Rounds 2-4: More of the same, only worse. Cubs humble Brewers

Result: The Cubs completed an impressive 4-game sweep with an 11-4 win on Thursday. Their lead swelled to five games over both Milwaukee and St. Louis. The Cubs have the best record in the NL at 65-44, and trail only the LA Angels of Anaheim for the best record in MLB.

What happened: Jim Edmonds homered twice, including a grand slam in the fourth. Rich Harden was sharp yet again, and finally was fortunate enough to earn his first win as a Cub. Harden went 7 strong innings, allowing just one run while striking out 8. He has now pitched 24.1 innings and allowed 3 earned runs while striking out 38. Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome added homers. With reality setting in for the Brewers, Eric Gagne threw behind Edmonds in the 9th. Both he and manager Ned Yost were ejected. The horses were out of the barn by that time.

Big picture: There are still two months left in the season, so let's not rush to crown the Cubs NL Central champs just yet. That said, the importance of this series shouldn't be underestimated. The Cubs came into the series reeling, and almost entered the four-game set in second place, but for a rally Sunday against Florida (and a little help from Houston). Now, after beating aces C.C. Sabathia (I know he didn't take the loss) and Ben Sheets, and hammering Brewers pitching over the last three games, the lead has swelled to five. There's a lot of work left, but the Cubs took a HUGE step forward in Milwaukee. The bats came back to life, against high-level pitching. The offense was appropriately patient and aggressive, at different times. Lastly, the Cubs may have finally turned the corner on the road.

Up next: Pirates vs. Cubs, 1:20 Friday at Wrigley. Without Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte, the hapless Bucs are even moreso. Jeff Karstens, who came over from the Yankees in the Nady-Marte deal, starts against Jason Marquis. The Brewers head to Atlanta for a weekend set while St. Louis hosts Philadelphia.

Round 1: Cubs-Brewers, 7/28/08. Cubs get to Sabathia, beat Brewers

Result: Cubs 6, Brewers 4. Cubs lead the NL Central by 2 games over Milwaukee and 4 games over St. Louis, which beat Atlanta on Monday.

What happened: The Cubs scored early against the previously untouchable C.C. Sabathia, then rallied for two runs in the 9th off closer Salomon Torres for a thrilling victory in a playoff-like atmosphere at Miller Park. Ted Lilly held the Brewers scoreless through the first five innings before running into trouble in the 6th, as J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun hit back-to-back homers. The Cubs regained the lead when Reed Johnson barrel-rolled into Rickie Weeks at second, spoiling a potential double play and allowing two runs to score on Weeks' errant throw. After the Crew tied it in the 7th, Lee delivered the go-ahead run on a double in the 9th. Carlos Marmol was mostly sharp in the bottom half for his fifth save. Chad Gaudin picked up his second win in as many days. Just a thrilling ballgame.

Concerns: Bob Howry continued to be ineffective since the All-Star break, allowing the tying homer to Russ Branyan in the 7th. Carlos Zambrano's stamina after throwing 125 pitches in his last outing has to merit watching.

Up next: Cubs-Brewers tonight at 7. Carlos Zambrano vs. Ben Sheets in a matchup of two all-stars.

Post-weekend report; Cubs head to MKE with 1-game lead

Results: The Cubs avoided dropping three straight to Florida with a stirring comeback victory on Sunday. Meanwhile, Milwaukee dropped 2 of 3 to Houston, and St. Louis did the same to the Mets. The Cubs lead the Brewers by one game and St. Louis by 4.

What happened: At one point on Sunday, Florida led 5-0 and Milwaukee led the Astros 4-1, making it seem likely the Brewers would head into their 4-game set with the Cubs starting tonight with a 1-game lead. The Cubs rallied behind a 3-run Alfonso Soriano homer, and Mike Fontenot provided the winning margin with a pinch-hit, 3-run double in the 7th. That helped erase the memory of another poor start by Jason Marquis. Jeff Samardzija pitched two innings for his first save, and looks like he could be the answer to the Cubs' sudden bullpen woes. The Cubs were helped by a huge Houston rally to knock off Milwaukee, reversing the trend and giving the Cubs a one-game lead.

All this came after gut-wrenching one-run losses on Friday and Saturday, both of which could have easily been wins. The Cubs' pitching was good enough both days, but the offense just could not come through with the big hit in late-inning situations.

Concerns: Can the Cubs regain their hitting stroke and finally find some consistent success on the road, against the hottest team in the NL, no less? Not to make too much of a series in July, but this four-game set could really set the tone for the rest of the season. I am much more concerned about the Brewers' sudden surge than with the Cubs going into a nosedive.

Up next: Cubs-Brewers from Miller Park at 7 tonight. Ted Lilly vs. the unbeaten-in-the-NL C.C. Sabathia. Hopefully lots of Cubs fans will have bought up tickets.

Marlins-Cubs, Thursday, 7/24/08. Reserves provide pop in comeback win

Result: Cubs 6, Marlins 3. The Cubs lead the NL Central by 1 game over the Brewers and 4 over St. Louis. The Crew completed a four-game sweep of the Cards on Thursday at Busch Stadium. The Brewers host Houston for a three game series starting tonight, while St. Louis visits Shea to take on the Mets.

What happened: Ronny Cedeno and Henry Blanco got rare starts and each homered as the Cubs overcame an early 2-0 deficit. Carlos Zambrano tossed seven strong innings and Carlos Marmol worked into and out of a jam in the 9th for the save. Florida took a 2-0 lead on Hanley Ramirez's homer in the third. Cedeno's solo shot cut that lead in half, and the Cubs took the lead for good in a four-run fifth. Zambrano tioed the score with an RBI double, and Aramis Ramirez snapped out of his recent slump with a two-run double. Marmol maddeningly walked three to load the bases in the 9th, but recovered to strike out Wes Helms to end it.

Concerns: A sudden lack of depth (and reliability) in the bullpen. With Kerry Wood out for the time being due to a finger blister, the 9th inning falls to Marmol or Bob Howry, neither of whom have looked the part lately. Maybe Chad Gaudin can work into that mix? Of course, that bumps up everyone else an inning, and some of those guys have been ineffective lately. This may put the Cubs in the market for another end-of-the-bullpen arm before the trade deadline. The shortage of arms in the bullpen (remedied today by the calling up of former Notre Dame football star Jeff Samardzija) may have led to Lou sending Z out for the 7th, which led to his pitch count reaching 127.

Up next: Marlins-Cubs, 1:20 today at Wrigley. Josh Johnson vs. Ryan Dempster

Tennis update

I intended to make this blog about more than just Cubs updates, so here goes. I enjoy playing tennis and like to think I am somewhat competent at it. This summer I have been playing in a round-robin league of sorts against others of my skill level.



My level is "3.0" and I play against others at that level. Think of it as similar to a golf handicap. It's difficult to explain what a 2.5 or 3.0 or 4.0 player is, and the difference between him and a higher or lower-level player, but much like Justice Potter Stewart said about pornography, you know it when you see it.

Anyway, I played last night against a guy who plays at both the 3.0 and 3.5 levels. Players at the 3.5 level are mostly noticeably better than 3.0. They simply hit with more pace and consistency. Granted, my opponent on Wednesday was not what I'd call an elite 3.5 player, but as you'll see he was good enough to beat me.

My opponent on this evening was an affable Indian fellow who used an unusual grip to generate a confounding spin on the ball. He hit his backhand with two hands, seemingly cross-handed, an always with generous back and side spin. Though the first set was competitive, I failed to close out games in which I had set points, was broken twice and dropped the set 6-2.

I was very much disappointed with that result, and came out smoking in the second set, winning the first three games. I was up 4-1 when he started a comeback. One of the best parts of my game is my serve. I take pride in the big, flat first serve that I often hit for an ace. It was frustrating that my opponent on Wednesday seemed to handle my first (harder, bigger) serve much more easily than my second (kick) serve, often coming up with winners from tough angles. It was his return of serve that evened the second set at 5-all. I managed to hold for a 6-5 lead, and then broke him in a lengthy game to take the set 7-5. The winning point came on a smooth one-handed backhand I hit down the line -- on the run -- for a clean winner.

However, that was about the end of my highlights. I was down 2-1 in the third set when the heat and humidity started bogging me down. If I sat during changeovers my back started to tighten up. I was soaked with sweat and generally exhausted as the match approached three hours. There was nothing left in the tank. I refused to retire, but put up little fight in dropping the final four games. It has taken me a good 16 hours to get re-hydrated and feeling normal again. Clearly, I need to work on my fitness and stamina if I intend on playing competitive singles, because as it now stands, if I don't win in straight sets I'm probably not going to win in three. In this round-robin, I have played five matches. The two wins were easy walkovers over clearly inferior players. The three losses have all been in three sets.

Cubs-D'Backs, Wednesday, 7/23/08. Bats come alive, keep lead at one game.

Result: Cubs 10, Diamondbacks 6. The Cubs lead the NL Central by one game over Milwaukee and three over St. Louis. C.C. Sabathia shut out the Cardinals on Wednesday.

What happened: After scoring just two runs in the first two games in Phoenix, Cubs' bats erupted. Derrek Lee got it started with a first-inning homer, and Reed Johnson capped a six-run eighth inning with a grand slam. Ted Lilly was serviceable enough, allowing three runs in six innings for his 10th win, joining Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster as 10-game winners.

It was over when the Cubs roughed up the D'Backs' bullpen in the eighth. Consecutive singles by Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto plated a run, and also broke up lengthy hitless streaks for both. Mark DeRosa drew a bases-loaded walk, setting up Johnson's blast to right-center. Johnson may have been aided by an overreaching fan, but the umpires upheld the home run call.

Up next: Marlins-Cubs from Wrigley tonight at 7. Scott Olsen vs. Carlos Zambrano.

Cubs-D'Backs, Tuesday, 7/22/08. Cubs lose; Lead down to 1 game

Result: Diamondbacks 9, Cubs 2. Cubs have lost 4 of 5 since the All-Star break, and their lead is now just one game over the red-hot Brewers and two over the Cardinals. Milwaukee defeated St. Louis 3-2 on Tuesday.

What happened: Another below-average pitcher shut down what's supposed to be the most potent offense in the NL. Yusmeiro Petit, making just his second start of the season, held the Cubs to one run and three hits over five innings. Conor Jackson had three hits and three RBIs, and Arizona blew it open with two runs in the 7th and four more in the 8th. Jason Marquis was serviceable, but not nearly good enough with the Cubs' anemic bats. Maybe they can steal the finale and return home, where all seems to be well -- so far.

Up next: Cubs vs. Arizona at 8:30 tonight. Cubs try to avoid sweep with Ted Lilly matching up with cancer survivor Doug Davis.

Quick note: this is the second time in recent weeks where an opponent has failed to give the Cubs a favorable "getaway day" starting time. The Cubs will have to fly back to Chicago after tonight's game, and also lose two hours across time zones. Not cool, Arizona. This should have been an afternoon game.

Cubs-D'Backs, 7/21/08, Cubs make Unit look like he's 39 again

Result: Arizona 2, Cubs 0. The Cubs lead the NL Central by two games over both St. Louis and Milwaukee. The Brewers beat the Cards 6-3 in 10 innings on Monday.

What happened: Rich Harden and Randy Johnson locked up in an elite-level pitchers' duel, with Johnson getting the slight edge. Harden carried a no-hitter into the sixth before Alex Romero(?) got a change-up out over the plate and took it out to right for his first career home run. In his second start since coming over from Oakland, Harden went 7 innings, allowing just that one hit and striking out 10. Johnson, who turns 45 in September, ran his record against the Cubs to a staggering 13-0 lifetime. He allowed only two singles in 7 innings. The home/road splits for the Cubs offense got even more ridiculous.

It was over when Derrek Lee took a bad swing in the 9th. With two men on and no outs, Lee was ahead 2-0 against Monday's closer Chad Qualls. Lee took a full swung at a fastball in on his hands and hit into an easy 6-4-3 double play, effectively sinking the Cubs chances. You have to expect more from your no. 3 hitter and one of your biggest run producers. Terrible at-bat.

Up next: Cubs-D'Backs tonight at 8:30. Jason Marquis vs. Yusmeiro Petit, who will no doubt have his best start of the season.

Cubs-Astros, Sunday 7/19/08

Result: Cubs 9, Astros 0. Cubs lead the NL Central by 2 games over St. Louis and 3 over Milwaukee. San Diego's AAA club couldn't even manage to salvage one of its four games with the Cards, blowing a late lead Sunday, and the Brewers finished off a road sweep of the Giants. The Brewers and Cards start a four-game series tonight in St. Louis. The Cubs and D-backs meet for a three-game set starting tonight in Phoenix.

What happened: Ryan Dempster pitched 8 shutout innings to earn his first road victory of the season. The Cubs got to Houston's Brandon Backe for two runs in the first, and built a 4-0 lead before exploding for five runs in the ninth. Mike Fontenot had three hits, including his 8th home run of the season.

The game turned when Dempster worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth by striking out J.R. Towles and Backe, then getting Kaz Matsui to foul out.

Concerns: Kerry Wood is expected to go on the DL today, meaning that Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry will be expected to close out games. Are they up to it? We'll see. ... The Cubs have failed to show any kind of offensive consistency on the road. They will need to score more runs in Arizona this week against a Diamondbacks team that, though they are under .500, are still in first place.

Up next: Cubs at Arizona tonight at 8:30. Rich Harden vs. Randy Johnson.

Road woes continue; Cubs' lead just 2 games

Result: Astros 4, Cubs 1. The Cubs lead the NL Central by just two games with a record of 57-40, having lost three straight. St. Louis is in second, followed by Milwaukee three games back.

What happened: The Cubs continued their Jeckyll/Hyde act between home and road. They repeatedly failed with runners in scoring position, finishing with nine hits but just the one tally against Wandy Rodriguez and a host of relievers. The Cubs have scored four runs in their last three games. That includes being held to one run on Friday by journeyman Brian Moehler, who strangely has succeeded against Chicago. That wasted Ted Lilly's sparkling start, and the Astros scored in the ninth to win 2-1. On Saturday, Houston scratched out four runs, mostly on broken-bat hits, off Carlos Zambrano, and that was more than enough. Jose Valverde fanned the side in the ninth. Zambrano's opposite-field homer in the seventh was the lone run for Chicago.

Concern: The majority of the Cubs' remaining games are on the road. The Cardinals and Brewers have plainly shown they are not going away. Despite the great success of the first half of the season, if the Cubs can't perform better away from Wrigley Field they will surely not make the playoffs.

Up next: Cubs at Astros today at 1. Ryan Dempster looks for his first road win. Houston starts Brandon Backe.

Cubs' All-Star Break Report Card

All-Star game: AL 4, NL 3 in 15 innings and Billy Wagner and Dan Uggla team up to (hopefully) cost the Cubs home-field advantage in the World Series. Cubs pitchers gave up exactly nothing, but their hitters failed to produce.

OVERALL TEAM GRADE: A
Not much to complain about. Sure, you would love to see that road record at .500 or better, but they have more than made up for it by being virtually unbeatable at home. The sweep at the Cell and Kerry Wood's Saturday meltdown in St. Louis stick in one's craw as well. Otherwise, the '08 Cubs hit the All-Star Break (ASB) in as good a position as virtually any team in club history. After the Cardinals beat the Padres on Thursday, the Cubs lead them in the Central by 4 games. Milwaukee is 5 games back.

Player-by-player breakdown
Henry Blanco -- Age seems to be showing on the back-up backstop, but he had a huge home run in the Cubs' rally from 9-1 down to beat Colorado. Grade -- C.
Ronny Cedeno -- Glovework has been solid as a part-time player, and he has shown some occasional pop, the cost of which has been increased strikeouts. Grade -- C+.
Neal Cotts -- Hard-throwing lefty who has more trouble getting out right-handers. His strikeout rate is nice, but struggles against lefties might require the Cubs to shop for another southpaw for the bullpen. Grade -- C+.



Ryan Dempster -- The conversion from maligned closer to no. 2 starter and ASG representative (where he struck out the side in his one inning) has gone smoother than planned. You would love to see him break through (and catch a little luck) on the road, but Demps has been nails at home. It took Tim Lincecum's best to hand him his first loss at Wrigley. Grade -- A.
Mark DeRosa -- The Cubs' Mr. Versatility, DeRosa had a reasonable claim for the All-Star team. His power has increased and he has driven in some big runs. He only gets partial demerits for some defensive lapses. Grade -- B.
Jim Edmonds -- Jim Hendry's controversial pick-up has come up aces. Struggling in San Diego, Edmonds has been resurrected in Chicago. His acquisition was a bitter pill for many Cubs faithful, but his performance his eased that pain. Grade -- B+.
Mike Fontenot -- The pint-sized second baseman El Hijo has dubbed "Tanner Boyle" for his resemblance to the foul-mouthed member of "The Bad News Bears," has shown considerable pop in recent weeks. Plus, his pre-game "hammer and nail" routine with Zambrano is always amusing. Grade -- B-.
Kosuke Fukudome -- Everyone's favorite Japanese import has quickly become beloved at Wrigley Field. He has slumped in recent weeks as perhaps NL pitchers have caught up with him. His defense and baserunning have remained impeccable, but it would be nice if he could push that average back towards .300. Grade -- B.
Chad Gaudin & Rich Harden -- Hendry's masterstroke, provided Harden can (knock) stay healthy. Gaudin will prove to be quite valuable. Grades -- Incomplete.
Kevin Hart -- Not ready to pitch in the majors, and he has shown that repeatedly. Grade -- D.
Bob Howry -- The hard-throwing righty reliever is effective as long as that four-seamer is working. Has pitched in some bad luck at times. Can probably close if needed. Grade -- B.



Reed Johnson -- Hendry's last-minute pickup off the waiver wire has been better than anyone could have expected. Made the catch of the year at Washington, and has delivered an extraordinary number of RBIs in his limited at-bats. Grade -- B+.
Derrek Lee -- Team and possibly league MVP through May, his power numbers have slowed down, but he keeps hitting for average. Seems to be a quiet leader, and is no doubt a vital cog in the NL's most potent lineup. His glovework at first also merits praise. Grade -- A-.
Jon Lieber -- Has turned in some quality relief outings, but has been victimized by the longball. The Reds love to see him warming up. Is talking like this is the end of the line for him. Grade -- C.
Ted Lilly -- The no. 3 starter has been wildly inconsistent, and has benefited from great run support to get to 9 wins. One of the bigger disappointments of the season, really. Grade -- C-.
Carlos Marmol -- Dominant for the first 2.5 months, Marmol was the best reliever in baseball. Read that sentence again. A few bad outings inflated his ERA, but a solid ASG performance proved that he still has it. It's hard to pick a team MVP for the first half, but Marmol would definitely get some votes. Grade -- B+.
Jason Marquis -- It's not secret that El Hijo is not a big fan of the former Cardinal, but he has been increasingly steady the last month or so, reversing his course from 2007. When he gets his sinker working and cuts down on the walk, he can be very effective. Grade -- C+.
Sean Marshall -- Small sample size, but Marshall has looked very good, beating the Cards at Busch and throwing two perfect extra innings of relief work last Sunday. Could be the left-handed answer out of the 'pen. Grade -- B.
Aramis Ramirez -- The team's RBI leader is great at getting that runner home from third, including via the sacrifice fly. He seems to have a knack for the dramatic, and his defense has been very solid. Grade -- A.
Alfonso Soriano -- The suddenly injury-prone outfielder was white-hot when he returned in May, but was shuttled back to the DL when hit by a pitch on his hand. You can't overlook his frigidly cold start to the season. Grade -- B.



Geovany Soto -- He looks more and more like a captain/team leader every day. The pitchers love the way he calls a game, and he doesn't look like he'll stop hitting. Starting the ASG as a rookie? This one's easy. Grade -- A+.
Ryan Theriot -- The Cubs' acceidental shortstop. Not a natural at that position, and doesn't quite have the arm, but he makes it work. He's in the top 10 in hitting in the NL, and scores a lot of run. Runs well, too. Grade -- B+.
Daryle Ward -- The once-super productive pinch-hitter has struggled to hit anything at all this season. His lack of mobility in the field is also a hindrance, and if he's not hitting, it's hard to justify keeping Micah Hoffpauir in Iowa. Grade -- D.
Kerry Wood -- The reverse Dempster, moving from starter to closer. It just may have saved his career. More and more Wood is looking like a natural, and could have a long career ahead of him in ninth innings. He has only gotten himself in trouble with walks and hit batsmen, and the blown save in St. Louis sticks out. Grade -- B+.



Carlos Zambrano -- Increased maturity has resulted in Big Z becoming the ace he was destined to be. Save for that blow-up in L.A., the old Carlos seems to have vanished. The shoulder trouble was troubling, though hopefully not long-lasting. Probably the best hitting pitcher in the NL, he's a lock to start any potential Game 1s. Grade -- A.

Cubs finish "first half" with 4.5 game lead

The Cubs took two of three from the Giants last weekend at Wrigley Field, with Tim Lincecum helping SF avoid the sweep with 8 strong innings on Sunday. Ryan Dempster finally lost at home, though he pitched well enough.
The Cubs' lead swelled to 5.5 games on Saturday, thanks to their roller-coaster win and some unlikely help in Pittsburgh, where the Pirates scored four in the ninth and won in 11 on a walk-off homer. Chicago survived Carlos Marmol's implosion, where he gave up five ninth-inning runs as the Giants tied the score. Reed Johnson and Sean Marshall were the heroes in extra innings. That terrible performance cost Rich Harden the win in his Cubs' debut. He pitched only into the sixth, but allowed no runs and struck out 10.
At the break, the Cubs were tied with the LA Angels of Anaheim for the best record in baseball, with marks of 57-38.
Coming up next...All-Star Game thoughts and "First-half" report cards for all Cubs.

Giants-Cubs, 7/11/08. A-Ram's HR lifts Cubs in pitchers' duel

Result: Cubs 3, Giants 1. The Cubs lead the NL Central by 4.5 games over the Cardinals and 5 games over the Brewers. The Cards beat Pittsburgh on Friday, while the Reds knocked off Milwaukee. At 56-37, the Cubs once again have the best record in baseball; their winning percentage is just slightly better than that of the Tampa Bay Rays.

What happened: Jason Marquis matched the Giants' Matt Cain pitch for pitch over 7 innings. Marquis' line -- 7 IP, 0 runs, 3 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Cain's line -- 7 IP, 0 runs, 3 hits, 3 walks and 9 Ks. In two starts against the Cubs, Cain has thrown 15 scoreless innings. Good thing the Cubs are through with SF after this weekend. With Marquis' strong outing, that is 3 excellent starts in 4 games of this homestand. Aramis Ramirez hooked a three-run bomb around the left-field foul pole, giving the Cubs all the runs they need. Bob Howry worked a scoreless 8th, and Kerry Wood gave up a run but earned his 24th save.

It was over when: Wood got the final three outs. The Giants scored one and got the tying runs on base with no outs in the 9th. Wood then struck out Aaron Rowand, got John Bowker to pop out to shallow right, and got Rich Aurilia to ground out to first base to end it. While you never want to see your closer get into trouble, it was nice to see Wood work his way out of it.

Up next: Giants-Cubs at noon today from Wrigley. Rich Harden makes his Cubs debut against SF's Kevin Correia.

Reds-Cubs, Thursday 7/10/08. Reds pound Cubs pitching.

Result: Reds 12, Cubs 7. The Cubs dropped to 55-37, 4 games ahead of Milwaukee and 4.5 games clear of third-place St. Louis in the NL Central. The Cubs have the best record in the National League and are 35-11 at Wrigley Field.

What happened: Ted Lilly failed to get out of the third inning, and the Cub relievers didn't do any better. Cincinnati hit seven home runs, including HRs in six consecutive innings, erasing an early 3-1 Cubs lead.

It was over when: Ken Griffey launched a 3-run homer in the fourth, the 605th of his career. That gave the Reds a 7-3 lead. The Cubs got to within 10-7 in the sixth, but the Cincy bullpen shut them out over the final three innings.

Concerns: Don't be confused by Lilly's won-loss record (9-6), his ERA stands at 4.68 and he has been nowhere near the pitcher he was for most of 2007. After back-to-back stellar outings from Dempster and Zambrano, let this game serve as a not-so-gentle reminder of the necessity of Rich Harden. Geovany Soto started a day game after a night game. I know the all-star break is coming up, but as the NL's starting catcher, Soto won't get much of a break. He has played in 85 of the Cubs' 92 games, starting the vast majority. Ryan Theriot seemed to crumble late in the 2007 season, no doubt feeling the strain of a 162-game grind. Soto is far too valuable. It would be great to see Henry "Hank White" Blanco get a few more spot starts, beginning today.

Up next: Giants-Cubs at 1:20 today at Wrigley. Matt Cain, who shut out the Cubs for 8 innings last week in Frisco, takes on Jason Marquis, who could be pitching to keep his spot in the rotation.

Reds-Cubs, Wednesday 7/9/08. Zambrano dominates

Result: Cubs 5, Reds 1. The Cubs improved to 55-36, 4.5 games ahead of St. Louis and 5 games above Milwaukee in the NL Central. Both the Cards and Brewers lost on Wednesday. The Cubs have the best record in the National League and are 35-10 at Wrigley Field.

What happened: Carlos Zambrano allowed just a second-inning solo homer to Adam Dunn in 8 innings of sterling work. He left the game having retired 20 straight Reds. Aramis Ramirez gave the Cubs the lead with a home run in the 6th off Johnny Cueto, who was very sharp. Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee and Ramirez all added RBI hits as the Cubs padded their lead with three runs in the 7th.

It was over when: Kerry Wood got Brandon Phillips to foul out with the bases loaded in the 9th. With Zambrano in a groove, and Carlos Marmol retiring the first two in the 9th, the 5-1 lead looked rock solid. But Marmol lost his control again, loading the bases on an infield hit and two walks.

Up next: Reds-Cubs at 1:20 today at Wrigley. Cubs go for the sweep with Ted Lilly facing Bronson Arroyo.

Cubs-Reds, Tuesday 7/8/08; Dempster wins again, Cubs dealt ace

Result: Cubs 7, Reds 3. Chicago has an NL-best record of 54-36. It leads the NL Central by 3.5 games over St. Louis and 4 games over Milwaukee. The Cards shut out the Phillies 2-0 on Tuesday, while the Brew Crew topped Colorado, 7-3 in C.C. Sabathia's Brewer debut.

Harden: In response to Milwaukee landing Sabathia, GM Jim Hendry went out and acquired Oakland ace Rich Harden in a six-player deal. The Cubs sent Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, Matt Murton and minor-league catcher Josh Donaldson to the A's for Harden and versatile pitcher Chad Gaudin.


What happened: Dempster was lights out once again at Wrigley. He improved to 10-0 at home by tossing 7 innings of 2-hit baseball, allowing just one run while striking out five. The Cubs posted single runs in the second and third before Mike Fontenot and Geovany Soto clubbed two-run homers for insurance. The Cubs battered Cincy starter Aaron Harang, who has had great success against the Cubs in the past.

More Harden: The big question about Harden is his health. He has a long history of stays on the disabled list, including one earlier this season. Still, he has answered the bell for his last 12 starts. When healthy, Harden is unquestionably one of the best dozen or so starters in baseball. He was the best available pitcher out there after Sabathia went to Milwaukee, and if he's 100 percent, he may in fact be better. Also consider that Harden is under contract through 2009, so he's not a rent-an-arm deal like Sabathia, whom the Brewers most certainly will be unable to sign. Harden is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 13 starts (77 IP). His strikeout to walk ratio is nearly 3-1 (92-31).

As if there was any doubt, this is a sure sign from the Cubs' management to the fans that they are committed to winning. Winning big and winning now. El Hijo is muy excited.

Up next: Reds-Cubs at 7 tonight. Johnny Cueto vs. Carlos Zambrano.

El Hijo's recap; good excuse for no updates

This marks El Hijo's first post in a week.
Now, this honestly can't be attributed to the predictable malaise that sets in the first month or so after a blogger gets going. No, he has a good excuse.
El Hijo ran off and got married last weekend to his longtime galpal.
So, let's recap the past week in Cubs news:
******************************************
The Cubs managed to split the 4-game series in San Francisco.
That led them into St. Louis with a 2.5-game lead for a huge weekend series.
There, the Cubs took 2 of 3. Although Kerry Wood gave up three runs in the 9th on Saturday to hand the Cards a 5-4 win, the Cubs were perhaps fortunate to win on Friday, thanks to some questionable strike calls in favor of Wood against Troy Glaus. On Sunday, Sean Marshall turned in his best start to date and the Cubs' bats came alive in a 7-1 win.
They entered this week with a 3.5-game lead over both St. Louis and Milwaukee.
The Brewers shook things up on Monday, finalizing a trade for plus-sized Cleveland lefty C.C. Sabathia, which seemed to shift the balance of power in the Central...

Cubs-Giants, Tuesday 7/1/08. Cain able to slay Cubs

Result: Giants 2, Cubs 1. Cubs fall to 50-34, still 2.5 games ahead of St. Louis in the NL Central. The Mets topped the Cards, 7-4 on Monday.

What happened: Matt Cain hurled 8 shutout innings, and Brian Wilson struck out Ryan Theriot with the tying and go-ahead runs on base to end the game. Cain struck out 10 and allowed just two hits. Fred Lewis' took home on the back end of a double steal, and Randy Winn singled home the Giants' second tally.

The game was not over until the last out. Obviously, that's true in all games, but this tightly played contest came down to the last pitch. Derrek Lee led off the ninth with a triple and scored on Geovany Soto's single. With two outs, Mike Fontenot reached on an infield hit. Theriot fought off numerous pitches from Wilson before finally whiffing on some high heat.

Lost in the mix was Jason Marquis' strong outing. He gets blasted here often, so it's only right to point out when he succeeds. Seven innings, four hits, two runs and just three walks is the line.

Up Next: Cubs vs. Giants tonight at 9:15. Ryan Dempster vs. Kevin Correia should give the Cubs a substantial edge, but remember, Dempster is a different animal away from home. Cubs need to win, especially considering that Sports Illustrated cover boy Tim Lincecum awaits them on Thursday. Tonight's game should be the last for the Cubs without Aramis Ramirez, who was back in the D.R. taking care of some undisclosed family matters.

Cubs-Giants, Monday 6/30/08. Lilly stellar in Cubs win.

Result: Cubs 9, Giants 2. The Cubs are the first NL team to 50 wins (50-33) and lead the NL Central by 2.5 games over St. Louis. The Cards ripped the Mets, 7-1.

What happened: Ted Lilly pitched 8 scoreless innings before giving up a pair of runs to start the ninth. Even though he couldn't finish the game, his sharp outing was more than enough to end the Cubs' four-game losing skid. It was a big lift after being swept by the White Sox and flying to the west coast, then getting ready for Monday's game on little sleep. Lilly's final line: 8+IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 Ks.



The game was over when: Mark DeRosa cranked his second homer of the night, a grand slam to make it 9-0 in the eighth. DeRosa, who will be filling in for Aramis Ramirez (family issue in the Dominican Republic) for three games, also homered in the fifth.

Up next: Cubs-Giants, 9 tonight, WGN. Jason Marquis vs. Matt Cain. Marquis looks to continue his success on the road and bounce back from a dismal start at Wrigley last week against the Orioles.