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This is a group for all those who are citizens of Cub Nation, dedicated to the Chicago Cubs! This, 2008 IS OUR YEAR to win the World Series!! There are many Cub fans out there everywhere. Former Chicago natives that have relocated, but still are life-long Cub fans!! This is our place to gather here on EONS!! GO CUBBIES!!!

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Welcome All Cub Fans - Wherever You Are!!

Welcome Cub fans !!
Cub fans are scattered from one end of this great country to the other, but we can gather here and catch-up on what the Cubs are doing, what is going on in Wrigleyville, and to talk about our favorite team and the World Series we are going to win this year!!!!
GO CUBS!!!

posted by PapaB
about 1 month ago

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Carlos Pitched Like Old Self in All-Star Game

This might be a good sign. We need him back in the second half as the dominant strikeout specialist that he was most the first half!

posted by ECSlowhand

Check Out This Catch --- BY THE BALL GIRL!!!

posted by PapaB

1 reply - last reply

All-Star Break

Well, at All-Star Break, our Cubbies have the best record in baseball - How bout that??? This just might REALLY, actually BE OUR YEAR!!!

posted by PapaB

Cubs Have 8 Players at All-Star Game

NEW YORK -- Kerry Wood won't be pitching in the All-Star Game, but he came for the festivities and to soak in the atmosphere. As he took questions from reporters Monday afternoon during the players' press conference, that atmosphere had to feel a little familiar.

From his spot along the row of tables in the Empire State ballroom at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Wood was at the center of the Cubs contingent. Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano and Geovany Soto were taking questions to his left. To Wood's immediate right, Japanese media huddled around the table of Kosuke Fukudome. Manager Lou Piniella, a coach on this National League squad, was around the corner. Carlos Marmol and Aramis Ramirez were on the other side of the partition. There was literally no part of the giant ballroom in which someone would not be within sight of a Cubs player.

These few days are New York's time to shine, but for this hour, it had to feel like sweet home Chicago.

"It's amazing walking in here today and seeing seven of my teammates already here and talking," Wood said. "It's special. It's something different. There's guys who don't have any teammates here, and I'm sitting here with seven of my buddies."

He wasn't the only one feeling that way.

"It's amazing," said Marmol, who replaced Wood on the active All-Star roster this past weekend. "Your teammates, you play together and to have so many here, it's exciting."

It's not just the quantity of talent the Cubs have brought here that makes an impression, but the variety of it. While some great teams in recent years have managed to stack an All-Star lineup, or clutter the list of reserves with player ballot selections, or even put enough pitchers onto a staff to string together some innings, the Cubs are represented in every phase of the game.

"We've got quite a few here," Piniella said. "A few of them are hurt and not going to be able to participate, but it's an honor for our organization and it's a thrill for me to be part of this large group of players that are here. Hopefully the ones that get into the ballgame tomorrow do something to help the National League win."

Soto will be starting behind the plate, where he can look out in the distance as he takes his position and see Fukudome in center. Ramirez will be waiting to get into the game at third base.

Out in the bullpen, Dempster and Marmol will be waiting to get into the game, possibly to throw to Soto. And that doesn't include Wood and Soriano, who are out with injuries, or Piniella in the dugout.

"I think it says something about where we stand right now, and why our record is what it is," Wood said. "This is why we have a great team. It's all aspects of our game. We have outfielders, infielders, catchers, starting pitching and relievers. Every facet of our game has an All-Star in it. That gives you a chance to win a lot of games."

Said Ramirez: "We're playing well. We're doing everything we need to win ballgames. That's the key. We're pitching good, we're hitting with men on base, scoring runs. We're doing everything right."

Every Cubs All-Star, too, has a story. Among the players, only Soriano and Zambrano have been to more than one Midsummer Classic before this one. Dempster was the Marlins' lone representative the last time he was here, back as a 23-year-old in 2000. Wood pitched an inning in the 2003 game at what was then Comiskey Park. That was his last season with over 30 starts.

Wood made this year's team as a starter turned reliever. Dempster made it as a reliever turned starter. Then there's Soto, who in his first full Major League season has a chance to play in the same game that was an annual showcase for one of his heroes, fellow Puerto Rican-born catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

"Him winning a lot of Gold Gloves and being in all the All-Star Games, it really feels an honor to be on the same stage that he was," Soto said. "It feels really good. I met him when I was 16 years old."

If they can pull off a victory, it'll be more than just an honor, but a potential benefit. Perhaps no team in the National League can look at the All-Star Game and the World Series home-field advantage that goes with it with as much interest as the Cubs, whose 37-12 record at home is by far the best in the Senior Circuit and rivals the Red Sox for best in the Majors. Of course, that also rivals their 20-26 record away from Wrigley.

"Home-field advantage is huge in the playoffs, in any league," Dempster said. "Both in this locker room and in the American League, both sides realize it. And so, it's going to be a good game. It's going to be really competitive. And hopefully at the end of it, we can come out on top and lock up that home-field advantage for what could maybe mean something to us."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com.

posted by PapaB

1 reply - last reply

Big Z Dominant In 10th Win

Story in 1st reply

posted by PapaB

2 replies - last reply

Harden Looks Great In Cubs Debut

CHICAGO -- Rich Harden won over Cubs fans, but Carlos Marmol may have lost a few supporters.

Harden struck out 10 over 5 1/3 shutout innings in his Cubs debut, and was in line for the win but did not get a decision as Reed Johnson hit a walk-off RBI single with one out in the 11th inning to give the Cubs an 8-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants Saturday.

Sean Marshall (2-2) singled to lead off the 11th and advanced when Mark DeRosa walked but was forced at third on Mike Fontenot's fielder's choice. Johnson drove a pitch from Brian Wilson (0-2) to right and DeRosa slid home despite a throw for the game-winning run.

The Giants entered the ninth trailing, 7-2, and batted around against Marmol, collecting five runs on five hits, one walk and a hit batter in the inning. San Francisco tied the game when shortstop Ryan Theriot fielded pinch-hitter Eliezer Alfonzo's RBI single, and then threw it wildly for an error, allowing a run to score.

Acquired Tuesday from the Oakland Athletics, Harden notched his third career double-digit strikeout game, and second this season, in 5 1/3 scoreless innings. The Wrigley Field crowd of 41,555 appreciated the effort, and gave Harden a standing ovation as he exited.

Jim Edmonds drove in four runs, hitting a two-run homer with two outs in the third, his 10th, and a two-run double in the fourth, and Mark DeRosa added a RBI single in the fourth to give Chicago a 7-0 lead.

posted by PapaB

Ramirez Comes Thru

Derrek Lee was intentionally walked in the eighth inning to get to Aramis Ramirez, and the Cubs third baseman repaid the slight with a three-run shot to break a scoreless tie. Jason Marquis kept the Giants off the board for seven innings, allowing only three hits.

posted by PapaB

Dempster Perfect At Home This Season

CHICAGO -- There's no place like home for Ryan Dempster.

The All-Star right-hander improved to 10-0 at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night, as the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, 7-3.

All-Star Geovany Soto and Mike Fontenot each hit two-run homers, and Aramis Ramirez tripled, scored a run and drove in another to back Dempster (10-3), who has yet to win on the road. Maybe the Cubs will leave him behind on the next road trip.

Dempster, named to the National League All-Star team for the second time in his career and first time since 2000, gave up one run on two hits and four walks over seven innings while striking out five. He's the first Cubs starter to win his first 10 decisions at home since Rick Reuschel did so in 1977.

Fontenot connected in the fourth, driving in Mark DeRosa, and sent an 0-1 pitch from Aaron Harang (3-11) into the basket in straightaway center field.

Soto, who will start behind the plate in next week's All-Star Game, launched his 16th homer in the fifth inning, and now has more than any rookie catcher in the Major Leagues since Mike Piazza belted 18 in 1993.

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com.

posted by PapaB

Brewers Get CC, so Cubs Get Rich Harden

One day after the Brewers aquire CC Sabastian from the Indians, the Cubs make a trade they have been working on for the last week or so. Cubs get Harden and Chad Guadin and Oakland gets Matt Murton, Eric Paterson, Sean Gallagher, and a minor-league catcher Josh Donaldson. This should be a very interesting second half, in the N.L. Central.

posted by PapaB