Radio Recaps: Lou and The Riot on Talkin' Baseball

Bruce Levine had a slew of guests on for his 20th anniversary edition of Talkin' Baseball on ESPN 1000.

Here is what Ryan Theriot had to say:

• "As players we don't really have a choice of where we play until we get to free agency. Right now, I'm excited to be a St. Louis Cardinal."
• Ryan thinks about his arbitration hearing a lot. He doesn't think he would still be a Cub even if he didn't go to arbitration, but there is no answer to that question.
• The sky is the limit for Starlin Castro.
• When Fred asked him what he thinks the reaction will be for him when he comes back to Wrigley, Ryan said that he hopes to get one like Mark DeRosa received when he returned.
• Theriot think there will be an extra edge when he plays his former teammates, but he knows they respect him on the field and off. Ryan knows exactly what every one of the Chicago Cubs is all about.
• "There is a big respect factor," he said.
• Bruce called Ryan "a classic overachiever" during his tenure in Chicago.

Levine thinks that Carlos Marmol will have a deal in place by the time pitchers and catchers report.

Another ex-Cubbie, Lou Pineilla, joined Bruce and Fred:

• "It's a nice opportunity. I don't have to travel. I look forward to working with the Giants, but at the same time I have a special affinity for the Cubs in my heart. I wish Mike Quade, Jim Hendry and the rest of the guys the best of luck."
• It was very difficult for Lou and the players because of the health of Piniella's family last season. He wasn't there to give them the 100 percent support that a manager should give.
• Sweet Lou's mother is in the hospital again right now. She has been there the last 12 days.
• He thinks that the Ricketts are the right owners to lead the team.
• Piniella will be scouting the American League for the Giants. He will be doing AL Spring Training and then the Tampa Bay Rays during the regular season.
• He had chances to join a few organizations to do some work on TV, but this made good sense to him.
• Lou gets a chance to get out of the house a little bit, but still come home every night.
• The last five years of his career, Piniella worked for five different owners.
• "I wish the Ricketts family nothing but the best. They're good people, they're genuine people. I'm sure that they're going to bring a championship to that city in the near future."

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Ryan Theriot on WGN Sports Night

Ryan Theriot spent about a year as a weekly guest on the weeknight show on WGN-720 when he was a Cub. Tonight, the St. Louis shortstop was back on the air with Kap & Noonan. The former Cubs fan favorite has made some negative comments about the organization since his move to the other side of the Cubs/Cards rivalry. Here are the highlights:

• Kaplan introduced the interview by saying that he decided to get Theriot on when Koyie Hill and Mike Quade took shots at him this weekend.
• Ryan said the he talked to Koyie last night and today. He said that you take all that with a grain of salt.
• "It was more like a 'Do you feel like your on the right side of the rivalry?' question."
• Since he is a Cardinal now, there was only one answer he could give.
• Ryan said that it wasn't his choice. He wanted to spend the rest of his career in Chicago, but there are things that he cannot control.
• During the 162 game grind, a player sometimes loses focus on winning a World Series.
• "A blind man can see the success that the Cardinals have had in the past."
• Theriot is extremely excited about the rivalry. When he was in Chicago, he was on the right side of the rivalry. Now that he is in St. Louis, he is on the right side of the rivalry.
• St. Louis is not as big of a city as Theriot thought it was.
• Ryan has talked to Tony LaRussa quite a bit. They've had lot of talks about baseball and life. Theriot has been fortunate to play under some great managers like Lou, Dusty, Torre and Tony.
• The Cardinals had their Fan Fest this past weekend as well.
• HoHoKam Stadium was like a second home for him. It will be a different experience going down to Florida, but there are a lot more places to catch a fish down there.
• Kaplan went on a random rant about how fishing is not really a sport.
• The thing that Theriot will look forward to about coming back to the city of Chicago is the food.

That's it for now!

Midweek Roundup: Theriot to St. Lou, Marmol Wants an Extension & More

Theriot to St. Louis
Former Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot has been traded from the Dodgers to the Cardinals. The Riot returns to the NL Central after spending six seasons in the Windy City before being traded at the deadline this past July. Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Cardinals view Theriot as more of a shortstop. Right handed pitcher Blake Hawksworth was shipped to LA in the deal.

Cubs Pitching Coach Decision May Not Come Tomorrow
As a mentioned in yesterday's post, Carrie Muskat has reported that the Cubs will be naming their new pitching coach on Wednesday. Bruce Miles reports that the Cubs say that that is not true and an announcement at the winter meetings next week is more likely.

Marmol Want an Extension
Bruce Miles also tells us that Carlos Marmol has said he wants a long term extension. Barry Praver, Marmol's agent, has been contacted and says he did have talks with Jim Hendry at the GM Meetings. However, these talks do not seem to be far down the line.

Looking at Arms?
According to MLBTR, the Cubs are looking to add an insurance arm even though they have five (actually 6-7) starters. Jeremy Bonderman, Aaron Harang, Kevin Milwood and Vincente Padilla are all in the mix.

Coming Soon: Cubs Spring Training Schedule
Usually the Cubs Spring Training schedule have been released by this time in the offseason. Al Yellon from Bleed Cubbie Blue tells us that the Diamondbacks and Giants were being considered to open to regular season in Taiiwan, so this delayed the process. Another detail that the Cubs are hammering out is whether or not they will return to Las Vegas for a split squad weekend. They have played the White Sox in Vegas each of the last two springs. The schedule should be released later this week.

Jesse Crain a Hot Name
Peter Gammons tweets that Jesse Crain may be one of the hottest relievers on the market. The Cubs are one of nine teams who may be interested in the former Twin.

Deadline to Tender Contracts on the Way
Thursday is the deadline for teams to offer contracts to unsigned players that are arbitration eligible. Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Tom Gorzelanny, Geovany Soto, Jeff Baker and Koyie Hill are all arbitration elgible guys this winter. Marmol, Marshall, Gorzelanny and Soto are givens to be brought back, but there is some question when it comes to Baker and Hill. Jim Hendry would like to lock up all six players by Thursday so that arbitration is out of the question.

Former Cub Notes
Thanks to the CCO for this one, ex-Cubs lefty Neal Cotts inked a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. Josh Kroeger has landed with the Marlins organization while Doug Deeds has a minor league contract with the Rangers. Russ Canzler, who played for the Tennessee Smokies in 2010, has left the organization and singed with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cubs Poll
Thanks to everyone who voted on our last poll on the right sidebar! There is a new one up that asks you to grade Larry Rothschild's time with the Cubs. Don't forget to vote!

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on everything Cubs as always!

Former Cub Updates: 8-10-10

Many former Cubs have been on the move lately, so let's take a look at the ex-Cubs that have found new homes over the past few weeks.

• Ryan Theriot: traded from the Cubs to the Dodgers on July 31. Stats with new team: 8 games, .258 AVG, 2 RBIs
• Ted Lilly: traded from the Cubs to the Dodgers on July 31. Stats with new team: 2-0, 2.77 ERA, 13 IP.
• Jim Edmonds: came to the Reds in a waiver deal with the Brewers yesterday. He's not in the starting lineup for the Reds game against the Cardinals tonight. Jim has now played with four different NL Central teams.
• Will Ohman: traded on July 31 from the Orioles to the Marlins for Rick VandenHurk. Stats with new team: 0-1, 3 games, 3 IP, 3.00 ERA
• Kerry Wood: traded from the Indians to the Yankees for a PTBNL at the deadline. Stats with new team: 4 games, 4.1 IP, 2.08 ERA
• Kyle Farsworth: traded from the Royals to the Braves along with Rick Ankiel for Gregor Blanco and Jesse Chavez. Stats with new team: 4 games, 2.2 IP, 16.88 ERA
• Chad Tracy: Signed with the Marlins on August 5. Stats with new team: 1-for-4, 3 games
• Mark Prior: Signed with the Orange County Flyers of the Independent Golden Baseball League on August 3. Stats with new team: 1 IP, 0 R
• Randall Simon: Signed with the Gary Railcats of the Independent Northern League on July 29. Stats with new team: 11 games, .286 AVG, 5 RBIs
• Francis Beltran: Drafted by the Cubs and spent two seasons in the bullpen. He was part of the trade that netted the Cubs Nomar Garciaparra. Signed with the Kansas City T-bones of the Independent Northern League on August 4.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on these ex-Cubbies.

A Look at Ryan Theriot's Time with the Cubs

Ryan Theriot had been with the Cubs his whole career until last week's trade to Los Angeles. Let's remember The Riot with a little look back at his tenure in the Windy City.

June 2001
Ryan Theriot was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the MLB First Year Player Draft. He was a shorstop out of LSU.

September 13, 2005
Theriot made his major league debut as a pinch hitter against the Reds.

September 14, 2005
Ryan recorded his first big league hit against Brian Shakelford.

March 10, 2007
First year manager Lou Piniella wastes no time in telling Theriot that he has made the team. It was the first time in his career that the young utility infielder made his club coming out of Spring Training.

May 2007
Theriot, who had played all over the diamond in the first few months, started to get more and more starts at shortstop. He eventually got the everyday nod in favor of Cesar Izturis, who ended up traded in July.

July 14, 2008
Ryan and Johnnah gave birth to their second daughter and third child Georgia Grace. They also have kids named Houston and Macey.

Opening Day 2010
Theriot got the start at short with college teammate Mike Fontenot rounding out the Cubs middle infield as the starting second baseman.

May 1, 2009
Ryan launched his first career grand slam against the Florida Marlins to give him team the lead. The Cubs went on to win the game 8-6.

May 2009
The ex-LSU star went on a power surge, hitting five home runs in the month. He is normally not known for his power, but a little pop was certainly welcome. He doubled his career homer total in the span of a few weeks.

2009-2010 Offseason
Theriot allowed WGN Radio listeners to learn a little bit more about him off the field as he joined David Kaplan for a weekly segment on "Sports Central". He also co-hosted Kap's live broadcast from the Cubs convention in January.

February 19, 2010
Ryan became the first Cub to go to an arbitration hearing since 1993. The Cubs one the case, so he had to settle for a one year $2.6 million contract.

May 7, 2010
The longtime shorstop was moved to second base in order to make room for 20 year old rookie Starlin Castro to take over short.

July 31, 2010
Theriot's Cubs career came to an end as he was traded to the Dodgers along with pitcher Ted Lilly. The Cubs got Blake DeWitt and two minor league hurlers in return.

Good luck Ryan... We'll miss you at Wrigley!

Breaking News: Theriot & Lilly to LA

The Cubs have traded Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for Blake DeWitt and minor league pitchers Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit.

The Cubs also send $2.5 million in the deal.

Here is some info on Blake DeWitt:

• 2010 stats with LAD: 82 games, .270 AVG, 1 HR, 30 RBIs
• Positions: 3B, 2B
• B/T: Left/Right
• Drafted: By the Dodgers in the first round of the 2004 draft.
• MLB Debut: March 31, 2008
• Born: August 20, 1985

Info on Brett Wallach:

• B/T: Right
• Born: December 2, 1988
• Drafted: By the Dodgers in the 3rd round of 2009
• Position: Pitcher
• 2010 Team: Pitching for Great Lakes of the Midwest League, which is low Class-A ball.
• Stats: 6-0, 3.72 ERA, 17 starts this year

Info on Kyle Smit:

• B/T: Right
• Born: Oct 14 1987
• Drafted: By the Dodgers in the 5th round of the 2006 draft.
• Position: Pitcher
• 3 IP, 0 R allowed in three games with Double-A Chattanooga this season
• 5-3, 2.49 ERA, 34 games (1 starts) with Inland Empire of the Class-A Advanced California League

It's the end of an error the Cubs, who lose two great guys in Lilly and Theriot.

I'll update when more info comes along.

Trade Deadline Countdown: Will the Cubs make a move?

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is coming up at 3:00pm CT. There are no shortage of rumors, but will any moves be made by Cubs GM Jim Hendry?

If will update this post throughout the day with more info as it comes out.

Updated at 11:30am CT- Scroll down for the latest.

Here is the latest from the mill:

• The Yankees are not going after Ted Lilly according to Buster Olney.
• Ken Rosethal writes that a deal with the Dodgers was fairly close last night. The Dodgers, Twins, Tigers, and Yankees all have interest in the Cubs southpaw.
• Rosenthal also reports that the Cubs have gotten "minor sniffs" on Xavier Nady and Mike Fontenot.
• Ryan Theriot is still a possibility for the Dodgers or Yankees. A Theriot for Kelly Johnson swap has been discussed.
• Carlos Zambrano said yesterday that he wants to stay a Cub, but he would accept a trade if the organization asked him to do so.
• Jon Heyman of SI tweets that the Mets offered the Cubs Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo for Zambrano, but the Cubbies said no.
• Bruce Levine reports that the Cubs could send Ryan Theriot and James Russell to Arizona for Kelly Johnson.
• The Dodgers are in the mix on Lilly, but Rosenthal tweets that the two sides are still apart on money and players.
• George Ofman of WGN Radio also says that a Lilly deal to LA is still alive but it's all about how much the Cubs will pay the Dodgers.

Updated at 11:30 CT- The latest on Lilly:

• Tim Brown of Yahoo tweets that the Dodgers are growing more optimistic that they can acquire Lilly.
• Ken Rosenthal says that the Cubs and Dodgers are still working the phones hard.
• Rosenthal adds that the trade is not done, but Theriot could be involved as well.

I will keep you posted, updating often with more rumors or whenever news breaks!

Catching Up Quick Hits: Ramirez back in '11, Kosuke for Sale, D-Lee to Stay, and More

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday, but today we're back with all the latest from the rumor mill and more. The trade deadline is coming up on Saturday!

• Cubs catcher Geovany Soto left last night's game with a foot injury. He is not in the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Astros, but the Cubs hope he can return by Wednesday, Friday at the latest.
• The team has narrowed the list of potential Spring Training sites in Mesa to three locations.
• Carlos Zambrano is expected to rejoin the Cubs in Colorado on Friday. He cannot wait to apologize to his teammates in person. Z told Carrie Muskat that he knows that he made a mistake.
• Aramis Ramirez was named the NL Player of the Week for last week. He was the first Cubs position player to win the award since May of '08.
• Speaking of Ramirez, Gordon Wittenmyer reports he wants to stay in Chicago and will most likely exercise his player option for 2011.
• ESPN.com's Jayson Stark writes that Ryan Theriot is one of the players that has been linked to the Padres in recent rumors.
• Stark also reports that he heard before that Lilly would definitely be traded before July 31, but many teams have cooled off on the Cubs lefty.
• Bob Nightengale tweets that the Rangers are taking a close look at Derrek Lee.
• The Cubs will pay part of the $4M-plus left on Kosuke's deal this year, and quite of a bit of $13.5M salary next year if they can trade him.
• Stark tweeted that it is highly doubtful that Derrek Lee will waive his no-trade clause.
• Jon Heyman thinks the Yankees could go for Ted Lilly, who they had before and like.
• Chris De Luca chimes in and says that Lilly is not the only Cubs southpaw drawing interest.
• The Angels and Rangers both have some interest in D-Lee.
• Ryan Theriot could be "the first Cub to be traded" according to David Kaplan. Kap, who's a buddy of Ryan, says that the interest in the Cubs second baseman has gone up.
• Bruce Miles shot down a report that the Cubs were interested in Chone Figgins of Seattle.
• Ted Lilly is scheduled to take on the 'Stros tonight. Will this be his last start in a Cubs uniform? Or is it possible that he will be traded between now and the first pitch?
• John Grabow threw in the bullpen yesterday but will probably not be activated before the end of this trip.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always.

Mid-Week Quick Hits: Piniella, Zambrano, Rumors, & More

• Former AAA-Iowa manager and current Nationals coach Pat Listach has interest in managing the Cubs next season according to Bill Ladson.
• Tom Ricketts announced during the press conference yesterday that Jim Hendry will be the Cubs GM going into the 2011 season.
• The USA Today tossed out a few new possible replacements in Ted Simmons and Bobby Valentine.
• Number 1 draft pick Hayden Simpson is not expected to play this summer. He's battling mononucleosis.
• Carlos Zambrano retired the side in order in a rehab inning with the Mesa Cubs. Jeff Gray, who is rehabbing from a groin injury, pitched the first inning of the game against the AZL Royals.
• Zambrano will pitch at AAA-Iowa tomorrow night and rejoin the team by the end of next week according to Carrie Muskat.
• Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago reports that John Grabow, who is out with a knee injury, will begin throwing off the mound soon and will need a rehab assignment before being activated.
• Bruce Levine reports that Lou Piniella would like to stay in baseball as a consultant with either the Cubs or Yankees.
• Bruce's list of possible replacements includes the regulars plus Greg Maddux.
• Ryan Theriot wants to win, and he wants to do it in a Cubs uniform.
• ESPN says that the Tigers have some level of interest in Ted Lilly, who is available.
• Levine thinks that the Yankees could join the hunt for Lilly that already includes the Tigers, Twins, Mets, and Dodgers.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

Weekend Quick Hits: Lilly Updates, Zambrano on Rehab, Rumors and More

The Cubs have looked good so far, winning the first two games against the Phillies to start the second half! Here's the latest news and notes with rumors and more!

• ESPN.com Chicago baseball insider Bruce Levine reports that the Phillies, Rockies, and Tigers have all had conversations about Ryan Theriot in the recent weeks.
• He adds that the Mets, Twins, Tigers, and Dodgers all have had talks with the Cubs about Lilly in recent days, and that the Rangers have some interest in Xaiver Nady.
• Lou Piniella tells Carrie Muskat that Lilly wants to stay in Chicago and the coaching staff would like for him to stay in Chicago.
• Cubs fans have a chance to support a good cause and ride their bike from Chicago to Miller Park for the Cubs/Brewers game on 9/11.
• Carlos Zambrano is out of therapy and has begun his rehab assignment at the team's Spring Training home in Mesa, Arizona according to Paul Sullivan. He tossed 25 pitches and could start a minor league rehab in the next week.
• Lou said that the Cubs plan to put Big Z in the bullpen but they "could do anything."
• Piniella spent the three-day All-Star Break enjoying the city of Chicago with his family.
• Sullivan reports that Jim Hendry talked with Teddy about his future before last night's game.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted.

All Star Break Roundup: Rumors, TV Schedule, The Futures Game, and More

Before we get into all of the Cubs rumors going around today, let's start with the All-Star festivities!

Yesterday, the XM Radio All-Star Futures Game took place at Angel Stadium! The U.S. team beat the World 9-1 took even the all time series at 6-6. Two Cubs prospects took part in the game. Brett Jackson was on the winning U.S. team. Jackson struck out in his first at bat and walked in his only other trip to the plate. Right after drawing the base on balls, he was picked-off first base by the catcher. Jackson started in center field and then moved over to right in the second inning.

Hak-Ju Lee came off the bench to play the second half of the game at shortstop for the World team. Lee is a 19 year old who is playing for the Peoria Chiefs. He popped out to short in his first AB before drilling a sharp single to left in the 8th. Hak-Ju had a fun week playing at Wrigley Field on Wednesday and Angel Stadium on Saturday. However, he had a rough time in the field in Sunday's Futures Game, making two mistakes at short (1 ruled a hit, the other ruled an error).

For those of you that don't know, here's the full schedule of the MLB-All Star Break on TV. All times are CDT.

Tonight:
Now-7:00 MLB All-Star Batting Practice, MLB Network
6-7 Base Tonight All-Star Edition, ESPN
7-9 MLB Home Run Derby 2010 Live from Angel Stadium, ESPN
7-9 Classic MLB All-Star Games, MLB Network
Southern League All-Star Game 7:30 radio broadcast on MiLB.com
**Game includes Cubs farm hands Blake Lalli, Robinson Chirinos, Steve Clevenger, Tony Campana, Ryan Butcher, and Luke Sommer
9-10 Taco Bell Legends & Celebrity Softball Game (recorded Sunday), ESPN
9-10 MLB Tonight: All-Star Team, MLB Network

Tuesday:
Noon-3 1975 All-Star Game, MLB Network
3-4 MLB All-Star Red Carpet, MLB Network
4-6:30 MLB All-Star Batting Practice, MLBN
5-7 Sports Center at the All-Star Game, ESPN
7:00 MLB All-Star Game, FOX
10-12 Sports Center at the All-Star Game, ESPN

Wednesday:
12-3 1990 All-Star Game @Wrigley, MLBN
5-6 Plays of the First Half, MLBN
6-9 Triple-A All-Star Game PCL VS IL, MLBN
** Includes Iowa Cubs Darwin Barney and Thomas Diamond

Now for the Cubs rumors going around today:

• Tom Ricketts has given Jim Hendry to vote of confidence, but when asked about his GM's job security the Cubs owner said, "I support him, I think he does a great job, and after that we'll just take it one day at a time."
• Ricketts told Carrie Muskat that he's having a great time in his first year as the owner despite the team's struggles.
• MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Rays has some interest in Ted Lilly, who could fit the Tigers and Twins as well.
• Lou Piniella's agent Alan Nero says that Lou will definitely finish out this season but he isn't sure about Piniella's future behind this season.
• Derrek Lee will not ask to be traded to a contender. He plans to finish out the year with the Cubs.
• Josh Thole is one of the names that the Mets could send the other way in a Ted Lilly trade according to WGN Radio's Geoge Ofman.
• Fred Mitchell and David Kaplan write that we should count out the Reds in the Lilly sweepstakes. They add that a Giants scout was at Wrigley last week to see Tom Gorzelanny.
• Andrew Cashner gained some respect in the clubhouse by hitting Blake DeWitt with a pitch on his first throw of the 8th inning last night against the Dodgers.
• Lou was not happy about the umpiring crew this weekend according to Bruce Levine.
• Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, and Ryan Theriot are all being shopped. At least one of them is expected to be traded by the deadline.
• Xavier Nady is drawing interest from the Rangers according to Levine.
• Bruce also says that the Colorado Rockies now have interest in Theriot, but the Tigers interest has cooled.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

Rumor Mill Friday: Lilly on the Market?

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline looming three weeks from tomorrow, it's time for MLB general managers to get busy with attempts to either a) improve their club's chances of winning this year or b) improve their club's chances of winning in the future. Chips are starting to fall with the trade of Cliff Lee to Texas today. How active with Jim Hendry be at the deadline?

The Cubs are finally ready to start making some deals according to a report from the Tribune yesterday. The Ricketts family is ready to address the media soon to talk about what direction the team will go in. If the club continues to struggle before the deadline, their is no doubt that they will be sellers.

Since the New York Mets lost out on Cliff Lee, they will turn to another lefty in the Cubs Ted Lilly. Jon Heyman also says the Mets like Ted, but he tweets that the Cubs have yet to make Lilly available. Heyman adds that Lilly's velocity is down. Several reports have indicated that the Cubs could try to swing a deal now to ship Lilly out for prospects and then try and sign the lefty when he hits free agency this winter. Could The Bulldog's last start as a Cub be tonight in L.A.?

Ken Davidoff agrees with the folks at the Tribune that the Cubs are getting more serious about trades. He also tweets that the Mets like the idea of taking on Lilly's contract instead of giving up more prospects.

Here are some other interesting Cub-related bits:

• Andrew Baggardly wrote awhile back that the Giants have interest in Ryan Theriot, but now the organization has not had any talks about adding The Riot so far.
• Lou Piniella does not plan on leaving the Cubs before the end of the season, but told Paul Sullivan that the Cubs gig will be his last managing job.
• ESPN.com says that Joe Torre could be interested in taking over as the Cubs manager next season.
• Lou says that the Cubs will most likely be sellers at the deadline.
• The Yankees have signed Chad Tracy to a minor league deal. Chad was released by the Cubs in late June after being DFA'd a week prior.
• In another former Cub note, Sean Gallagher will return to the NL Central. He was traded to the Pirates from San Diego with cash going the other way today.
• There is still no timetable on Carlos Zambrano's return to the pitching staff.
• The Cubs made a roster move earlier in the week calling up Mitch Atkins for bullpen help and placing Brian Schlitter on the 15-day DL.

Here is the full list of Cubs that could be on the trade market:

• Ted Lilly
• Kosuke Fukudome
• Ryan Theriot
• Mike Fontenot
• Jeff Baker
• Xavier Nady
• Derrek Lee

It should be an interesting three weeks! I'll keep you posted.

Midweek Quick Hits: Ramirez, Santo, Silva, and More

• Aramis Ramirez has joined the team, but the Cubs will wait to activate him until Friday. Aramis will work with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to get his swing back during the series in Seattle.
• Former Mariner Carlos Silva was scheduled to start against his old team, but he tweaked his hamstring during his start against the Angels. Silva has been pushed back and may start on Saturday against the White Sox.
• The Cubs will honor Ron Santo on Monday in a pre-game ceremony at Wrigley Field. Saturday will be Ron's 50th anniversary of breaking into the big leagues on June 26, 1960 with the Cubs. Flags to honor the anniversary will fly from the Wrigley Field roof starting next Monday. Also, he will throw out the first pitch before the game on Monday against the Pirates and sing the seventh inning stretch on July 1 (Thursday).
• MLB.com reports that the Cubs have agreed to terms with Micah Gibbs, who was their third round draft pick. Gibbs is a catcher from Louisiana State University. The Cubs have also announced the signings of Pierre LaPage (13th round), Elliot Soto (15th round), Ryan Hartman (16th round), and Chad Noble (37th round).
• Two Cubs farmhands will participate in the MLB Futures Game at Angel Stadium on Sunday July 11. Brett Jackson (outfielder, Class-A Daytona) will play for the U.S. team while Hak-Ju Lee (SS, Class-A Peoria) will play for the World. Jackson hit for the cycle last Monday and is having a great year. The game will be on ESPN2.
• According to the Sun-Times, Lou Piniella plans to use the rest of this A.L. trip to rotate regulars through the DH spot, giving them some rest in the field. Derrek Lee and Marlon Byrd are expected to DH tonight and tomorrow respectively.
• The Orioles have picked up another ex-Cub in Jake Fox in a trade with Oakland that sent a minor league pitcher and cash the other way.
• Phil Rogers would have rather seen Ryan Dempster moved to the bullpen than Carlos Zambrano. He thinks Demp would be more effective in relief than Z.
• On August 8, the Cubs will launch a Fantasy Camp at Wrigley Field.
• Jack Moore of Fan Graphs gives his take on what the Cubs should do at the trade deadline.
• First round draft pick Hayden Simpson tossed a bullpen session at Wrigley and will report to Mesa next. From there, he'll head to Boise to join the Cubs "Class-A Short Season" affiliate for the rest of the season. This fall, he will go back to Mesa for the Arizona Instructional League. Simpson signed a deal on Saturday worth $1.06 million.
• David Kaplan reports that Jim Hendry is actively trying to trade Kosuke to create a spot for Tyler Colvin to play everyday.
• Rotoworld.com lists Ryan Theriot a possible replacement for injured Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always.

Midweek Quick Hits: A Big W, Simpson Close to Signing, Jaramillo is Trying, and More

• The Cubs had dropped five series in a row, but they won a thriller against Oakland today to take two of three.
• Also, the win today gave the Cubbies back-to-back W's for the first time this month.
• Randy Wells pitched a great this afternoon. He needed it after struggling (espicially in the first inning) in recent starts. Greg Maddux and Larry Rothschild helped Wells get mentally prepared for today's game.
• Today was Ryan Theriot bobblehead day at the ballpark. Usually bobbleheads feature players hitting or fielding, but The Riot was fishing!
• Aramis Ramirez will go on a minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the Cubs. Rami will play in Peoria on Saturday and Sunday to test his thumb.
• Carrie Muskat reports that the Cubs appear to be close to signing their first round draft pick Hayden Simpson.
• The L.A. Angels will make their first ever visit to Wrigley Field tomorrow in a game that starts at 1:20. The two clubs will play all day games this weekend as the Cubs finish out their nine game homestand. After tomorrow, all 30 MLB teams will have played at Wrigley Field.
• The fans appreciated Alfonso Soriano's sacrifice bunt the other day. It was Sori's first sac bunt in his Cubs career.
• John Grabow was activated off the DL earlier in the week and rejoined the Cubs bullpen. Mitch Atkins was sent back to Iowa after a brief big league stint.
• As Gordon Wittenmyer points out, if the Cubs are going to pick it up then Ramirez and Lee need to pick it up.
• The Cubs offense has not showing any signs of improvement over last year now that Rudy Jaramillo has taken over as hitting coach. Jaramillo says that he is not a miracle worker.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Are the Cubs Selling?

With about a month and a half until the July 31 MLB Trade Deadline, the question that all teams are asking themselves is Do we have a chance to win this year or are we better off building for the future? For some teams, the answer to this question comes easily, if you're in first place or less than 5 games out of first, you're buying. If you are in 4th/5th place or more than ten games out of first, get out the For Sale sign. However, for the clubs like the Cubs that are stuck in the middle, it will be interesting to see what they decide to do.

The Cubs have a record of 28-35 but they are in third place and just 7.5 back of first in the NL Central. The Wild Card will not help the Cubs this year, as they are in 9th place and eight games back.

So, the North Siders have three options-

A) Try to add some pieces that will help turn this thing around.
B) Dump some salary, add some prospects, and build for a brighter future.
C) Don't make any major moves and just finish out the season with the team we have.

Mostly likely, Hendry will wait and see what transpires on the field over the next two weeks. Then he will have a full month before the deadline to make some moves. Hopefully, no matter what happens, Jim will choose "C" because that will not help the Cubs this year or in the future.

Here are some names that could be on the market:

• Xavier Nady: Today is June 15, the first day free agents signed last offseason are allowed to be traded. Nady could be one of the first guys to go since the Cubs have too many outfielders in need of playing time. The Angels were connected to Xavier a few weeks ago.
• Ted Lilly: The Bulldog is a free agent at the end of the year, and in my opinion he should be re-signed. However, if the Cubs do not think Teddy fits into the team's plans beyond this season, it makes sense to try to get something in return. The Cubs do not want to let another pitcher leave for nothing when they could have had some value in a trade a few months prior like they did with Harden a year ago.
• Bobby Howry/John Grabow: These guys are taking up spots in the pen that could be used to get some young arms adjusted to the big leagues. If the Cubs continue to lose, I'd expect one or both to be released or traded.
• Soriano, Lee, Ramirez: The Cubs would love to trade all three of these guys, but the fact of the matter is that they all have big contracts and no-trade clauses. There is no doubt that Sori is untradeable, but there are some teams interested in D-Lee.
• Ryan Theriot: With Starlin Castro taking over at short stop, it makes sense for the Cubs to try to move Theriot. He is one of only a handful of guys on this team that the Cubs can get a good package of prospects in return for.
• Mike Fontenot: If they don't trade Theriot, either 'lil Mike or Jeff Baker has to go when Ramirez comes off the DL. There are a few teams that could be interested in Fontenot as a utility infielder.
• Tom Gorzelanny: Gorzo has shown improvement this season, and needs to be in the starting rotation somewhere. He could be a solid back of the rotation start. Most likely, either Tom will take Wells' spot in the rotation or be traded. He does has value on the market.
• Kosuke: The Cubs probably cannot get much in return, but it might be worth getting some younger outfielders more playing time. However, first they have to persuade Kosuke to waive his no-trade clause.
• Carlos Silva: A lot of teams need starting pitching, and flopping this guy again could make sense if the Cubs are waiving the white flag. However, I think they'd be best hanging onto him since there is still another year left on his contract.
• Randy Wells: Randy has lost much of his trade value with his poor performance on the hill this year. Trading Wells now would be like panicing and selling your stocks when their value is at the lowest instead of waiting until the stock market improves!

Will Jim Hendry overhaul this team, or will he stick with the same crew for the rest of the year???

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Mid Week Roundup: Ramirez to the DL, Howry Pitching Well, The Hawks, and More

We've spent the past few days focused on the draft, but it's time to get caught up on what's going on with the big league club!

Update 4:10 CT: Now it's official. Ramirez to the DL, Tracy called up. Chad is expected to be with the team tonight.

Ramirez to the DL?
According to the Chicago Tribune and several other sources, Aramis Ramirez will finally be placed on the DL with a left thumb injury. The roster move should happen sometime today. The Cubs are expected to callup Chad Tracy, who's tearing the cover off the ball at AAA-Iowa. Aramis has been in and out of the lineup lately and is hitting just .168 this season.

Theriot's Coming Around
Ryan Theriot is finally starting to see the ball a little better. Ryan has worked a few walks this week but says he hasn't changed anything in his approach at the plate. He wants to be a little more selective but not overly defensive up there. Lou Piniella says that The Riot is still his best leadoff option.

Howry Pitching Well
The return to Chicago seems to have helped RHP Bobby Howry, who struggled before he was released by Arizona. Howry has not allowed a run in seven outings with the Cubs.

Cubs Draft Ivan De Jesus
The Cubs selected a centerfielder from Cupeyville High School in the sixth round of the draft. The odd thing is, the outfielder has nearly the same name as Cubs' first base coach Ivan DeJesus. However, the two men are not related. DeJesus (the coach) says he was surprised to see his name on the list of players drafted by the organization. Today the Cubs drafted Benito Santiago Jr., who is the son of the former Cubs catcher.

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Tonight the Cubs play the Brewers at 7:15 in a game that will be on ESPN-TV and 560 AM (instead of 720 because of the Stanley Cup Finals). Carlos Zambrano will get his second start since returning to the rotation.

Speaking of the Stanley Cup Finals... Go Hawks Go!!!

Numbers Breakdown: Cubs Starters VS Bench

Are the Cubs starting position players doing better than their potential replacements so far this season? Let's find out in today's Numbers Breakdown!

Catcher
Geovany Soto: .254 AVG, .401 OBP
Koyie Hill: .250 AVG, .291 OBP

First Base
Derrek Lee: .238 AVG, .343 OBP
Xavier Nady: .260 AVG, .333 OBP

Middle Infield
Ryan Theriot: .274 AVG, .305 OBP
Starlin Castro: .289 AVG, .337 OBP
Mike Fontenot: .310 AVG, .358 OBP

Third Base
Aramis Ramirez: .171 AVG, .233 OBP
Chad Tracy (AAA stats): .380 AVG, .417 OBP

Outfield
Alfonso Soriano: .295 AVG, .361 OBP
Marlon Byrd: .309 AVG, .347 AVG
Kosuke: .285 AVG, .383 OBP
Tyler Colvin: .300 AVG, .363 OBP

So, the Cubs have someone on the bench who plays each position with a better batting average than the current start at every position except catcher. Will we see some changes of this pattern continues through the next month?

Remember, the numbers don't lie!

Weekend Quick Hits: Colvin to Get More Playing Time, Lee Says He's Staying, and More

• Lou Piniella is "fed-up" according to Paul Sullivan. He may bench Kosuke and Geovany Soto in order to get Tyler Colvin and Koyie Hill in the lineup everyday.
• Today's report is the Lou is not "benching" Kosuke, but he is going to try to get Colvin in the lineup on an everyday basis. As Piniella points out, Tyler can play all three outfield spots.
• Ryan Dempster pitched well in the first month but then had a tough month of May where he went 1-4 with a 4.54 ERA. Demp is on the hill tonight.
• The Cubs and the Chicago Fire have begun talks to bring a soccer game to Wrigley.
• Derrek Lee is staying a Cub. He has no desire to leave the organization, and says that any trade rumors are inaccurate.
• Moving Alfonso Soriano back to the lead-off spot is not being considered.
• Randy Wells will pitch tomorrow and Carlos Silva has been moved to Monday.
• The Cubs are taking a longer and better look at Jeff Samardzja's stuff at AAA-Iowa before promoting him again.
• Carrie Muskat reports that the Cubs would liked to see Ryan Theriot show some more patience at the plate.
• Andrew Cashner and Jeff Stevens have both been pitching very well.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Catching Up Quick Hits: Cashner Called Up, A Possible Trade, & More

First of all, sorry for the lack of posting this week! It's been a crazy week, so I was forced to take some time off from the blog. I assure you that daily posting will resume!

Let's catch up on all the news and notes in the Cubs word this week:

• David Kaplan and other sources have reported that the Cubs may be involved in trade talks that could send Derrek Lee to the Angels.
• Gordon Wittenmyer tweets that L.A. is instead targeting Xavier Nady.
• Carrie Muskat chimed in today and said that there is no truth to these rumors. Muskat says that the Cubs still feel they're in the race in the NL Central.
• Carlos Zambrano has moved back into the rotation. He was scheduled to start on Wednesday, but the Cubs game in Pittsburgh was rained out.
• Z will start tomorrow instead of Carlos Silva. The rest of the rotation for the weekend in Houston is still TBA.
• The makeup game against the Pirates will be tacked onto this road trip. The game will start at 11:35 next Monday.
• The Cubs called up top pitching prospect Andrew Cashner. John Grabow was placed on the 15-day DL to make room for the 2008 top drafted choice on the roster.
• Speaking of the first year player draft, it starts next Monday! The Cubs could be focussed on adding an arm to the organization with their 16th overall pick.
• The city of Mesa has announced a new financing plan to try to keep Cubs' Spring Training there.
• Ron Santo returned to Chicago yesterday and is feeling better after spending Monday and Tuesday in a Pittsburgh hospital. The heat in the booth got to Ronny on Monday. Dave Otto will sit in on the radio broadcasts in Houston this weekend.
• Xavier Nady is starting to swing the bat much better. He went 4-4 with a 2-run homer in Tuesday's loss.
• Piniella will toss Cashner into low-pressure spots to start out.
• Mike Fontenot was inserted in the lineup at second for a few games in place of the slump Theriot. It looks like The Riot is set to return to the starting nine.
• Former Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas thinks instant replay would be perfect for Major League Baseball.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

Mid Week Roundup: The Rotation, Health Situations, Lilly Cheating?, and More

Zambrano in the Hospital
Carlos Zambrano spent Thursday afternoon in the hospital with appendicitis type symptoms. Tests for appendicitis were negative and Big Z is listed as day-to-day. Zambrano is expected to return to his role in the rotation soon after spending a shot time in the Cubs' bullpen.

Baker Also Has a Scare
Jeff Baker was playing third base today. He had a little scare when he could not see out of his right eye according to Lou Piniella. Jeff was removed in the eight inning after he didn't even make an attempt at fielding a ball hit to his left. He will be examined by an eye doctor.

Rotation Situation
Zambrano will re-enter the rotation on the next road trip, which starts next Monday. Lou Piniella has not announced which starter will exit the starting five to make room for Z. Piniella doesn't think anyone deserves to leave the rotation, but the Cubs will not go with a six man rotation. Tom Gorzelanny could be in jeopardy of a move to the bullpen.

Ramirez to Return
Aramis Ramirez could finally be back in the lineup this weekend against the Cardinals. A-Ram was available to pinch hit today but he was not used. He hit in the cage and on the side with Rudy Jaramillo. Ramirez has been nursing a thumb injury.

Top Pitching Prospects Preparing for Relief Roles
The Cubs could be ready to call-up either Jay Jackson or Andrew Cashner from AAA-Iowa. Both guys, who are usually starters, have been converted to the bullpen so that they can join the Cubs' pen at some point this season. Bruce Levine says that one of them could be in the bullpen as soon as next week.

Lineup Switching
Piniella has continue to move guys around in the order. Ryan Theriot has been moved down in the order because of his recent struggles. Starlin Castro has found a home in the two hole. The Cubs are now 8-0 when Starlin hits second.

The Bulldog a Cheater?
Dodgers' hitter Casey Blake accused Ted Lilly of cheating today. Blake said the Lilly was starting his windup for some pitches in front of the rubber. The umpiring crew did not see any violation.

Power Outage
Last night the lights went out at Wrigley Field as Ryan Dempster delivered ball four to Blake DeWitt. The game was delayed for 18 minutes before power was restored. The last time there was a power outage at Wrigley was in 2003.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!