Lockers were being cleaned out and boxes were being filled with belongings as the Chicago Cubs hurried to get out of town at the end of a disappointing season.

“It’s a little weird to be packing up and heading home, because the last couple of years we’ve been still playing,” said Ryan Dempster, the losing pitcher Sunday as the Arizona Diamondbacks ended the year with a 5-2 victory.

Dempster, who won 17 games last season, gave up five runs and six hits in five innings, struck out 10 and walked one.

“I think a lot of us wish we had a little bit better year than we did,” he said.


Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of Daily Herald

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The Cubs’ championship drought reached 101 years Tuesday night when the Rockies’ victory over the Brewers eliminated them from the National League wild card chase.


But the end came with far less fanfare than that which greeted the 100-year mark last October at Dodger Stadium, when the Dodgers swept the Cubs in the National League Division Series.

Conventional wisdom said the pressure was off the Cubs in 2009 because mentions of the streak would not be as prevalent as 2008.

“Last year, from Day One, that was the question,” first baseman Derrek Lee said when camp opened in February. “There are definitely fewer questions so far. That 100-year thing made for a good story, so maybe it will be a little quieter year. I hope it helps. Last year we had a great regular season. We just flopped at the wrong time. But maybe it will take a little pressure off, not having to answer the 100-year question. Who knows?”

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

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Tyler Colvin’s parents will be staying up late this weekend.


The young outfielder is expected to get a lot of playing time in the Cubs’ final 11 games, beginning with a four-game series in San Francisco that starts Thursday. Colvin’s family lives in South Carolina, so the time difference might be a little bit of a problem.

Colvin, called up after Double-A Tennessee finished the Southern League championship, made his Major League debut Monday against Milwaukee. His folks also may be shopping for a new computer.

“They were excited,” Colvin said of his parents. “They got to watch [Monday's game] on the computer. They stayed with it the whole game. They were a little disappointed [Tuesday] — the computer shut down in the ninth inning.”


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

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Kevin Gregg will spend the final two weeks of the regular season marketing himself as a potential closer. His chances of keeping that job with the Cubs are slim.


Gregg is one of four free agents on the Cubs. He lost the closer’s job on Aug. 18, but he hasn’t been banished to the last spot in the bullpen. Last Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, Lou Piniella called on Gregg to face Corey Hart, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. On Friday against St. Louis, Gregg came in with one on and two outs in the eighth of a tie game to face Albert Pujols. That’s not an easy task.

“I think he’s the greatest hitter in the game, hands down,” Gregg said of the Cardinals’ slugger. “Coming in with a guy on, having to face him late in the game, tight situation — you’ve got to make your pitches, you’ve got to do your thing. He’s good. That’s the bottom line.”


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

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Cubs manager Lou Piniella’s preseason expectations for his defense weren’t lofty. Still, the Cubs have not met those expectations.

“Leaving Spring Training, I didn’t expect to lead the league in fielding, believe me,” Piniella said. “But I expected us to be at least in the middle, possibly a notch above there. But we’ve been in the bottom tier for a good portion of the year, and that makes it rough on the pitching.”

Going into Thursday’s series finale against the Brewers, the Cubs are in the bottom three in the National League in both errors and fielding percentage. The team hasn’t fared much better according to an advanced statistic called Ultimate Zone Rating, which indicates that the Cubs are about 14 runs below average on defense this season. That mark is 12th in the NL.


Click here to read the full article – By Andrew Simon of MLB.com

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For the first time in a week, Aramis Ramirez was in the starting lineup for the Cubs prior to Sunday’s rainout against the Pirates.


Ramirez missed five starts with a sore left shoulder and another two with a cold and sore throat. But he collected a pinch-hit single Saturday and was ready to go Sunday. He was slated to start at third base and bat fourth, but the rain precluded his return.

However, Ramirez’s would-be return did not get the Cubs’ offense back to full strength.

Shortstop Ryan Theriot was out of the lineup Sunday after he caught a stomach flu that has been going through his family. The Cubs had him stay home so he would not put his teammates at risk. Aaron Miles was to get the start in Theriot’s place.


Click here to read the full article – By Andrew Simon of MLB.com

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Place a presale order for the Ferguson Jenkins Signing or check out a full list of Upcoming Memorabilia Signings.

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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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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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