General manager Jim Hendry has countered the Milwaukee Brewer’s trade for CC Sabathia with a trade of his own.  Hendry and the Oakland Athletics worked out a trade that will send Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin to the Cubs for Matt Murton, Eric Patterson, Josh Donaldson, and Sean Gallagher.

I don’t mind one bit giving up Murton and Patterson in the deal, I would have rather had someone else go instead of Gallagher but you have to give up something good to get something good in return.  Murton should now get some good playing time on the A’s so the trade is very good for him.  I’m not sure what the A’s plan will be for Patterson but Gallagher could go right into their rotation.

So Cubs fans, is Hendry done wheeling and dealing?

The Chicago Cubs defeated the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night by the score of 6-5 after Mike Fontenot hit the game winning home run in the top off the eighth inning off Giants reliever Tyler Walker.  Fontenot came up big for the Cubs as the Giants had just tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Giants were able to tie the game up when Ray Durham hit a three run home run off of Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol.  I don’t know what is going on with Marmol but I sure hope it is all mental and nothing physical is wrong.  Marmol just hasn’t been the same the last two weeks or so.  Even though Marmol gave up the three run homer, he ended up getting the win in the game and is now 2-3.

Kerry Wood was finally back in the game and in the spot where he could get the save for the Cubs.  Woody gave up one hit but struck out two batters and nothced his 21st save of the year.  Wood has had a great year so far in the closers role.

Ryan Dempster pitched a quality start for the Cubs as he lasted six innings.  Dempster gave up a two run homer to John Bowker but that was really his only mistake in the game where he gave up five hits and two runs while striking out seven.  Even with the quality start, Dempster is still winless on the road this season.

Jim Edmonds swung the bat good once again as he had a two run home run in the sixth inning.  Geovany Soto added two runs on a rbi single in the seventh inning for the Cubs.  Matt Murton got the Cubs scoring going in the second inning when he grounded into a double play and Edmonds scored.  Of course Fontenot also had one rbi in the game with his game winning home run.

The Cubs will now send Sean Gallager to the mound on Thursday as the Cubs and Giants will battle it out once again before the Cubs fly to St. Louis for a big weekend series.

The Chicago Cubs got a great pitching performance out of Ted Lilly who threw his best game of the year and then a great performance out of Mark DeRosa at the plate as they beat the San Francisco Giants by the score of 9-2.  It was a great win for the Cubs who really kept the pressure on the Giants all game long with runners getting on base.  The Cubs could have made the score a lot worse then it was in my opinion but they left 24 runners on base against Barry Zito and the Giants bullpen.

Lilly pitched into the ninth inning until he ran into some problems and the Cubs had to call on Kerry Wood.  Wood then gave up a double that scored two runs (both runs were charged to Lilly), and walked a batter before finally ended the game with a fly out to center field.  Lilly improved to 9-5 with the victory as he threw the ball very good.

DeRosa was filling in for some big shoes at third base and he filled those shoes with out any problems.  DeRosa was playing third base for Aramis Ramirez who will miss the Giants series as he takes care of an emergency down in the Dominican Republic.  DeRosa hit a two run home run in the fifth inning that traveled over 410 feet and then added a grand slam in the eighth inning to really blow the game wide open.  DeRosa finished with six rbi in the game and was the Cubs MVP at the plate.

Matt Murton got the start out in left field and went 2-4 with a two run double in the third inning.  I’d like to see Murton get some more playing time out there and I know a lot of other Cubs fans do as well.  Kosuke Fukudome also added a rbi single in the game for the Cubs.  Besides leaving 24 runners on base, the Cubs did a really job at the plate on Monday night.

Jason Marquis will now take the mound on Tuesday night as the Cubs try to win their second straight road game.  He will face off against Matt Cain who will pitch for the Giants.

The Chicago Cubs lost their second game in a row as they lost to the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.  Bob Howry gave up a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Nationals went on to win.

Will Nieves took Howry deep to right field when Nieves swung at a ball that was high and outside.  He said he was just trying to move the runner along, but got good wood on the ball and it went over the fence.  Howry’s record dropped to 0-2 on the season.

Ryan Dempster had started the game for the Cubs and pitched seven innings while giving up three runs (two were earned).  Dempster gave up a two run home run to Nick Johnson in the first inning but then settled down the rest of the game.

Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez, and Matt Murton all had RBI for the Cubs.  They stranded 19 base runners as they had plenty of chances to put more runs on the scoreboard, but they just didn’t come up with the big hit when they needed it.

The Cubbies will try to get back on their winning ways Saturday evening when they take on the Nationals once again.  It will be Carlos Zambrano vs Matt Chico.  I think the Cubs come out and win this game without any trouble.  What do you think?

The Chicago Cubs completed a three game sweet of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday with a 13-6 victory.  Ryan Dempster picked up the win to improve to 3-0 on the season.  Aramis Ramirez and Ryan Theriot both had a good day at the plate.

Theriot had four hits, including two doubles and two RBIs, while Ramirez contributed three hits and four RBIs, including his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth.  Derrek Lee and Matt Murton both had two RBI while Ronny Cedeno had one RBI.

In the games on Friday and Saturday, the Cubs picked up 3-2 and 13-1 victories over the Pirates.  On Friday, Rich Hill picked up his first win of the season as he tossed five innings.  On Saturday, Jason Marquis picked up his first win of the season as the Cubs crushed the Pirated 13-1.

After the three game sweep, the Cubs are tied for first place with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Keep on playing good baseball!

The redhead is back with the Chicago Cubs!  Matt Murton was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Friday and Eric Patterson was sent back down to Triple-A.  Patterson was called up after the Alfonso Soriano injury and went 0-6.

We will see if Murton gets any starts out in left field or if he will come off the bench like most people are thinking.  If he can hit the ball and get on base I think he is a better option in left field then Mark DeRosa, who is better suited at second base.

What does everyone else think?

Talks are getting very serious again between the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles as the two teams try to work out a deal for Brian Roberts and possibly Jay Payton.

Roberts and Payton would be sent to Chicago for a package deal of Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno and Matt Murton possibly.  I’d rather keep Marshall or Gallagher and throw in Jason Marquis into the deal but I don’t know if they Orioles would want to take on his contract.

Payton would be that right handed hitting outfielder that can play multiple positions that Cubs have been looking for, and they could finally land Roberts as well.  What do you think Cubs fans? Do you think this deal will get done?

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 broke though with a run in the 8th inning and then made sure to hold onto the 3-2 lead against the Cincinnatti Reds Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.  The made sure the Cubs would atleast be in a tie for first with the Brewers and could be up a game in the divison if the Astros can beat the Brewers who are currently in extra innings.

It was a crazy 8th inning of the game as Ryan Theriot started off with a single to right field that Ken Griffey Jr. bobbled which allowed Theriot to move to second.  Derrek Lee then hit a sharp single to right field and while Griffey was attempting to make a hard throw into homeplate he looked to have some sort of abdominal strain.  Theriot wasn’t sure what was going on, and with only one out in the ballgame, he stayed at third base.  With Theriot on at third, and Lee on at first, Matt Murton hit a sinking line drive to left field that Adam Dunn appeared to catch but the umpire ruled that he trapped it as Theriot scored from third.  Replays did show that Dunn did indeed make the catch and the Cubs finally got a break that would usually go against them.

Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto hit two solo homeruns in the game as well.  Soriano hit the first pitch in the bottom of the 1st inning and then Soto connected in the 5th inning.

Ted Lilly through an awesome game on the mound tonight to lead the pitchers.  Lilly threw seven strong innings while allowing five hits and two earned runs which were both solo homeruns.  Lilly came up big tonight and got out of all the jams that he was in.

Bob Howry came in and finished out the last two innings of the game.  It was a somewhat suprising movie by Lou Piniella when he kept Howry in the ballgame to pitch the 9th inning after sitting on the bench during the long bottom of the 8th, but Piniellas move worked and the Cubs went on to win.

The Cubs have an off day tomorrow before starting a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.  I feel the Cubs need to sweep the Pirates to stay with the Brewers in the division.  Lets hope after the weekend the Cubbies are ahead in the division by a few games!  GO CUBS GO!

Carlos Zambrano was working on three days rest and things did not go planned for him or the Chicago Cubs tonight as they lost to the Cincinnatti Reds 5-2 at Wrigley Field.

Zambrano only lasted 5.1 innings while giving up seven hits and four earned runs.  Since Zambrano signed his new five year deal on August 17th, he is 2-4 and definately not pitching the way he is capable of.  I don’t like the fact he was going on three days rest, he really doesn’t seem like the type of pitcher that can pitch on sort rest the way he goes out each time when he pitches.

Jacque Jones was the only Cubs player to get an RBI tonight.  Jones singled in the 4th inning that scored Aramis Ramirez and Matt Murton.

It was bad news as well tonight as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Houston Astros and moved into a tie with the Cubs for the lead in the central division.  This race is going to come down to the last 1-2 ballgames of the year I’m afraid.  The Cubs need to beat the teams they are capable of beating and then move on into the playoffs.  GO CUBS GO…