9-6 in August and an enjoyable run

The Cubs are 18-14 since the All-Star Break -- not too shabby for a team that looked like it was in total disarray the first half of the season. Chicago is playing good baseball right now with a lot of missing parts, but give Dusty Baker credit for rallying his troops. He's not a manager that has a reputation for playing youngsters, but with the emergence of Matt Murton (.379, 5 2B, 4 HR, 15 RBI), Angel Pagan (.315, 13 R, 3 SB), and Ronny Cedeno (.241, 3 HR, 3 SB) the past month, things are looking up in ChiTown.

I really want management to lock up 3B Aramis Ramirez and CF Juan Pierre for the next few years. Couple that duo with C Michael Barrett, 1B Derrek Lee, and SS Cesar Izturis, and that would be a pretty formidable lineup for the future.

If the Cubs could have somehow played .400 baseball in May/June, then Chicago would have been in the thick of a very mediocre N.L. Wild Card race. Here's hoping for a 5-3 or better home-stand vs. the likes of St. Louis and Philadelphia and a chance to be a major spoiler come Labor Day!

Two weeks of good baseball

Finally!

After suffering along with every other Cubs fan on this planet during the miserable months of May and June, Chicago has finally put together a good run. Not since the season's opening 14-8 start have the Cubs played baseball this well as a two-week run of 10-4 indicates. It will be interesting to see how it pans out this year, but if the Cubs can continue to "show up" and play the game the way it is intended, then I won't have much to argue about. Chicago is 5-2-2 in its last nine series and that is encouraging.

My suggestion is to lock up CF Juan Pierre for at least another year and in my opinion a three-year deal would be justified -- his presence in the leadoff spot is something the Cubs haven't had since Kenny Lofton in 2003. I would also like to see a Barry Zito added to a starting rotation that looks like it is shaping up as Carlos Zambrano-Mark Prior-Rich Hill-Sean Marshall/Carlos Marmol for next year. Throw in a Juan Mateo in the bullpen along with Scott Eyre, Bobby Howry, Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster, and Michael Wuertz, and the pitching staff looks pretty solid.

Diamond corners of Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez sandwiched around Michael Barrett, Cesar Izturis, and Ronny Cedeno also looks to be formidable. Put Pierre in between a Matt Murton/Angel Pagan and Jacque Jones and that could see some good production as well. Just think if a big bopper could be added to that outfield!

Cubs Sweep St. Louis, Hail Cesar!, & Goodbye Master

Wow! What a weekend.

Chicago bests St. Louis in four games at Wrigley Field -- a feat not achieved since 1972! It was great to see the Central Division leading Cardinals on the ropes four-straight days and for the Cubs to deliver the knockout punch on a consistent basis. Wild and wacky games, but isn't that what mid-summer series are all about? Good job, Chicago -- so far the highlight of a very tough season.

I've been disappointed in Jim Hendry's acquisitions the past two off-seasons, but you have to hand it to the guy -- he has a knack for getting "bang for the buck" at the July 31 trading deadline. Never did I expect a Gold Glove shortstop to be at Wrigley Field next year, but Hendry pulled that off by dealing Cubs-legend Greg Maddux to the Dodgers for Cesar Izturis. I've been very impressed with the little Venezuelan from his tenure in Los Angeles and feel that if Aramis Ramirez and Juan Pierre are retained for next year, then the batting order looks pretty decent -- along with a much better defensive infield.

CF Juan Pierre
SS Cesar Izturis
1B Derrek Lee
3B Aramis Ramirez
C Michael Barrett
RF Jacque Jones
LF Matt Murton/Angel Pagan (hopefully Carlos Lee, which would move him to cleanup)
2B Ronny Cedeno

Don't let Maddux's 2006 numbers tell the tale of this masterful pitcher. Sure a 4.69 ERA seems to be the norm for starting pitchers these days, but it is two points higher than how we remember the 325+ game winner. But to achieve nine wins with the Cubs this year is amazing at 40 years old. He'll fit in perfectly with Los Angeles and it puts him near his "home" of Las Vegas, Nevada. I've never pulled for the Dodgers, but will certainly be pulling for Mad-Dog at Chavez Ravine in August and September!

Brooms were out, but Cubs can't sweep

Oh, so close!

The Cubs received a brilliant start from oft-injured Mark Prior (5 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R) and solid bullpen help, but succumbed to the Mets, 1-0 in 10 innings yesterday. The loss foiled a three-game sweep of N.L. East leading New York and handed Chicago its' 61st loss at the 100-game mark of the year.

However, the Cubs are playing better baseball as the July record of 10-11 (.476) suggests. With five games remaining this month -- four with arch-rival St. Louis beginning tonight -- Chicago has a chance for a winning month for the first time since April (14-10, .583). The month of May (7-22, .241) was so bad that it prohibited the Cubs from their seemingly annual "June Swoon", which saw Chicago post an 8-18 (.308) mark. The boys in blue lead the season series with the Cardinals, 6-3, and hopefully the Cubs will start holding serve at Wrigley Field and continue playing hard-nosed baseball to give the fans something to cheer about the rest of the summer.

Cubs Stink! Cubs Stink!

What a waste of a weekend in the nation's capital. I'm just glad I didn't venture up to Washington, D.C., on a jaunt for MLB this summer. In fact, I'm glad I haven't seen the Cubs in person this year! I know they say that TV adds 10 pounds, but the way the 2006 season has been played out, it looks like everyone of the Cubs (37-60) has been dragged down by the weight of loss after loss. How does an offense get just five hits vs. Tony Armas, Jr., and the Nats?

After blowing the first two games and allowing Washington to claim come-from-behind wins, the Nats just destroyed Chicago 7-1 this afternoon. And once again, another Cubs pitcher left the game with an injury -- this time rookie Carlos Marmol.

Well, now it's onto the Big Apple for a three-game set with the N.L. East Division leading Mets. Did you hear the statistic that Len told Bob today? The Cubs have not won a road game vs. a NL East opponent since August of last year -- a span of 10 games. Unbelievable!

However, tomorrow night is an intriguing pitching matchup of Greg Maddux (7-11, 4.56) vs. former Cub Steve Trachsel (9-4, 4.68). I don't want to see Maddux leave the Windy City, but I hope he gets the opportunity via a trade to participate in the postseason this year. His ERA is better than Trachsel's and maybe a team like San Diego, Los Angeles, or even St. Louis could use him for the stretch run.

Time to get busy Jim Hendry and change the face of this franchise in the next week! My suggestions are to keep 1B Derrek Lee, 3B Aramis Ramirez, C Michael Barrett, CF Juan Pierre, and SP Carlos Zambrano, and dangle every single other player rostered across MLB!

Finding a silver lining while losing

They say that you can find a silver lining in any situation, no matter how bad it is.

Well, I found one yesterday at the conclusion of another loss to the Nationals that dropped the Cubs to 3-5 after the All-Star Break. Scott Williamson was traded for a pair of Class A pitchers.

That's fine with me, because when I looked up Webster's Dictionary for the definition of 'bum', I saw Williamson's mugshot. Sorry to rip the guy, but he was pathetic in Chicago the past two years (2-3, +5.00 ERA) and I implore with Jim Hendry to stop signing post-Tommy John surgery reclamation projects! They are damaged goods from the outset and there is no use trying to dig for gold in that river, because chances are that 1-of-100 ever pitch decently again.

However, I commend Hendry on receiving anything more than a toaster oven for the Louisiana native, especially with the review that AllCubs.com wrote up last night. Fabian Jimenez Angulo (19) and Joel Santo (22) have been compared to Carlos Zambrano and Kyle Farnsworth, respectively, and if either contribute to the Major League team, then you would have to judge this trade a 'success' -- it is to me either way!

Cubs' bullpen implodes, Prior roughed up again

Ouch, that one hurt!

Mark Prior's start was a disaster, but Glendon Rusch (2 2/3 IP, 0 R) looked like he had saved the day when Aramis Ramirez hit his second bomb of the night to put the Cubs up 6-4 in the 7th inning. But, Chicago's most reliable relief pitcher, Bobby Howry, entered the game with one out in the bottom of the 8th and gave up three runs in a 7-6 heart-breaking loss in the nation's capital.

Offensive highlights included another stolen base by Juan Pierre (#36 on the season), who had two hits as did Michael Barrett and Ramirez, and John Mabry filled in for the injured Derrek Lee with his first home run since game two of the season.

Also spoiled was a fine performance by Will Ohman out of the pen as he inherited a two-on and one-out situation in the sixth inning and got out of the jam.

Though the Cubs are playing better ball this month, Dusty Baker's squad is still just .500 in July at 8-8. Today's noon game vs. Washington could be a shootout as Sean Marshall (5-8, 5.00) gets the nod for the Cubs and Livan Hernandez (6 -8. 5.87) starts for the Nats.

Marmol-aid helps Cubs to 2-2 in 2nd Half

After a weekend setting up Kubdom, I had to step away from the PC Sunday night after witnessing not one, but two grand slams by the same team in the same inning. Just when you think you've seen it all, the Cubs make history once again in a drubbing by the Mets.

After an off day on Monday, Chicago bounced back behind the presence of rookie Carlos Marmol (3-3, 3.86), who picked up his third win in seven starts with a 4-2 victory vs. Houston.

As I focus on the "second half of the season, in which the Cubs are 2-2, I tracked the last 10 games in MLB and found that Chicago is one of only three teams with losing records that have been playing better than .500 baseball -- the other two teams are the Braves and Diamondbacks.

Last 10 Games
9-1 = Angels*, Braves, Yankees*
7-3 = Cardinals*, Mets*, Padres*
6-4 = CUBS, Diamondbacks, Rangers*, Red Sox*, Tigers*, Twins*