Chicago Cubs

In the storied history of the Chicago Cubs franchise, there are very few numbers that are retired from use. Those players that have been qualified as the best of the franchise's history proudly have their numbers hanging on flags from each foul pole.

Ernie Banks is the first, and most obvious, name and number that come to mind. He's "Mr. Cub" and is still the face of the franchise.

Billy Williams and Ron Santo, Banks' partners in the middle of the Cubs' order in the 1960's, have their numbers flying proudly from the poles as well.

This piece was originally published on June 4, 2009 when Sammy Sosa announced he would retire.

In a move that was typical of the strange ending of his baseball career, Sammy Sosa announced Wednesday that he'll announce his retirement sometime soon.

That's right, an announcement that he's going to make an announcement.

Sosa has seen an incredibly awkward fall from grace on Chicago's North Side, where he became one of the greatest power hitters in the history of the game.

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When Alex Rodriguez's name was linked to a 2003 list of players who had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs during the survey testing that season, it sparked a media frenzy that even the Mitchell Report couldn't touch.

There is a reason Selena Roberts didn't write a book about Jason Grimsley, Chuck Knoblauch or any of the others who were named in the report, even though many had hard evidence linking them to steroid or HGH use: The Public doesn't care about non-stars.

When we last left our hero Jim Hendry, he was holding on for dear life as I was about to enter the bad phase of the trilogy.

With a huge payroll over the past several years, Hendry has spent like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

Tonight begins one of the great reasons interleague baseball is considered a success in Major League Baseball: the Chicago Crosstown Classic.

But this year's version of the series comes with lots of question marks about both teams. Both managers have been public with their frustrations as well, while the teams that were picked to be among the favorites in their divisions are fighting for respectability.

So before this serious begins, let's look at the matchups and how the team's players represent Chicago the best.

I recognize that you don't throw questions like this one around just because of a half season of mediocre baseball. Still, I want to know what the Cubs Community thinks: has Lou lost the fire in his belly?

Again, this is not an overreaction to what has occurred this season, though that is certainly part of it. The concern is based on the following:

On Sunday, in a move that can be described as nothing more than blaming the easiest target, the Chicago Cubs fired hitting coach Gerald Perry.

General Manager Jim Hendry threw around the cliche sound bites, saying that a "new voice" was needed and that the team's stars aren't performing to their historical abilities.

What Hendry didn't say was: "I paid $30 million for an overrated right fielder and, with a series of questionable moves, destroyed the chemistry on the best team in the National League."

But what was important was that he stuck to the cliches.

After another shutout and loss on Saturday to the Twins, the Cubs on Sunday made a change and called down to Triple-A Iowa for help. The Cubs didn't recall Jake Fox or another minor league player for offensive support, but rather the Iowa Cubs' hitting coach.

Von Joshua, who has been a hitting coach since 1984 and with the Iowa Cubs for the last four years, was once the MLB hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox.