I don't have much for you this evening, previewing tonight's game, so let's talk about the future. I have learned today that the Cubs expect to set an all-time club record for spending on both draft and international signings this year -- the exact amount isn't available -- but that goes along with what some of you have been posting about the Cubs signing players you might not have thought they would in the past.

Also, although it's not official yet and may not be until closer to the Aug. 16 deadline, it does appear that both first round pick Javier Baez and second round pick Dan Vogelbach will be signed and in the fold, although perhaps not early enough to play any games this year.

So while this season may be a lost cause, I believe the Cubs' future is bright and they are doing the right things to build a strong organization.

Cubs lineup:

RF Fukudome, SS Castro, 3B Ramirez, 1B Pena, CF Byrd, C Soto, LF DeWitt, 2B Barney, P Zambrano

Brewers lineup:

RF Hart, CF Morgan, LF Braun, 1B Fielder, 2B Weeks, 3B McGehee, SS Betancourt, C Lucroy, P Greinke

Today's Starting Pitchers

Carlos Zambrano Cubs vs. Zack Greinke Brewers 7-5 W-L 7-4 4.70 ERA 4.84 84 SO 114 47 BB 18 11 HR 13 vs. Mil -- vs. Cubs

Carlos Zambrano has pitched twice already this year in Miller Park; he has a win and a loss, but also a 6.75 ERA and 16 hits allowed in 12 innings there. I keep wondering when the consistent Big Z we saw the last two months of 2010 is going to show up. You know, having an outing like this one he had in Miller Park last September. Maybe today...

The Cubs hit Zack Greinke really hard on June 16 at Wrigley Field, his only career start against them. Greinke did strike out 10 Cubs, but they got eight hits and eight runs (six earned) off him in 5.1 innings, including a HR from Carlos Pena. Greinke throws strikes (he's walked only 18 this year in 87.1 innings), and maybe that's why the Cubs, a free-swinging team, can hit him well, like they do with Roy Halladay. We'll see.

Today's game is on CSN Chicago and FSN Wisconsin. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. The usual caution is advised.

Today's first pitch thread will be up at 7:10 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 8 pm, 9 pm and 9:45 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.