Ted Lilly and Alfonso Soriano came to the Cubs together before the 2007 season, when the team was on the upswing. The Cubs will need both now, too, as they try to claw their way back into the National League Central race.
Archive for June, 2010
Cubs manager Lou Piniella knows his team is wasting a lot of good starting pitching. The Cubs entered Tuesday second in the National League with 48 quality starts. In those starts, Cubs pitchers had an ERA of 2.20, but the team was just 26-22.
The Cubs got some reinforcements Tuesday. They called up left-handed reliever James Russell from Class AAA Iowa and right-hander Jeff Russell, also from Iowa.
There’s one thing that hasn’t changed about these new, energized Cubs: They still can’t beat the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Carlos Zambrano situation has moved from punishment to treatment. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry announced Monday that Zambrano will be moved from the suspended list to the restricted list Tuesday.
The Chicago Cubs today recalled left-handed pitcher James Russell and right-handed pitcher Jeff Stevens from Triple-A Iowa.
Santo good as gold
Jun 30
The Wrigley Field roof was festooned Monday with pennant after pennant reading, “SANTO 50.”
His teammates haven’t spoken to Carlos Zambrano since the Friday dugout
tirade that put in motion what could be a career-changing series of
events for the 29-year-old right-hander. But Kevin Millar, who was Zambrano’s teammate for only a matter of weeks
in spring training, has recounted his conversation with the pitcher,
telling MLB Network that Zambrano was ”trying to pump all the guys up.”
If anger management is found to be Carlos Zambrano’s problem, the outlook for him and his career should be optimistic, an expert in the field of sports psychiatry said Tuesday.
A bullpen shuffle took place Tuesday as the Cubs filled Carlos Zambrano’s roster spot by recalling Jeff Stevens, who had been sent to Class AAA Iowa on Saturday, and recalled left-hander James Russell to replace John Grabow, who reinjured his left knee Monday night as he pitched in the seventh inning.