DailyHerald.com Cubs News

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry refused to call it a salary dump, but the Cubs wound up saving a few bucks Tuesday. As expected, they traded No. 5 starting pitcher Jason Marquis to the Colorado Rockies for onetime White Sox reliever Luis Vizcaino and cash considerations.

If Jim Hendry seems eager to get to the general managers meetings, maybe it's because the hot-stove season began much too soon for the Cubs general manager.

The Cubs announced Friday they have declined the $3 million option for 2009 on backup catcher Henry Blanco's contract.

Just as he did back on Sept. 15 against the Astros at Miller Park, Ted Lilly took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday against this ballpark's rightful tenants, the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella confirmed Saturday that rookie right-hander Jeff Samardzija has made the roster for the National League division series.

One by one they marched into manager Lou Piniella's office before Friday night's game.

The Cubs' goodwill tour of the wild-card world landed at Miller Park on Friday night. The Milwaukee Brewers, playing before a surprisingly pro-Brewers crowd of 44,084 at "Wrigley Field North," got the best of the Cubs 5-1 and took a 1-game lead in the wild-card race over the New York Mets, who lost to Florida.

It probably started in spring training. No, not with pitcher Ryan Dempster predicting a World Series title for the Cubs. The Cubs already had a good team when Dempster made his bold proclamation.

Right-handed reliever Chad Gaudin returned to the Cubs' clubhouse Sunday morning, ready to pitch his way onto the postseason roster.

The understudies stole the show as the Iowa, er, Chicago Cubs upstaged St. Louis 5-1 in the regular-season home finale at Wrigley Field on Sunday.

Ryan Dempster earned his 17th victory as the Chicago Cubs kept on winning a day after clinching the NL Central title, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 Sunday in their regular-season wrapup at Wrigley Field.

First baseman Micah Hoffpauir and right-handed pitcher Mitch Atkins have been named the Chicago Cubs organization's Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.

Cubs chairman Crane Kenney joined in the clubhouse frivolity Saturday after the Cubs clinched the National League Central with a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Before Saturday's division-clincher over the Cardinals, Cubs manager Lou Piniella tried to temper expectations about his Cubs team.

Perfect timing. Perfect place. Perfect positioning. Almost so perfect as to be corny.

What a long, strange trip it's been for the Cubs from the high hopes of spring training to finally clinching the NL Central title Saturday at Wrigley Field.

It was almost a surreal scene: Jim Edmonds had already caught the last out, Cubs players had rushed the mound for an abbreviated group jump with closer Kerry Wood serving as the middle man.

The famous Wrigley Field marquee scrolls a new message: "2008 NL Central Champs Chicago Cubs."

Cubs manager Lou Piniella tried to deflate some of the expectations surrounding the NL Central leaders on Saturday, saying he has trouble understanding why people insist his team is built to win the World Series.