They Watch Channel Zero
Cubs Shut Out by Poorly Coiffed Pitcher

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Hey, Bronson Arroyo! Little Lord Fauntleroy called — he wants his haircut back! Sigh.... See what the Cubs have done to us? After they fell 3-0 to Cincinnati yesterday for their eighth loss in nine games, we can only uncleverly insult the Reds' starting pitcher. Tom Gorzelanny gave up a respectable three runs in seven innings, but the Cubs went 0-6 with runners in scoring position and that was pretty much that. Hey, Dusty! Is that your name or the state of your World Series trophy case? Sigh.

ESPN Chicago: Bronson Arroyo, first-place Reds blank sliding Cubs [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: Cubs' offense fails again in 3-0 loss
Daily Herald: Cubs lose again, but Hendry says...
MLB: Cubs can't solve Arroyo in loss to Reds

Blind Faith
Hendry: Cubs Don't Need 'Major Rebuilding Job'
In talking about next year's team yesterday, Cubs GM Jim Hendry said, "It's not some kind of a major rebuilding job." If the youngsters keep developing, he theorized, and the Cubs make a few solid moves, they could be contenders. Pause. OK, let's give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he's right. Where do the Cubs REALLY need help? Let's say a first baseman and a few pitchers. (Let's just suppose Aramis Ramirez doesn't suck next year.) With some good additions (hellloooo, Zack Greinke), couldn't they compete? We say maybe.

Daily Herald: 'Not a major rebuilding job'
CSN Chicago: Cubs shut out, Hendry doesn't see major rebuilding

Zack Attack
Royals Ace Wants out of KC. Hendry: Your Move.
You know Zack Greinke, right? Royals' stud pitcher, last year's Cy Young winner, psychologically, ummm... complex? Well, Phil Rogers noted yesterday that Greinke is unhappy in Kansas City. (Hey, he's only human.) And for the right players — say, Andrew Cashner and Hak-Ju Lee — he could be a Cub. But would the North Siders want to make that move? Greinke's current record is 7-10 with a mortal ERA of 3.97, and he's owed $27 million over the next two years. If the Cubs want to cut payroll, maybe this isn't for them. But it sure is compelling....

Chicago Breaking Sports: Your morning Phil: Delgado, Greinke, Sweeney

Turn that Frown Upside-Down
Why Next Year Might Not Totally Suck
With this season pretty much kaput, we find ourselves seeking any possible solace that's not in a bottle. Thankfully, the good people at the blog And Counting have dug into the numbers and found some reason for tempered optimism next year. Based on the stat ERA+, the Cubs have a staff that's just about completely average. So assuming that stays roughly the same and the offense improves (it has to, don't you think?), "this team should be better than detestable." Well, that's not exactly raging optimism, but it's a start.

And Counting: Half decent: Setting expectations for the 2011 Cubs (pt. II)

Castro Lights up the League
Rookie Having All-Time Great Season
Clearly Starlin Castro is the real deal, but did you know how awesome of a season he's really having? Another Cubs Blog checked out other rookies' stats, and it turns out Castro is putting up numbers that rival the all-time greats when they were 20 years old. Some of the stats are a little arcane, but his OPS+ ranks him 13th all-time among 20-year-old rookies dating back to 1901. Only five middle-of-the-field players since 1950 have put up higher numbers, and two of them are Willie Mays and Rod Carew. Hey, we're just sayin'.

Another Cubs Blog: Starlin Castro and other rookie position players
Two Teams, One Cup: A tale of two disgustingly good 20-year-olds

Carlos Silva may undergo a procedure known as a "cardiac ablation," which would sideline him for 10-14 days... Blake DeWitt is batting .350 (7-20) with a homer and five RBIs since coming to the Cubs in the Ted Lilly/Ryan Theriot trade.

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