The Cubs fell to the Reds 3-2 at Wrigley Field Wednesday night. Dusty Baker and Carlos Zambrano offered up their thoughts after the game in the Wrigley Field interview room.

Cubs Fall to Reds

Former Cubs manager Don Zimmer was a surprise addition to the 7th Inning Stretch Wednesday night. Zim said he would let Billy carry the tune - judge for yourself, but we thought they carried the day.

Billy Williams and Don Zimmer Sing 7th Inning Stretch

Here's the official word from the Cubs on Phil Nevin along with a bit of news about the progress of Derrek Lee.

Cubs Trade Hairston for Nevin, Update D-Lee Injury

As you know the Cubs added Phil Nevin today from the Rangers in exchange for Jerry Hairston. In the short term, Nevin can be an obvious power source, something the Cubs have lacked since Derrek Lee went down. He is a guy that has power to all fields and as a matter of fact, his biggest strength is going to right field. In the past, most of the home runs that he hits end up going out to right-center field.

For the short-term, he can give the Cubs some sock in the lineup and when Derrek Lee comes back, he'll probably be the number one pinch-hitter off the bench when the Cubs need a long ball.

Bob

One of the great things we get to do at Wrigley is of course welcome in our guest conductors for the 7th inning stretch. Monday, movie star Vince Vaughn dropped by to do the honors. He has a new film coming out, "The Break-Up", starring Vince and Jennifer Aniston. Now, we don't get into the gossip business in the WGN-TV booth, so I can't tell you what their off-screen status is at the moment, but I have to say I was disappointed she didn't make an appearance in the booth with him. She was at the game, as you may have noticed by the 32 shots we had of her.

Bob, of course, was a little anxious because he has it in his head that Jennifer "won't leave him alone." So he just had to throw it out there for everybody to hear that he'd rather she just stay in her seat while Vince came over and sang the stretch. Unfortunately, his ploy worked a little too well.

So, I guess next time around, we'll have to smooth over some potentially hurt feelings with Ms. Aniston and maybe she'll come up and say hi.

But I wouldn't bet on it...

Len

The Cubs endured what we will charitably call an "interesting" week. It's podcast Tuesday for a change and due to the holiday, and we spent some time with Len & Bob following an exhausting and maddening loss on Sunday afternoon. Our baseball podcast can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in the audio format this week, or take a peek at the WGN control room using the video version, or it's easy to check out right on your computer.

This week, we spent some time on the Cubs' many problems, the perception of the greatest fans in baseball, and went over the difference between a broadcast and a dugout in no-hitter etiquette.

As always, we hope you enjoy the cast and we look forward to your comments.

Looking for the perfect Father's Day Gift? WGN and the Cubs are sponsoring a great event that benefits the Cubs Care charity. Here's the scoop from the Cubs:

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On Sunday, July 9 spend an hour playing catch in the outfield and running the bases of beautiful Wrigley Field. You will also receive a commemorative t-shirt, photograph, and lunch in the Friendly Confines Café.

Tickets are $150 per person and go on sale Thursday, June 1 at 10am. To purchase tickets call 773-404-CUBS.

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IOWA CUBS (22-27) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Nashville 5-4.
*Michael Restovich hit his 4th HR in 3 days. He has a 5-game hitting streak (.474) with 4 HRs, 7 RBI, and 6 runs in that time.
*RHP Angel Guzman went 6 innings allowing 4 hits and 2 runs.
*RHP Andy Shipman blew his second save and took the loss.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (30-22) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn's 3-run rally in the 7th pushed them past Huntsville 3-2.
*West Tenn leads the league in pitching with a 2.65 ERA and 4 shutout this year.

*DAYTONA CUBS (25-25) - A Florida State League
*Daytona had the day off yesterday.
PEORIA CHIEFS (28-21) - A Midwest League
*Kane County defeated Peoria 8-2.
*Mark Prior started and went 2 innings, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs with no walks in his first rehab appearance.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

Dusty Baker, Ryan Dempster, Matt Murton, Kerry Wood, and Todd Walker all had a hand in Monday's win over the Reds. Each took a turn in the press room after the game to talk about it.

Cubs End 6-Game Losing Streak, Beat Reds

There were many strange things about Sunday's loss, but Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber's rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" wasn't one of them. The coach did a great job on U of I day at Wrigley Field.

Bruce Weber Sings 7th Inning Stretch

Hi Everybody, I know the frustration level is about as high as it can get these days, and we've heard from many of you regarding your thoughts/feelings.

I got an email after Friday's game and I wanted to put it up on the blog today because I think it was well thought-out, articulate and full of passion for this team.

Maybe Tom's email sums up how you're feeling, maybe not, but I thought it was a great summation of how I think a lot of Cub fans are feeling right now...

Hi, Len. After the loss to the Braves today, I found myself thinking, "now I've seen it all." The only problem with that? I've already said that to myself numerous times this season. I was at all three games against San Diego on the last home stand, and I found myself saying the very same thing after every game. When I think about only the games I've been in attendance for this year, the list of unimaginable things I've witnessed is quite impressive (or depressing, depending on how you look at it). I saw game 2 at home against the Cardinals, and an awesome come from behind win. I was at the game in LA when Derrek Lee broke his wrist, but the Cubs won again from behind late. I saw Sean Marshall pitch a great game against the Marlins, and a frustrating loss to them the next day. Then came the 3 game sweep at the hands of the Padres; each loss more maddening than the next. What I've seen in person has been enough to frustrate me, but alas, there's been more while watching the other games on TV.

The amount of time spent this season talking about the fans' reactions to different players has become a sticky issue with me. I've heard people refer to Cubs fans as "the next Philadelphia fans". I've heard how frustrated we are, which is true, but I think it runs deeper. I'm a 25 year old high school teacher. I don't have my own classroom, and I work only as a substitute teacher. The fact that I don't make a lot of money, yet plop down $50 for a ticket to watch this team is an argument that many would like me to use to bad mouth the team. I think it's a valid point, but that's not what has me feeling as down as I do about this club. I guess the best way to explain it is to start from the beginning.

Since my short tenure as a Cubs fan, the team has been in the playoffs 4 times. I can't remember anything 1984 because I was only 3. My earliest memories are of walking from my grandfather's house on Diversey & Sheffield to the park. My dad took me to watch the Cubs. I was hooked. I loved baseball, and I loved the Cubs, but all of those early games were losses. I remember a bit about the '89 club, and I vividly remember wanting to be the next Greg Maddux or Ryne Sandberg. My love for the Cubs grew. Some very lean years followed, but I still stuck with the guys. Players became almost like family members, and I pulled for everyone as hard as I could, even if they stunk. 1998 awoke me to the idea that we could win. With a team that made the playoffs, why shouldn't we go back after making improvements to the team the following year? My expectations grew. The teams win total didn't. More lean years followed again, and many failed (yet highly touted) acquisitions thoroughly under performed. I kept pulling for the club, but started to realize that some guys weren't playing like they should, regardless of talent level. When 2003 hit, the winning bug was caught again, and the hunger only grew more and more in the following years. We all know what's happened the last few years, and the record has been disappointing to say the least.

So what happened to me and other Cubs fans? We got a taste of winning. We liked it. We wanted more. I equate it to getting a pay raise at work, and then suddenly have it taken away. Not only that, but you're getting a pay cut each year. Nobody would enjoy that. I think that's why Cubs fans have become a new breed. It's not that we want to boo. What people have to realize is that we don't boo the team when they take the field to start the game (at least at press time). We cheer them. We cheer for them when they make a good play, or take the lead, etc. The boos come when bad plays are made. The series against SD was a perfect example. I was cheering wildly when Angel Guzman doubled, yet I found myself booing later that same game. I was standing and cheering Greg Maddux the next day as he made great pitches and plays. Yet I was booing later as the team blew the game. I hooted and hollered from the bleachers when a Padre runner was called out for leaving 3rd early on a sac fly, but booing mercilessly later as we got pounded 9-0.

The funniest thing is that the boos go away after the game, replaced by cheers the next day, hoping that this will be the game that turns the season around. Yes, we're frustrated with the losing, yes we're disappointed with the performances of some players, but we're pulling as hard as ever for them the next day (at least I am). But when I keep dishing out my energy and belief in a team (or certain player), only to be let down, yet again, I get angry and let it out. That's why I've booed. I don't hate any of these guys. I hope and wish that they knew that. I feel like some of the players have taken it as a personal attack. It's the performance that I'm upset with. I expect more. I believe these guys are better than that. Maybe that's the teacher in me, expecting more out of people, but that's how I feel. I think Todd Walker said it best a couple years ago: "Caring fans boo." Caring fans do boo, but we cheer the hell out of you and pull for you the next day, and the day after. I worry that we won't have any reason to cheer anymore. I hope that apathy isn't what the players are looking for. They're not going to find it at Wrigley Field; at least not from me.

What does this all mean? It just means to me, and fans like me, that we don't want to boo or hate this team. We want to win. We want to cheer. But in the end, this is all just my humble opinion. Thanks for reading!

Tom from Cicero

Len

Dusty Baker and starting pitcher Sean Marshall met with the media after Saturday's 2-1 loss to Atlanta.

Dusty Baker Gets Vote Of Confidence in Cubs 2-1 Loss

"Mind-numbing" appears to be the word of the day from a Cub loss that defies explanation on many different levels.

Braves Score 3 In 9th, Beat Cubs

As usual, no one is taking the Cubs' collapse harder than Ron Santo, but he did take time to lead the crowd in a stirring rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" yesterday (a crowd that, contrary to the usual pundit characterizations, made its displeasure VERY vocal yesterday).

Ron Santo Sings 7th Inning Stretch

Michael Barrett was suspended today for ten games by Major League Baseball for his role in Saturday's fracas. Barrett and Dusty Baker met with the media before today's game.

Michael Barrett Suspended 10 Games

As expected, Michael Barrett received a hefty suspension in the wake of the fight on the South Side last weekend. 10 games. Ouch. I can't say I'm surprised considering the somewhat unprovoked nature of the punch he threw. Michael has appealed and while they might knock a game or two off the suspension, I have a hard time thinking he'll get fewer than 8 games when it's all said and done.

So, in the interim, Michael plays and hopes the appeal won't be heard for awhile. When the appeal is heard and the suspension starts, the Cubs will have to bring up another catcher to back-up Henry Blanco. It will leave the Cubs a man short roster-wise, because the suspended player still counts against your 25-man active roster. So, obviously, this is a very damaging suspension for the Cubs.

But, you press on and in the Cubs case, they could sure use some good news to off-set what has been a dismal month. The best news this weekend would be some wins over Atlanta.

Len

I've written about this before and certainly talked about it on the air, but it bears repeating. There is no magical way out of a slump other than to find a way to get back to basics and play solid baseball.

The Cubs need to take care of their own business, focusing on playing better baseball, having better at-bats, and bring the game down to its most basic level. Go up to the plate and have a good at-bat. Get a good pitch to hit. Hit it hard. Know what the situation is in each individual at-bat and do what's right for the team.

It's easy to point a finger at the offense because the Cubs have not been scoring runs, but we've seen lapses defensively that shouldn't happen. Giving away 90 feet at a time, throwing to the wrong base, not being prepared for a runner who is trying to take an extra base, throwing late and giving up 90 feet to the trail runner. Play sound baseball and do what's right in each situation.

Now, yes, there is another pitch and another team out there trying to keep you from doing just that, but your motivation needs to be there, your focus needs to be there - all on doing the right thing.

Bob

* The Braves have made themselves right at home in Chicago over the last few seasons, winning 13 of their last 18 games at Wrigley Field. The Cubs have actually hit for a higher average in those games, but the Braves have hit in a more timely fashion and put together some late rallies.

Braves Vs. Cubs in Chicago – Last 18 Games (5/29/00)

Atl ChC
Wins 13 5
Runs PG 5.1 (91/18) 3.9 (70/18)
BA .253 (156/617) .261 (156/598)
BA with RISP .321 (43/134) .259 (36/139)
ERA 3.90 (68/157.0) 4.78 (86/162.0)
Runs in 7th Inn & Later 29 12

* This season, the Braves have been coming up with key two-out hits while the same cannot be said for the Cubs. In fact, Atlanta’s average with runners in scoring position and two outs is more twice that of the Cubs.

Braves & Cubs’ BA With RISP & 2 Outs (With MLB Ranks)

Braves .290 (4)
Cubs .140 (last)

* Still, the Braves have been the epitome of mediocre, as they have hovered around the break-even point all season long.

Most Times With a Record of Exactly .500, MLB -- 2006

Dodgers 12
Braves 11
Angels 9
Athletics 9
Brewers 9

* Marcus Giles has gotten off to a slow start this year; maybe a series with the Cubs will be just what he needs to jump-start his bat.

Highest Career BA Vs. Cubs – Active Players
(minimum 100 PA)

Carlos Beltran .417
Marcus Giles .398 (37/93)
Carl Everett .369
Brian Giles .335
Bobby Abreu .332

After hitting .291 with runners in scoring position over the last three seasons (2003-05), Giles is hitting just .135 (5/37) in those situations this year, the fourth-lowest mark in the league.

* On the other hand, Giles’ double-play partner, Edgar Renteria, is off to a blazing start, and he has hit Carlos Zambrano as well as anyone in baseball.

Highest Career BA Vs. Zambrano – Active Players
(minimum 20 AB)

Edgar Renteria .435 (10/23)
Carlos Lee .385
Rob Mackowiak .357
Craig Biggio .355
Jason Kendall .346

* This season, Zambrano has been as tough on righthanded hitters as any starter in baseball.

Lowest BA Allowed to RH Batters, MLB – 2006
(minimum 100 RH batters faced)

Carlos Zambrano, ChC .154 (19/123)
Jose Contreras, CWS .159
Pedro Martinez, NYM .165
Vicente Padilla, Tex .173
Mike O’Connor, Was .189

* Tim Hudson has allowed just four homers in 10 starts this season. Only three pitchers, all of them probable Hall-of-Famers, have allowed balls to leave the yard at a lower rate than Hudson over the course of their respective careers.

Fewest Career HR Allowed Per Nine IP – Active Pitchers
(minimum 1250 IP)

Greg Maddux 0.61
Tom Glavine 0.68
Pedro Martinez 0.71
Tim Hudson 0.71 (118/498.2)
Tom Gordon 0.71

After a first-pitch strike, opponents have hit .193 (22/114) off of Hudson this season; after a 1-0 count to start the at-bat, they have hit .303 (30/99).

Hi Everybody, one of the great things about this job is of course traveling to all the great big league cities with the Cubs. We often joke that we see more of the "Cubs family" (i.e., the traveling party) than we do our real families during the baseball season and there's some truth in that. I've been asked many times what my game day routine is on the road and I think last year I posted regarding that.

But the other part of it is being able to form a bond with our crew, the radio guys, Dusty and the coaching staff, the front office people who travel, the clubhouse crew, the training staff, the media relations folks and of course, the players, although on the latter, we really try to give the players as much space as possible.

When we ride on the team charter, the players sit in the back of the plane and we sit in front of them and behind the coaches and generally keep to ourselves and stay out of the players' way. Same goes at the team hotel. And certainly, at the ballpark as well, although while we're there, we're doing our jobs, so we certainly talk to them there more than anywhere else. I've learned a lot of baseball from the managers and coaches I've been around over the last few years and it's exciting for me to be able to do it everyday with the likes of my broadcasting partner, Dusty, Sarge, Chris Speier, Sonny Jackson, etc. as well as Cub players and managers/coaches/players on other teams occasionally too.

Lastly, the most important person on any trip is our good friend Jimmy Bank, who sets up all the team travel and accommodations and is the point person for just about anything regarding the actual trip itself. Jimmy, I believe, has a cell phone implanted on his right ear.

It's an interesting trek we make every time we leave Chicago for a roadtrip. And the best part of the trip is always when we land back in Chicago knowing two things: 1) we get to see our families again and 2) we know that our next game is at Wrigley Field.

Len

* Much has been made of the massive loss of Derrek Lee, but there has been more than the Cubs’ missing first baseman to blame over the last month.

Cubs, 2006

Through 4-25 4-26 & Since
W-L 12-7 6-20
Road W-L 6-5 2-12
Runs/Gm 5.05 2.62 (68/26)
Avg w/RISP .315 .164 (32/195)
ERA 3.83 5.54

* The Cubs will send Greg Maddux to the hill to stop the slide. While Maddux has been nearly flawless at Wrigley, he has been human on the road in 2006.

Biggest ERA Diff Home/Road, 2006
(min 1.0 IP per team game)

Player Home Road Diff
Dave Williams, Cin 2.14 (5/21.0) 12.79 (27/19.0) 10.65
Sean Marshall, ChC 1.82 (5/24.2) 9.00 (23/23.0) 7.18
Dave Bush, Mil 2.50 (10/36.0) 8.36 (26/28.0) 5.86
Brandon Claussen,Cin 2.93 (10/30.2) 7.89 (19/21.2) 4.96
Greg Maddux, ChC 1.40 (4/25.2) 5.83 (19/29.1) 4.43

* Maddux’ mound opponent on Wednesday has won just once at Dolphin Stadium since joining the fish at the start of the 2005 season.

Worst Home Winning Percentage, MLB Since 2005
(min 10 home starts since start of 2005)

Player Pct. (W-L)
Brian Moehler .100 (1-9)
Victor Santos .125 (1-7)
Russ Ortiz .125 (1-7)
Kirk Reuter .143 (1-6)
Brad Hennessey .167 (1-5)

* The Marlins have been great at getting out to leads this season. The Marlins have allowed a major league low 12 first-inning runs in 2006.

Best Run Differential Inning in 1st Inning, 2006 MLB

Padres 38 17 21
Marlins 32 12 20
Giants 40 23 17
Dodgers 41 24 17
White Sox 41 24 17

* Part of the reason for the Marlins success early in the game on offense is their new leadoff hitter Hanley Ramirez. Florida could not have anticipated Ramirez getting on base at a better clip than ex-Marlins centerfielder Juan Pierre.

Highest OBP as #1 Hitter, 2006 Lowest OBP as #1 Hitter, 2006
(min 100 PA) (min 100 PA)

Hanley Ramirez, Fla .429 Juan Pierre, ChC .271
Kevin Youkilis, Bos .429 Cory Sullivan, Col .306
David Eckstein, StL .392 Jimmy Rollins, Phi .311

* Also at the top of the Marlins lineup is fellow rookie Dan Uggla, who has flourished in May.

Most Hits in May, 2006

Nomar Garciaparra, LAD 33
Ichiro, Sea 33
Dan Uggla, Fla 32
Felipe Lopez, Cin 32
Matt Holliday, Col 31
Mark Loretta, Bos 31

-- Uggla’s 20 runs scored this month are tied for fifth in the majors. Hanley Ramirez is tied for first with 21 runs this month.

* Now in season No. 4 of his career, Miguel Cabrera just keeps getting better. His batting average and his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) have increased with each season.

M.Cabrera by Season

Avg OPS
2003 .268 .793
2004 .294 .879
2005 .323 .947
2006 .327 .990
* It has been a tough start to Jacque Jones’ Cubs career, but when he puts the first pitch he sees in play he is among the best.

Batting Average, 1st pitch in play, MLB 2006
(min 10 1st pitches put in play)

Ben Broussard, Cle .692 (9/13)
Matt Diaz, Atl .692 (9/13)
Jacque Jones, ChC .600 (9/15)
Craig Wilson, Pit .600 (9/15)
Travis Hafner, Cle .600 (6/10)
Omar Infante, Det .600 (6/10)

* Neither the Cubs nor the Marlins have been particularly successful in day games this season.

Worst Record in Day Games, 2006

Pittsburgh Pirates .133 (2-13)
Kansas City Royals .167 (3-15)
Florida Marlins .231 (3-10)
Minnesota Twins .286 (4-10)
Chicago Cubs .333 (8-16)

Friday, May 26 - Ron Santo
Saturday, May 27 - Chris Lowery (SIU basketball)
Sunday, May 28 - Bruce Weber
Monday, May 29 - Vince Vaughn
Tuesday, May 30 - Ernie Banks
Wednesday, May 31 - Billy Williams

IOWA CUBS (18-24) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Sacramento 3-0
*INF Tony Womack went 3-4 with a stolen base.
*OF Luis Montanez was 2-4 with a double

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (26-19) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn was off yesterday.

*DAYTONA CUBS (23-21) - A Florida State League
*Daytona's nine-game winning streak was snapped with a 5-3 loss to Tampa.
*OF Sam Fuld was 2-5 with a run and stolen base. He has hit in 10 straight games with 13 runs and 8 RBIs over that stretch.
*INF Matt Craig went 3-3 for the second straight game.
PEORIA CHIEFS (25-18) - A Midwest League
*Peoria scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th to edge Beloit 2-1.
*OF Jesus Valdez was 3-4.
*Edwardo Campusano picked up his league-leading 13th save.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

After an emotional weekend at the Cell with the White Sox, the Cubs are off to Florida, hoping to keep any momemtum generated by Sunday's win. It's podcast Monday, but we first want to apologize for some technical difficulties this week. We are still posting the podcast, not only because Len and Bob took the time again this week, but because their analysis of the wild weekend at the Cell is worth listening to by all Cub fans. Our baseball podcast can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in only the audio format this week, or it's easy to listen to right on your computer.

Thanks for wading through the less than perfect audio, but we hope you'll find that Len and Bob's take on the brawl at the Cell will be worth it.

bob v

* The Marlins have lost six of their last 7 home games against the Cubs, including three in a row.
* Sean Marshall won his first start against the Marlins on April 25, pitching 7 innings while allowing no runs and just two hits.
* Florida’s starting pitchers have the worst ERA in the National League (5.37).
* Former Cub minor leaguer Ricky Nolasco will be making his second major league start. In his first start last Wednesday against Atlanta, Nolasco gave up two runs (both unearned) but last just 3 2/3 innings.
* Chicago has just two wins in its last 12 road contests.
* The Marlins have lost 7 games in a row, their longest skid since losing 8 in a row from July 7-18, 2002
* The Cubs have the second worst on base percentage in the majors this year (.301).

If you wanted to get the skinny from the combatants on both sides of the Cubs 7-4 win in the series finale, click on the video below.

Sox Fall To Cubs In Series Finale

Cubs Talk About Avoiding Sweep; Beat Sox 7-4

Saturday's brawl was still on everyone's mind before the finale of the series on Sunday. Dan Roan talked with all the key players before the game.

Ozzie Guillen & Dusty Baker Talk Before Sunday's Game

AJ Pierzynski Talks With Dan Roan Before Sunday's Game

Dan Roan Talks With Michael Barrett Before Sunday's Game

The Cubs went to the South Side this weekend with fewer seats to be had and were looking up at the World Champs in a big way. We did canvass the park and took a few photos of the weekend's proceedings.

Cubs catcher Michael Barrett and manager Dusty Baker met the press and talked about the second inning melee at the Cell on Saturday.

A.J. Pierzynski and manager Ozzie Guillen also weighed in with their take on the battle.

Sox Roll With The Punches, Beat Cubs
Cubs Can't Fight Way Past Sox, Lose 7-0

There have been a lot of posts asking for action and fire from the Cubs. Guess we've got it now, though letting Iguchi hit a granny right afterwards might have limited the impact. Anyway, post your thoughts here and we'll also put the postgame soundbites on here after the game.

Ozzie Guillen & Dusty Baker Talk About The Fight

Before Friday's Crosstown Classic opening game, Kerry Wood took a few minutes and sat down with Len on the Leadoff Man to discuss his return.

Len Kasper Talks With Kerry Wood

It's been suggested (well, OK I'm suggesting it) that for the first time since interleague play started in 1997, that this series means a lot more to the Cub fans than their counterparts on the South Side. Do you agree?

bob v

We want to send out special happy 80th birthday wishes to our great friend and mentor Jack Rosenberg this weekend. Jack was a true pioneer who arrived at WGN in 1954 and along with Jack Brickhouse and others, built the WGN Sports department from a good idea into the entity it is today.

He's one of the great guys in our business or any business and we all owe him a great deal. Thanks for everything Jack and have a great birthday!

bob v

It's going to be a great baseball weekend in Chicago with the Cubs hitting the South Side for a 3-game set with the defending champs today.

Here are 3 quick notes to think about going into the weekend:

1) The Cubs will be at a disadvantage with the use of the DH because not only are they an NL club, but they're a club missing their best offensive player, Derrek Lee. Hopefully, Aramis Ramirez is back in the lineup after not starting Thursday due to a mild lower back strain (he did PH and the Cubs were expecting him to be ready for this series). Todd Walker is the #1 DH candidate and could be in that spot every game this weekend.

2) Pitching is always important, but I think it's THE key to this series for the Cubs. The Sox have a really good offense and you don't want to have to get into a slugfest with them, especially with the struggles the Cubs offense has had lately.

3) Clearly, this series is huge for the Cubs because of their recent rough stretch. I think a series win this weekend would give them a big boost psychologically, especially after winning 2 of 3 from Washington. You'd hate to see them not take advantage of the small momentum gained by taking a series for the 1st time in 3 weeks.

We start at 2:30p with a special edition of the Leadoff Man. I hope you'll join us.

Len

* The White Sox-Cubs interleague rivalry has been close and heated.

White Sox-Cubs Interleague Games – All-Time (Since 1997)

White Sox Cubs
Wins 25 23
- by 1 run 7 7
Runs 228 227
ERA 4.40 4.59
Batting Avg .249 .257
On-Base Pct .326 .328
Slugging Pct .419 .421
Home Runs 64 60
Pitcher Strikeouts 323 332

* Greg Maddux is an old hand at interleague competition, and no starting pitcher has had more success:

Greg Maddux – Career Interleague Game Ranks

Starts 35* T-Most (Mussina)
Innings Pitched 234.1 Most
Wins 19 Most
Winning Pct. .731 3rd-Best (minimum 15 decisions)
(* includes Friday 5/19 start)

* Maddux takes on a tough opponent in Mark Buehrle, who is especially formidable at U.S. Cellular Field.

Most Wins, Home Games – 2002-06

Roy Oswalt 41-14
Mark Buehrle 41-18
Randy Johnson 40-19
Bartolo Colon 38-24
Mark Mulder 37-12

Buehrle is 5-0 in his last eight interleague starts, dating back to a victory over the Cubs on June 21, 2003.

* The Cubs are 3-7 vs. lefthanded starters this year, and they’ve been even vulnerable to lefthanders since Derrek Lee went out.

Cubs vs. Lefties, Before/Since Lee Injury

Before Injury Since Injury
Average .247 (24/97) .162 (32/198)
Slugging Pct. .361 .237
AB per HR 48.5 (97/2) 99.0 (198/2)

* Michael Barrett, one of the Cubs’ righty threats, has a solid .299 average, but his run production has dried up recently.

Michael Barrett – 2006 Season

Through April 21 .320 BA (16/50), 4 HR, 18 RBI
April 22 & Since .281 BA (16/57), 1 HR, 1 RBI

* At the one-quarter mark of the season, the White Sox boast a record nearly as good as club’s mark a year ago at this time, but the 2006 version has been winning more with offense than with pitching.

2005 2006
W-L 28-12 (.700) 26-14 (.650)
Runs/Game 4.6 (185/40) 5.7 (226/40)
BA .256 (338/1319) .283 (390/1378)
On-Base Pct .323 .353
Slugging Pct .400 .471
Home Runs 42 58
ERA 3.37 (135/360.2) 4.30 (169/353.2)
Opponent B .236 (315/1333) .261 (357/1368)

* Leading the attack is Jim Thome, the all-time leader in home runs in interleague games.

Most Career Home Runs, Interleague Games – All-Time

Jim Thome 46
Rafael Palmeiro 41
Carlos Delgado 39
Sammy Sosa 37
Manny Ramirez 37

Thome also ranks second to Carlos Delgado (123) with 113 RBI in interleague competition.

* One commonality between the 2005 and 2006 White Sox is their performance in close games.

White Sox in Games Decided by 1 or 2 Runs – 2005-2006

2005 61-34 (.642) Best in MLB
2006 11-5 (.688) 3rd-Best in MLB

* This year’s White Sox team has usually taken command of the game in the early innings. The Cubs have had the opposite experience.

Cubs-White Sox Run Differential in Innings: 1-3, 2006

RS RA Diff
White Sox 89 44 +45 (Best in MLB)
Cubs 41 69 -28 (5th Worst in MLB)

The Cubs honored Jackie Robinson on Thursday with a special pregame ceremony. Fans received scratch-off cards for the chance to win a Mitchell & Ness 1955 Brooklyn Dodger jersey with Robinson's #42 on the back. Finally, Jackie's daughter Sharon came to the booth and led the crowd in "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".

Sharon Robinson Sings the 7th Inning Stretch

Just a reminder of the broadcast schedule for this weekend:

Friday
2:30pm Special edition of the Leadoff Man
3:00pm Cubs-Sox with Len & Bob

Saturday's game is a Fox Network game.

Sunday
12:30 White Sox warmup pregame show
1:00pm Cubs-Sox with Hawk & DJ

If you want to know how to snap a losing streak or find your way out of a time when you just can't seem to win a ballgame, execute the fundamentals of the game.

Last night in the first inning, we saw Matt Murton hit the ground ball to the right side to get Pierre to third base which led to a run. In the second we saw Jerry Hairston sacrifice Jacque Jones to third, then Ronny Cedeno lay down a perfect squeeze for another run. Just like that the Cubs had two runs and a much-needed lead.

Things like that also have a way of keeping everyone in the ballgame. We used to say in the dugout that you should get a half-RBI any time you do something as important as getting that runner over.

It's amazing how simple this game looks when you execute the fundamentals.

Bob

*Kerry Wood makes his return after his 9th career visit to the disabled list as the Cubs host the Washington Nationals and Ramon Ortiz (0-4, 6.30) today on WGN.

*The Cubs are coming off back-to-back shutouts. The last time the team recorded three straight shutouts was in 1992.

*The Cubs are 10-9 at Wrigley Field this season and 7-13 on the road.

*Today the Cubs face a right-handed starter for the 15th straight game, a streak that will end tomorrow when left Mark Buehrle takes the mound for the White Sox.

*The Cubs honor Jackie Robinson today. Robinson made his Wrigley debut on this day in 1947 before the largest crowd in Wrigley history, 46,752.

*There were some e-mail requests to repeat the details on the Carlos Zambrano appearance at Woodfield Chevrolet and Hummer on Thursday night from 7 to 8:30p:
1100 E. Golf Road
Schaumburg, Il 60173
(888) 249-3805
http://www.woodfieldchevy.com/index.php

*Sandy was a bit worried about the John Lennon album that featured "Whatever Gets You Through The Night". A quick check shows that it was indeed "Shaved Fish" as you say, but it is also on "Walls and Bridges" as the broadcasters mentioned last night.

*Holly wants to know who comes up with the AFLAC question - that is not on WGN telecasts. I am pretty sure producer Bob Albrecht handles that on the Comcast games.

*Stacey in San Diego didn't like having WGN blacked out there during the Padres game. That is out of our control due to a MLB rule that permits teams to black out WGN (and similar broadcasts) in another team's home market when they are playing.

*Holly also wanted to know what I learned at the podcasting seminar. Nothing earth-shattering since it's a new phenomenon, but mainly to have fun. Hopefully the podcasts are entertaining and provide a bit of info we can't always get to during the games.

bob v

Dee Brown and James Augustine from the University of Illinois basketball team took the mike and led the charged-up Wrigley Field crowd in singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".

Dee Brown & James Augustine Sing 7th Inning Stretch

Dusty Baker talks about getting a win, Carlos Zambrano's performance, and Jacque Jones' adventures on the basepaths in his press conference following last night's win.

Cubs Beat Nationals 4-0

One of the things people may wonder when they watch our games is, what does an executive producer do? A producer? And director? And associate producer?

Well, glad you asked...

Our Executive Producer Bob Vorwald oversees the WGN Sports department and is at pretty much all the home games providing support. He also occasionally travels as well. We call him "Sir" or "Mr. Vorwald" and if he's in a good mood, maybe we'll drop a "Your Honor" (just kidding...I had to add some levity...) Bob also works on setting up and maintaining our interaction with you through this blog, the podcast, etc.

Our producer, Pete Toma, is essentially in charge of the content of our shows. He puts together our Lead-Off Man Show, is responsible for coming up with topics to discuss in our open, all the live reads and Cubs promos we do, and also works closely with our studio people back at WGN. Pete also keeps track of which replays we show, deciding what angles and when to go to them.

Skip (Fillmore) Ellison is our director. His responsibility is basically he controls everything you see. He directs all the cameras and puts together all the shots to tell a story visually. He also works closely with Pete obviously as they put the words and pictures and graphics into a coherent package.

Marc Brady is our associate producer. He devises all our graphics, comes up with pertinent notes for use during the telecast and always provides interesting nuggets to us during the game that we use. Marc also produces certain segments, including our longer, half-hour pre-game shows. Big Daddy (as we like to call him) also provides lots of comic relief throughout the season, which is always encouraged!

That's our WGN traveling party.

The rest of our Wrigley crew does a phenomenal job, from the camera operators, to our audio people to our technical people in the truck to our stage manager, Angie Adochio in the booth.

This is truly a team effort on a daily basis. And while you hear only Bob and me on the air, we hear ourselves, each other and Pete, Skip and Marc from the truck during the game. It's also fascinating to get fans' reactions when they realize how much goes on behind the scenes.

So, when you watch tonight, know that there are dozens of folks making everything happen through the magic of television. Our crew is passionate about baseball and we hope it shows.

Len

* The Cubs have dropped 12 of their last 13 contests and will look to get back on the right track against a Nationals’ club that has won five straight meetings between the teams:

Nationals vs. Cubs – Last Five Meetings (since 5/14/05)

Wsh ChC
Wins 5 0
- by 1 run 4 0
Runs/Game 4.4 (22/5) 3.2 (16/5)
Starters ERA 3.09 (11/32.0) 5.60 (17/27.1)
Errors 1 6

* The Nationals have relied on home runs more than any other club in the majors so far this season:

Highest Pct. Of Total Runs From HR, 2006 MLB

Team HR-R Runs PCT
Washington Nationals 79 170 .465
Milwaukee Brewers 88 191 .461
Toronto Blue Jays 98 217 .452
Detroit Tigers 82 184 .446
New York Yankees 90 205 .439

* Chicago has failed to hit a home run in 11 of its last 16 contests and it has been nearly three weeks since the team’s last multi-home run game:

Most Games Since Last 2+ Home Run Contest – Active Streaks

Chicago Cubs 16
Pittsburgh Pirates 15
Arizona Diamondbacks 9
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7

Three teams tied at 3

* Carlos Zambrano is looking for just his second win of the campaign and has been nearly perfect when he’s made it past the fifth inning this season:

Carlos Zambrano -- 2006

ERA Opponent BA
Innings 1-5: 4.89 (21/38.2) .253 (37/146)
Innings 6+: 0.00 (0/10.0) .147 (5/34)

* Livan Hernandez, winner of each of his last three starts against the Cubs, has gotten shelled early on in his outings this season:

MLB, Highest ERA in First Inning -- 2006
(minimum 5 GS)

Livan Hernandez, Was 18.00 (16/8.0)
Josh Towers, Tor 16.88 (15/8.0)
Joe Blanton, Oak 14.14 (11/7.0)
Joe Mays, KC 13.50 (9/6.0)
Ian Snell, Pit 13.50 (12/8.0)

--- Opposing batters are hitting .478 (22/46) against Hernandez in the first inning, second highest in the majors (minimum 5 starts) to teammate, Zach Day (.481).

* John Mabry has just 4 hits in 33 at bats since Derrek Lee went down, but figures to be in the lineup today against Livan Hernandez:

Highest Career BA vs. Livan Hernandez – Active Players
(minimum 15 AB)

John Mabry, ChC .571 (12/21)
Sean Casey, Pit .545 (12/22)
Bill Mueller, LAD .500 (8/16)
Felipe Lopez, Cin .500 (8/16)
Todd Helton, Col .489 (22/45)

* Former Yankees, Alfonso Soriano and Nick Johnson, have formed one of the league’s top slugging tandems in their first season together in Washington:

MLB, Teammates with 10+ Home Runs -- 2006

Houston -- Lance Berkman (13) & Morgan Ensberg (12)
Washington -- Alfonso Soriano & (12) Nick Johnson (10)
Oakland -- Nick Swisher (12) & Eric Chavez (10)
Toronto -- Troy Glaus (12) & Vernon Wells (10)
Philadelphia -- Ryan Howard (12) & Pat Burrell (10)
Detroit -- Chris Shelton (11) & Magglio Ordonez (10)

It's "I still love baseball but the Cubs are trying my soul" Monday, so we ask you to put step back, take a deep breath, and enjoy Len & Bob's podcast. In case you are new to our site, we provide a weekly baseball podcast that can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in either audio or video formats, or it's easy to view right on your computer.

This week, our heroes weigh in on the Cubs' dilemma, Kerry Wood's return, venturing off to see the champs at the Cell, the rise of Albert Pujols, and the magic of a pink bat. To hear the details on that wide-ranging list, click on the links above. Post any questions, comments, or suggested topics below and we'll try to get to them next week.

There wasn’t much good news at Wrigley Field on Sunday, but major league baseball’s program to raise funds for breast cancer research and increase awareness did take a big step forward.

IOWA CUBS (13-22) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Salt Lake 6-0.
*Jerome Williams started and took the loss (0-3), giving up 6 runs and 12 hits in 4.1 innings.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (23-15) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn lost to Montgomery 2-1, snapping a 5-game winning streak.
*INFs Scott Moore and Eric Patterson went 2-4.
*OF Richard Lewis drove in the lone run.

DAYTONA CUBS (16-20) - A Florida State League
*Daytona had the day off.

PEORIA CHIEFS (20-16) A Midwest League
*Peoria defeated South Bend 5-1.
*LHP Donald Veal went 5.2 innings giving up 3 hits and 1 run for the win (3-2).
*INF Jonathan Mota was 4-5 at the plate with an RBI.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

Another frustating day at Wrigley, save for the 7th inning, when Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder led the crowd in "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder Sings 7th Inning Stretch

Reinforcements are on the way as the Cubs look to Thursday for the return of Kerry Wood. Kerry of course pitched out of the bullpen for a stretch last year before undergoing shoulder surgery. So, Thursday will be his first big league start since July 20, 2005. Now, obviously, Kerry Wood isn't the "savior" of the Cubs, no one is saying that he is. But his presence can only help a rotation that hasn't been consistent (save for Maddux/Marshall) since the season started. Carlos Zambrano has looked terrific his last two starts, so you hope that continues. Greg Maddux was back to his April form yesterday, Sean Marshall, save for his last outing, has been better than anyone could have expected and now you get Wood back. The hope here is that some stability in the rotation will add to a more rested bullpen, one that is used consistently the way the Cubs would like to use it.

I won't make any predictions regarding Wood, but based on what I've heard and read, I'm hopeful Kerry is going to come back strong and have a solid year. It's a huge year for him considering the injuries he's battled through and his contract situation. But knowing Kerry, he's not thinking about that stuff. He's more concerned about simply helping the Cubs win, something they haven't done much lately.

Len

* The San Diego Padres have taken the first two this weekend after sweeping the Cubs in a 4-game set in San Diego last weekend. Hitting with runners in scoring position has been the major difference between the two clubs in these six games.

Padres vs. Cubs – 2006

Padres Cubs
Wins 6 0
1-Run Wins 3 0
Runs/Game 5.2 (31/6) 2.5 (15/6)
BA w/Bases Empty .240 (25/104) .292 (35/120)
BA w/RISP .301 (22/73) .107 (6/56)

* The schedule makers did the Cubs no favors when they scheduled them to play the Padres seven times in May. Over the last two seasons no team in baseball has had the kind of May success that the Padres have had.

Best Record in May, MLB 2005 – 2006

San Diego Padres .829 (34-7)
Texas Rangers .667 (24-12)
New York Yankees .658 (25-13)
Philadelphia Phillies .650 (26-14)
Chicago White Sox .615 (24-15)

* The Padres have won 13 of their last 14. Their good run started on April 30 when they came from 5-0 down in the 9th to beat the Dodgers. Yesterday, Piazza’s 3-run blast off Dempster in the 9th was the difference. The Friars have been trailing at some point in over half of their 21 victories this season.

Highest Percent of Total Wins That Were Comebacks, NL 2006

Team Comeback Wins Total Wins Pct. of Wins by CB
Brewers 11 18 .611
Padres 11 21 .524
Rockies 9 21 .429
Nationals 5 12 .417
Reds 9 23 .391

* Despite losing three in a row, it appears that the Cubs are coming out of their offensive funk.

Cubs, Offense in Last Four Games vs. Previous 11 Games

Last Four Games Previous 11 Games
Runs/Game 4.8 (19/4) 1.2 (13/11)
Team BA .256 (34/133) .216

* But the Cubs are obviously not the same offensive team without all-star first baseman Derrek Lee.

Chicago Cubs With and Without Derrek Lee, 2006

With Without
Record 9-5 6-16
R/G 5.4 (76/14) 2.9 (63/22)
BA .279 (134/480) .226 (160/709)
SLG .431 (207/480) .331 (235/709)
HR/G 1.0 (14/14) 0.5 (12/22)

* With or without Derrek Lee, the Cubs have not been good this year when letting their opponents jump out in front.

Worst Record in Games When Opponent Scores First, MLB 2006

Team W-L Win Pct.
Cleveland Indians 1-11 .083
Pittsburgh Pirates 4-22 .154
Chicago Cubs 3-16 .158
Detroit Tigers 2-10 .167
Florida Marlins 3-14 .176

* The Padres’ hitters love to get away from spacious PETCO Park.

Largest Decrease in Batting Average, Home/Road, MLB 2006
(Min 3.1 PA per team game)

Home Road Diff
Vinny Castilla, SD .156 (10/64) .346 (18/52) -0.190
Joey Gathright, TB .091 (4/44) .263 (15/57) -0.172
Josh Barfield, SD .205 (17/83) .373 (19/51) -0.168
Cory Sullivan, Col .208 (11/53) .353 (30/85) -0.145
Brad Hawpe, Col .250 (14/56) .392 (29/74) -0.142

* Most of the Padres’ hurlers, on the other hand, wouldn’t mind if all of their games were played at home, but Clay Hensley is one of the few Padres’ pitchers that has had more success away from pitcher friendly PETCO Park since its doors opened.

Padres, Largest ERA Differential Road/Home, Since 2004
(min 30 IP on Road and 30 IP at Home since ‘04, as a Padre)

Player Road Home Diff
Clay Hensley 1.14 4.65 -3.50
Scott Linebrink 1.59 2.74 -1.15
Trevor Hoffman 1.95 2.85 -0.90
David Wells 3.31 4.06 -0.75
Jake Peavy 2.65 2.80 -0.15

* Greg Maddux’ theft of second base in yesterday’s games was historic.

Oldest Pitchers to Steal a Base, Since 1960

YRS DAYS BIRTHDATE
Jim Kaat(StL) 6/23/1980 vs. Pirates 41 229 11/07/1938
Danny Darwin(Hou) 9/28/1996 vs. Marlins 40 339 10/25/1955
Orel Hershiser(NYM) 7/22/1999 vs. Expos 40 309 9/16/1958
Greg Maddux(ChC) 5/13/2006 vs. Padres 40 29 4/14/1966
Orel Hershiser(SF) 5/05/1998 vs. Marlins 39 231 9/16/1958

-- Greg Maddux is the oldest CUBS pitcher ever to steal a base.

The Cubs Care charitable arm had another great day on Saturday with a ceremony to commemorate a huge face lift for Hamlin Park in Chicago. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo were on hand for the event. The new fields will be christened Cubs Care Legends Field at Hamlin Park in their honor.

Cub Greats Honored By Chicago Park District

Injured Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee took time to sit down with Bob on the Leadoff Man today and discussed his injury, the Cubs offensive woes, and scratching a certain itch.

Bob Brenly Chats with Derrek Lee

Once you do decide to pitch to Barry Bonds, good luck. There are different theories for different teams. We always had the most success against Barry when our pitchers could hit the outside corner or further off the plate with fastballs and straight changeups. We wanted to keep everything down and away. If you are going to come inside, you have to get in there off the plate. With the bad knee that he has now, I don't think it's a bad move to throw one right inside the to make him move his feet and be uncomfortable.

The problem with Barry is that he is the best in the game in recognizing the pitch out of the pitcher's hand. Add to it that he doesn't swing at anything out of the zone and generally has a strike zone the size of a dime. Umpires hesitate to call borderline strikes on Barry. It makes it doubly tough. Not only do you have to execute a perfect pitch on the outside corner but you have to get an umpire who will call it.

Bob

Now that's more like it. After a stretch of offensive futility that went on way too long, the Cubs really busted out Wednesday night and finally supported Carlos Zambrano in his first win of the year. The Cubs had not been scoring in general, but particularly with Big Z on the hill. His last two starts show he is out of his early season slump, which is extremely encouraging. To be honest, he hasn't been that bad all year, save for that rough outing vs. Milwaukee. But now, he looks to be the ace the Cubs want him and need him to be.

Now that the Cubs have broken the losing streak, it's time to find some consistency. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to go on a 9-game winning streak (although we'll gladly take it!). You just look now at baby steps...win the series today. Head home and play well this weekend. Don't worry about the standings or the record right now. It's all about this team finding its groove once again.

Let's hope we don't see another stretch like the one we just witnessed ever again.

Len

The Cubs performance on this roadtrip has been nothing to write home about, but the magnificence of AT&T Park in San Francisco is worth sending home.

IOWA CUBS (12-19) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Colorado Springs 2-1.
*INF Casey McGehee doubled, going 2-for-3 at the plate with 1 RBI.
*OF Buck Coats was 1-for-3 with 1 run scored.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (20-14) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn had 25 hits against Mississippi, defeating the Braves 15-1.
*Juan Mateo threw 7 shutout innings to earn the win.
*INF Scott Moore homered in his second straight game, going 4-for-6 with a double, 3 RBI, and 4 runs. He now leads the Southern League in doubles (14).
*OF Luis Montanez was 4-for-4 with a three-run homer, a double and 4 RBI. His .353 batting average is best in the league.
*INF/OF Gary Cates went 4-for-6 with 1 double and 3 RBI.

*DAYTONA CUBS (14-19) - A Florida State League
*Daytona lost to Fort Myers 2-1.
*INF Matt Craig went 1-for-4 with a solo home run.
*INF Nate Spears was 3-for-3 at the plate.
PEORIA CHIEFS (18-15) - A Midwest League
*Peoria lost to Fort Wayne 8-1 in a 7 inning rain- shortened game.
*DH Ryan Norwood was 1-for-3 with a solo shot (5). He collected his 41st hit this season, tying him for fourth in the Midwest League.
*C Mark Reed went 1-for-3.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

So, do you pitch to Barry? That's the question as the Cubs play in SF the next 3 games. As everyone knows, Bonds is one homer shy of Babe Ruth for 2nd on the all-time list. Let me say off the bat, you don't NOT pitch to a guy because he's due for a milestone HR. This is all about what makes the most sense in a game situation for the Cubs. Bonds is hitting .262/.510/.569 going into the series...yup, that's right, his OBP is essentially twice his batting average (that's why he's the best hitter of this generation and one of the elite of the elite all-time). But considering he's @ .262, you realize that he's made his fair share of outs. I repeat, BARRY BONDS MAKES OUTS. Sometimes we tend to forget that. So, that means that simply walking him every time isn't a good idea. And while you may say, "Walk him and clog the bases...he can't run," it's not that simple. Any time a guy gets on base, it helps his team. If you can prevent him from reaching, you have to try in most situations.

Complicating the matter is the fact that red-hot Moises Alou (i.e., the Bonds Protector) is on the DL. So that makes it even more appetizing to consider walking him. But again, I think with the bases empty, you have to go right at him and if he goes deep, so be it...the odds are still with you that he won't (remember his batting average--if you don't walk him, you have a good chance to get him out). With runners on, you're probably going to consider walking him. Fine. Three-run HRs are very bad, we can all agree on that! But the last thing you want to do is create a Giants rally by walking Bonds with two outs and nobody on, especially early in a ballgame.

Just my opinion. We'll see how it plays out.

Len

It's only natural to see players pressing when things are going bad. But if you can step back for a second, sometimes the best way out of it is not to take it upon yourself to try and do more, but instead do the right thing for that situation. If you can do that, things can turn around in a hurry.

It's things like a leadoff double and when the next man is up, make sure to get that ground ball to the right side to get him to third instead of trying to drive him in right then. Do the right thing and sometimes you end up with that RBI hit anyway. Paying attention to doing those basics can shift your luck in a hurry. It becomes more important than ever to play within your game.

The Cubs were doing those things in the first weeks of the season. They were executing and able to come from behind to win several games. Last night, we were talking about the Padres having a bit of a swagger that comes with winning and executing. The Cubs had that for part of April - let's hope they can get it back.

Bob

The Cubs have 131 games left.

As I sit in San Fran before heading to PacBellSBCAT&TIOUSOL Park, I was thinking on the plane about the radio reports and the tone of some of our e-mails that the Cubs season is over.

The Cubs have 131 games left.

Are they in trouble? Yes. Are they in a terrible losing streak? Yes. Have they looked brutal at times in losing 9 of 10? Yes.

The Cubs have 131 games left. I can go into Houston at 15-30 last year, the Red Sox a game over .500 at the trading deadline in 2004, the mad rush the A's seem to make each year, etc. We all know the turnaround stories. Is this team capable of that? Not right now, no. We'll have to wait and see. That's difficult in our judge everything right now world, but that's the beauty of the major league season.

Does WGN have a dog in the hunt and want interest to continue for our ratings? Absolutely. Could it get worse? Yes it could. The Cubs are digging a hole and making the path more difficult every day. I will in no way type here that I am fully objective.

The Cubs have 131 games left. There was a time when Dusty Baker's teams finished with a rush, including 2003. I fully acknowledge that hasn't happened the last two years. The ever-growing frustration doesn't come from thin air, but it seems to me the white flag is awfully premature.

bob v

* Where has Chicago’s offense gone? Since April 30, the Cubs have been held to just ten runs in nine games, and have been shut out four times.

Cubs Batting Since April 30 with MLB Ranks

Runs/G 1.11 (30)
BA .221 (27)
OBP .281 (26)
SLG .292 (29)
HR 3 (T-29)

* But in 2005, it was the Giants who couldn’t get their bats going against Chicago. In seven games versus the Cubs last season, San Francisco never scored more than three runs.

Cubs Vs Giants, 2005

Cubs Giants
Wins 5 2
Runs/Game 3.3 (23/7) 2.4 (17/7)
ERA 2.25 (16/64.0) 2.94 (21/64.1)
Batting Avg .243 (60/247) .250 (61/244)
- Scoring Pos .228 (13/57) .197 (13/66)
Home Runs 6 2

* Tonight Chicago squares off against a tough Jason Schmidt, who appears to be rounding into form.

Jason Schmidt, 2006

First 4 GS Last 2 GS
W-L 0-2 2-0
Team W-L 1-3 2-0
ERA 5.33 1.13 (2/16.0)
Opp BA .240 .175 (10/57)
K/9 IP 5.7 9.0 (16/16.0)
BB/9 IP 5.3 1.1 (2/16.0)
HR/9 IP 1.3 0.0 (0/16.0)

-- Since 1960, only Juan Marichal (25) has more 10+ strikeout games as a Giant than Jason Schmidt (23).

* Pedro Feliz has struggled for much of the 2006 season, but he shines in games Jason Schmidt starts.

Pedro Feliz – 2006

In Schmidt Starts All Other Games
BA .348 (8/23) .218
OBP .360 .245
SLG .739 .327
AB/HR 7.7 (23/3) 50.5
AB/RBI 2.9 (23/8) 8.4

* Moises Alou’s injury is a significant blow to San Francisco’s run producing abilities.

Giants With/Without Moises Alou – 2006

With Without
Record 13-10 2-7
R/G 5.1 3.0 (27/9)
BA .267 .246 (70/285)
OBP .341 .322 (104/323)
SLG .410 .389 (111/285)

* Ronny Cedeno and Omar Vizquel are two of the National League’s best hitting shortstops.

Highest BA as SS – NL 2006
(Min 80 PA as SS)

Edgar Renteria, StL .351
Omar Vizquel, SF .333 (35/105)
Craig Counsell, Ari .322
Ronny Cedeno, ChC .315 (34/108)
Jack Wilson, Pit .306

* Chicago has just 15 hits with two outs and runners in scoring position this season. The Giants aren’t much better off, with only 19.

Lowest BA w/2 Outs and RISP, MLB 2006

Cubs .140 (15/107)
Mariners .163
Giants .173 (19/110)
Reds .176
Royals .185

-- Since 1974, Chicago has never had a lower BA w/2 outs and RISP through its first 31 games.

Welcome to take a break Monday, where we invite you to put the Cubs troubles on hold for a minute to enjoy Len & Bob's podcast. In case you are new to our site, we tape a weekly baseball podcast that can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in either audio or video formats, or you can always just view it on your computer.

With the Cubs in San Diego, we took the opportunity to chat with one of the funniest and nicest guys in baseball, Padres announcer Mark Grant. The Joliet native pitched in the bigs before coming to the broadcast booth and along the way had a catcher named Brenly. Limos to Joliet, bench-clearing brawls, and the love of Wrigley Field were amon the bases we touched this week. To hear the rest of the story, click on the links above.

With three rookies in the starting rotation right now, the Cubs are enduring some on-the-job growing pains by these young starters. When Angel Guzman was struggling out on the mound yesterday, we talked about the need for a young pitcher to trust his own stuff. Scouting reports and tendencies are important, but sometimes so much information can be overwhelming. Out on the mound, a young pitcher has to do what he does best and use the pitches that got him to the big leagues. That's part of getting comfortable on the mound.

We know Greg Maddux knows how to do it. Hopefully he can give the Cubs another strong outing tonight and get us out of this losing streak.

Bob

The bad news is we've started to dig.

Hopefully, today will bring some much-needed good news. Being outscored 22-2 in the last five games is pretty rough. That 25-2 weekend that preceded it wasn't on the wish list either, with a 2-1 squeaker win last Monday as the only bright spot. Ouch.

*D Fetro asked about the 7th Inning conductor for May 31. Due to scheduling issues, the Cubs don't announce the guest conductors until a few days before that particular homestand.

*Schuyler writes that any no-hitter lost is Len's fault for mentioning it. I respectfully and totally disagree. We went through this particular school of thought last year. A play-by-play announcer's job is to inform and describe the action on the field. If he doesn't talk about that fact, he's not doing his job. When this came up last year, I pulled clips of Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray discussing no-hitters in progress as an example. In the dugout, the superstition holds true, but not in the broadcast booth.

*We have the games Tuesday night and Thursday afternoon in San Francisco this week. Thursday features a 2:30 Chicago start with an extended Leadoff Man.

*The new podcast will be posted tomorrow, but early reviews are that it's a keeper, featuring a cameo from one of the funniest men in baseball, Padres announcer and former reliever Mark Grant.

*My rally hat is inside out, I've rearranged the furniture in the TV room, borrowed my son's rabbit foot, and kissed our stuffed billy goat. Hopefully, the Cubs will get some hits and snap the streak today.

bob v

Taking a brief and probably much-needed step outside the Cubs current woes, I wanted to recommend a wonderful baseball book I have just finished called "Fantasyland" by Sam Walker of the Wall Street Journal.

It starts as a look at Walker's attempt to play fantasy baseball at the highest level, but turns out to be so much more. You don't have to be in a rotissiere league to appreciate the story. It's very funny and points out the obsessions we all share with this damned game. The book is a great homage to the passions that baseball brings out in all of us, while at the same time being a really funny story.

Hey, Mother's Day is next weekend. It could be just the gift for the gal on your list.

bob v

* The Cubs have now played as many games without Derrek Lee as with him in 2006, and the results are not good.

Chicago Cubs With/Without Derrek Lee, 2006

With Without
Record 9-5 5-9
BA .279 (134/480) .213 (94/441)
OBP .326 (170/521) .295 (145/492)
SLG .431 (207/480) .313 (138/441)
R/G 5.4 (76/14) 2.6 (36/14)
HR/G 1.0 (14/14) 0.5 (7/14)

* Chicago’s offense has been even worse recently, scoring just three runs in its last six games.

Cubs Batting Since April 30 with MLB Ranks

Runs/G 0.50 (last)
BA .201 (29)
- Scoring Pos .075 (last)
HR 0 (last)

* And although Jake Peavy’s 2006 numbers aren’t outstanding, the Cubs must face off against one of the best pitchers over the last two seasons.

Jake Peavy Pitching with MLB Ranks, 2004-05

ERA 2.61 (2) K/9 IP 9.48 (3)
Opp BA .226 (8)
* Sean Marshall has been a right bright spot for the Cubs this season. Through his first five starts, he’s allowed opponents to hit just .170 against him, exactly the same as Kerry Wood through his first 5 career starts.

Sean Marshall Vs Kerry Wood Thru First 5 Career GS –

Marshall Wood
W-L 2-0 3-2
Team W-L 5-0 3-2