The Cubs got a semi-respectable start from rookie Casey Coleman, and even rallied from a 5-3 deficit to tie the game in the eighth on Kosuke Fukudome's two-run homer (his second in two days!). Alas, the Reds scored twice in the bottom of the inning on some Keystone Kops-caliber defense, including Fukudome's first error of the season — with an assist from Aramis "Why Block the Ball with My Body?" Ramirez. The fundamentally sound Cubs of last week disappeared, and the bumbling Cubs we know all too well tallied yet another loss.

ESPN Chicago: Reds extend NL Central lead by shaking off Cubs [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: Cubs continue to play welcome mat
Daily Herald: Cubs return to Wrigley after starting Mike Quade era 4-2
MLB: Cubs' best road trip ends on sour note [+ video]

Tough Love
Mike Quade Mixes It Up
One thing about interim manager Mike Quade: He's willing to shake things up. So far, he's batted Blake DeWitt at leadoff, dropped a struggling Alfonso Soriano to seventh in the lineup, pulled Ryan Dempster from a scoreless game after only 79 pitches, and bailed on the Tyler-Colvin-at-first experiment. Did it pay off? Well, all of the movement resulted in the Cubs' best road trip of the season, going 4-2 in a six-game swing. Was it because of Quade? Not necessarily, but "He already has supporters in the clubhouse," the Sun-Times notes.

Chicago Sun-Times: Well, Quade you know
CSN Chicago: After long trip, Quade returns home to Wrigley [+ video]

Joe Will Say It Ain't So
Logistics Will Keep Girardi from Cubs Job, Blog Says
The speculation about the Cubs landing Joe Girardi has been compelling, but Another Cubs Blog has this sobering thought: It simply ain't gonna happen. Why? Bad timing. Let's assume the Yankees make the playoffs (a fairly safe bet) and the team offers Girardi an extension at the end of the season. Will Girardi risk pissing off the Yankees and having them pull their offer, just to interview with the Cubs? And then what happens if he doesn't get the Cubs' gig — again. Will he chance it? Seems unlikely, no?

Another Cubs Blog: Why Joe Girardi will not be managing the Cubs
Cubbies Crib: Girardi may not fit Cubs' timeline

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. We've extended the deadline to Friday and added a new incentive: If we hit our goal, Andrew will head down to The Cell in full Cubs uniform! You want to see the reaction, don't you? Here's more info on how you can make it happen.

Give Him a Hand
Koyie Hill's Inspiring Trip to the Majors After Accident
Granted, Koyie Hill isn't exactly the next Johnny Bench. But his journey to the major leagues has been pretty inspirational. Did you know a saw blade nearly took off four (FOUR!) of the fingers of his right hand in a 2007 carpentry accident? WGN details the accident and how doctors told Hill they'd have to amputate the fingers, but he told them to try to repair the hand. They cobbled something together, and the result may not be beautiful, but it works well enough. We may even be willing to excuse his .203 batting average.

WGN TV: Koyie Hill's fight back from hand injury

Andre Dawson will be honored at Wrigley Field before tonight's game... Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin made Tim Kurkjian's NL All-Rookie squad... For those of you near Geneva, Illinois, Carlos Silva will make his second rehab start for Peoria against the Kane County Cougars on Wednesday... Marlon Byrd seems to be a fan of Adam Dunn.

Submit your Rant on Facebook
*Don't be a Sox fan... be clever. If it's smart enough, we'll publish it here.
What's this?