The Error of their Ways
Cubs Commit 4 Miscues, Lose to A's 9-5

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

No matter how ineffective Derrek Lee's bat has been this year, at least his D has been strong. Well, that went south last night as the normally solid first baseman booted a grounder and dropped a throw from Starlin Castro, leading to three unearned runs. Tyler Colvin also committed two costly errors, and the A's scored another run on a wild pitch (ye gods!). Colvin later homered to atone for his miscues, but in the end it was another strange, surprisingly lifeless loss. At least Carlos Zambrano was halfway decent, giving up two earned runs in six innings.

ESPN Chicago: Kouzmanoff, Davis lead way as A's rebound vs. sloppy Cubs
Chicago Tribune: Cubs drop 9-5 decision to A's
Chicago Sun-Times: No defense this time for Cubs
Daily Herald: A very long night for Cubs in 9-5 loss to Oakland
MLB: Mistake-prone Cubs drop opener to A's

The Out Crowd
Five Ways for Cubs to Bring Back the Fans
We don't know if you've noticed, but there are a lot more empty seats at Wrigley Field these days. It's no mystery why: Expensive team + uninspired performance = disinterested fans. But how to fix it? Julie DiCaro at A League of Her Own lists five things the Cubs need to do to bring back the multitudes, such as: lower ticket prices (we love the idea, but we're not going to hold our breath) and renovate Wrigley Field (we think they're on the case). DiCaro also recommends the team axe one particular exec — you can probably guess who she sugggests....

A League of Her Own: Five things the Cubs must do to keep their fans...

Mail to the Chief
Fans Have Many Questions, Trib Has Some Answers
Trib reporter Paul Sullivan opened up his mailbag, and he seems to think Steve Stone "won" his verbal battle with Lou Piniella. (To recap: Stone said Piniella needs to play Colvin more, Piniella angrily replied that Stone is a windbag who's never had a real baseball job.) Sullivan also calls this year's team "dull" (ouch!), and he has a one word piece of advice for a reader trying to give up the Cubs: "rehab."

Chicago Tribune: Paul Sullivan's Cubs mailbag

Tricks of the Trades
Cubs Could Become Sellers by Deadline
Hey, maybe the Cubs will turn it around. Maybe Lee and Aramis Ramirez will start clubbing the ball, maybe Zambrano will finally become an ace, etc. But if this doesn't happen, you have to think the Cubs will consider making some moves. Chicago Cubs Online has the rundown on the trade odds for several Cubs, including Xavier Nady, who "figures to be one of the first players traded," the blog says. Trade rumors are also getting louder for the swooning Kosuke Fukudome, and Ryan Theriot could draw interest from the Padres, Tigers, or Twins.

Chicago Cubs Online: Trader Jim... or stand-pat Hendry? Cubs in the rumor mill

Partial to this Pick
Did Cubs Find a Diamond in the Rough?
After last night's dispiriting loss, we could use a little pick-me-up. That comes courtesy of the Sun-Times, which points out that Cubs' scouting director Tim Wilken has already produced several players who have made the team. (That may seem like a low bar, but after years of busts like Bobby Brownlie and Ben Christensen, we'll take it.) The three C's (Cashner, Castro, and Colvin) look promising, to say the least. And then there's this year's surprise first-round pick of Hayden Simpson, who the Sun-Times optimistically liken to Roy Halladay. Dear God, let's please hope so.

Chicago Sun-Times: Did the Cubs' scout find the next Roy Halladay?

Before last night, Derrek Lee had never committed two errors in an inning... John Grabow is back after a stint on the DL... Kosuke Fukudome brought his hitting coach from Japan to help him snap out of yet another mid-season slide... Last night marked the sixth consecutive series the Cubs have begun with a loss.

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