BAL): Playing at AAA NOR, 24 games, .293 ERA, 4 RBI, 8 SB with NOR.

For the Minor League Report Here are the Important Dates coming up in the Cubs system:

• Boise Hawks (Class A Short Season) Opening Day is this Saturday (June 20) at 7:15 VS TC. They play an exhibition on Friday night.
• The Mesa Cubs (Rookie Ball) Opening Day is this Sunday (June 21) VS AZL Angels.
• FSL All Star Game also Saturday, June 20.
• MWL All Star Game is Tuesday, June 23.

The Iowa Cubs lost to Okla. City today 5-1. Iowa falls to 33-32, 5.5 GB second place in PCL American North. Ryan Freel went 1-3 with a single. Other notes from game:

• Luis Rivas: 0-1
• Sam Fuld: 0-4
• Jason Dubois: 1-3, BB
• John-Ford Griffin: 3-4, RBI
• Bobby Scales (played first base): 1-4
• Steve Clevenger: 1-4
• Matt Camp: 0-4
• Nate Spears: 0-4
• Anderson Machado: 1-3, R
• Jeff Samardzija: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Greg Reinhard: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Justin Berg: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K

Jeff Samardzija took the loss and falls to 3-3 with a 4.27 ERA at AAA this year.

NL Central Standings:

• 1. Milwaukee: 34-29
• 2. St. Louis: 0.5 GB
• 3. Cincinnati/ Cubs: 2.5 GB
• 5. Pittsburgh/Houston: 4 GB

Alfonso Soriano is the only Cub that has a chance to be an All Star Starter, he is in 4th among NL outfielders, the top 3 start in the game. The Cubs need your votes on Cubs.com!

Tomorrow the Cubs and White Sox will do battle, the first of this year's Cross Town Showdown. Here are some Cross Town Showdown Notes:

• 27 of the 66 battle between the Cubs and Sox have been decided by 1 or 2 runs.
• 13 have been decided in the the last AB.
• 5 gave gone to extra innings.
• Sammy Sosa has the most HRs for the Cubs against the Sox with 11, Zambrano has the most wins with 5.
• 165 players have appeared in at least one game with both the Cubs and Sox.
• There have been 22 trades between the two teams, the most recent Neal Cotts for David Aardsma in November 2006.

A couple random former Cubs playing in Independent Ball Updates:

• Adam Greenberg, the guy who saw one pitch in his big league career with the Cubs and was hit in the head and was never heard from again, is back in baseball and with Bridgeport in the Atlantic League. Here are his stats: .217 AVG, 16 games, 11 RBIs, 4 2Bs, 1 HR.
• Randall Simon is playing in the Northern League with Fargo, he is hitting .304 with 5 HR and 19 RBIs in 27 games.

Cubs second round Draft Pick DJ LeMahieu went 3-5 with 2 runs scored in LSU's 9-1 CWS win over Arkansas tonight. I'll keep you posted on how he does in the CWS.

Remember you can email me anytime at cubsblogmailbag@aol.com.

The next Cubs off day is Thursday, July 9, so that'll be my next Former Cubs Update and Full Minor League report.