The Chicago Cubs lost 8-3 to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday as the two teams split a four game series out in San Francisco.  The Cubs were right in the game until the the seventh inning when Carlos Marmol gave up a three run home run to Rich Aurilia.  Something is wrong with Marmol like we have blogged about before.  I just hope the kid can make it to the all stat break and get a much needed rest.  He needs rest for the body and the mind I’m afraid.

Sean Gallagher had one bad inning where he gave up four runs.  He was only charged with three runs however as one of the runs scored unearned due to a Cubs error.  Gallagher is now 3-4 and could be moved to the bullpen soon.

Jose Ascanio gave up two runs while Jon Lieber gave up one run.  The Cubs pitchers just didn’t have it going on the mound.  Hopefully they weren’t thinking ahead to the big weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Mark DeRosa had two rbi to lead the Cubs at the plate. DeRosa doubled in the sixth inning to score Derrek Lee and Jim Edmonds.  Lee had the Cubs first rbi in the first inning when he scored Reed Johnson.  It was nice to see Johnson make his return to the lineup as he went 1-3.

To make room for Johnson on the roster, the Cubs sent Eric Patterson back down to Triple A Iowa.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe July 4th tomorrow and we can all sit down and watch the Cubs beat the Cardinals!

The Chicago White Sox returned the favor to the Chicago Cubs as they south siders pulled away late to beat the Cubs 5-1 and sweep the Cubs in the three game series.  It wasn’t how I pictured the weekend going for the Cubs, but the White Sox bullpen held up all weekend and the Cubs bullpen did not.

Sunday night we say manager Lou Piniella get thrown out of the game after arguing a check swing call that went against the Cubs in the bottom of the second inning.  Piniella rushed out of the dugout towards the first base dugout and was quickly told to stop and get back in the dugout and as he was walking back was thrown out of the game by the home play umpire.  Lou got some words in with him as well.  From what I understood during the telecast last night, both the first base and home plate umpires were called up from the minor leagues for the series.

Sean Marshall pitched pretty good but took the loss and is now 0-2 on the season.  Marshall gave up two home runs, five hits, and three runs over seven innings of action.  Jose Ascanio gave up another home run (two run shot) in the eighth inning as the Jim Thome took him deep to extend the White Sox lead by 4.

The Cubs had chances to score runs in the game but once again failed to come up with the big hit with runners in scoring position.  Only one run for this Cubs offense is pretty bad.  Ronny Cedeno provided the one rbi for the Cubs when he singled in the seventh inning and Mark DeRosa scored.  Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez went a combined 0-11 in the game.

The Cubs boarded a plane right after the game and flew out to California where they will begin a series with the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. Yay more night games on the West coast.  I really hate these late games.

Ok, this move is a little confusing I think.  The Chicago Cubs have sent down Jose Ascanio to Triple-A Iowa and called up Neal Cotts.  Reports are saying that Lou Piniella doesn’t fully trust Scott Eyre down in the bullpen and wanted to get another lefty in there.

Ok, so Ascanio throws the ball very well when given the chance and he still gets sent down for a player who has struggled in the past with the big league team?  I don’t quite understand the move, but half the time us Cubs fans don’t know what Hendry and company are really thinking.

What do you think of this move?

Ok yeah, the Cubs offense sucked up until the ninth inning, but what an exciting win for the Cubs as they were able to come back and tie the game in the ninth, and then go on to win in the tenth inning.  Good teams find ways to win, and that is exactly what the Cubs did against the Dodgers in their 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

In the ninth inning you could tell that Dodgers closer Takashi Saito was having control issues right away as he walked Ryan Theriot to lead off the inning.  It was Saito’s first action in a week and he clearly need some work in between starts.  The Cubs were able to get the bases loaded and then Geovany Soto hit a sacrafice fly to right field to tie the game.

Onto the tenth inning when Mike Fontenot lhit double to the left center gap with one out in the inning.  Alfonso Soriano then stepped up and delivered the game winning hit as he his a curve ball to left field that scored Fontenot from second.  Way to step up like the player you really are Soriano.

Carlos Zambrano was a bit wild tonight as he did walk four batters but give him some credit for lasting eight innings and keeping the Cubs in the game.  Jose Ascanio continues to impress be as he pitched another scoreless inning.  Bob Howry pitched the tenth inning and ended up picking up the win for the Cubs.

The Cubs continue to play great baseball at Wrigley Field and hopefully they will continue doing it as the Colorado Rockies are coming into town for a four game series.

Ryan Dempster gave up a grand slam to Hunter Pence and the Houston Astros went on to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Tuesday night.  That one pitch that barely got over the fence as the only mistake for Dempster on the mound as he pitched six innings.  Dempster is now 5-2 on the season.

One nice things to see after Dempster was taken out of the game was watching Jose Ascanio throw two scoreless innings.  He did have two walks, but showed off his lively arm and how well he can pitch out of the bullepn.  If you hadn’t heard, Ascanio was called up after Chad Fox was moved to the disabled list.

Aramis Ramirez was the only Cubs player to record a rbi in the game.  Ramirez hit a moon shot in the fourth inning for a two run home run.  Derrek Lee had three hits while Mark DeRosa had two hits.  It will be interesting to see if Lee sits tomorrow like Lou Piniella would like do even though Lee wants to play.  One player that I thnk could use another day off is Kosuke Fukudome as he went 0-4 on the night.

The Cubs will try to win the series when they play the Astros on Wednesday.  It will be Sean Gallagher going against Shawn Chacon.

The Chicago Cubs trimmed their spring training roster down by three spots on Thursday.  Sean Gallagher and Jose Ascanio were sent to Triple-A Iowa while Josh Kroeger was re-assigned to the teams minor league camp.

Gallagher is a guy that will probably be called up at some point in the season.  That is if he isn’t traded before hand.  Gallagher is a key player in any trade that happens for Brian Roberts of the Orioles so who knows if he will make another pitcher for the big league Cubs.

The spring roster now has 38 players, and includes 19 pitchers, three catchers, 10 infielders and six outfielders.

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 Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves have made a trade!  The Cubs will be sending Omar Infante and Will Ohman to the Braves for reliver Jose Ascanio.  The 22-year-old Ascanio appeared in just 13 games for the Braves last season, going 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA.

I see this more as a move for clearing 40-man roster spots and getting rid of Ohman’s contract.  Anyone else have any opinions on this trade?  Leave a comment and let us know!