Lou Piniella

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:

The Chicago Cubs look like they have started to take away some of the question marks surrounding this team. 

How can a pitching staff that's so good on paper (maybe the best in the National league, when healthy) keep losing one run games? Ted Lilly got the win in a close 2-1 ballgame. 

How can an offense that was so potent and productive last year not be scoring runs consistently? The Cubs, combined with a masterful performance from Ryan Dempster, shut out the Dodgers 7-0. 

The Cubs have been one of baseball’s big disappointments this season.

The only team that has underachieved more has been the Yankees, but since A-Rod came back, they have been on a tear, which leaves the Cubs all alone.

However, through the past five games, they have gone 4-1, which may be an anomaly in a disappointing season. But it could also start to signal change.

The Cubs haven’t been pulling off small, one-run wins.  They have won three of their past four wins by at least three runs.

Did the Cubs call up Sacha Baron Cohen to start their game against the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon, or was that Carlos Zambrano going nuclear in the top of the seventh inning?

Even the well-mannered Milton Bradley was impressed, being quoted after the game referring to the tirade as "Bradley-like."

Talk about tact!

It all happened in the top of the seventh inning, an inning Zambrano started despite having thrown 107 pitches through six innings.

Callers have almost jokingly proposed it on sports talk radio in Chicago the last couple weeks.

Apparently, Lou Piniella can't come up with anything better.

Rumors are swirling that, for the first time in years, the Cubs will put Alfonso Soriano at second base.

This move would open left field for Micah Hoffpaiur, getting his potent bat into the lineup on a more regular basis since first baseman Derrek Lee isn't going anywhere. Minor league bomber Jake Fox might see a promotion soon as well.

Before I even begin with this article, I will state what should be obvious: The ongoing battle between Milton Bradley and the Chicago media has nothing to do with the Cubs' four-game slide.

Sorry, Windy City press, but you play no role in determining what actually happens on the field.

And this larger, so-called "locker room split" is just the media's way of stirring things up. Chemistry is something that's developed throughout the season.  

Did Cubs manager Lou Piniella order common sense for his in-flight meal on the way to St. Louis?

Here is tonight's batting order for the first game of the series at the Cardinals:

1.      Ryan Theriot, SS

Theodore Roosevelt Lilly III.

That about sums up Opening Day 2009 at Wrigley Field.

Rain delayed the start of today’s game for an hour and 12 minutes, but couldn’t put on a damper on the Cubs home opener or the mood of the 40,077 fans that showed up to spite it.

Ted Lilly walked catcher Chris Iannetta in the third inning and didn’t allow another Rockie to reach base until Garrett Atkins singled with two outs in the seventh to end the no-hit bid.

The Chicago Cubs opened a three-game homestand in Wrigley North with a 4-3 loss to last year’s Wild Card squad, the Milwaukee Brewers.

With one swing of the lumber, Koyie Hill provided Rich Harden with his first lead of the game via a two-run, sixth-inning bomb.

Milton Bradley got his first hit of the season, a solo jack to lead off the fourth inning. While Bradley has gotten off to a slow start hitting wise, it hasn’t been for lack of good at-bats.