MLB FanHouse

So Who's the NL Central Favorite Now?

Pat Lackey — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals, NL Central, St. Louis, Milwaukee

It's hard to imagine a better way to kick off the mad dash to baseball's trade deadline than with the Brewers and Cubs pulling trades for big-name pitchers within two days of each other. Of course, those moves raise a pretty big question: who's the favorite to win the division now? Let's break it down.

Definitely not favorites: Pirates, Astros, and Reds. The Reds are young and exciting but at least a year away, the Pirates seem to be meandering down the right road but they're still way down the path in the wrong direction, and the Astros are a disaster area.

The Cardinals: This team perplexes me. By all accounts they shouldn't be very good, and yet they've still got the second best record in the NL and are ahead of the Brewers in the Wild Card standings. They probably won't join in the arms race with the Cubs and Brewers, but they get Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter back from the DL in pretty short fashion. Still, they're short on offense besides Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick, it's hard to know what to expect out of Carpenter after missing most of a season and a half, and Kyle Lohse is a prime candidate to turn into a pumpkin.
The Brewers: What makes them so interesting is how well they were playing before the Sabathia trade. Nine of Prince Fielder's 17 homers have come since June 1st. Manny Parra is 7-0 with a 2.65 ERA since May 20th. It's July and Ben Sheets' elbow and shoulder are still attached to his body. Really, they've got a lot of things rolling in their direction now that they've got CC Sabathia, who's on a roll of his own and may well dominate the National League.

The Cubs: If Jim Edmonds continues hitting like he has been of late, that means that every Cubs regular has an OPS+ of 98 or higher. There's not really a weak spot in the lineup. Their rotation has Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster (who's arguably been better than the Big Z this year), and now Rich Harden, who's a huge asset if he can stay healthy. And their bullpen has been lights out with Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, and company (Bob Howry excluded). They've tailed off a bit in the last month, but they're really freaking stacked.

The breakdown: I'd watch for the Cardinals to slowly fade out of the picture over the next month. They won't fall apart, but one day you'll check the standings and they'll be five back, then seven, then ten. They're just not equipped to keep up with the Cubs and Brewers. As for who the Cubs and Brewers, I think most people would be willing to bet at this point that they're both going to the playoffs and I agree with that. The Cubs look better on paper at the moment, but the Brewers have been the better team for the past month. The Brewers also got more in Sabathia than the Cubs did in Harden, because it's crazy to think Harden is going to make every start from here on out. I think this race goes down to the wire, but the Cubs pull it out in the end because they're a deeper team and they're starting with a four-game lead. The Brewers will have to settle for the Wild Card, but the playoffs are the playoffs, right?

So Who's the NL Central Favorite Now? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The White Sox Are Sad About Pablo Ozuna

Eamonn Brennan — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, AL East, MLB Transactions

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Who knew Pablo Ozuna was such a favorite son? The White Sox are shedding more than one tear over the designation of utilityman Ozuna, who sent to the minors to make room for the return of the considerably more valuable Paul Konerko. Even Jose Contreras is sad. Awww:

Yet, there stood pitcher Jose Contreras, hours before his team's 8-7, 13-inning marathon win at Kauffman Stadium, looking like he had just received a thunderous body blow and there wasn't enough air in the room for him to take a breath. [...] He wasn't as upset as his manager.
''[Bleep] Jose Contreras,'' Guillen said. ''Nobody in this organization is more upset or sad than Ozzie Guillen. Nobody. If some of the players didn't like the move, well, it's easy to do. Just tell Ozuna to stay here and get them to get the [bleep] out of here and go to the minor leagues.''

Yeah, [bleep] you, Jose! Ozzie Guillen is way, way sadder than you are! In the pursuit of empathy, Ozzie Guillen will never be outdone!

Among White Sox fans, the empathy returns have been far more varied. Ozuna is a fan favorite, but so is Paul Konerko; if you have to pick one, that balding World Series-winning slugger wins every time.

The White Sox Are Sad About Pablo Ozuna originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chat Live About MLB at 1PM ET

Mullet — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, Brewers, MLB Gossip, MLB Live Blogging, Milwaukee, Chat

It's been a wild week in the world of baseball, as Milwaukee has fired the first warning shot by trading their top prospect and others for CC Sabathia. The Cubs swiftly responded by prying away Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics.

Some of you may be confused, some of you may be hurt, but for most of you, your heads are spinning. That's okay. Because the MLB 'Haus is here to help make sense of it all. AOL Baseball Editor Andrew Johnson and I are here to chat about not only Sabathia and Harden, but anything you want about the world of baseball ... whether it be the Mets putting up a touchdown on Tim Lincecum, the Braves signing Julian Tavarez, Barry Bonds ... anything you want. Won't you join us at 1PM ET?

Chat Live About MLB at 1PM ET originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jim Beam Helps Wrigley Field, NASCAR Style

Geoffrey Miller — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:27:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Robby Gordon, Cubs

Chicago's Wrigley Field has been known to have its fair share of Cubs fans that aren't exactly sober in the stands, so is it at all surprising that a NASCAR Sprint Cup race car sponsored by none other than Jim Beam is lining up to support the effort to save Wrigley's name?

Nah, just a little humorous.

Robby Gordon's No. 7 Jim Beam Dodge is helping out the cause during this Saturday night's LifeLock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway by running the "Save Our Ballpark's Name" web site on his hood. That site, www.saveourname.com, is running a petition of Chicago and otherwise baseball fans who want nothing more than for Wrigley Field to stay Wrigley field.

The baseball gem's name, built in 1916, has come under fire by owner Sam Zell. Zell, who owns Tribune Broadcasting wants to help eliminate the company's debt by selling off the naming rights to the field.

Gordon's hood comes on the heels of Jim Beam placing a new billboard near the stadium advocating the petition and the "Save Our Name" drive.

If nothing else, it's a good way for Gordon -- the other Gordon in NASCAR -- to pick up some fans this weekend as he competes in Chicago, where the NASCAR fan base isn't exactly huge.

Jim Beam Helps Wrigley Field, NASCAR Style originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NL Central Arms Race: Cubs Get Rich Harden

Matt Watson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:41:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Oakland, Athletics, Cubs, AL West, NL Central, Breaking News, The Word, MLB Transactions

Just days after the Brewers made a splash by trading for CC Sabathia, the Cubs countered by acquiring an ace of their own, picking up Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the A's in exchange for Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, minor leaguer Josh Donaldson and ... wait, that's it? Whoa. Advantage: Cubs.

Harden is obviously a huge injury risk, but no one can dispute that he's one of the most dominant pitchers in the game when healthy. In 13 starts he's been one of the best in the AL this year, posting a 2.34 ERA (1.14 WHIP) while averaging better than 10.7 strikeouts per nine.

And while Gaudin is clearly an afterthought, he's not all that bad himself, capable of eating innings from the bullpen or starting rotation.

What did it cost Chicago? Some intriguing prospects, sure, but absolutely nothing in terms of players capable of helping the Cubs win today.

Gallagher has more strikeouts than innings pitched over his minor league career, but the 22-year-old is still battling consistency on the big league level. Same story for Patterson, who's been able to rake minor league pitchers but has struggled in the majors (and at 25 years old, his time is running out).

Murton has never been fully appreciated for the Cubs, and he didn't give them any reason to in limited duty in The Show this year. Donaldson, the team's second-round pick from 2007, has upside, but he was hitting just .217 at Double-A Peoria this year and was blocked long-term by Geovany Soto.

In other words, if Harden goes on the DL tomorrow, they're no worse off than they were a week ago, at least looking at the short term. And if Harden stays healthy, well, it just might guarantee a division title.

Previously on FanHouse:
The Cubs Want Rich Harden
Can Anyone Answer Brewers Blockbuster?

NL Central Arms Race: Cubs Get Rich Harden originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sean Gallagher Will Do Anything for Cash

Pat Lackey — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:41:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central

Perhaps you saw Gordon Wittenmyer's Cubs' notebook in the Chicago Sun-Times today and were expecting some kind of FanHouse commentary on Jim Hendry's, "How can I panic about the CC Sabathia trade if I'm already crazy?" statement. I was kind of thinking of trying to work that into a post, but that was before the second item in the notebook hit my eyeballs:

After Derrek Lee spotted a bug in his locker Saturday in St. Louis, [Sean] Gallagher ate it for an undisclosed sum of cash -- to the disgust and delight of Lee and teammate Reed Johnson.

Sean Gallagher eats bugs ... now that's a scoop! Still, the little blurb in the notebook now leaves me with more questions than answers. What kind of bug was it? How much money do you have to pay a guy that makes $350,000 a year to eat a bug? Is this some kind of rookie hazing? Will Gallagher continue to eat bugs if it helps him break out of his recent slump? What else will Sean Gallagher do for cash? Wait ... don't answer that last one.

The real question now is whether or not the light-hearted, bug-eating atmosphere will continue now that the Cubs appear to have a genuine division race on their hands. The Cubs might claim otherwise, but it kind of seems like they've been on cruise control for a month now. They can't really afford to keep that up now that the Brewers have made their move.

Sean Gallagher Will Do Anything for Cash originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Cubs Want Rich Harden

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:50:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Oakland, Athletics, Cubs, MLB Rumors

So now that the Brewers have traded for C.C. Sabathia, one has to wonder what move, if any, the Chicago Cubs are going to make to counter it. After all, a top of the rotation that features Ben Sheets and Sabathia is quite formidable, and the Brewers are currently constructed are more than capable of making up the 3.5 game gap between themselves and the top of the division.

So what are the Cubs going to do to answer Milwaukee's challenge? Word out of Chicago is that general manager Jim Hendry has been talking to Billy Beane a lot lately, and the topic of their conversation is not the weather, but rather what it would take to get Rich Harden in a Cubs uniform.

While this move would make a lot of sense for the Cubs if they could pull it off, I wouldn't exactly plan on seeing it happen anytime soon. First of all, Beane has showed us in his recent deals for Dan Haren and Nick Swisher that if you want one of his top players, you better have a truckload of prospects to send back his way. I'm not sure the Cubs have enough players who would qualify as somebody Beane would be interested in taking.

Then there's the fact that while Harden was on the block at the beginning of the season, that was because everybody expected the A's to suck this season, including Billy Beane. The fact that they're only six games out of first place right now will probably cause Beane to hold off on pulling the trigger on this deal. Though if Oakland falls out of it by the trading deadline, then all bets are off.

The Cubs Want Rich Harden originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, Ozzie Guillen Will Respond to Your Email

Eamonn Brennan — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:46:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, AL Central, MLB Media Watch

For all his faults, no one's ever accused Ozzie Guillen of being anything but transparent and honest. Case in point: he's made his e-mail address (OzzieGuillen13@hotmail.com) public, and invites fans to e-mail him directly. As this is the internet, Guillen gets a ton of racist, xenophobic e-mail, stuff sent by that incredibly stupid vocal minority that give all the reasonable people out here a bad name.

He also gets fan mail, not least of which from the Chicago Tribune's Rick Morrissey, who did his best to anonymously get Guillen's goat via e-mail. Guess what? It worked:

Then I forgot about it. Four hours later, I checked my mail, and there it was. From: OzzieGuillen13@hotmail.com. I opened it.

You have to be stupid. Get a life, loser. I hope you have no kids. They have to be like you.

Zing! The conversation goes on like that, Ozzie trading barbs with this anonymous heckler, before Morrissey visits Guillen in the clubhouse and reveals his true nature. Naturally, Guillen laughs about it.

Of course, it seems weird that Morrissey would use a computer at all, given how much he seems to hate the wretched beasts. Computers are destroying baseball. What's to stop them from destroying emails about baseball? Food for thought, people.

Yes, Ozzie Guillen Will Respond to Your Email originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the Cubs Ownership Fiasco, It Pays to Be Bud Selig's Friend

Eamonn Brennan — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Biz

The Cubs' sale trudges onward, and little or no detail has trickled out. The candidates -- which include Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Chicago rich dude John Canning -- are, along with their chances of owning the team, still relative unknowns. Who's going to pony up the cash?

The Chicago Tribune reminds that the money question might be the least important one. Instead, it will matter who is "most acceptable" to Major League Baseball, which we all knew but which has never been made as clear as it is today:

Canning is the leading contender not only because of his wealth and local ties, but also because he's part-owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, a team once controlled by Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan "Bud" Selig. [...] Selig has stated publicly that Canning is a "very close personal friend of mine," as are other members of Canning's group, which includesMcDonald's Corp. chairman Andrew McKenna, who served as chairman of the Cubs early in Tribune's ownership. Canning declined to comment on his relationship with Selig or his front-runner status.

[...] "If you're not acceptable to baseball, it's something that doesn't really resolve itself," Stone said. "There will be somebody else around who is acceptable."

In other words, if Canning bids the same amount of money as other prospective owners (including Cuban), Canning will get the team because ... he's friends with Bud Selig. That seems fair, and by fair, I mean incredibly nepotistic. And wrong.

In the Cubs Ownership Fiasco, It Pays to Be Bud Selig's Friend originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alfonso Soriano Is On His Way

Eamonn Brennan — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:48:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Injuries

Alfonso Soriano is a fast healer. Last year, when the Cubs centerfielder tore his left quadriceps muscle, he returned from the 15-day DL and immediately had the best September of any Cub maybe, like, ever. It was that good. This year, he's trying to return from a broken hand, and he's already making process:

He didn't look timid as he hit one line drive after another, and launched two balls out of Busch Stadium over the center-field fence. Soriano was batting .283 with 15 homers and 40 RBIs in 51 games before he was injured. This is his second stint on the disabled list; he was sidelined earlier because of a strained right calf.

Soriano won't likely be back for the All-Star game, but whatever. That's not important, no matter what Bud Selig says. What is important -- to Cubs fans, at least -- is that he returns to the Cubs as safely and quickly as possible, so the dreaded Cardinal scourge doesn't creep up and do something truly unexpected in the NL Central. This is getting ridiculous.

Alfonso Soriano Is On His Way originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-Star Grievances: The NL Central

Pat Lackey — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:47:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Houston, Cubs, Reds, Astros, Pirates, NL Central, MLB All-Star Game, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh

Maybe the All-Star Game is a meaningless to the players and just an excuse for Bud Selig to admire himself for a week. That doesn't mean that the selections should be stupid. Today, the MLB 'Haus gives you All-Star Grievances.

Grievance: Nate McLouth over Jason Bay- It's not that McLouth isn't a deserving All-Star, because he is. The problem is that he's mired in a terrible slump, putting up a .209/.258/.355 line with two homers over the last month or so (prior to today's game). There's a decent chance that by the end of the year, McLouth will have faded completely. Still, he made the team over Jason Bay, who's already a two-time All-Star and is slugging along like he has every year of his career besides an injury-filled 2007. It should take more than a flash in the pan to make an All-Star team.

Grievance: Miguel Tejada? Really?- After a down year in Baltimore last year, Tejada got off to a decent start this year. That's all quickly gone to hell, as he's hitting .198 since May 30th. Tejada's not an All-Star, he's a guy in the twilight of his career that Ed Wade is going to regret trading for by the end of the season.

Grievance: Adam Dunn isn't even a snub- I get that Dunn's only hitting .228. Aren't we to the point of enlightened fanhood that people can look beyond that and realize that his .895 OPS makes him a snub?

Grievance: Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome are starters- Fan voting is stupid and unreliable. We say that every year. This year, these two are the reason.

Other snubs: Carlos Lee (unless he wins the final vote but let's be honest, dude's got no chance against David Wright).

All-Star Grievances: The NL Central originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Jenks Will Avoid the DL

Tom Fornelli — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:18:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, AL Central, MLB Injuries

Make no mistake about it, the reason the Chicago White Sox are in first place in their division is their pitching staff. The White Sox have the best team ERA in baseball at 3.39, and it could be argued that the Dotel-Linebrink-Jenks combination at the back of the bullpen is the best in baseball (I heard Joe Morgan say it, so it has to be true).

So with the Twins refusing to get off their backs, the Sox can't really afford to lose any of their pitchers, and they got some good news on Saturday when they found out Bobby Jenks won't have to spend any time on the disabled list.

The White Sox were concerned enough about the tightness in Bobby Jenks' upper left back that they ordered an MRI and CTScan Saturday. The results were negative and Jenks should be ready to pitch in the Kansas City series starting Tuesday.

The Sox bullpen closer has not appeared since last Sunday against the Cubs, when he allowed a hit and walk but escaped with no runs. Though the tightness is not in his throwing shoulder, it was painful enough that it affected his performance.

It was in that game against the Cubs that the team noticed Jenks was only hitting 91-93 on the radar gun, down from his normal 95-96 range, and became concerned. Considering the struggles that Scott Linebrink has had when he's filled in during 9th innings this season, this is very good news for the White Sox, though it's probably a situation they'll be keeping their eye on.

Bobby Jenks Will Avoid the DL originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: They Were Once Friends

Mullet — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Angels, Cubs, Cardinals, St. Louis, Toronto

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Chicago Cubs (52-35) at St. Louis Cardinals (49-39) - 3:55 PM ET

It's sad to see a friendship go south as apparently the one between Tony La Russa and Jim Edmonds has now that Edmonds is with the Cubs and La Russa is playing ultra-sensitive. But in reality, La Russa and Edmonds are mere players in the larger war that is Cubs vs. Cardinals, with first place on the line and growing ever so further away from the Cardinals. Today, Kyle Lohse is going to have to continue his 2008 magic (remember when nobody wanted Lohse? Yeah, well now he's 10-2) against Ted Lilly.

Boston Red Sox (52-37) at New York Yankees (45-42) - 3:55 PM ET

The Yankees held a team meeting after losing 7-0 to the Sox on Thursday. Afterward, Joe Girardi held the Yankees' feet to the fire in a team meeting. So what happens the next day? Sure, they lose again. Guess that whole team meeting thing didn't really work out. And they now have to answer to Hank Steinbrenner, who came out and said that the players have to "buck up".

Wait, that's it? No irrational statements or threats of death? Just a piece of intangible advice? Hank! It's like I don't even know you anymore.

Toronto Blue Jays (41-46) at L.A. Angels of Anaheim (52-34) - 9:05 PM ET

As the Blue Jays dangle one starter to acquire their third shortstop, another starter is about to hook up in a classic pitching duel. Roy Halladay pitched a shutout his last time out, and the man who leads all of baseball in innings pitched goes against John Lackey, who has an obscene ERA of 1.44 this season after going 5-0 in June. Lackey himself almost had a shutout on Sunday against Dodgers, going 8 and 2/3's of shutout ball.

Everyone else:

Pirates at Brewers 7:05 ET
Rangers at Orioles 7:05 ET
Mets at Phillies 7:05 ET
Athletics at White Sox 7:05 ET
Nationals at Reds 7:10 ET
Indians at Twins 7:10 ET
Astros at Braves 7:10 ET
Royals at Rays 7:10 ET
Marlins at Rockies 8:05 ET
Padres at Diamondbacks 8:10 ET
Dodgers at Giants 9:05 ET
Tigers at Mariners 10:10 ET

On Deck: They Were Once Friends originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ignore Jim Edmonds at Your Own Risk

Mullet — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:02:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, Cardinals, NL Central, MLB Gossip, St. Louis

You might have noticed that tonight marked the first time since Jim Edmonds became a Cub that he played in St. Louis wearing blue and red. So Edmonds received the inevitable questions about coming back to St. Louis. What followed? War!

Miffed by Jim Edmonds' comments that he was happy to be with the Cubs and tired of talking about his past, La Russa said Friday he'd ignore the four-time All-Star in his first visit as a member of the team's biggest rival.

"I wouldn't clap or boo or anything," La Russa said before a three-game series matching the NL Central's top two teams. "He wants to put his Cardinal days behind him, so I think you've got to respect that, and just ignore him."

You're kidding me, right? Tony La Russa is getting huffy?

Edmonds said La Russa, his manager for the best eight seasons of his career, would do so at his peril. The two have always had a good relationship.

"If he ignores me, I'm going to punch him in the mouth," Edmonds joked. "I think he's trying to stir it up. He gets a little excited about this rivalry."

I think we have enough to promote "FanHouse Baseball Wrestlemania" here. Edmonds vs. La Russa can be the undercard to Chacon vs. Wade and Reyes vs. Hernandez. We need a women's match though ... ooh! Cynthia Rodriguez vs. Madonna! Quick, get Eric Bischoff on the phone.

"I was trying to fit in with Chicago and everybody kept asking me questions about trying to fit in," Edmonds said. "So if that was what it was, obviously that was taken out of context."

It was enough to get La Russa's blood pressure up. La Russa said he'd say hello to Edmonds when the two crossed paths and said the Cardinals should honor Edmonds after he retires, but certainly not now.

"Are we indebted to him? For what?" La Russa said. "Didn't he play in a bunch of postseasons? How many of the postseasons was he in before he got here? None.

"He got to a World Series, too, and he was paid for it. I mean, there isn't anything he gave us that we didn't give him back, is there?"

You have to seriously be kidding me. La Russa's starting to sound like Hulk Hogan when Paul Orndorff turned on him and Hogan was crying "I can't believe I broke bread with you, brother!!!" Tony, the world knows you're a genius. But I think we're taking ourselves a wee bit too seriously here. Chill.

Ignore Jim Edmonds at Your Own Risk originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Big Z Is Back Today

Pat Lackey — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:07:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Injuries

For a good part of this season, hearing people talk about the Cubs winning the National League Central is like hearing them talk about whether the sun will come up in the east. It's strange because there are two teams (Cardinals and Brewers) within five games of the Cubbies on the Fourth of July. The Cubs are good, but this thing isn't over by a long shot.

Right now, the Cubs are in a bit of a slide with seven losses in the ten games since their sweep of the White Sox. That makes tonight's return of Carlos Zambrano particularly timely. The Big Z hasn't pitched since June 18th due to shoulder problems. The Cubs have held their ground without him, but the Brewers are charging hard and the Cardinals don't seem to be going away.

If Zambrano's healthy, this is the perfect series for him to be back in because the Cubs are playing the Cards and have a chance to create some space in the division. Now that we're in the second half of the season, series like these start to matter just a little bit more.

The Big Z Is Back Today originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ozzie Guillen Has No Complaints

Tom Fornelli — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:41:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, AL Central, MLB Rumors

While the Twins and Tigers are busy throwing fastballs at each other's heads this week, the White Sox are taking advantage of it by beating up on the lowly Cleveland Indians, and adding some cushion to their division lead in the AL Central. Still, even though the Sox have won six in a row, have the best ERA in baseball, and have crushed an American League-best 113 home runs, the team still has holes.

Considering that they're relying on two young pitchers without proven track records over an entire season in Gavin Floyd and John Danks, there's some speculation that Kenny Williams could be in the market for another starting pitcher. There's also the fact that the offense is too reliant on those home runs they hit, and could use some more speed on the basepaths.

None of this bothers Ozzie Guillen though, as he's perfectly content with taking his chances with his current roster.

"You have to crawl before you start running," Guillen said Tuesday while being careful not to declare the Sox a playoff-bound team. "This ballclub [can] compete and be in the playoffs, be alive in the pennant race. And if we get to the playoffs, I don't mind taking this ballclub to the World Series."

Oh how a win streak can change everything. I could swear it was only a few weeks ago that Ozzie was demanding Kenny Williams make some kind of move, be it firing either him or Greg Walker, or making a trade. Now the team is on a roll, and everything is cool.

Odds are that if the Sox do make the playoffs, it won't be as currently constructed. Paul Konerko should be back from the disabled list in a week or so, and when he does come back the team will have a decision to make. DeWayne Wise was called up from Charlotte to take Konerko's roster spot, and has performed very well while adding some speed to the lineup, so it's unlikely the team will want to send him back down.

So don't be surprised if Juan Uribe, who has hardly played at all thanks to the emergence of Alexei Ramirez, is moved before the deadline and wearing an Orioles jersey come August 1st.

Ozzie Guillen Has No Complaints originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lou Piniella Was 'Ambushed'

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:03:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Gossip

While Cubs manager Lou Piniella isn't as fiery as he used to be (he's been ejected from a game 61 times), he still will get tossed from a ball game from time to time. Of course, ever since Lou came to Chicago, he's lived up to his nickname as he's only been ejected from a game twice. The first time came back on June 2nd, 2007 when Sweet Lou gave us a classic performance that resulted in getting himself suspended for four games.

It also happened to coincide with the Cubs turning their season around, as they went 35-18 over their next 53 games to dig out of an early season rut (they were 22-31 before the ejection) and went on to win the division. Lou's second ejection came this past Sunday, and it also comes at a time when the Cubs are struggling, as they've lost four in a row for the first time all season.

Though if the Cubs win 10 of their next 11, Lou's performance probably shouldn't get the credit, as he never intended to put one on. No, according to Lou, he was ambushed as he went out to argue a checked swing by Joe Crede.

"I was talking to the first-base umpire about the checked swing, and I got ambushed from behind," Piniella said. "Well, then I got my money's worth ... I think. Probably not."

"[First base umpire Chad Fairchild] said: 'You can't be on the field for that. I was going back to the dugout. And the other guy ambushed me. What was his name? Drake? ... Anyway, he ran me. I didn't even know I was run until they told me to get off the field.

"Evidently, you can't contest a checked swing, but I guess the first-base umpire was going to allow me to go back to the dugout, and then the home plate umpire [ejected me]. Truthfully, he didn't need any help on that had he been paying attention, because when I saw it on replay, it was even more flagrant than what I thought it was from seeing it in the dugout. You know what's amazing is, umpires make mistakes at times, and when you question them, you end up paying the consequences.

"You can't argue anymore. Anyway, I got a little frustration out. It's over with. They're still my buddies."

Yes, they're most definitely buddies. That explains why Lou didn't even know Rob Drake's name. Well, that or it could be the fact both Drake and Fairchild are minor league umpires filling in for a couple of guys on vacation.

Whatever the case is, Lou has every right to be upset with Drake, as he had no reason to eject him. Lou's problem was with Fairchild, and he didn't think Piniella did anything to warrant getting tossed, so what gave Drake the right to do so? Arguing a checked swing is not the same thing as arguing balls and strikes, and Lou wasn't lying about the replay, either. It was a pretty clear cut call that Drake shouldn't even have needed help on.

Lou Piniella Was 'Ambushed' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aramis Ramirez to Miss Three Games

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:12:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Gossip

The Cubs offense has been pretty phenomenal this season. They lead the bigs in runs scored (443), batting average (.284), on-base percentage (.361), and slugging percentage (.444). Really, if there's an offensive category that's important, the Cubs are either at the top of the National League, or very close to it.

While everybody in the lineup has performed well, the straw that stirs the drink is, and always has been, Aramis Ramirez. That's why it's no surprise that the Cubs were swept by the White Sox this weekend after Ramirez went 0-for-13 in the series, a week after he nearly swept the Sox on his own. It turns out he may have had an excuse the last few days, though, as Aramis has some personal issues back at home in the Dominican Republic that have been weighing on his mind.

Which is why he'll be leaving the Cubs for the next three days to attend to them.

This isn't very good timing for the Cubs, as they're already without Alfonso Soriano in the lineup, and they've lost five of their last six games. Ramirez originally asked the team for four days off, but was only granted three and is supposed to be back by Thursday's finale against the San Francisco Giants.

While he's gone the team will use a platoon of Mark DeRosa and Ronny Cedeno at third.

Aramis Ramirez to Miss Three Games originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paul Konerko Suffers a Setback

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, AL Central, MLB Injuries

The Chicago White Sox exacted some revenge on the Cubs this weekend by handing their crosstown rivals three straight losses at U.S. Cellular Field, to even the score for what the Cubs did at Wrigley just a week before. Still, much like the Tigers with Magglio Ordonez, some of the celebration has been quelled by the fact that Paul Konerko suffered a setback in his rehab from a strained oblique muscle.

Konerko had been scheduled to join the the Sox Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday before re-joining the team by next week. Then he took a live batting practice session on Saturday, and there he was on Sunday night with the rest of his team in the dugout. It looks like he's going to be out another week.

''Definitely some soreness, a little bit during and then after I hit [Saturday],'' Konerko said. ''The plan was to leave [Sunday], but the bottom line is there was a little too much soreness to get on a plane and get ready to go [Monday].

''As far as a timeline, I don't know now. The worst thing to do is to make a timeline like I had [Saturday]. Now, just wait and see.''

Still, this isn't as big of a blow for the White Sox as losing Ordonez is for the Tigers, as the Sox have gone 8-4 without him in the lineup. Konerko has been in a "slump" for a season and a half now, and has primarily been hitting out of the sixth spot in the lineup lately. Not that he even deserves to hit that high with his batting line of .215/.322/.368.

Paul Konerko Suffers a Setback originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cubs Fans and White Sox Fans Agree: That Annoying Guy Needs to Be Pelted

Eamonn Brennan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:17:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Video

Via 100 Percent Injury Rate comes this relatively terrific video of Cubs fans and White Sox fans putting aside their rabid differences and settling on something everyone can agree with: That annoying fan two rows behind you better shut up, or he is going down. From the videographer:

The Sox fan near the pole was talking trash from the beginning, so in the 4th inning he started talking about the guy in the Thome Jersey's "family"...then an old guy stepped up and off they went... A good minute goes by with no security, the guy gets owned by a bunch of cubs and sox fans. he still fights the security...continues struggling, as his eye is black and swelling shut, they handcuff him throw his shirt over his head and get him out of there.

Ah, unity. It's a beautiful thing.

Cubs Fans and White Sox Fans Agree: That Annoying Guy Needs to Be Pelted originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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