The Cubs hit the road on Friday, beginning a 10-game trip in Florida, and they will likely have another outfielder on the roster.

General manager Jim Hendry has been working the phones prior to Friday’s non-waiver Trade Deadline, but the new outfielder most likely will come from within the system. The leading candidate is left-handed-hitting Sam Fuld. The Cubs need another position player after Reed Johnson fractured a bone in his left foot and had to go on the disabled list.

Click here to read the full article – By Carrie Muskat of MLB.com

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The Chicago Bears haven’t even begun training camp practices and already there are signs they will supplant the Dallas Cowboys as the NFL’s best soap opera.

Brian Urlacher is on record as denying he called Jay Cutler a word that’s a euphemism for, among other things, a cat.
A Bears spokesman also has issued a denial, even though he didn’t speak with the former Bear receiver (Bobby Wade) who told a Minnesota radio station he heard Urlacher hurl the insult.

Click here to read the full article – By Reid Cherner & Tom Weir of USA Today

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Charles Tillman doesn’t know quite what to make about the fuss in the wake of his back surgery two weeks ago, and the cornerback vowed to be ready for the regular season Tuesday on the Bears’ Web site.

The club, however, said Tillman will be out indefinitely following surgery to remove a piece of disc fragment from his lower back. The surgery was performed two weeks ago in Los Angeles by Dr. Robert Watkins. The timetable for a return to the field was six to 12 weeks, meaning he has four to 10 weeks to go. Four weeks would bring him back about two weeks before the start of the regular season. The outlying number would keep him out for at least the first three weeks of the regular season.

Click here to read the full article – By BRAD BIGGS of Chicago Sun-Times

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This is a post from our community. I am sharing it with you since I think it is relevant to the Chicago Sports Fan Community.

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Hope all is well! I wanted to make you aware of a Chicago event that people locally might be interested in: The Under Armour All-America Baseball game which will be held at Chicago’s historic Wrigley Field on Saturday, August 8th. The game will showcase 36 of the most talented high school baseball players in the nation, many of whom are likely to be selected for next summer’s Major League Baseball draft. It is sure to be a great game and we want to encourage people in the area to come down and check it out!

Tickets for the 2009 Under Armour All-America Game Powered by Baseball Factory are $10 and are available at www.cubs.com.

The below media advisory has additional information. As always, thank you for your time and please let me know if you have any questions.

Abbie

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UNDER ARMOUR ANNOUNCES INITIAL ROSTER FOR 2009 UNDER ARMOUR ALL-AMERICA BASEBALL GAME POWERED BY BASEBALL FACTORY

Game Featuring Nation’s Top High School Prospects to be Played at Wrigley Field and to be Broadcast Live on ESPNU on August 8th

Baltimore, MD (July 22, 2009) – Under Armour, the Baltimore, MD-based leader in sports performance apparel, footwear and accessories, today unveiled the list of top national high school baseball prospects who have accepted invitations to participate in the 2009 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game Powered by Baseball Factory. Building upon the success of last year’s inaugural game, the 2009 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game returns to Chicago ’s historic Wrigley Field on Saturday, August 8th. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU at 1PM Central Time.

The game itself is the culmination of a three-day baseball celebration, as the high school players will meet with MLB Hall of Famers and Cubs’ legends at a private reception, showcase their skills in a comprehensive workout and unleash their power strokes in a homerun derby. Baseball legend Cal Ripken and MLB Network analyst Bill Ripken also will be on-site to lend their expertise at the workout and during the game.

“Under Armour is thrilled to partner with Baseball Factory to provide these athletes with the ultimate baseball experience. We are proud to reward the players for their on-field performance, and we look forward to watching them excel in one of sport’s most iconic venues,” said Steve Battista, Under Armour, Senior Vice President, Brand. “Coupled with our recent partnership with Ripken Baseball, the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game demonstrates the brand’s commitment to supporting baseball at all levels.”

“Baseball Factory scouts thousands of high school players worldwide before selecting the players that make the Under Armour All-America Game the premier high school baseball game in the nation,” said Steve Sclafani, CEO and Founder, Baseball Factory. “We are excited to join Under Armour again this year in showcasing these talented players at Wrigley Field and across the country on ESPNU. Many of these players will go on to be selected in the first round of the 2010 amateur draft, and this is their opportunity to gain valuable exposure on the grandest scale.”

The 2009 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game will feature 36 of the nation’s most talented – and most highly coveted – players, including:

Stetson Allie (SS/RHP) – St. Edward HS/Olmsted Falls, OH (verbally committed to the University of North Carolina )
Zach Alvord (MIF) – South Forsyth HS/Alpharetta, GA (verbally committed to Auburn University )
Robert Aviles (RHP) – Suffern HS/Suffern, NY (verbally committed to the University of Florida )
Brandon Brennan (RHP) – Capistrano Valley HS/San Juan Capistrano, CA
Yordy Cabrera (SS/RHP) – Lakeland HS/Lakeland, FL (verbally committed to the University of Miami )
Nick Castellanos (3B) – Archbishop McCarthy HS/Davie, FL (verbally committed to the University of Miami )
Garin Cecchini (MIF) – Barbe HS/ Lake Charles , LA
Chevez Clarke (OF) – Marietta HS/Marietta, GA (verbally committed to Georgia Tech)
AJ Cole (RHP) – Oviedo HS/Winter Springs, FL (verbally committed to the University of Miami )
Kevin Gausman (RHP) – Grandview HS/Centennial, CO
Trey Griffin (OF) – Martin Luther King HS/Stockbridge, GA (verbally committed to the University of Georgia )
Evan Grills (LHP) – Henry Street /Sinclair/ Whitby , Ontario , CAN
Jeff Jackson (1B) – Wauconda HS/Wauconda, IL (verbally committed to Arizona State University )
Alex Lavisky (C) – St. Edward HS/Cleveland, OH
Brian Ragira (OF) – Martin HS/Arlington, TX
Cayle Shambaugh (LHP) – Jay HS/Jay, OK
DeAndre Smelter (RHP) – Tattnall Square Academy/Macon, GA
Jameson Taillon (RHP) – The Woodlands HS/The Woodlands, TX (verbally committed to Rice University )
Karsten Whitson (RHP) – Chipley HS/Chipley, FL (verbally committed to the University of Florida )
Austin Wilson (OF) – Harvard Westlake HS/ Los Angeles , CA

Numerous participants in the 2009 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game are likely to be among the top players selected in next summer’s Major League Baseball Draft. Six of the top 16 players selected in the recently concluded 2009 MLB Draft starred in the 2008 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game, including: Donavon Tate, CF (Padres, 3rd overall); Zack Wheeler, RHP (Giants, 6th overall); Jacob Turner, RHP (Tigers, 9th overall); Tyler Matzek, LHP (Rockies, 11th overall); Matt Purke, LHP (Rangers, 14th overall); and Bobby Borchering, 3B (Diamondbacks, 16th overall)

Tickets for the 2009 Under Armour All-America Game Powered by Baseball Factory are $10 and are available at www.cubs.com.

Rich Harden strong in 5-2 win as team leads division for first time in 3 months

The long road to first place has been a bumpy one for the Cubs, who have endured hitting slumps, injuries, Gatorade-dispenser incidents and a slew of Milton Bradley controversies along the way. But they finally arrived at their appointed destination Sunday after a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, taking a half-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. Rich Harden allowed one hit over six innings for his third straight strong start since the All-Star break, and Kosuke Fukudome had two RBIs as the Cubs won their fourth straight and 10th in their last 13 games

Click here to read the full article – By Paul Sullivan of Chicago Tribune

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The 105th pitch of Mark Buehrle’s day broke in toward Gabe Kapler, who turned on it and connected. Buehrle looked up and knew — his perfect game was in jeopardy.

Just in as a defensive replacement, Chicago White Sox center fielder DeWayne Wise sprinted toward the fence in left-center, a dozen strides. What happened next would be either a moment of baseball magic or the ninth-inning end of Buehrle’s bid for perfection against the Tampa Bay Rays. Wise jumped and extended his right arm above the top of the 8-foot wall. The ball landed in his glove’s webbing but then popped out for a split second as he was caroming off the wall and stumbling on the warning track. Wise grabbed it with his bare left hand, fell to the ground and rolled. He bounced.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Mark Buehrle pitched the 17th perfect game all-time in the regular season, and Chicago White Sox center fielder Dewayne Wise got the assist.

Just into the game as a defensive replacement, Wise robbed Gabe Kapler of a leadoff home run in the ninth inning and Buehrle coolly closed out a 5-0 victory Thursday over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Wise took over in center field from Scott Podsednik, who shifted to left. With the count 2-2, Kapler hit a drive to deep left-center. Wise sprinted, jumped and got his glove above the fence to rob Kapler of a home run.
The ball almost came out when Wise caromed off the fence, stumbled, fell to the ground and rolled. But he bounced right up, proudly displaying the ball for the crowd in his bare left hand.

Click here to read the full article – By ESPN.com

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Ryan Howard had Philadelphia Phillies fans on their feet and the tying runs on base. This time it didn’t work out for the home team.

Kevin Gregg got Howard to ground out with the bases loaded in the eighth and worked a perfect ninth to preserve the Chicago Cubs’ 10-5 victory, snapping Philadelphia’s longest winning streak in 18 years at 10 games. “That was the big out of the game,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of Gregg’s showdown against Howard. Aramis Ramirez and Jeff Baker each had a two-run double and Carlos Zambrano (7-4) won his third straight start for the Cubs, who avoided their first three-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1999.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Rod Woodson knows a thing or two about defense. The 11-time Pro Bowl defensive back and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009 compiled his list of the game’s top five linebackers last week on the NFL Network.

Woodson listed Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher in a tie for fifth place with the New York Jets’ Bart Scott. “He’s been hurt the last few years,” Woodson said of Urlacher. “But the last 10 years, he has been a dominant linebacker. A downhill linebacker. That’s what I was looking for, a mike [linebacker] that will come down and thump you.”

Click here to read the full article – By Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com

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Closer leaves bases loaded; catcher throws out two runners.

For those keeping score of the games within the game during Monday’s 4-3 White Sox victory over the Rays before the fifth 2009 sellout at U.S. Cellular Field, it was Tampa Bay, which emerged with a two-dinger advantage in aggregate home run differential. The truly most important statistics during the White Sox third victory in four home games to start the second half centered on the numbers two and one. Two, as in the runners A.J. Pierzynski threw out, after the White Sox catcher had previously been successful on just 4-of-59 attempts.

Click here to read the full article – By Scott Merkin of MLB.com

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