Today's lineup:

Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Edmonds - CF
Cedeno - 2B
Blanco - C
Dempster - P

aside from Blanco, I dig this lineup. While I know Soto needs days off every now and then, he was swinging the bat really well. I would've given him a shot today, but I'll take this lineup. I've always liked Edmonds' bat---just not his cocky attitude.

We'll see how it all pans out. Plain and simple---Pie was NOT getting it done, and like Lou said, we're in the business of winning now, not in the future.

Not the lineup I expected, but I like it. Let's hope 6,7, and 8 can turn it over to a hot Soriano. I am predicted Blanco to hit a dinger tonight, don't really know why, but I'm feeling a rare Hank White HR. Also some boos will more than likely be issued to Edmonds, which is lame and really unfortunate because he will probably go 0-4 and the boos will be louder after each out. I really hope he pulls a Fukudome and goes nuts in his first game so the fans will be on his side early and more importantly I hope Zambrano will act like an adult and welcome him and not hold onto that 4 year grudge. A big first game will maybe help that too.

I need to proofread my posts better, sorry about the bad grammar and spelling...

I don't know about the boos. He will probably have a luke warm reception but he will need a good start to win over fans. They wont be very pateint with him.

Hey I don't have to complain today, RC Cola is finally back in the lineup!

It was just reported that Z was the 1st person to welcome Edmonds and they hugged twice and Edmonds stated that there are teammates throughout the league that dislike each other more than Z and Jim do.

This is really really really going to be weird seeing Jim Edmonds in pinstriped.
One thing I will say about Edmonds he took a huge paycut after 3 monster seasons to stay in Crap Louis just becasue he wanted to win.

Will someone let me know what kind of reception Edmonds gets when he takes the field.

I'm going to be curious to see if he is still suseptible to the high fastball. Thats the way the Cubs were getting him out. He didn't have a fast enough bat to catch up with it.

But Maddox don't through fast enough to though it past him, maybe.

I'm bad about my grammar too.

throw it by him, is what I mean't to say.

P.S. Cub fan's stay classy again. good job.

Kind of worried about this start so far...two well hit balls and then a single...i think maddux is a good matchup for Edmonds to start with because as jerljr mentioned he doesnt throw that hard so Edmond's loss of bat speed shouldnt be a bid deal today time will tell i guess...well good end my Demp and the inning only took 9 pitches...Lets get some O!

Soriano is in a Zone right now.

Right on Nick and Fuk should hit second when Edmonds is in the lineup b/c he could have gotten a bunt down right there or avoided the double play

side note- this might have been a good day to give Fuko a day off because I think he will struggle with the movement on Maddox's fastball.

Nick, I would agree with Len, he got a pretty warm reception.

I'm over arguing the whole Pie/Edmond's deal but one thing that has been puzzling me is where do some of you guys get that Pie was just awful? Absolutly not getting it done? I mean He played a GREAT centerfield. How many runs did he save? He robbed Griffey Jr. of a homer etc...and like someone posted before the dude was hitting .286 in his last 15 games.

Name me one National team that doesn't have at least one and probably two spots in their lineup where they are batting .220 or less. How many stories are there of players like Pedroia that didn't blossom until like June?

I really question our organization with handling young players and I'm sure that's the reason we havn't developed our prospects.

Way to take a few pitches guys...man!

Thanks Cory

Just got in.

How did the Wrigley crowd react to ole Hollywood?

Well, even though he almost misplayed his first fly ball, he did what he had to in order for us to give him a break... single to right.

Not saying that he didn't play good defense.

But he was striking out alot and never seemed to make good contact when he didn't.

In those 15 games I doubt he had that many at bats

Weird to see Edonds at-bat. good start.

You gotta be kidding me with the way that ball bounced right back to the catcher OH! and of course Edmond's gets a hit on the next pitch! What can Maddux control passed balls too?!!?

Good start for Edmonds. Too bad we couldn't plate a run there.

Man Dempster has only thrown 24 pitches through 3 innings. Keep it up Dempt.

Even .286 over 15 games is only average. If he was over .300 or .320 I would say he was getting better.

But you have to look at how many at-bats he had in those 15 games. Its not like he had 4 at bats every game. Averages are blown up the less at bats you got. extreme example 3-4 in a game is .750 but you would expect someone to bat .750 for a season.

In the last two winter ball leagues he was in he was batting .210's. Thats about was he was hitting last year. I'm waiting on this guy to explode but he's not.

I want him to do good but he's just not doing it.

Hell Cory Patterson was doing better then him and we ran him out on a rail.

But Cory I have to say I happy to hear that he was doing that good(.286) because it didn't seem that way. He just seemed outmatched. Probably thinking too much. It might do him some good to go to AAA and hit good for a month or so.

Time to get some runs on the board.

Maybe its not the Japanese style, but has Fukudome ever slid into second in an attempt to break up the DP?

Im not hating on Kosuke, Im just curious as to if ya'll have seen him do it.

That's not what we needed.

first pitch swinging...killed a rally

jerljr,

I looked up Pie's stats and in the last 15 games he played he had 39 at bats, .277avg, 10 hits, 3 walks, 5 rbi's, 3 runs, 13 strike outs and his only homer was a good one, it was a three run shot in his only at bat against the Mets that night.

I agree nothing outstanding but considering he was platooning that's not too shabby. It's progress. Who know's how fast his average could climb with consistent at bats. Also don't read too much into winterball numbers...Sam Fuld led the league in hitting for goodness sakes. Yes the same one batting .213 for Iowa.

Man the doubleplays are getting annoying!!! Also really....Jody Gerut?!!? Nice catch ass clown! He was the biggest waste of space when he played with us. Go figure.

Good Demp! He has his game on today. Comon lets get some runs now and win this series.

RC Cola with his second hit....gotta love it Drew!

Sweet hit and run!!!

Dempter's has been lights out. Go get um

DEMPSTER!

Dempster Helping his own cause out. NIce job Demp!!

When it rains it pours!

Yeh!!

Slump-buster!!! =D

That a boy LEE!!!!

Atta baby Lee! That's how you break out of an o for 12! Sori still looks awkward running.

Very classy standing O for Maddog!

Now that Maddux has been removed can I say something?

Man, Maddux is the man!!!!!!!!!

Yes he is!

Interesting. Pads release Edmunds and now intentionally walk the base loaded to face him. He's gotta want a hit here so bad.

I think Demp might be able to throw a complete game shutout today...

I hope he does.

RC Cola has reached base all three times so far...he is making it very difficult for Lou to keep him out of the lineup

I have to imagine that Demp's time as the closer really had to have helped his mentality in becoming a starter again. Hes been incredible.

I walk away from my desk for a minute and all of the sudden its 4-0 what happened????

Second, just a thought. Last year Dempster seemd to either be on or off when he was relieving.

Could it be that he was tipping off his pitches and if the team didn't know it, he did ok but if the team knew what was coming they pummeled him.

Cause now that he does the thing with his glove he seems to be doing a good job. just a thought.

Ryan Dempster has been spectacular today and all season...

Very impressive stuff.

Come on Edmonds! (still not used to saying that)

Another bases loaded oppurtunity for the Cubs.

Nick, I'm right there with you

Dang edmonds!

ARGGG

Here's some good news, Jason Bay hit a 3 run homer in the top of the 8th! Pittsburgh 8 St.Louis 5.

We're gonna have to cool off those Buc's this weekend. McClouth in particular!

I would admit. Not the best first day for Edmonds.

But I'm not ready to lynch him yet.

I dont want to get ahead of myself, BUT, I wonder if a team has ever taken the season series from a team, in which the teams have played more than 10 times a season.

Edmonds looked flustered the second situation. If I remember correctly, he is a patient hitter and he swung at two very bad pitches. I might be wrong about the patience part. But he still looked frustered

Great reaction from the faithful to Lou and the player of the game. (Yeh I said it!)

No, youre right jerljr. At one time you could count of Hollywood to lead the league in pitches per at bat.

He did look a bit overmatched at times, today. I aint ready to give up yet.

Great game for Dempster. Incredible. Lets finish this up Woody.

Pittsburgh added 3 more in the 9th and now are up 11-5 in the bottom of 9th

San Fran 6 Astros 0 bottom of 3rd

L.A. 7 Brewers 2 Final

CUBS WIN!!! Kid K was wickid today!

Dempster was flat out AWESOME!

See that shot of Zambrano and Demp? I think Z was asking for advice, haha!

WAY TO GO WOODY!

Maybe Dempster wanted to get Wood a save!

Cory you forgot one,
Cubs 4 - Padres 0 = Final

Good Game Cubs!! Bring on the Pirates.

Haha touch Nick!

Hey what's Billy Jack doing interviewing DLee? I thought he was just a Bear's dude. That freaked me out.

Wow that was supposed to say touche Nick! Don't want any confusion especially with whats been talked about on here lately ;)

no problem, haha.

As bad as the Pirates looked against us, they are now 20-21; meaning, 20-15 against everyone but the Cubs.

Dempster is now our most reliable starter after Z. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

GO CUBS GO, GO CUBS GO!!!! Hey Chicago whatda ya say, Cubs are gonna win today.

This team is firing on all cylander, this is great to see.

According to the Law of Averages, if Edmonds is going to be a good Cub, he's going to show it in the next 12 games. If he isn't batting in the .280's as a Cub by then, he's a failure as a Cub. If he is, we are the best team ever.

I'm complaining if RC Cola isn't in the lineup tomorrow!

it's nice to see someone like Dempster prove me wrong.....while it's still early, I'm really, really impressed by him.

Hey, you guys that are in Des Moines, can you guys be giving us updates on the team, how Pie, Murton, Patterson, Kroeger, and Hoffpauir are doing, along with Hill's progress?

All I can do is look at stats, but you guys probably go to the games and have a better read on things

NATION REPRESENT!

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

Boseph: He is already a failure. He's been terrible for a few years. You don't need 12 games to show you that. He's washed up and this will hurt us.

Austin, the thing is....can he be worse than Johnson or Pie. I highly doubt it. Johnson made a great catch that one day, but his offense has tapered off significantly recently, which I suspected, and which is more in line with his career numbers---about .250 avg range. Look, we need more power from the OF. Fukodome is an OBP machine, but he hasn't shown much power. Pie certainly wasn't either. I think this is a good move---along the lines of a Gaeti, or in the Cards case---a Larry Walker flier (one I was begging for us to take at that time.) Look, Edmonds, when he's on, has tremendous power from the left side, and a good to above average glove in CF. Sure, he's no Johnson or Pie with the glove anymore, but he sure is average enough to get it done.

I wish Piniella would bench DeRosa for awhile and give Cedeno a shot. DeRosa isn't cutting it with the glove or bat recently and looks tired, plus his GIDP's are making me mad. I say, ride the hot bat. It's a LONG season. If Cedeno tapers off, then you insert DeRosa. If Theriot tapers off, you insert Cedeno. This is unbelievable that we have this good of a bench right now.

And we might be getting another big bat for the bench, replacing the injured Ward---Hoffpauir.

I think Piniella's comments about this were very telling. When asked about Ward's injury, he states that they'll wait til Sunday so the young guy in AAA can get more AB's and play a little OF. That has Hoffpauir written all over it, and I'm excited for it. He just hit his 3rd home run and 11th RBI in only 8 games!!!! His OBP though isn't that great at .313, but he does have 10 hits in 31 AB's.