Ryan's Song
Dempster Rocks Nats for Quade's 3rd Straight Win

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Either interim manager Mike Quade is a genius who can push the right buttons, or the Cubs are just hot. Whatever the reason, the team is 3-0 since Quade took over. It didn't hurt that Ryan Dempster turned in a great performance, going seven shutout innings while whiffing eight in the 4-0 win. The Cubs didn't fare much better against former teammate Jason Marquis, but they finally broke through in the eighth on a Starlin Castro double. Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano homered, and hey, a winning streak. Ryne Sandberg must be getting a little concerned....

ESPN Chicago: Ryan Dempster outduels Jason Marquis as Cubs... [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: Cubs sweep Nationals with 4-0 victory
CSN Chicago: Cubs complete 20/20 stretch with capital sweep [+ video]
MLB: Castro's timely swing leads Cubs to sweep [+ video]

Don't Get Too Comfy
Sun-Times: Cubs Still Shouldn't Keep Improved Zambrano
We know what you're thinking: "Hey, Carlos Zambrano might be a new person! Maybe they should keep him!" Quoting "team insiders," the Sun-Times says the Cubs are thinking the same thing. But the paper notes that would only leave one opening in the Cubs' rotation, and unless they fill that spot with a stud (helllllo, Cliff Lee), the team is back where it started: "hoping, praying, and relying on a big year from Zambrano to contend. And needing a lot more from those around him to make that happen."

Chicago Sun-Times: Cubs hatching plan Z

Desperate Measures
Zambrano Says the Cubs Tried Too Hard
When Carlos Zambrano was moved to the bullpen, he kept saying he would do whatever the team asked. Well, now that he's back in the rotation with a 2.25 ERA over his last four starts, Big Z is letting his true feelings about the demotion be known. "I think from my perspective we get too desperate too soon," he says. He also said he's "trying to be consistent and prepare for this final month," but now we know he wasn't happy about the move. But kudos to him for handling it well.

Chicago Breaking Sports: Zambrano: Bullpen move was 'too desperate'
Bleacher Nation: Carlos Zambrano handled the move to the bullpen like...

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A Dunn Deal
Nationals' First Baseman Could Be a Cub
With Derrek Lee gone, the Cubs need a stud first baseman next year. (Unless Micah "Crash Davis" Hoffpauir suddenly develops into a monster.) We've been hearing Adam Dunn's name more often lately, and Cubbies Crib seems to believe the hulking lefty will end up on the North Side. "I think Dunn will be one of the Cubs main targets this year," the blog writes. And yes, he'd crush a lot of homers, but remember: his defense is what we call "atrocious," he's currently 3-for-31, and his last homer came on August 11.

Cubbies Crib: Wrigley Field Dunn the right way
Bleacher Nation: Adam Dunn loves the Chicago Cubs

Bad News Cubs
The North Siders' Best Inspiration
If only Lou Piniella had watched "The Bad News Bears." ESPN's Jim Caple says the North Siders could learn many lessons from the movie, including: "Play the kids." Kelly Leak was only 12 and look what he did. Also, "Don't give out ridiculous contracts." The Bears got Amanda Whurlizter for ballet lessons and some jeans, while the team got Leak for nada. Hopefully the next manager will learn from Walter Matthau's infinite wisdom. (We were going to link to the trailer, but let's just say the movie was less-PC than we realized.)

ESPN: Learning from the Bad News Bears

Remember ESPN's fictitious World Series against the White Sox we mentioned yesterday? Guess who won on a homer in the 10th... Carlos Zambrano will be back from Venezuela Saturday and will pitch against the Pirates on Monday... Harry Caray's statue will be rededicated outside the bleachers on Sept. 1, and Harry Caray's restaurant on Kinzie will give away 1,000 free tickets to the game.

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