If Cubs don't change losing ways, changes on the way

[IE]

Lee, Lilly, Fukudome, Gorzelanny, Nady prime trade bait, though Lee and Fukudome have no-trade protection


The Cubs have not spoken to teams about trading anyone, sources said Monday, though things could change drastically over the next two or three weeks if they don't come out of their slump.

Despite Sunday's intense 1-0 win over the White Sox, the Cubs are still 7? games behind division-leading Cincinnati and have lost eight of their last 12 games against four sub-.500 teams in Pittsburgh, Houston, Milwaukee and the Sox. There is no good reason to play out the string with the current roster if they're out of contention in July, especially with a bloated payroll that's in dire need of trimming.

Among those considered prime trade bait are Derrek Lee, Ted Lilly, Kosuke Fukudome, Tom Gorzelanny and Xavier Nady, though Lee and Fukudome have no-trade protection. The Cubs have not asked either Lee or Fukudome to waive their no-trade clauses, though Lee would probably be willing to do so for the right team.

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So what's next for the Cubs? Keep an eye on these issues the next two weeks:

Colvin vs. Fukudome
After all the hub-bub created by Steve Stone's comments that Tyler Colvin should be playing more, manager Lou Piniella bit the bullet Sunday and confirmed an AOL Fanhouse report that he would make Colvin an everyday player, or an almost-everyday player at the very least.

"Lou writes the lineups," general manager Jim Hendry said. "The kid has earned the right to play. People who play the best should play the most."

That leaves Fukudome and Nady as the odd-men out of the outfield rotation, and means Ryan Theriot moves back to leadoff, despite only 10 walks and a .321 on-base percentage. Fukudome is hitting .185 in June, prompting his loss of playing time for Colvin. He has virtually no trade value with nearly $21 million remaining on his four-year, $48 million contract.

Hill vs. Soto
Piniella has quietly made Koyie Hill his starting catcher, preferring Hill's defense over Geovany Soto's. Hill has provided little offense ? a .232 average and .264 OBP ? but handles the pitchers well. Soto is hitting .346 against left-handers, and still has a good overall OBP of .407, but he has fallen out of favor with Piniella and will have to settle for a platoon role for the time being. The Cubs are not interested in acquiring Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who would at least inject some life into a moribund clubhouse.

Tracy vs. Baker
Chad Tracy and Jeff Baker are currently sharing the spot at third, and Tracy came up big on Sunday with the game-winning hit and a defensive gem. But when Aramis Ramirez returns from the disabled list, there won't be room for both Tracy and Baker on the roster, and Tracy is out of options and can't be sent back to Triple-A Iowa without clearing waivers.

Wells vs. Wells
Randy Wells has been his own worst enemy, and the Cubs can't continue to throw him out there and watch him put this offensively-challenged team in an early hole. Wells is scheduled to start against the A's on Thursday, and it could be a make-or-break outing for him. He's 0-5 with a 6.47 ERA in his last eight starts after going 3-0 in April. Gorzelanny is wasting away in the bullpen while Wells struggles.

cont' here

 

[IE]

A's head to Wrigley Field, much to delight of players



Craig Breslow has a list of ballparks in which he hopes to pitch before his career ends, and the left-handed reliever gets a chance to check off a big one tonight.

The A's begin a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, their first visit to the legendary Chicago stadium since 2004. That three-game series, in which the Cubs won two, marks the only time the two franchises have met each other in the regular season. The Philadelphia A's beat the Cubs in five games in both the 1910 and 1929 World Series.

Only one current A's player was on their 2004 roster, but second baseman Mark Ellis missed that entire season with a shoulder injury and didn't make the trip. Several current players spent time in the National League and have played games at Wrigley. But for others, this will be their first game at 96-year-old park.

"Having had a chance to play at Dodger Stadium and the old Yankee Stadium, I feel like it's the one storied park that I haven't played in," Breslow said.

Interleague play has its detractors, but it does provide teams the opportunity to visit stadiums they otherwise wouldn't see during the regular season. And the general feeling among A's players is that the next three games will be a special experience.

"We're lucky, because we get to go to Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park all the time," Ellis said. "But to get to go to Wrigley, I'm looking forward to that. I'm kind of disappointed we have two night games. You
think of Wrigley Field, you think of playing day games."

A's first baseman Daric Barton hardly considers himself a baseball history buff, but playing in the majors' landmark stadiums resonates with him. He said one of the highlights of his career, so far, was signing his name on the inside wall of Fenway's Green Monster, a players tradition.

"I found a blank spot (to sign), and that's something I'll remember the rest of my life," Barton said.

Many A's have heard stories of the Wrigley atmosphere ? how the party begins when fans file in for batting practice and continues after the game in the many bars surrounding the residential ballpark.

Reliever Michael Wuertz, who played for the Cubs from 2004-08, spent one season living in an apartment on Addison Street, about three blocks from Wrigley.

"Living close to the stadium and walking to the field every morning, you see people out walking around, waiting to get tickets," Wuertz said. "The fans are kind of hard to explain. If you're not doing well, they let you know about it. And if you're doing well, they'll let you know about that, too. That's the difference between playing (in Oakland) and playing in Chicago. You walk anywhere in (Chicago) and you get recognized, even if you are a middle reliever."

Infielder Adam Rosales, who grew up in Park Ridge, Ill., attended his first game at Wrigley when he was 6. He played there in 2008 and 2009 while with the Reds.

"I remember my first at-bat at Wrigley," he said. "I saw the big green scoreboard out there. I saw where I used to sit in the stands. It was unreal."

Although reliever Brad Ziegler looks forward to this series, he said the ballpark experience was more special ? at any stadium ? before he wore a big league uniform.

"To me, that stuff's cool, but that's kind of the fan side of me," Ziegler said. "I still love the game very much, but I'm not as much a fan of other teams and other ballparks like I was whenever I wasn't affiliated with a team."

cont' here...

 

[Cie]

Great. The cubs are going to be a AAA team by the time I hit Wrigley last weekend in September!!!

 

[Roger Baltrey]

Cie,


As a lifelong Cubs fan, this team is one of the worse put together I have ever seen. How this bum Hendry still has a job I will never know. He completely ignores OBP and pays for it every year with lousy undisciplined hitters who never deliver. If Soriano isn't the biggest bust of all time I don't know who is and the Zambrano signing is looking almost as bad.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

Cie,


As a lifelong Cubs fan, this team is one of the worse put together I have ever seen. How this bum Hendry still has a job I will never know. He completely ignores OBP and pays for it every year with lousy undisciplined hitters who never deliver. If Soriano isn't the biggest bust of all time I don't know who is and the Zambrano signing is looking almost as bad.

If it makes you feel any better Zduriencik constructed the M's lineup almost entirely by OBP, and they have one of the worst offenses in the majors. :mj07: Ok, so that doesn't help. But still, it could be worse. You could be a fan of a team that averages 3 runs a game. :SIB

 

[Theboundbook]

IF YOU WATCH A RERUN OF THE 4h INNING (which is still going on its 14th batter I believe for OAK; you can see THE BAD NEWS BEARS PLAYING) WORST FUCKING JOKE OF BASEBALL EVER!!!! I am so pissed I missed betting against THE BIG JOKE... HE IS A MUCH BETTER BATTER THAN PITCHER NOWADAYS... AND THE BUMBLING ERRORS BACK TO BACK.... 33 pitches, 2 errors, and a DEMORALIZATION OF THE CLUB IS JUST ANOTHER "GOD TAPPING OWNER ON SHOULDER, saying, "CHANGE THE FUCKING TEAM UP AND FIRE SOME PEEPS NOW!!!!""

 

[Theboundbook]

A passed ball for a run and right after another double error in the 7th to take a 5 to 4 lead by OAK to an 8-4 and still alive now... WHAT A FUCKING JOKE!!!!!


4 of the 8 runs are UNEARNED... (really 6 if u count 2 wild pitches with 2 outs each time...)