Exactly what I did not want to happen even though last night it appeared it was guranteed to happen.  Jim Edmonds has had a physical today in Chicago and if he passes that physical he will be the newest member of the Chicago Cubs.   We blogged here at CCB last night about the deal, and why we didn’t want it to happen so I won’t get into all that again.

But it appears that Felix Pie is headed back down to the minor leagues where he has proven that can hit and defend down there without any problems.  He needs work at the major league level, and right now the Cubs aren’t going to give him that chance.  Hell before we know, Pie will be out of options in the minor leagues.

Please Edmonds, suck it up so the Cubs can release you in the first two weeks.

The Chicago Cubs were on the wrong side of a slugfest at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night as they lost to the rivals from the north 10-7.  The loss was the fourth in the five games for the Cubs who have hit a slump after coming out of the gates strong.

The Cubs could never get going as the Brewers scored in six of nine innings against the Cubs pitching staff.  Jason Marquis got the start on the mound and lasted five innings as he gave up ten hits and five runs.  Kevin Hart gave up three runs, Sean Marshall and Jon Leiber also gave up a earned run out of the bullpen.

The Cubs batters faced a wild Ben Sheets who walked seven batters but the Cubs couldn’t string together three or four hits in a row to take advantage of all those walks and put up a big number on the scoreboard.

Mike Fontenot did double with the bases loaded to pick up three RBI but that was about the Cubs only big hit that scored more then one run at a time.  Derrek Lee did connect for his eighth home run in the in the third inning and finished with that one RBI.  Reed Johnson, Felix Pie, and Marquis all had one RBI as well.

It is time the Cubs get back to winning some games, and they really need to pick up the win tomorrow when they face the Brewers once again.  You can’t keep dropping these divisional games and expect to win the division.

So will the Cubs get the win tomorrow?  Leave us a comment and let us know!

The Chicago Cubs are playing some good baseball and that showed Monday night when they faced the New York Mets at Wrigley Field.  A 2-1 ballgame was quickly 7-1 after the Cubs put up five runs in the bottom of the eigth inning with some patience at the plate and timely hitting.

Aramis Ramirez first got the Cubs on the scoreboard with a two run home run in the fourth inning.  Ramirez is heating up the last couple of games, hopefully he continues to hit the ball with power and knock in some more runs.

With the score 2-1 heading into the eigth inning, Ronny Cedeno hit a bases loaded single to center field to put the Cubs up 4-1.  Cedeno really battled during the at bat and came away with the hit.  Cedeno was added to the lineup about 30 minutes before first pitch after Ryan Theriot was scratched with bask spasms.

After Cedeno’s single, Felix Pie came up to the plate and hit a three run home run his first home run of the season.  You could see how excited the young player was after hitting the home run.  He has been putting more work in at the batting cage and he just kept telling himself “go through your front foot” just like manager Lou Piniella has been trying to tell him.

Kosuke Fukudome had a huge at bat in the eigth inning as well when he made Mets reliever Aaron Heilman throw 10 pitches to him.  Fukudome said that he kept fouling off pitches that were close until he got a ball he knew he could hit hard and that is what he did as he hit a single to left field.

Big Carlos Zambrano pitched great during his seven innings.  Zambrano only allowed five hits and one earned run.  He did walk two batters but also struckout four batters.  The doubel play balled came up big for Zambrano as he got four double plays off the Mets bats.  Zambrano is now 3-1 on the season as he is throwing the ball really well.

Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood pitched hitless baseball the last two innings of the game.

The Cubs and Mets will finish up the short two games series Tuesday afternoon as Ted Lilly tries to get on track and pick up his first win of the season.  Lilly needs to come out and get on track right away in the game so he can get a little bit of confidence going.  Hopefully he will do that and the Cubs will get another victory.

The Chicago Cubs are going to play Kosuke Fukudome in center field for a couple of games during spring training.  The plan is to get his feet wet just incase he is needed during the season at the position.  Fukudme is still planned to be the everyday right fielder for the Cubs so don’t put much into this right now.

The only way I see Fukudome moving to center field is if Felix Pie starts off very slow or gets injured.  Pie needs to play everyday and hopefully that is what the Cubs will do.  Fukudome would rather play right field as well so this is pretty much just an insurance deal.

The Chicago Cubs are 1-0 in Cactus League play as they defeated the San Francisco Giants 12-6.  The Cubs got off to a fast start as they jumped out to a 8-0 lead after only three innings of play.

Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot both had good days hitting the ball.  Fontenot hit a pitchit three run homer and Theriot reached base three times and scored all three times. � Felix Pie also had a pretty good game as he hit a home run and also took a walk in the game.

Kosuke Fukudome was hit by a pitch in his first at bat and then later singled and drew a walk to reach base all three times.

The Cubs face a split squad of Giants again on Friday, this time at Mesa’s HoHoKam Park. Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano will oppose Giants left-hander Jonathan Sanchez.

Spring Training is in full force around the league and the Chicago Cubs are getting ready for some intersquad games and then some games against other teams in the next week.  Ah, it is an exciting time of the year isn’t it?

Manager Lou Piniella has said he would like to bat Fukudome in the #3 spot and then move Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez down a spon in the order. � That would make the batting order look similar to this:

1.  Alfonso Soriano
2.  Ryan Theriot
3.  Fukudome
4.  Derrek Lee
5.  Aramis Ramirez
6.  Mark DeRosa
7.  Geovany Soto
8.  Felix Pie
9.  Pitchers spot

The batting order looks pretty good to me, although Theriot is the #2 spot I’m not too sure of to be honest.

As for Mark DeRosa, he was hospitalized over the weekend with an irregular heartbeat but after being checked out and staying the night in the hospital, everyone thinks that he shouldn’t miss to much time away from the team.  He will have a few more tests done on today (Monday) and then should be back out on the field within the next few days probably.  He will be closesly monitored however.

Relief pitcher Jose Ascanio showed up with a swollen face and black eye as he was punched during an attempted robbery at a convience store in Scottsdale.  The alledge robber asked Ascanio for some money and when he replied he didn’t have any, the robber punched him in the face.

Piniella also mentioned over the weekend that batters are pretty far behind the pitchers at this point in Spring Training.  Lee and Fukudome both had their problems trying to hit off of Kerry Wood reports have said.  Lee commented on Wood’s curveball, and Fukudome had a hard time getting a hit off Wood as well.  From every report I have read so far, Wood is in very good shape and is throwing the best he has in a very long time.

We should have another updating during the middle of the week, so make sure to keep checking back!

Cubs Blog

The 2008 Cubs Convention was held this past weekend at the Chicago Hilton.  There were trade rumors, batting order announcements, the rumors about the Cubs being sold, and much much more throughout the weekend so I’ll try to give you all a little cliffnotes version.

First off about the trade rumor, it was one that has been talked about before involving Marlon Byrd of the Texas Rangers.  Jim Hendry would like to get him if possible and platoon him with Felix Pie in centerfield.  I’d rather just let Pie bat against lefties and righties if he is going to be the everyday centerfielder of the future.

Onto the batting order that Lou Piniella came out and said he would us if opening day were today.  Alot of people won’t agree batting batting Ryan Theriot in the second spot as they would rather see Mark Derosa there.  Flip flop DeRosa and Theriot in the lineup and I don’t think it would be that bad of a lineup to be honeset.

1.  Soriano
2.  Theriot
3.  Lee
4.  Ramirez
5.  Kosuke
6.  DeRosa
7.  Soto
8.  Pie
9.  Pitcher

It appears that the Cubs more then likely won’t be sold for quite a while.  The owners would like to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field to squeeze out more money in the deal, and then sell the team as a seperate deal.  One thing I do like is the fact whoever buys the team will have to keep them at Wrigley Field for a certain amount of years.  Right now they are saying 10 years but that could be more around 20 years when the sale goes final.

One interesting comment was made by Carlos Zambrano when he said he would let Ted Lilly pitch opening day.  Zambrano hasn’t won on opening day, and would rather let Lilly try.  Lilly says he is up for it if given the opportunity.  Zambrano didn’t come out and say much more then that which was a good thing lol.

Cubs Blog

The Cubs and Orioles trade that would have sent Sean Gallagher and atleast one other player to the Orioles for Brian Roberts has been put on hold by the Orioles.  They still want to do the trade with the Cubs, but want to concentrate on trades involving Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada.

One name you won’t see in the trade for Roberts will be Felix Pie.  Jim Hendry said the only way Pie gets moved is in a much larger trade.

Cubs Blog

I have been watching the remaining playoff games, and I’m still pissed off that the Cubs aren’t playing.  Am I the only one?  I wouldn’t think so but who knows lol.

I started thinking forward to the 2008 season, and what we might see out of the Chicago Cubs. Manager Lou Piniella will be back for his second season that is for sure. Will the team resign Kerry Wood?  Wil Geovany Soto be the opening day catcher?  What do you do with Jacque Jones?  Will Cliff Floyd be back?

As far as the free agents on the Cubs roster, I would expect the team to sign Kerry Wood, Daryle Ward, and Cliff Floyd if he chooses to come back.  Also, Scott Eyre does have a players option and has stressed that he would love to stay with the Cubs.  Time will tell what they do with Eyre, but I would expect him to be in Cubbie Blue in 08 as well.

That leaves Steve Trachsel and Jason Kendell as the free agents that the team would let go.  Neither player has a future with the Cubs team I don’t feel.  Atleast I sure hope not.

Right now I think we can expect Geovany Soto to be the starting catcher, Aramis Ramirez at thirdbase, Ryan Theriot at shortstop (would love to upgrade), Mark DeRosa playing second base, Derrek Lee at first, Alfonso Soriano out in leftfield, Jacque Jones/Felix Pie in centerfield, and Matt Murton in rightfield.

Time will only tell what the Cubs will be able to do as far as signing free agents and trades this offseason.� With the team up for sale, and no owner in place as of right now, nothing to drastic is going to happen.� I’d love to pick up a right fielder and a shortstop, but I understand if nothing happens at those positions as well.

The Chicago Cubs sure aren’t playing like they are in a playoff chase right now.  They aren’t hitting, they aren’t pitching, and the bullpen has been sucking it up as of late. 

It was another bad game for the Cubs on Tuesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated them 6-2 at Wrigley Field.  Steve Trachsel was making his 2007 Cubs debut and lasted six innings giving up seven hits and three runs.  Trachsel will hope for better luck during his next outing, and hopefully the offense can help him out some.

In the 7th inning, Kerry Wood came in and had a terrible outing as he gave up seven hits and three arned runs.  It was Wood’s worst performance since rejoining the team in 2007.  Hopefully it was just a one time thing and Kerry will get out there and get a 1-2-3 inning in his next opportunity.

Kevin Hart, called up from Double-A Tennessee on Tuesday, made his Major League debut in the eighth. It was a tough introduction, as Hart entered with the bases loaded and none out. He walked Ramon Martinez on four straight pitches to force in a run, then got pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney looking at strike three. Rafael Furcal flew out to left, and Alfonso Soriano threw out Martin at home to end the inning.

It was the Cubs offense that couldn’t help out the pitches like the should have been.  They would get runners on, but just like all season they could never come up with that two or three run homerun to get the runners in.  This team is built for power and homeruns but it just isn’t happening.  Instead they are grounding into double plays every other ending to end the little rally they had going.  After Tuesdays game, Lou Piniella said that he will be making some changes and getting more speed into the lineup.  Hopefully more speed will equal more runs for the Cubs.  I would expect to see Felix Pie in center field if Piniella really wants to see speed.