The Silva Bullet
Undefeated Pitcher Beats Pirates

Jerry Lai/US PRESSWIRE

Looks like Lou Piniella could have a career as a motivational speaker after this whole baseball thing ends. The Cubs made up a rained-out game in Pittsbugh and won 6-1, and the heroes were players Piniella had recently benched. Ryan Theriot was taken out of the lineup after after his on-base percentage dropped like a fly ball to Matt Holliday, and he went 2-for-3 with four (four!) runs, two walks, and two stolen bases. Similarly, Geovany Soto, who sat the previous two games, went 2-for-4 and hit a RBI double. Meanwhile, the undefeated Carlos Silva is off to the best start by a Cubs' pitcher since Ken Holtzman in 1967 and is an honest-to-goodness Cy Young candidate. Seriously.

ESPN Chicago: Theriot scores four runs, Silva improves to 8-0... [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: Even with flu, Silva has Pirates singing blues
Chicago Sun-Times: Silva hurls another gem
Daily Herald: Silva goes to 8-0 as Cubs finally beat Pirates
MLB: Dominant Silva sinks Bucs [+video]

D'OH!
Reaction to Cubs' First-Round Pick, Hayden Simpson: Huh?
It's safe to say people aren't exactly ecstatic about the Cubs' first-round pick of Hayden Simpson, a Division II pitcher many had going in the fourth or fifth round. Baseball America had him as the 191st-rated prospect out of 200, saying "We didn't think Simpson could go at No. [16] overall." Another Cubs Blog titled their entry, "Cubs select fifth rounder in first round," while Goat Riders of the Apocalypse said, "OMG. I hate this pick a ton." But the Trib's Phil Rogers says he "loves" the pick, noting the Cubs' roving pitching director Mark Riggins graded him 100 out of 100. But at the end of a different Trib write-up, there's this: "And unlike some other first-rounders, Simpson said, 'I don't see any problem with me signing.'" Let's hope that wasn't a factor here.

Baseball America: Biggest shocker so far: Hayden Simpson to Chicago Cubs
Another Cubs Blog: Cubs select fifth rounder in first round
Goat Riders of the Apocalypse: Draft live blog
Chicago Breaking Sports: Your morning Phil: Simpson, Sale, Strasburg
Chicago Tribune: Even Simpson shocked he's Cubs' top pick

On the Other Hand...
Maybe, Just Maybe, Cubs Made the Right Call
Let's throw out a hypothetical here: Maybe the Cubs made a good move by picking Hayden Simpson in the first round last night. Believe it or not, some people think Simpson could be an ace. Did you know that Simpson went 11-1 and allowed 27 earned runs in 101.2 innings his sophomore year for the Southern Arkansas Muleriders, and compiled a 35-2 record overall? Baseball Daily Digest compares him to two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and Nationals' potential ace Stephen Strasburg. So while it's perversely enjoyable to be a hater, take a deep breath and chill a little, willya?

Baseball Daily Digest: The mini-Strasburg?

Swap Meet
Will Derrek Lee Be Traded? Some Say He Should Be.
Not long ago, the Trib's Dave Kaplan and Fred Mitchell quoted "excellent baseball sources" as saying that the Cubs were talking with the Angels about Derrek Lee. Both Piniella and Lee denied that report, saying they don't know nothin' about no stinkin' rumors. But some insist the Cubs should definitely make it so. "If the Cubs keep losing — especially to the likes of the Pirates and the Astros — it would be criminal not to consider moving a guy like Derrek Lee," says Bleacher Nation.

Bleacher Nation: Neither Derrek Lee nor Lou Piniella Expect Lee to be traded

The Fix Is In
Cubs Try to Repair Wells' Issues
Randy Wells has been what we call "awful" in the first inning, but decent after that. Opposing hitters, for instance, hit .327 against him in the first frame. So Larry Rothschild and Piniella are going to have Wells throw the same pitch sequence in the bullpen as he does for the first two or three batters. Also, he's going to head straight to the mound after his warm-up, instead of coming to the dugout. Considering Wells is starting against the White Sox on Saturday, let's hope this works.

Chicago Tribune: Cubs to tinker with Wells' preparation

Tickets are still available for "Hey Dad, Wanna Have a Catch." A mere $150 buys you the chance to toss the ball on the field, run the bases, and hang in the dugout... In all the draft hysteria, remember this: Critics didn't like the Cubs pick in 2006 of Tyler Colvin at the #13 spot, 157 spots higher than Baseball America's rating for him... Marlon Byrd has five doubles in his last five games.

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