Ryan Dempster ends his season as he started it - wild. Starlin Castro becomes the youngest player to lead the National League in hits.
Morning Box Score: Cubs World Series Drought Reaches 103 Years
Morning Box Score: Buehrle Wins Possible Sox Swan Song, Soriano Powers Cubs
If last night was Mark Buehrle's final game at 35th and Shields he made it a memorable one.
Morning Box Score: Cubs Lose, Sox Send Ozzie Off a Winner
Whatever the future holds for Ozzie Guillen, he left Sox Park a winner last night.
Morning Box Score: Cubs in First. White Sox All In... A Slump
After last night's 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay, The White Sox hitting slump is now so pronounced that people are calling for the firing of hitting coach Greg Walker. Demanding Walker's head may as well be a rite of spring at this point. Not trying to defend him here, but critics are quick to lay the blame on Walker when the bats go quiet and hesitant to give him propers when the team is hitting the cover off the baseball. Walker giving the press sound bites like, "our hitters aren't making adjustments" only add fuel to the fire. But Walker can't hit for them, and he isn't making fielding calls or getting picked off first base like Paul Konerko did the other night. This is a team wide slump. As Talking Chicago Baseball notes, this is some of the worst baseball the White Sox have played in Ozzie Guillen's time as manager. As bad as the White Sox played early last season, their longest losing streak before their June hot streak was four games. Last night's loss marked the Sox' seventh in a row. But at least they're keeping pace with Minnesota. At the bottom of the Al Central standings.
Cubs-Padres Game Postponed
Tonight's game between the Cubs and Padres has been postponed thanks to the inclement weather. Since this is the Padres only trip to Wrigley Field this year, the game will be made up tomorrow as a day-night doubleheader.
Morning Box Score: Reversals of Fortune for Cubs, White Sox
The White Sox, prohibitive favorites in the AL Central, are riding a five-game losing streak, while the Cubs are showing signs they may be more than they seem.
Cubs Balk at Peavy Trade
Well, that was interesting. It seems the Cubs won't be dealing for Padres ace Jake Peavy after all. With the Padres having set a Thursday deadline for the trade, Cubs GM Jim Hendry didn't pull the trigger, telling ESPN, "Kevin [Towers, San Diego GM] and I had a lot of very healthy, very honest discussions. But at the end of the day, we had to do what was best for the organization. I just felt like when I weighed the total value of the talent going out against the economics of what was coming in, it was in the best interests of our organization not to make this deal." With the Peavy deal now done for, the Cubs will instead focus on landing a much-needed left-handed bat. Names that have been floated include Milton Bradley, Raul Ibanez and Bobby Abreu.
Cubs To Play In Final Hall of Fame Game
Since 1940, two Major League Baseball teams have been honored each year with an invitation to play in the Hall of Fame Game -- an in-season exhibition game held in Cooperstown, New York. But because of the increasing complexity of fitting the "off day" game into teams' schedules, the 2008 game will be the final one.
Cubs and Sox May Compete for Japanese Outfielder
Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome finally declared his intentions to play in the major leagues next season. Considered to be one of the best outfielders in Japan's top professional league, he's expected to draw interest from a number of team. Among the teams most interested are both the Cubs and White Sox, as well as the San Diego Padres. Will the latest Japanese sensation land in Chicago? “It’s no secret we’d like him to come to...
Cubs Clinch Central
The Cubs have clinched the NL Central crown -- and with two games to spare! Following a three game sweep at the hands of the Florida Marlins, things were looking sketchy, but the Brewers kept on losing, too. When the Cubs returned to the win column in Cincinnati on Friday night, and Milwaukee lost yet again, the final two games were subtracted from the magic number and the Cubs earned a berth in the postseason...
Cubs Gaining on Brewers, Padres
While our White Sox managed to tie the KC Royals in the AL Central basement earlier this week, the Cubs are quickly closing in on the other end of the standings. Ted Lilly had another strong outing for the Cubs, who beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 Wednesday night. With the win -- combined with the Milwaukee Brewers' loss -- moved the Cubs to within just two games of first in the NL Central. The...
Addition By Subtraction?: Cubs Trade Barrett
In a trade that was surprising in its swiftness, the Cubs traded embattled catcher and "good guy" Michael Barrett (or "number 8" for those of you who don't visit Wrigley Field for the baseball) and cash to the San Diego Padres for backup catcher Rob Bowen and minor league prospect Kyler Burke. The trade closes the book on Barrett's three-plus years as a Cub, a time marked by emotional outbursts, an uncontrollable temper, suspect defensive...
Derrek Lee Joins Cubs Fight Club
The fireworks continued to fly this past weekend at the again-not-so-Friendly Confines. Derrek Lee became the latest member of the Cubs to throw a punch, when he went after San Diego Padres pitcher Chris Young in the fourth inning after being plunked on the hand by a pitch. The altercation led to a bench-clearing brawl. In addition to Young and Lee, Padres pitcher Jake Peavy and Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry were also tossed from...
Soriano Strains Hamstring
For the Cubs, every silver lining seems to have its cloud. While the offense and pitching came together and led the team to a 12-4 victory over the San Diego Padres Monday night, the victory may cost the Cubs the services of Alfonso Soriano for a while. Soriano left the game in the fifth inning after straining his hamstring, which could land the Cubs' 136-million-dollar man on the disabled list. Soriano injured his hamstring trying...
Deal or No Deal?
Baseball’s non-waiver trading deadline passed today at 3:00pm (CDT). The Cubs and Sox were both rumored to be players in possible deals, with the Cubs likely sellers of players and the Sox looking to add those missing pieces to help them right their ship and hopefully make a return trip to the World Series. Since the Cubs fell out of the running, there had been rumors that Greg Maddux and Todd Walker would get shipped...
Let's Play Two!
These are the days that Ernie Banks lived for! While MLB no longer puts them on the regular schedule, due to yesterday's rainout the Cubs play a double header against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley today. And it's some double header, too! Fireballer Kerry Wood pitches the first game against Jake Peavy. That game starts at 12:05pm. When the late game begins at 4:05pm, Cubs fans finally get to see Mark Prior take...
Prior Returns to Rotation
Like last year, when the Cubs opened their season they were without Mark Prior in their rotation -- at least this time he only missed 7 games. Prior rejoins the roster when he starts against the San Diego Padres tomorrow in the first game of a double header. He'd been scheduled to go today, but the game was cancelled becuase of rain.
Cubs, Sox Left at the Altar
Neither Chicago baseball team is doing very well lately. In recent days, both have been left at the altar when a more attractive suitor came calling.
Down to the Wire
We're now well into the last week of baseball's regular season, and there are still a whole pack of teams fighting for that lone NL Wild Card playoff spot, with the Cubs thick in the middle.

