What is it with this team? They will play three or four games and just hit the ball like crazy. (See Alfonso Soriano) and then they will play a couple of down right terrible games and not even make contact. Is it the early season games? Shouldn’t everyone be locked in and seeing the ball well? I don’t know but this next week of games could tell us a lot about this team.

The guys will head to Pittsburgh starting Tuesday night and then will take on the Reds in a weekend series. All six of those games should be wins for the club. Look for the team to get off on the right foot against the Pirates as Ryan Dempster will take the mound. I expect Dempster to have a quality outing and hopefully the offense stays hot and smacks around the Pirates pitching staff.

One guy that still needs to start hitting the ball is Aramis Ramirez. A-Ram is currently batting just 1.55 and will have two full days off before the game on Tuesday night. I don’t care what people say, Aramis needed more at bats during Spring Training. If you are going to the plate trying to hit 4-run home runs with no one on base your head isn’t in the game and you should probably just be on the bench.

The Cubs need to go on a nice run this week and move within a few games of the Cardinals. They can’t get down by 7-8 games as it will be hard to battle back against the Red Birds who look to be very strong this year.

It all starts Tuesday night with Dempster on the mound…

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Cubs Blog

Cubs offense heats up and goes 7-3 in last ten games

After the game Lou said that he would once again tinker with the line up and try to get a little spark in the offense. One guy that needs to start swinging the bat better is Aramis Ramirez. If you remember back in spring training, Ramirez said he only needed ten at bats to get ready for the season and it wasn’t a big deal with him missing time due to the sore arm. Well it looks like A-Ram could have used some more at bats down in Arizona as he is swinging the bat like a girl right now.

Alfonso Soriano is another guy that needs to get on base more often. Only expect Soriano to play seven innings during close games and Lou has been pulling him late in games and inserting Tyler Colvin in for defensive purposes. I find it funny that now Soriano says he will stop the hop before catching a ball. Hmm, why did you even start that Sori?

Now the Cubs will go on a week long road trip with stops in New York City and Milwaukee. These are all in win-able games for the Cubs so hopefully we can see a 5-2 road trip or similar.

Cubs Blog

Astros spoil the Cubs homestand

Three home runs by Cubs players led the team to a 9-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. In the five-run third inning Xavier Nady got the scoring started with a three-run shot which was then followed by a single from Alfonso Soriano before second basemen Jeff Baker hit a ball that cleared the left field bleachers for a two run shot.

Following a rbi single off the bat of Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez connected on a two-run homer that gave starting pitcher Ryan Dempster a big lead to work with. It was a good thing as well because Dempster would only pitcher into the sixth inning and was charged with seven hits and five runs. Dempster did eat some innings but does need to do a better job of getting out of jams without serving up three run homers like he did to Ryan Braun.

It was great to see Jeff Samardzija pitch a scoreless eighth inning. Lou said before the game that he only wanted to use Jeff if the Cubs had a decent lead and he could get in there and just throw the ball. Samardzija needs quick innings like that to really regain confidence in himself as well as the coaching staff.

The teams wills be off on Tuesday and will be back at Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon. Randy Wells will be on the mound for the Cubs as they try to open the season at 2-0 at home.

Cubs Blog

Cubs beat Brewers in home opener

The Cubs will kick off their 2010 Spring Training games this afternoon against the Oakland Athletics. No matter how the game goes this afternoon, there are questions that the Cubs and management will need to address before the season starts. To me, these are the keys of the 2010 Cubs season.

1. Will Carlos Zambrano win 15 games this season?
2. Will Ted Lilly recover from his injuries?
3. Will Alfonso Soriano finally play in 150 games in one season for the Cubs?
4. Is Aramis Ramirez’s shoulder 100% and can he stay off of the disabled list?
5. Can Derrek Lee stay healthy?
6. Who will win the second base job? Mike Fontenot or Jeff Baker?

One thing if for certain. Anything that new center fielder Marlon Byrd does will be an improvement over Milton Bradley did in 2009. Having Byrd in center will also allow Kosuke Fukudome to move back to his natural right field position.

Let’s set back and see how some of these spring training games go and hope that the team stays injury free. Staying injury free and getting Ted Lilly back will be the keys to the Cubs starting off the season on the right in my mind. Let’s just hope that it happens.

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Cubs Blog

Cubs ready for first Spring Training 2010 game

So the team is basically playing with a bunch of young guys and the veterans that are playing should probably be sitting on the bench due to nagging injuries. The team has already shut down Alfonso Soriano, Rich Harden, Angel Guzman and Kevin Gregg. They might as well add Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez to that list as both should just rest and let some youngsters play.

Then there is the whole Milton Bradley situation. Right when I heard what happened I told my friends that Bradley was done as a Cub. I don’t care if he wants to come back there is no way the fans would stay off him he would simply not be productive in a Cubs uniform. Lou even said on Tuesday during a press conference that Jim Hendry would be looking for a big bat that can knock in some runs in the middle of the order. He even referenced Bradley’s 40 RBI’s and said that simply wasn’t getting the job done.

So let’s see how these last six games playout and hopefully the team can close out the season on a high note and have something to look forward to in 2010. Before we know it, we will all have our hopes up once again and spring traning will be kicking off. I mean we are Cubs fans afterall.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Cubs look to close out the season on a high note

Alfonso Soriano once again misplayed a fly ball which accounted for a three base error and allowed the White Sox to score. Before that play in the eighth inning, the Cubs were right there in it as it was only a 1-0 ballgame. Soriano man, come on!

The tough luck loser was Ryan Dempster who threw a great game. He didn’t call Soriano out in his press conference as he said we are a 25 man team and we just have to keep on going out there and playing. Soriano should be the one up there saying my fault, I totally messed up once again. Maybe I would be better to sit on the bench and let Jake Fox or Sam Fuld play left field.

It looks like the Rockies are going to lose this afternoon as well so the Cubs could have picked up a full game had they been able to hit the damn ball and catch a fly ball. Is it to early to ask “Can this season just be over?”

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

No offense and terrible defense hurt Cubs in 5-0 loss

Despite winnings two out of three games, the Cubs find themselves ten games out in the division as the Cardinals just continue to pile up the wins. In the wild card, the Cubs are 5.5 games back with four teams ahead of them in the standings.

I would not expect to see Alfonso Soriano play a whole lot the remainder of the season. Soriano received a cortisone shot to help out with some inflamation around his knee and has not played the past couple of days. I would rather just see Soriano take it easy and get Jake Fox some more playing time in left field.

Win will Carlos Zambrano have another dominating performance? He has stunk it up since coming back from the disabled list. Eleven hits in 3 1/3 innings simply is not earning your pay check Carlos!

Milton Bradley had a great weekend and has been swinging the bat like Cubs fans had hoped for when he signed a three year free agent contract in the off season. I’ll give Milton some good press even though the media is all over him for what he says in his interview. I’m one fan that would like to see Bradley in a Cubs uniform next season. I think he is still capable of being a very good baseball player and he can do that for the Cubs in my opinion.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Cubs take two of three against the Mets

Randy Wells got tagged early as the Nationals scored in the first three innings of the game. Three runs in the first inning and then single runs in the second and third innings put the Cubs down 5-0 before Aramis Ramirez tried to get the team back in it with a two run home run. The five early runs were enough to get the win however and give Wells his seventh loss of the season. Randy is now 9-7 in his rookie season.

The Cubs had a good shot to tie the game in the eighth inning however Derrek Lee was called out at home plate when he attempted to scored on a wild pitch. Lee was actually safe because Nationals reliever Sean Burnett did not tag him with the ball and instead his glove which did not have the ball. Blown call that went against the Cubs. It would have been the third run scored of the game for Lee as he also scored on Ramirez’s homerun and also hit a solo home run. Overall a good game for Lee.

One player that did not have a good game was Milton Bradley. Bradley went 0-4 and has got the entire city of Chicago yelling at him it seems like. Milton needs to takes Alfonso Soriano’s advice and just try to block everything out. And fans, lay off him when he is out in the city or grabbing a bite to eat with family. Keep it at the ballpark.

The Cubs have gone 6-15 since Aug. 5 to fall nine games behind St. Louis in the NL Central. Before that skid, they had won 14 of 19 and were tied for first place. Terrible way to close out the season like they are doing right now.

***Also during the game it was announced that Rich Harden and Aaron Heilman were claimed off waivers by a team. The Cubs now have this weekend to work out a deal with the teams involved if they choose.***

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

The Cubs have yet another bad series

“I’m ticked off,” Dempster said. “I could’ve made better pitches. Guys put up runs early. I gave up a home run to the one guy [Adrian Gonzalez] in the lineup who you don’t want to beat you. It was a first-pitch split and he hit it out. I felt I could’ve been better. You allow 11 baserunners, you’re going to have a tough time winning the game.”

The Padres also tacked on two more runs in the eighth inning off of reliver Angel Guzman when rookie Kyle Blanks hit a inside the park home run. It just isn’t your teams night when the opposing team hits a inside the park home run.

The Cubs offense once again struggled as they couldn’t pick up Dempster and Guzman. Derrek Lee did hit his 24th home run of the season but other than that the team only had rbi singles from Alfonso Soriano (his 1500th hit) and Dempster. This offense is struggling and Lou doesn’t know what to do with them.

The Cubs know they need to go on a long winning streak but I don’t think they can perform under pressure to get it done. I don’t see this team making the post season.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Dempster strikes out ten but Cubs fall 6-3

There wasn’t a beer throwing incident today, but the same old thing. Terrible pitching and the lack of offense. Ryan Dempster pitched seven innings but struggled as he fell to 6-6 on the year. Dempster gave up home runs to Ryan Howard and Pedro Feliz in the fourth inning and that was enough runs for the Phillies as the Cubs offense could only push across one run.

The Cubs lone run would come off the bat of shortstop Ryan Theriot in the fifth inning. Theriot knocked in Jeff Baker with a single to center field. The offense is going to continue sucking it up until Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto start hitting the ball. They are hitting like pansies right now and it sure isn’t fun to watch that’s for sure.

The sweep for the Phillies at Wrigley Field was their first since the 1984 season. That’s how bad things are for the Cubs right now. Good news, the Pirates are coming to town for a weekend series and the Cubs should be able to get back on the winning track. The question is if they can catch the Cardinals who are now 4.5 games ahead in the division.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Another day, another Cubs loss

Soriano wasn’t the only Cubs to go deep as Aramis Ramirez hit his ninth of the year and Andres Blanco also hit his first career home run.

Randy Wells threw a gem as he tossed eight shut out innings to improve to 7-4 on the year. He is the first Cubs rookie start to win atleast seven games in a season since Kerry Wood did it back in 1998. Wells now has a 2.84 for the year.

The only downside of the game was that Reed Johnson suffered a broken eft foot after fouling a ball off himself in the first inning, and could miss a month or more.

Sorry for the short post, but since I wasn’t able to watch the game I don’t have a lot of input this evening. The Cubs are now up 2-1 in the series and will look for the series win on Thursday afternoon. Let’s all hope for a Cardinals loss and the Cubs flag will be flying at the top on Thursday!

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Cubs hammer the Astros 12-0

“I never thought about it, to hit a grand slam,” Soriano said. “I just wanted to try put the ball in the air, try to score the run because it was the 13th inning. I made a very good swing.”

The only other run in the game for the Cubs came off the bat of Derrek Lee who smashed a fastball from Wandy Rodriguez deep to left field. I think it was one of the hardest hit balls by Lee who is really seeing the ball well and making some very good contact.

I was pretty mad with out things turned out in the bottom of the ninth inning when the Cubs had a great chance to end the game then. Pitch hitter Mike Fontenot came to the plate with the bases loaded and just one out. Fontenot couldn’t execute a suicide squeeze and Milton Bradley was meat at home plate. I think in that situation if Lou had talked about the squeeze play going on before Fontenot entered the game, he would have been better off sending Andres Blanco in there to get the job done.

Carlos Zambrano was the starting pitcher for the Cubs and he threw great. Just one mistake to Carlos Lee in  the second innings when he had Lee down 0-2 and Lee took Big Z deep to center field for the Astros lone run in the game. Just another no decision for the big guy.

Jeff Samardzija pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win and improve his record to 1-1.

The Cubs got some good news on Monday as Ryan Dempster says everything feels fine and he will make his return on Tuesday night against the Astros. Expect Dempster to be on a 80-85 pitch count tonight.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Soriano’s grand slam in the 13th wins it for the Cubs

Alfonso Soriano heated up over the weekend which was great too see. Soriano hit a home run in both games over the weekend as he recovered from a swollen / jammed finger that he sustained earlier in the series.

I wanted to let everyone know that the blog is now available via Twitter as well at @chicagocubsblog . Go ahead and add the blog and you will be notified anytime there is a new post here at the blog. This next week I will be in Las Vegas celebrating our third wedding anniversary so I will be updating via Twitter rather then here on the actual blog. Hope you all add us @chicagocubsblog and let’s see the Cubs move into first place this week!

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Weekend recap and CBB is now on Twitter!

The best chance the team came to scoring was in the eighth inning when they had two base runners on with the top of the lineup coming up. However, Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome both struck out and Derrek Lee then ended the inning by grounding out to second base. Good job Soriano and Fukudome!

Geovany Soto was the only player to show up and actually hit the ball as he led the team with two hits.

Ted Lilly was the tough luck loser even though he threw a pretty good game. Lilly did give up eight hits over seven innings but struck out seven while only walk two Pirates. Two of the Pirates runs were scored with two outs off of Lilly. Ted also made a bad play on a wild pitch when he missed the return throw from Soto as Freddy Sanchez scored.

Just an ugly game as the Pirates even the series up at one game each. The rubber match will be Wednesday night and it will be Randy Wells trying to get the win for the Cubs.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Cubs show why they are a .500 team

Good job Gregg, way to blow another game for the team. I’ve blogged over and over that Gregg is not a capable closer for this team. This was the third time this season that he has blown a save and is now 2-2 on the season. I wish I would have been able to start off this article talking about Micah Hoffpauir hitting a go ahead two run blast in the eighth inning but that is pretty much forgotten thanks to Gregg.

Carlos Zambano ends up with a no decision as well in the game. Big Z tossed seven innings and limited the Tigers to just five hits and three runs. Zambrano gave up a two run home run to Brandon Inge and a rbi triple to Placido Polanco in the game. Not a bad outing for Zambrano but not good enough to get the victory in the end.

The Cubs offense wasn’t hitting the ball that well tonight as they faced off against Tigers starter Edwin Jackson. Jackson held the Cubs to just four hits and two runs over his seven innings of action. Derrek Lee did extend his hitting streak to 20 with a double in the sixth inning. Lee also had a rbi in the first inning when he scored Alfonso Soriano on a fielders choice. Geovany Soto added a sacrafice fly in the sixth inning as well.

So now instead of being up 1-0 in the series the Cubs are down 0-1 and will have to face Rick Porcello who is 8-4 on the season. Had the Cubs won tonight, I really liked their chances of winning two out of three in Detroit and winning the series. Not now, I don’t think the Cubs will beat Porcello, but they should win on Thursday.

Keep those heads up Cubs fans. One of these times Gregg will actually do his job.

- Cliff

Cubs Blog

Ryan Raburn says take that Kevin Gregg!