Darkness on the Edge of Cincinnati
Slugger Jay Bruce Single-Handedly Beats Cubs

Jason O. Watson/US PRESSWIRE

Reds fans were yelling, "Bruuuuce!" Cubs fans were yelling, "Boooo!" (Or was it "Boo-urns"?) Either way, Reds right fielder Jay Bruce hit three homers — on five pitches, no less — to knock in five runs in the Reds' 7-1 win over the Cubs, ending the North Siders' mildly impressive three-game win streak. Cubs' starter Tom Gorzelanny wasn't exactly sharp, going only five innings and allowing six runs. On the plus side (we guess), Tyler Colvin hit a RBI double, and Marcos Mateo struck out all three batters he faced. Hooray.

ESPN Chicago: Jay Bruce blasts 3 HRs to power surging Reds past Cubs
Chicago Tribune: Reds beat Cubs 7-1
Daily Herald: Quade grateful for Baker's help, but Reds top Cubs 7-1
CSN Chicago: Managing just fine, but Reds overpower Cubs [+ video]
MLB: Long balls turn away Cubs in Cincy

No Ordinary Joe
Girardi Comes to Town, Speculation Runs Amok
You knew it was going to happen: Joe Girardi's Yankees came to the South Side for a three-game set against the Sox, and everyone picked through his every word to guess his intentions about the Cubs. To SB Nation, Girardi all but rented an apartment in Wrigleyville: "On an emotional, down-to-the-gut basis, Girardi would pay out of his pocket to manage the Cubs." But the Trib's Phil Rogers didn't quite see it that way. "Call me cynical, but I don't see him at Wrigley Field next April," Rogers writes.

SB Nation: Girardi focus in fending off Cubs talk makes him prime...
Chicago Tribune: Joe Girardi: Great expectations [+ Girardi video]
Chicago Sun-Times: Girardi pledges allegiance to the Yankees — for now

Take a Deep Breath
Deadspin: Everybody Chill Out on Manager Talk
As we noted above, everyone's all excited to speculate about next year's manager. But Deadspin says maybe we all should stop talking for a while. Instead, we ought to focus on the Cubs' GM: "At this point, the job everyone should be talking about is Jim Hendry's. The farm system lies fallow, and Hendry's task list all year has been to unburden himself from his own bad deals," the blog argues. We have two thoughts: 1) "Fallow" is a strong word, and 2) What would we talk about if we didn't speculate about next year? At least give us that.

Deadspin: Everybody needs to stop talking about the Cubs' future for a...

In honor of 102 years of futility, we reach out to you, our fans, to help us sign up 102 new subscribers to Cubs Fan Report over the next week. Please take a few moments to tell your friends, family and co-workers about us. If we hit our goal, we'll pick two subscribers at random for a $51 gift card to Rockit Wrigley (that's $102 total, get it?). Here's more info on the ways you can help. We'll be adding a new incentive on Monday that we think you'll like!

Rollicking Rookies Rock
Castro, Colvin Prove Future Might Not Be So Dark
Everyone assumes the Cubs are going to suck next year. Maybe so, but there are at least two reasons for hope: Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin. Castro is batting .311 and would be in the top five of NL hitters if he'd had enough at-bats (which he'll likely reach next week). He also has more hits than anyone in baseball since the All-Star Break. Then there's Colvin, who leads all rookies with 19 homers. Let us just remind you: In 2002, the Cubs lost 95 games. And you know what happened in 2003....

Chicago Sun-Times: Cubs, Castro heading in opposite directions
CSN Chicago: Castro, Colvin grow into elite members of rookie class

MJ at the Bat
When His Airness Gave up Hoops for Baseball
Man does not live by Cubs news alone. So every now and then, we'll run a story worth reading on its own. Today's Good Read is a Deadspin look at when Michael Jordan decided he'd had enough of fame, fortune, and endless adulation and played for the minor-league Birmingham Barons. Deadspin notes people scoffed at MJ's batting average of .202, but the site reminds us he hadn't played baseball since high school. Also, it wasn't a NBA conspiracy — he just wanted to play baseball. Jordan even played in a game at Wrigley.

Deadspin: Bag it, maligners: Reconsidering Jordan's baseball experiment

Blake DeWitt is batting .333 since being moved to leadoff spot... Reliever Scott Maine was the 16th rookie to play for the Cubs this year... Carlos Silva pitched 2 2/3 innings in Peoria last night, allowing two hits and striking out one... Even though he is 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA since joining the Dodgers, Los Angeles put former Cub Ted Lilly on waivers. Could he be traded again?... Want the definitive look back at Lou Piniella? Leave it to The Onion.

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