No question D Lee is far from 100%. He looks lost at the plate and hasnt made good contact in weeks. I just hope its something can be turned around still this year.

Good move...getting into the playoffs takes costs, trading a 23 year old who was not going to play is not a cost.

 Out West you've got a young DBacks team with some very promising young talent leading the NL West. They're getting outscored and still winning the West. Not a great rotation and certainly nowhere near the rotation they had in 2001. Webb is good but they don't have the top 2 they once had.

 That's what all the teams in the NL have in common: No Stud aces and certainly nothing in the order of 2 great top of the rotation pitchers for any team.
 As far as the Cubs go, they need to make the Playoffs this year because barring more Free Agent signings, I don't see them getting much better next year, while you've got young teams even in this Division, like the Brewers and even the Reds, who will get better.

 Lilly's having a Career year and I still don't consider him a solid #2. He's a good #3. I don't see any arms either from the system pushing Zambrano in the 2nd spot in the rotation. 2007 IMO has been disappointing for the Cubs system as far as breakout years or a solid year following a breakout year in 2006. Gallagher is another overhyped Cubs Minor Leaguer. I actually think Petrick will have a better career as a starter.

 Pie has proven he isn't nearly as far as he should be in his developement and there are countless CF prospects on other teams who have flown by Pie and are contributing.

the reds score 3 in the first can't hold it. the cardinals get a grand slam out ankiel.

whew. ugly. still in first place though.

big day tomorrow. let's get these games back.

Overall, the Cubs are winning without the big bombs, which is fine, but a couple with men on now and then would help us put teams away instead of letting them hang around. Don't get me wrong, I love manufacturing runs, that's how the game should be played, and the HR's take care of themselves. But, we are in such a HR drought that I have never seen on this team in many years. Even when we sucked, we were good for some HR's. Between Rammy and Lee, they should be good for what, 10-15 in a month combined? How many have they hit in August, 5?

Getting tired of the starter laboring in the first inning already. By the time the 5th or 6th hitter has come up, they've see all his pitches. Marshall battled as Lilly did, but the offense sucked today. I feel bad for Theriot, he is hitting the ball to right with authority but right at the right fielder.

I agree, a better team would put this division championship in their back pocket already. We are still just a .500 team basically, thank God we are in the Comedy Central. I believe we have more talent than our record indicates, but no one is having a really "great" year and carrying us like some hitters tend to do. We still leave a ton of men on base, in scoring position or not. I have a feeling this will go to the very last game of the season.

WE NEED SOME GUYS WHO CAN HIT THE BALL AND DRIVE IN RUNS !!!

Do you really think Craig Monroe is the answer? Ask yourself why the Tigers got rid of him. If they had any confidence in the guy, they would not have rid themselves of Monroe.

It is time to feed on the bottom feeders. Wandy Freaking Rodriguez? You've got to be kidding me. We are trying to take the cake and we let this guy beat us?

A comment about D. Lee -- prior to his great year in 2005, Lee usually had a dramatic drop off in late August and into September. Are we seeing history repeat itself? Granted -- he has been suffering for a couple of weeks with a bushel full of Ks and a lot of weak fly outs and grounders. Realistically, he has looked a lot like JJ did for the 3-1/2 months. He just shows no energy and he is just not driving the ball anywhere.

One last thing -- Al -- could you please hold off on the Scott Eyre stuff. Lowering his ERA? With the number of failures we have seen with this guy most of the year, can't we just let him crawl into a hole somewhere and forget about him? And by the way, how about the 31 walks he has given up in 42 innings. Trachselesque to say the least.

I don't mean to be a downer or negative...but I've been screaming form more offense all year and itr just isn't coming.

Meanwhile, major leagure hitters on other teams are stepping up and making a dufference.  

Where is Derek Lee?    Where is Aramis Rameriez?  Where is Cliff Floyd?  Jones is finally stepping up sometimes....but where was he in April, May and June...had he shown up then, the Cubs might be 5 or 6 games up at this point.

Another 4.50 + ERA pitcher embarrased the Cub offense...and another choke fest from the offense.

And another leadoff hitting CF shows up Soriano (who didn't play today) by taking the game in his hands and saying * I WANNA BE A WINNER*.  

When are the Cubs gonna gave some guys on offense with some cajones...step up and BE WINNERS?

Good God, reading some of your whiny-azz comments is too much. Some of you need to get a grip, or emotionally you'll never make it to October.

And I certainly hope nobody on the Cubs is making a "dufference," whatever that is.

Not trying to rain on our first place parade, but do we have the team to do what the Cards did last year after limping into the playoffs?

Gotta love the first College Football Saturday of the Year.  Here's to the Cubs winning and the Huskers following it up with a whooping on Nevada (ABC Regional, 2:30pm)

It's the friggin Astros for crying outloud.

I'd somehow feel so much better if we were playing the Yankees, RedSox, and Indians foer the remainder of the year, instead of our crappy division foes like Houston, Pittsburgh, and Cinci... who all seem to kick our a55.  

And have Kerry start a third one.  Cubs who have been on 3.

And for Neal Cotts to join a club that has extremely few members and none since 1908, players who have been on world series winning teams on both sides of town.  Heck I'm not sure if there are any in that club.

Outside Chicago people know Trax for giving up Mac's 62nd homerun.  We know him here for September 28, 1998.

But it doesn't help when u get BS calls sometimes.