Raising Cain
Giants' Ace Outduels Zambrano in 1-0 Loss

Jerry Lai/US PRESSWIRE

So let's get this straight: After years of tiptoeing around Carlos Zambrano's psyche and pretending he was the ace even when he wasn't, all he needed was a therapist? Big Z's run of post-anger management awesomeness continued last night, as he pitched six scoreless innings and struck out eight. The problem was, Cub killer Matt Cain and the Giants' bullpen were even better and blanked the Cubs on two hits. The Giants' lone run came on Buster Posey's homer to straightaway center off Andrew Cashner in the eighth.

ESPN Chicago: Buster Posey's homer provides enough offense... [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: Before 1-0 loss, Quade says he thinks...
MLB: Zambrano stays strong as Cubs fall to Giants

Chat Room
Levine: Cubs Should Trade Big Z and Marmol (?!?!?)
If you want the skinny on the Cubs, you listen to ESPN's Bruce Levine. He didn't disappoint in his chat yesterday on ESPN Chicago — for starters, he thinks Adam Dunn will be the Cubs' first baseman next year. He also thinks the Cubs will trade Zambrano, despite his stunning resurgence: "There have been too many ups and downs with him," he says. Then he drops a bomb: He thinks the Cubs should trade Marmol to... the Yankees. Wow.

ESPN Chicago: Chat with Bruce Levine

Dunn and Dumber
Big Ole Slugger Wants to Stay in Washington
So this is a surprise: Adam Dunn, who many assumed would be the Cubs' first baseman next year, says he wants to stay with the Washington Nationals. Now, we're pretty ambivalent about Dunn — the ox-like lefty slugger has 35 homers and 95 RBIs. Tough to dislike those numbers. But he's also not exactly a wizard with the leather, and he's got a whopping 181 strikeouts this year. But the bigger issue is: Who would the Cubs put at first, if not Dunn? Xavier Nady? Raise your hand if that fills you with excitement. Tyler Colvin? Your mom?

FOX Sports: Dunn wants to remain with Nationals
USA Today: Nationals' Adam Dunn thinks he might stay...

The Star That Wasn't
A Look at Kosuke Fukudome's Underwhelming Career
If you're a hardcore fan, you remember Kosuke Fukudome's first game as a Cub: He hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie the opening-day game against the Brewers. (Alas, the Cubs ended up losing.) Fukudome's rapid rise to stardom brought literally dozens of Japanese media to follow his career, the New York Times notes. Now, though, Fukudome has just one reporter trailing him. "Once considered a savior of sorts, Fukudome has become a part-time, relatively anonymous player," the story says. Ouch.

New York Times: For a Japanese star, cheers turn to whispers

Can't Touch This
Remembering Zambrano's No-Hitter
Hard to believe it was just 2008 that Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter against the Houston Astros. But there's a catch: It was at Milwaukee's Miller Park. Why? Because Hurricane Ike made Houston's field unplayable, so to Brew City it went. The Astros had won 14 of 15 coming into the Sept. 14 game, but Zambrano was on — despite sitting out for 12 days due to shoulder tendinitis. But as Agony & Ivy notes, Houston only hit two balls into the outfield. End result: No hits, 10 strikeouts, and baseball immortality.

Agony & Ivy: 2008: Big Z's neutral site no-no

Jim Hendry will interview Ryne Sandberg about the managerial job this week... Last night's loss clinched the team's first losing season since 2006, and the team's fourth in the last 10 years... Incredibly, Tyler Colvin is still in the hospital, although they removed the tube that was keeping his lung from collapsing... Want to meet fellow Cubs social-media nerds fans and maybe win some cool prizes? First, follow @Cubs and/or @CubsInsider on Twitter, then show up tonight at the first Cubs' FollowFest event at the Captain Morgan Club at 6pm.

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