Big Z gets Big $$$

The Cubs finally signed Carlos Zambrano to an extension and put an end to months of speculation as to where he would play next season. Big Z signed a five year deal worth $91.2 million, a good chunk of change but well below what he would've made on the open market.

It says a lot about what type of person Zambrano is and what he thinks of the Cubs. He is 26 year-old ace pitcher who would've had made at least another $30-40 million by signing with the Mets or Yankees but he wants to be a Cub and the Cubs want him. Zambrano will eventually win multiple Cy Youngs, pitch the Cubs to Multiple World Series titles, and see his number hanging on the flag poles with Santo, Sandberg, Williams and Banks.

I hope the end of his contract negotiations will lead to a little more consistency on the field as Z has been going on runs of four great starts and three bad ones. If he can get his head straight, watch out.

Jacque of the Walk

The embattled Jacque Jones continued his torrid second half by hitting a game-winning two-run homer in the sixth and saving a run with a great catch at the wall in the fifth in the Cubs 2-1 victory over the red hot Cardinals.

"Filthy" Rich Hill didn't have great command but he battled and got key outs when he needed to. Hill went 7 innings, allowing just 3 hits, including a solo homer by Albert Poo Holes, and struck out 7. Bob Howry was great in the 8th and Ryan Dempster finally got another save, his last coming only July 29, with a perfect 9th. The Cubs played great game and Jones continued to produce, this is the exact type of game we needed to put an end to the losing. I really think we can sweep the Red Birds and actually have a two or three and a half game lead by Monday.

The Cubbies ended the Cards five-game winning streak and put themselves in a tie with the Brewers in first place. The Beermakers play Cincinnati tonight and first place will be ours with a Reds win. WOW!

As poorly as the Cubs have played this month--6-10, including two separate four-game losing streaks--it is amazing that they can be in first by themselves by the end of the night. It is one of those things that never happen to the Cubs. Usually when they stink, the team or teams ahead of them make a run and we are all left saying "What'til next year", well not this year. I truly believe this is THE YEAR, jinxes and curses be damned.

Rain, Rain went away

After a 1:31 minute rain delay, the Cubbies and Reds finally got under way. Theodore Roosevelt Lilly got off to a rough start but by the time he threw his first pitch the Brewers were already losing 7-1 to the Cards. Can the Lovable Ones finally take advantage of Milwaukee's poor play?

Lilly managed to escape the first, thanks to a couple of nice plays by Ryan Theriot, after surrendering a pair of singles to start the game but gave up a two-run homer to Ryan Jorgenson. The young catcher connected for his first major league hit and sent the ball well into the left field bleachers, 2-0 Reds. Cards up 8-2 as of 8:12 MST.

Jake Fox led off the second with his first major league hit, a double to left, and scored on Matt Murton's double a rocket to center. Jacque Jones followed with a with another double to tie the game at two. Jones, just trying to make contact on an 0-2 pitch, placed a grounder perfectly down the third place line, good job by Jacque. The freshly shaven Jason Kendall hit yet another double to score Jacque. Cubbies up 3-2 on four second inning doubles, who needs home runs when you can just hit doubles?

And just like that, Ken Griffey Jr. tied the game at three with an RBI single. Lilly has allowed the lead off man to reach in all three innings, that's not so good. Even worse, Jeff Conine cranked a three run homer to left to give the Reds a 6-3 lead. Lilly just does not have it tonight and after Zambrano's performance last night we really needed Lilly to step up. If Z and Lilly keep pitching like this we can kiss the playoffs goodbye.

Speaking of bad pitching, Reds starter Phil Dumatrait lasted only 2 + innings, gave up five hits, walked four and gave up

After hitting four doubles in the 2nd, the Cubs drew four straight walks to start the 3rd. Jacque got another RBI with his walk and cut the Reds lead to 6-4. Following a Ted Lilly K, Theriot tied the game up with a two-run single, 6-6 baby. Also, its final in Milwaukee, Cards win 8-3. Right now the Cubs are just one game back.

Lilly finally set the Reds down in order in the fourth and Aramis Ramirez led off the Cubs half of the inning with a long home run to put the Cubs on top 7-6. Jason Kendall hit his first homer as a Cub, a two-run shot in the 5th to provide some much needed insurance runs.

Kendall's homer was huge as Michael Wuertz did his best to blow the game, giving up three runs and allowing the Reds to tie it up 9-9. Ted Lilly, despite his poor perfromance, had a chance at the win before Wuertz's meltdown.

Carlos Marmol was shaky in relief, but kept the game tied. Bob Howry did his best Wuertz impression bu giving up a go ahed, two run homer to former drug addict Josh Hamilton.

And That's That. Another loss, this getting bad.

The Road Trip From Hell

The Cubbies are finally back in Chicago after a horrible 2-5 road trip and will play 17 of their next 23 games in the friendly confines. Thankfully, the Brewers stunk it up as well and the Cubs only lost one half game in the standings. The road trip came at the tail end of a 20 games in 20 days stretch in which the Cubs went 9-11 but managed to make a game and a half on the Brewers.

Anyway, the Cubs nearly stole one tonight, in fact, they fell just inches short of winning the game on as Mike Fontenot hit a ball to the right field wall that looked like it was going out but was caught to the end the game. Matt Murton hit a rocket to left earlier in the 9th but the ball was also caught at the wall. Being SO Close to a winning game we had no right to win with the way Zambrano pitched coupled with the Brewers loss to St. Louis makes the loss a little easier to take but this is getting ridiculous.

Now is the time to make a run, Big Z needs to get his head straight after two horrible starts, including tonight's 7 innings, 13 hits and 6 runs allowed, zero strikeout effort against Cincinnati. when Z is going good, the Cubs win, when he's not, neither are the Cubs. He sort of sets the tone for the rest of the team.

The Lovable Ones finally rediscovered their power stroke, hitting three homers--by D-Lee, Aramis, and the one formally known as "the struggling" Jacque Jones. If we are going to make a run deep into the postseason it's going to be because Zambrano and the sluggers.

In the reshuffled bullpen, Bob Howry was perfect in the 9th and Carlos Marmol did a great job after loading the bases in the 8th, striking out Jeff Keppinger and Ken Griffey Jr., and getting Brandon Phillips to pop out to end the threat and keep the Reds lead at 6-4. D-Lee followed that by hitting two out RBI single to make the score 6-5 and Aramis had a great at bat and drew a walk. Darryl Ward couldn't come through as he popped out to end the 8th. Ryan Dempster did not pitch but warmed up in the 8th. It is going to be interesting to see what Lou does with his new nasty boys. I want Demp in the 7th, Howry in the 8th, and Marmol in the 9th, assuming we ever get another save opportunity.

Let's get 'em tomorrow Cubbies.

Meet the new sluggers

Matt Murton, Jason Kendall and Jacque Jones both continued their respective hot streaks and carried the Cubs to a 6-2 win over the Rockies. Jason Marquis was surprisingly solid, allowing only one unearned run over 6 2/3 innings. Bob Howry saved an ineffective Carlos Marmol and the Cubs by getting out of a bases loaded jam in 8th. Once again, the Cubs got production from unlikely sources.

With Soriano on the DL, Aramis hurt and D-Lee struggling, Jones, Murton and Kendall have all stepped up in the last two games. You can read about Jones in the post below, Murton homered again, and Kendall had another three-hit game. This is exactly what good teams do: someone goes down, someone else steps up. The Cubbies have been doing this all year, from Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot to Michael Wuertz and Marmol. Everybody has contributed this season.

A scary moment occurred when Marquis drilled Jeff Baker in the face wit h a 91 mph fastball, let's hope Baker is O.k. and the Rox don't misinterpret the play as intentional. I have had enough of the fighting this season.

Those stinkin' Brewers won 5-4 in 11 innings against the unbeatable Astros so the Lovable Ones will have to wait another day to reclaim their rightful spot atop the N.L. Central Standings. Why delay the inevitable Brewers? It's gonna happen.