September 18, 2011

Sun-Times Cubs’ bullpen looking mightier BY: TONI GINNETTI

At the top of the to-do list for the next Cubs general will be reshaping a pitching staff that sits at the bottom of the National League with a 4.41 ERA.

The task will focus most on the rotation, where , Matt Garza and Randy Wells appear to be the only starters penciled in for 2012. The replacements for and a collection of would-be fifth starters could come from a trade or from within the organization — perhaps Andrew Cashner or Jeff Samardzija or a better version of .

But the brighter side of the pitching picture should be the bullpen, where a corps of arms has done remarkably well in an otherwise woeful season.

Cubs relievers have combined to post a 3.57 ERA through 4811/3 innings, compared to the starters at 4.88 in 8661/3 innings.

And no one has been more consistent than left-hander Sean Marshall, whose 6-6 record, 2.38 ERA, club- record 31 holds and five saves have made him one of the National League’s premier setup men.

Marshall survived a shaky ninth inning Saturday, giving up a , double and intentional walk, but he escaped with the help of an infield fly, and ground out as the Cubs beat the 2-1 at Wrigley Field.

The former starter and closer candidate has been one of the most reliable components of the bullpen.

“If he was just a situational lefty, you would think about him becoming a starter again,’’ said Cubs manager Mike Quade. “But he’s way more than that. He’s an eighth-inning guy, and he’s got great numbers against even some of the tougher right-handed hitters, too.’’

Marshall, 29, has come to embrace his role, not always a common sentiment among young and former starters.

“It’s been really nice,’’ said Marshall, who was a starter in 2006 and 2007 before moving to the bullpen. “I think they realize I’ve had some success in this role and I’m comfortable now. Part of the reason is because I wasn’t changing roles [as he did in 2008 and 2009]. When I was able to settle in and keep a routine and know what I’d have to do, I can keep my arm fresh.’’

Marshall seemed to turn a corner last year when he stayed in the bullpen. He made 80 appearances and pitched 742/3 innings with 90 and 25 walks. His ERA was a sparkling 2.65 with a 7-5 record, 22 holds and one save.

This year, he has set a single-season record for holds and ranks third in the league in that category and second among all lefties. His 63 career holds are the most for a Cubs lefty.

Since 2008, when he became predominantly a relief , he has compiled a 16-14 record, seven saves and a 2.76 ERA in 212 innings.

The notion of returning to starting no longer is paramount, although Marshall admits it was “tough’’ to see the rotation struggle early when injuries took Cashner and Wells out of the rotation.

“When you looked at the team and that it might need starting pitching, and I wanted to help — but at the same time now, I don’t want to mess up a good thing,’’ he said.

Marshall sees the Cubs’ bullpen as a good thing overall, though pitchers such as Cashner and Samardzija might be eyed for the rotation next season.

“Jeff has been pitching great and found a good spot to pitch in,’’ he said. “He’s pitched a lot and his confidence is back up and his arm strength is great. He’s really learned how to pitch. And now we have Cashner back, and [lefty John] Gaub is here to learn. We have veteran guys like [Kerry] Woody [] and [John] Grabow who have done it before, and [Gaub] can definitely pull things from guys like that.

“We had some stressful times early this season because we had to pick up innings [when the starters struggled], but we got through it. There are definitely bright spots.’’

--

Sun-Times After total tankings by Cubs, Sox, be happy you can walk off now BY: RICK TELANDER

Thank God baseball season is almost over.

How embarrassing is it that Chicago’s teams, the Cubs and White Sox, with a combined payroll of a quarter-billion dollars, are both going to finish under .500?

The Cubs are so far below the break-even line that they have lost radio contact with the National League Central-leading .

The Brewers.

That’s Milwaukee, folks, a quaint ’burb 60 miles north of here with a small-market team that should be sated with fish boils and beer.

Size matters in baseball. Milwaukee is to Chicago — even half of Chicago — as a flea is to a June bug. And there are the Brewers on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and there are the Cubs . . . just wretched.

The Sox may only be four games under .500, but their finish has been so ugly that it seems they’re a thousand American League Central-leading Detroit instead of only 141/2.

Give up?

If there was a sword to be surrendered, Ozzie Guillen should have knelt down and handed it to Bud Selig rather than let this slop-fest continue.

And, in penance, general manager Kenny Williams should have stripped off his buttons and let Adam Dunn take three bat swings at his unmoving head. (Even odds Big Donkey would get nothing but hair.)

In fact, there may not be enough penance on this earth for Williams to make up for Dunn’s giant contract and the huge fellow’s demise into a semi-petrified stone mason.

Playoffs? Playoffs?

In Chicago?

Get real.

† MANNY RAMIREZ, the 2004 World Series MVP for the , recently was arrested on a criminal domestic-violence charge, and I ask you: Was there anybody anywhere who did not think it would end badly for this goofy slugger?

The powerful 12-time All Star and two-time World Series champ was claimed off waivers last August by the White Sox.

But he was toast, and between steroid suspensions and sheer wackiness — How many times can you forget how many outs there are? How long can you let your Medusa snakes grow? — he turned his career into a kitchen fire.

Manny being Manny used to be fun. No more.

† I SEE MORE AND MORE ‘‘experts’’ are deciding that big-time college football is actually a business and not an extra-curricular activity that can be played fairly by amateurs.

The October cover story for the scholarly and fervently intellectual The Atlantic, written by noted civil rights historian Taylor Branch, is titled ‘‘The Shame of College Sports.’’ In the piece, Branch discovers that big-time college football players should be paid.

He says he did not go into the research for his article expecting to come to this conclusion, that he believed in the virtue rooted in the classical ideal of Mens sana in corpore sano — a sound mind in a sound body — and that simply playing the game for a scholarship was enough for any jock.

But that was before he examined in detail the incredible revenue stream that flows to and from college ball, to the media networks and coaches and administrators who have become rich with the gushing. The NCAA, Branch discovered, refuses to pay its worker-athletes ‘‘without logic or practicality or fairness.’’ Branch is stunned and outraged.

Next month, I hear, an Atlantic scholar/author determines that fossil fuels create smog.

† REMEMBER TIGER WOODS?

I kinda do.

† HERE ARE THREE sporting rules that should go into effect IMMEDIATELY:

1. No can use a clipboard or program or anything to cover his mouth when he calls plays on the sidelines.

2. Any tennis player who shrieks or grunts excessively loses that point.

3. Poker players cannot wear sunglasses, hats, fake mustaches or anything that disguises their faces. (Towels for perspiration are OK.)

4. Any coach who says the team his team just beat is ‘‘a great, great team’’ will be forced to immediately declare that his team is, ipso facto, the best team in the history of sport.

5. Any player, coach or announcer who says, as Charles Barkley did, that ‘‘[X] is the engine that stirs the drink,’’ shall be forced to take cliché classes so as to know that you do not walk on kid gloves, nor do you handle a player with eggshells, and a foot can be shot but a back is never over a barrel.

† FINALLY, THIS HAPPENED a couple weeks ago, but it’s stuck in my head:

St. Louis Cardinals Matt Holliday had to leave a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning when a moth flew into his right ear.

Cardinals trainer Barry Weinberg tried to get the thing out by shining a flashlight into Holliday’s ear in a darkened room. No good. So Weinberg used tweezers to probe around and finally pulled the bug, still alive, out of its unwilling host.

My thoughts:

Anything can happen in nature.

At least it wasn’t a cicada.

--

Sun-Times Rodrigo Lopez gets win as Cubs beat Astros 2-1 BY: TONI GINNETTI

Rodrigo Lopez knows he’s pitching for a job next season with the Cubs or another team. His performance Saturday in a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros could help.

Lopez (6-6) pitched six innings, struck out a season-high seven, allowed only four hits and walked two. The only run was unearned after an error by Aramis Ramirez in the first inning.

The Astros had two hits in the first but only two more singles off Lopez, who won consecutive starts for the second time.

‘‘I knew the bullpen had been used a lot the last couple of days,’’ Lopez said, ‘‘and it also was a personal goal [to pitch at least six innings]. I’m glad I could go six to help my team win and help the bullpen.

‘‘Everyone knows I’m fighting for a job and trying to find a job somewhere. Numbers sometimes don’t tell everything, but numbers are what they look at when you’re a free agent.’’

Ramon Ortiz, James Russell and Kerry Wood held the Astros scoreless until the ninth, when Sean Marshall was called on to finish to give Carlos Marmol some rest. Marshall gave up two hits and one intentional walk but survived to get his fifth save.

Opportunity knocks

Bryan LaHair waited three years to get back to the majors, but he has made a good impression in his two-week return.

LaHair’s , his second since his call-up, leading off the fourth inning proved to be the game- winning run.

He committed his first error in right field in the second inning, but the Astros failed to score.

‘‘We’ve liked what we’ve seen so far, that’s for sure,’’ manager Mike Quade said.

LaHair is hitting .433 (13-for-30). He has drawn seven walks and struck out seven times in noticeably long at-bats.

‘‘It’s just part of my plan — get your pitch to ,’’ he said.

LaHair has hit safely in all nine games he has started, seven of them in the corner outfield spots, where he’s learning to play after playing mostly first base.

‘‘I’m working hard out there,’’ LaHair said. ‘‘[Coach Bob Dernier] is breaking things down for me. I’m leaning on the center fielder, whether it’s Tony Campana or Marlon Byrd, to position me.

‘‘I wasn’t sure what my role would be.’’

Charting hit parade

Starlin Castro’s double leading off the fifth inning was his 194th hit of the season. At 21, he’s trying to become the youngest Cub to get at least 200 hits. Augie Galan (203 hits in 1935) and Billy Herman (206 hits in 1932) were 23.

Castro also became the first Cubs shortstop to reach base safely in 30 consecutive games since in 1960.

‘‘If you’re in the same conversation as Ernie Banks, I can’t embellish on that,’’ Quade said.

--

Cubs.com LaHair powers Cubs to 4,000th win at Wrigley By: Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Five years from now -- or maybe five days -- if someone asks who the winning pitcher was and who drove in the game-winning run in the Cubs' 4,000th win at Wrigley Field, will you know?

Remember Rodrigo Lopez and Bryan LaHair. The two are hoping they're doing enough to stay in the Cubs' minds this offseason.

LaHair belted a tie-breaking solo shot deep to center field to lift the Cubs to their 4,000th win at Wrigley on Saturday, a 2-1 victory that handed the Astros their 100th loss of the year.

The Cubs are the third franchise in Major League history to win at least 4,000 games in one ballpark, joining the Red Sox and Yankees. The Red Sox have 4,430 wins at Fenway Park, while the Yankees won 4,133 at the original Yankee Stadium.

Lopez (6-6) struck out a season-high seven batters over six innings, only the second time in his past 10 starts he's lasted at least six frames. He now has 81 career wins, fifth most among Mexican-born pitchers.

"I'm in the books," Lopez said about the 4,000th win.

What was more important to Cubs manager Mike Quade was to have Lopez last at least six innings. The bullpen has been busy, with the club playing back-to-back extra-inning games.

"I know the bullpen has been used the last couple days," said Lopez, "and [to go deep] was a personal goal as well."

"Everybody picked up each other and did a good job," Quade said. "We really needed six out of Rodrigo, and that was huge."

When left fielder Alfonso Soriano caught Jimmy Paredes' fly ball to end the Astros sixth, Lopez raised his arms touchdown-style as he came off the field.

"I didn't know if I was going to get the win or not," Lopez said, "but I was, like, 'OK, I made it.'"

"[Lopez] hit his spots, he attacked the zone and threw the ball pretty well," Houston's Clint Barmes said. "That's nothing surprising out of him, but I mean, he didn't miss very many pitches over the heart of the plate, and that made him pretty effective today."

Jordan Schafer doubled to lead off the game for the Astros (51-100) and scored two outs later on third baseman Aramis Ramirez's throwing error.

The Cubs took advantage of an Astros' miscue in the first to tie the game. With one out, Tony Campana walked, moved up on a groundout, then stole third -- his 22nd steal of the year -- and scored on catcher Carlos Corporan's errant throw into left.

But Chicago missed an opportunity to add on, despite Henry Sosa (2-5) walking four in the first. Darwin Barney grounded out to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.

LaHair made up for it in the fourth, launching the first pitch from Sosa to straightaway center for his second home run since joining the Cubs.

"It's part of my plan," LaHair said. "I'm trying to get good pitches to hit and hit them hard, like I've been doing all year."

LaHair hit a franchise-record 38 homers at Triple-A Iowa to win the 's MVP honors. Since debuting with the Cubs on Sept. 4, LaHair has hit safely in his first 10 games and is batting .433 (13-for-30).

"When he squares it up, it's pretty impressive," Quade said. "He's a big strong kid. We like what we've seen so far, that's for sure."

Has LaHair done enough to secure a spot on next year's Cubs' roster? That's still to be determined. "I wasn't sure what my role was going to be," LaHair said. "I'm day to day. I take every day one day at a time, and just try to put together good at-bats."

The Astros loaded the bases in the ninth, but Sean Marshall held on for his fifth save. Houston would obviously rather have 4,000 wins than 100 losses.

"We've got to find ways to close games out, and we haven't done a very good job this year," Barmes said. "We've been in just about every ballgame we played this year. That's the frustrating part. We're just not figuring out a way to win some ballgames. You look at all the one-run games we lost, it makes it hard."

Lopez will likely get one more start before the season ends. Quade will try to work LaHair into the lineup, either at first or in the outfield. The final 10 games are big.

"It's very important," Lopez said. "Everybody knows I'm fighting for a job and trying to find a spot somewhere. With free agency, they just look at your numbers. It's very important to finish strong. I'm trying to make a case for a job next year."

--

Cubs.com Castro reaches base in 30th straight game By: Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- , who doubled in the fifth inning on Saturday, has reached base safely in a career-high 30 straight games. He's the first Cubs shortstop to do that since Ernie Banks had a streak of 30 games in 1960.

"I know [Castro's] drive to 200 [hits] is exciting for him," Cubs manager Mike Quade said. "I knew he had a long string of reaching base; I didn't know it was up to 30.

"If you're in the same conversation as Ernie Banks, I don't know if I can embellish on that at all. [Castro] has done a great job offensively all year. It's really something to see a kid that young so accomplished at this point in his career."

Derrek Lee was the last Cubs player with a 30-plus streak, reaching safely in 31 consecutive games in 2009.

The double was hit No. 194 for Castro, tops in the National League. He is vying to become the youngest Cubs player ever to collect 200 hits in a single season.

The last Cubs batter to collect 200 hits was Juan Pierre, who had 204 in 2006.

Dempster hopes to return to Cubs in 2012

CHICAGO -- Ryan Dempster will start in the series finale on Sunday against the Astros. Could it be his last home start for the Cubs?

Dempster, who is expected to squeeze in two more starts on the last road trip, has a $14 million player option for 2012.

"I never even thought about that," Dempster said on Saturday. "I'm just trying to go out there and win a game tomorrow, and let all those things handle themselves."

The Cubs have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, such as selecting the next general manager. This is Dempster's eighth season, and he's gone from a rehabbing right-hander to the closer for three years to the rotation. He enters Sunday's game at 10-12 with a 4.66 ERA, with a 6-7 mark and a 3.53 ERA in his past 18 starts.

"As a player, you just want to see where everything's going and what direction they want to go and things like that, more than anything," Dempster said. "You know how much I love playing here. Hopefully, it's not just about staying here for next year, but staying past next year. I'll worry about what's on the field first."

Dempster received a four-year, $52 million contract from the Cubs in November 2008.

"There are a lot of factors that come into [the decision]," Dempster said. "I want to try to get win No. 11 [on Sunday] and go from there."

Quade sticking with Pena down the stretch

CHICAGO -- Bryan LaHair, one of the Cubs' September callups, may have hit 38 homers at Triple-A Iowa and be able to play first base, but manager Mike Quade wants Carlos Pena in the lineup, and the veteran appreciates that.

"You got a guy driving toward 30 home runs, who has been a huge part of this ballclub, both on the field and off the field," Quade said of Pena, who had 28 homers and 79 RBIs entering Saturday. "We need him in the lineup to win ballgames, and he's been a big part of that this year."

Pena has hit at least 30 homers in three of the past four seasons, missing last year with the Rays when he finished with 28. Still, reaching 30 homers isn't a goal Pena voiced to Quade.

"That's not me," Pena said. "I'm more about, 'How many good at-bats can I put together? Let's put together good at-bats today; let's help the ballclub out' It's kind of cool that he's looking out for me. I respect that; that's awesome."

Pena signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs, and isn't sure where he'll be in 2012. Does he think about next season?

"I think about next year all the time, very casually, just because I think about the future," Pena said. "I spend a few minutes dreaming about the best scenarios and putting myself in them, and then I just let it go and come back to the present."

The Cubs aren't going to finish with a winning record this season, and though there are a lot of question marks for next year, Pena wants to return.

"I've said all along, I've enjoyed my time here in Chicago and love the opportunity that it presents to be part of the Cubs," Pena said, "and to be part of that team that does it is very alluring to me.

"Even though we haven't achieved what we want to this year, I feel like it's moving in the right direction. Just to be part of that means a lot to me."

Samardzija could be moved to rotation in 2012

CHICAGO -- The Cubs will have openings in their rotation next season, and one option to be considered is Jeff Samardzija.

The right-hander, who was used strictly in relief this year, entered Saturday's game with a 1.88 ERA in 39 appearances since June 28. He's given up at least one earned run five times in that stretch.

"There's plenty of reasons for people to mull over that and think about that being a possibility," Cubs manager Mike Quade said. "It's not rocket science to say, 'Who do you think about? Do you think about [Sean] Marshall? Do you think about Samardzija?'"

One pitcher Quade would like to see in the rotation next year is Andrew Cashner. The right-hander won a spot this season, but made just one start, on April 5, before he had to be shut down with a strained right rotator cuff. Cashner is finishing up the season pitching out of the bullpen, and is still limited to one day on, two days off.

Who will be the Cubs' starting five in 2012? Carlos Zambrano's status is still to be determined, though he is not expected back. The Cubs have plenty of decisions to make.

"[Samardzija is a] big, strong guy. Could that be a possibility? Absolutely," Quade said. "Where are we going with Cash? There are so many things."

Quade knows Garza is still learning

CHICAGO -- Mike Quade said he hopes Matt Garza learned how much Carlos Lee likes hitting at Wrigley Field on Friday.

Garza decided to challenge Lee in the Astros' ninth inning on Friday, with two out and one on and the Cubs leading, 3-1. Lee hit a game-tying two-run homer, his second of the game and career 23rd at Wrigley Field.

"I love the gamesmanship," Quade said of Garza's approach, "but somewhere there has to be a balance between that and some intelligence. I hope he learned from that, and I think he did. His comment doesn't surprise me and it's an honest comment, and that's exactly what I thought sitting there. [I'm thinking his attitude was,] 'OK, pal, that home run you hit before -- I'm going to finish you here with my best fastball, and this thing will be over.'"

Garza shook off catcher twice before throwing the fastball. Soto must have been thinking like Quade was.

"It doesn't mean you can't do that if you've got the right hitter up there," Quade said about Garza's approach. "If you've got a guy who is so vulnerable in and has a long swing and everything else, and if you leave one out over the plate, and that's the one he hits opposite field, OK. But otherwise, there's no margin for error, and it's just too dangerous."

The good news? The Cubs rallied to win, 4-3, in the 12th inning on Marlon Byrd's walk-off single.

--

Cubs.com Dempster could make final Wrigley start vs. Astros By: Joey Nowak

With one Chicago veteran potentially making his last home start for the Cubs on Sunday, manager Mike Quade is also looking to find some variety in the lineup he sends out every day.

Two teams that have long been eliminated from playoff contention will meet for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Chicago has taken eight of the 14 meetings this year, while the Astros have won 17 of 32 against the Cubs since 2010.

Ryan Dempster will be on the hill for Chicago, which may bid him farewell after the season's end. The veteran right-hander, who could be making his final start at Wrigley Field, has a $14 million player option for 2012.

"As a player, you just want to see where everything's going and what direction they want to go and things like that, more than anything," Dempster said. "You know how much I love playing here. Hopefully, it's not just about staying here for next year, but staying past next year. I'll worry about what's on the field first."

Meanwhile, it's the Astros pitchers who have been hot lately, allowing a combined total of 10 runs over their last five games.

But beyond Dempster, Quade is looking to give players, including vital veterans, the opportunity to play down the stretch.

"I'm mixing and matching," Quade said of his approach to the season's final games. "[The veterans] deserve an opportunity; they don't deserve to be shelved. I don't think we'll be successful in a lot of areas if I shelve all those guys."

That lineup will take a shot at streaking Astros right-hander , who has been terrific in his past three starts (2-1, 1.19 ERA).

Myers has allowed just one earned run in each of the three outings, including Monday against the first- place Phillies.

"I just tried to keep the ball down in the zone as much as possible," Myers said afterward. "[The Phillies] know me pretty well, and I feel like I know them pretty well, too. They hit some balls hard right at guys. Overall, it was a good night."

Cubs: Castro creeping up on 200

• Starlin Castro, who has reached base safely in a career-high 30 consecutive games, has the opportunity, at age 21, to become the Cubs' youngest player to reach the 200-hit plateau in a season.

Castro would also become the first Chicago shortstop to achieve the feat and the fifth Major League player since 1940 to collect 200 hits at 21 or younger.

Castro, who doubled on Saturday, has 194 hits this year.

• Cubs manager Mike Quade said on Saturday he was "99 percent sure" he'll give third baseman Aramis Ramirez Sunday off. Rookie D.J. LeMahieu would likely start at third.

Astros: Lee on fire

Carlos Lee has hit safely in 22 of his past 25 games since Aug. 20, batting .371 (36-for-97) with seven homers and 18 RBIs.

Lee is in in the right place to keep his streak going on Sunday, as his 38 homers against Chicago are the most he's hit against any club in baseball. That total ranks third among active leaders, trailing just Albert Pujols (53) and Adam Dunn (41).

Lee's 23 homers at Wrigley Field are als his most at any road ballpark.

Worth noting

• The Cubs have now won 4,000 regular season games at Wrigley Field, becoming the third franchise in Major League history, after the Yankees and Red Sox, to win 4,000 contests in one ballpark.

• The Astros are 9-8 at Wrigley Field over the past two seasons, having won four of their past six played there.

--

Cubs.com Ridling, Smokies rally, force Game 4 By: Robert Emrich

Six outs from seeing their season end, the Tennessee Smokies came to life.

Rebel Ridling singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning Saturday as Tennessee beat the Mobile BayBears, 4-2, to avoid a sweep in the best-of-5 Southern League Championship Series.

Trailing by a run entering the eighth inning, the Smokies got a leadoff homer from pinch-hitter Nelson Perez, who slugged his first of the postseason to cap an eight-pitch at-bat.

"It was huge," Ridling said. "We had kind of a stall-out on offense. Every time we got something going, their pitchers made pitches to get out of jams. He [Perez] hits the homer and all of sudden we're all fired up."

James Adduci followed with a walk and was advanced to second on a bunt by Jae-Hoon Ha. After watching BayBears reliever Kevin Munson intentionally walk Blake Lalli, Ridling singled up the middle, scoring Adduci to give the Smokies their first lead since they opened the scoring in the first inning of Game 1. The 25-year-old first baseman had a very basic plan while at the plate.

"Basically, just get a good pitch to hit," the former 25th-round pick said. "I was just trying to be patient and look for something I could handle."

"Adduci is the fastest guy on the team, but the throw was a little up the line. And even if it was on target, he probably would have been safe."

The Smokies tacked on a run on third baseman Matt Davidson's error.

Nate Samson, whose first-inning miscue opened the door for both of Mobile's runs, was 1-for-4 with an RBI double.

Rafael Dolis hit a batter and allowed a single in the ninth before registering his first postseason save. The Cubs' No. 6 prospect preserved the win for Jeff Beliveau (1-0), who pitched a hitless eighth.

Ridling believes the win could shift the momentum in the series, which continues Sunday in Tennessee.

"Everybody feels real good," the Southern League All-Star said. "We're still down one, but we almost feel the pressure might be on them to close it out because if they lose, it's tied -- with Game 5 at our park."

Tyler Skaggs, the D-backs' top prospect, was in line for the win after allowing a run on five hits over six innings. He struck out seven.

Trevor Bauer, the third overall pick in this year's Draft, gets the ball for Mobile in Game 4, while the Smokies counter with Cubs' No. 4 prospect Trey McNutt.

--

Tribune Cubs' win No. 4,000 at Wrigley Field LaHair's homer, bullpen help make Lopez a winner By: Dave van Dyck

Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Astros meant very little for this year's Cubs, but it was important for baseball historians: The franchise's 4,000th victory at Wrigley Field.

And someday the trivia answers will be "Rodrigo Lopez" and "Bryan LaHair" when people ask who was the winning pitcher and who hit the winning home run in the milestone victory.

"I'm in the books," said a surprised Lopez when informed of the feat.

Those two will be there forever, even though neither may be more than a footnote as two of the unlikeliest heroes. Lopez came on board in late May and LaHair in September, and there is no guarantee they will see next April in Cubs uniforms.

At least No. 4,000 gave Cubs fans something to talk about other than an otherwise meaningless victory over baseball's first team to reach 100 losses this season. Only two other teams have won that many games in one ballpark — the Red Sox in Fenway Park and the Yankees in the original House that Ruth Built.

It is strange that this season has created a Lopez — at 35 fighting to hang on in the big leagues — and a LaHair — at 28 fighting to make the big leagues. Both are getting opportunities because of the shallow level of Cubs talent.

And both figure to stay in the spotlight the rest of the season, which is particularly impressive for LaHair because manager Mike Quade is determined to finish the season with his veterans, although Sunday most likely will be a day of rest for Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano.

"They deserve the opportunity, they don't deserve to be shelved, and I don't think we're going to be successful in a lot of different areas if I shelve all those guys," Quade said of his veterans. "There's some pretty good players there.

"Not only have they been here all year and had decent years, a lot of them are under contract for next year. There's a lot that goes into this. "

But with veteran Kosuke Fukudome gone by trade and Tyler Colvin seemingly lost at the plate, Quade will give more playing time to LaHair, who has hit in 10 of his 11 games with a plate appearance and walked twice in a game three times.

"When he squares up the ball, he's pretty impressive. He's a big, strong kid," Quade said.

LaHair hit his second homer in the fourth inning to give Lopez (6-6) the 2-1 lead, and the victory was cemented with three innings from Ramon Ortiz, James Russell, Kerry Wood and Sean Marshall (save No. 5).

The Cubs also scored in the first on four walks, the run coming home when Tony Campana stole third and catcher Carlos Corporan threw the ball into left field.

LaHair's biggest problem is that the first baseman has been forced to play the outfield — he made an error Saturday — since Carlos Pena will continue to play at first. Pena is hitting .271 since Aug. 15 and is third in the league in walks with 98.

"Carlos has put together a two-week period as good as he has all year," Quade said. "And (he's) driving toward 30 home runs. He's been a huge part of this ballclub, both on the field and off the field.

"We need him in the lineup, and obviously (Ramirez) as well. Those guys, they've anchored this club, and where we would be without them I have no idea."

As it is, the Cubs are just hoping to catch the Pirates for fourth place in the NL Central, which is hardly anything for the history books.

--

Tribune Samardzija could join Cubs' rotation next season Marshall less likely, having become a valauble late-inning reliever By: Dave van Dyck

It's hardly a secret the Cubs are looking for starting pitchers next season and reliever Jeff Samardzija has volunteered his services more than once. So has bullpen mate Sean Marshall.

Manager Mike Quade says he hasn't thought about plans, but says Samardzija is "a big, strong guy who has started before. There's plenty of reasons for people to mull over that possibility."

Actually, it's more a probability, given that Samardzija started most of last season. That's assuming the new general manager doesn't have a fall off the free agent tree.

As for Marshall, it's less a possibility. He hasn't started since 2009 when he was mostly a reliever. Plus, he has become valuable in the bullpen.

"It is (hard to see)," Quade said. "In my mind, if he was strictly a situational lefty, I think you would think more about that as a possible plan. But he's an eighth-inning guy, a seventh-inning guy, against left- or right-handers, which increases his value."

Good company: Starlin Castro doubled Saturday, making him the first Cubs shortstop to reach base safely in 30 straight games since Hall of Famer Ernie Banks in 1960.

"If you're in the same conversation with Ernie Banks, I can't embellish that at all," Quade said when asked for a reaction. "That's really something for a kid that young (21)."

Ryno moves on: After managing his Iron Pigs to the championship series, has joined the Phillies as a coach for the rest of the season. And the word is the Hall of Famer and former Cubs Triple-A manager may never return to the minors. He is expected to become a coach with the Phillies full time next season, if he doesn't land a major league managing job somewhere.

Extra innings: Darwin Barney had his 45th multihit game Saturday, most by any rookie. ... Tony Campana stole third base for the fourth time this season, most for the Cubs since 2008, when Alfonso Soriano did it five times and Ronny Cedeno four.

--

Tribune Another successful season for Sandberg managing Triple-A Phillies expect Cubs Hall of Famer to generate interest at major league level By: Phil Rogers

Ryne Sandberg has done it again.

Cast aside by the Cubs a year ago, he has turned in another highly successful season as a minor league manager. Sandberg guided the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to the Governor's Cup championship series in the International League, completely turning around the culture of a losing situation.

One of the minor leagues' worst teams the last three years, the Phillies' Triple-A team won 22 more games in 2011 than '10 and then beat the in the first round of the playoffs before the eliminated them Friday night.

Sandberg, whom Hall of Fame executive vetted for the job, drew effusive praise from Phillies' general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. for his work.

Sandberg has managed five minor league seasons, and delivered only one losing record in his four with the Cubs. He took Double-A Tennessee to the Southern League championship series in 2009 and went 82-62 with Triple-A Iowa in 2010.

Some in Philadelphia believe he's a likely successor to as the Phillies' manager — just as many in Chicago thought he would get the job that went to Mike Quade last fall. But Manuel plans to manage at least another two years, and Amaro expects a major league team to nab Sandberg before then.

"Ryne has been outstanding,'' he said. "It's hard for me to find enough superlatives when I talk about what he has done there. … He's a Hall of Famer who doesn't act like a Hall of Famer.

"I think he understands the importance of what he has done in the game. I also think he's very humble about it. The players really liked and enjoyed playing for him. They were motivated to play for him.''

Sandberg was mentioned in several managerial searches last winter, including ones for the Brewers, Pirates and Mariners, but Jim Hendry was the only GM to grant him an interview. He was open to coaching positions in the big leagues but took the job at Lehigh Valley after receiving no such offers.

Amaro gives Sandberg credit for paying his dues in learning how to manage. It's a path that few Hall of Famers are willing to take.

"You could sense in his interviews with us that he hasd a passion for wanting to continue in baseball and to teach and to do this job,'' Amaro told the Philadelphia Daily News. "You have to respect a person who doesn't have to do this, but really wants to it. And for him to want to go through that learning process of being a coach or a manager at the minor league level to get to the point where he's a managerial candidate at the major league level, I mean, you have to give him a lot of kudos for that."

We'll know in a couple of weeks how many managerial openings are available for Sandberg and other candidates. The Marlins are in the market but a lot of other teams could be, including the White Sox and Cubs.

Don't rule out Sandberg returning to the Cubs. His issues over the process a year ago lie with Hendry, not chairman Tom Ricketts.

"Hey, whatever would be best for Ryne. I have a great deal of respect for him,'' Amaro said. "I've known him for a long time through my dad, when he was playing for Chicago and I was taking ground balls with him as a kid when my dad was coaching. He always has been a very respectful guy, goes about his business in a professional manner.''

Retiring the trophy:

Mariano Rivera entered the weekend one save behind Trevor Hoffman's career record of 601. He probably will finish the season as the all-time leader, and nobody will be close to catching him.

Among active pitchers, Francisco Cordero is second to Rivera with 323 saves and Jason Isringhausen has 300. Add in an all-time best 42 career postseason saves and you can see why Rivera is hailed as the greatest closer ever.

"He's a stand-alone;'' general manager Brian Cashman told the New York Post. "No one is even close. He's the biggest piece of the puzzle. He is a piece that could not have been replaced. No one in his profession can do what he has done and continues to do.'

The 41-year-old Rivera is thinking mostly of how he can add to his legacy helping the Yankees win a sixth championship with him in the bullpen.

He said the magnitude of his success is sinking in "but I am still looking at it as just doing my job. That's who I am.''

Next in line:

The Rays' already young starting rotation figures to have another impressive rookie in 2012. That would be lefty Matt Moore, who made his big-league debut out of the bullpen Wednesday in Baltimore.

Moore, who has been dominant at every level in the minors, threw 22 of 27 pitches at 95-plus in his debut, including three at 98 mph.

"That was the easiest 96 I think I've ever seen,'' David Price said. "When he threw that first pitch I thought it was going to be 90-91 and it popped up at 96. It doesn't even look like the ball really jumps out of his hand. It's just so smooth, and then you look at that scoreboard and its 95-96-97. It gets on hitters pretty quick.''

Manager is reasonably impressed.

"This kid is going to be really good,'' he said. "He is good, and he's going to be really good. I don't know exactly how that's all going to work out in the near-future and the future, but I'll say this: He has a chance to be very special.''

Taking heat:

Justin Morneau doesn't believe his friend Joe Mauer deserves the grief he has been getting from Twins fans.

"Joe's not one to make excuses," Morneau said. "The reality is, he tried to come back too soon from knee surgery. Could (the Twins) have helped him out if they said he never built back his strength, instead of calling it bilateral leg weakness? I think it would have been a lot different if they said he tried to come back too soon so he could help our team win."

Mauer never had his legs under him after hurrying back from knee surgery before spring training, which helps explains why he went into the weekend hitting .287 with three homers and 30 RBIs. He will write it off as a lost season and work toward being Comeback Player of the Year in 2012.

"I understand that I'm probably going to get more of (the criticism) than anybody in this clubhouse," Mauer said. "Just given the fact that I'm from (Minnesota), I have a big contract — all that stuff. So I'm going to take a lot of heat."

The last word:

"Going against him was like going against Muhammad Ali. Mo is the Muhammad Ali of baseball.'' — Alex Rodriguez on Rivera.

--

CSNChicago.com Starlin Castro feels right at home in Chicago By: Patrick Mooney

Starlin Castro’s not exactly sure who wrote HOF in black ink across his white Air Jordan headband, though he has a good idea. With his black, curly hair sticking out, it doesn’t make him look any older. It’s almost goofy as he sits in front of a laptop watching video of his at-bats.

The Hall of Fame inscription was a joke, a sign that they like to mess around with the 21-year-old prodigy in the clubhouse. But there’s no doubt that the Cubs shortstop is thinking big.

As Castro closes in on 200 hits – he was only six away after Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Houston Astros – he has enough sense of the moment that he would like to do it at Wrigley Field. As the season’s final homestand comes to a close, you are watching the future, the new face of the franchise.

No one expects Carlos Zambrano – who took up so much oxygen in the room – to pitch for this team again. Kerry Wood and Ryan Dempster will each turn 35 next year.

Aramis Ramirez – who has been a huge influence on Castro – can elect to become a free agent at season’s end. Alfonso Soriano – who let Castro stay at his place last season – could be unloaded this winter if the Cubs are willing to write off a huge amount of money.

Soriano’s $136 million contract has become a symbol of the old way of doing business, a public-service announcement warning against the megadeal. Castro is the homegrown shortstop out of the Dominican Republic, where the Cubs will attach his image to a new academy.

Before coming here, Castro knew almost nothing about Chicago. He had heard all about the cold weather. As a kid, he watched Michael Jordan on television (“amazing”). Now he’s found one Dominican restaurant where he can get home-cooking, and he’s taken care of at his favorite steakhouse downtown.

“I love this city,” Castro said. “The people are nice. (They) don’t bother you. (But) they recognize me, more right now than last year. Everywhere I go, everybody knows me: ‘Oh, it’s Starlin Castro.’”

Castro doubled off the ivy in left on Saturday to reach base for the 30th consecutive game. The last Cubs shortstop to do that was Ernie Banks in 1960. Castro will finish this season with around 350 career hits, all before his 22nd birthday.

“If you’re in the same conversation as Ernie Banks, I don’t think I can embellish on that at all,” manager Mike Quade said. “He’s done a great job offensively all year. It’s really something to see a kid that young so accomplished at this point in his career.”

What’s next for an encore?

“Every time I go into the season I’m trying to do 200 hits and make the All-Star Game,” Castro said before smiling. “Like Ichiro.”

Castro’s so driven that he slammed his bat and helmet to the ground on Saturday after striking out swinging to end the second inning. His increasing grasp of the English language was accelerated by watching ESPN and MLB Network highlights. He has an understanding of the sport’s history, and his place within it.

“I respect everybody in the game,” Castro said. “Sometimes I look at another guy that’s older than me and say, ‘Oh, I want to be like this guy in the future.’ You know, he hits like .330, 30 homers, 100 RBI, something like that. I think about (what) I want to be one (day).”

That power – and the marketing opportunities that will come along with it – should be the next frontier of his game. Once those line drives start soaring into the seats, Soriano is not alone in thinking that Castro will be a .300 hitter with 20-plus homers annually.

Castro’s parents, who lived with him this summer, have gone back to the Dominican Republic. One younger brother went home along with them, while another remained in Chicago.

Castro does not own this city yet. But across the next decade, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the next generation wearing the jerseys of Castro, Derrick Rose, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Soon Castro will return home to Monte Cristi, where everyone knows his name. Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal is the only other All-Star from that small city that Castro can recall.

After these final 10 games, Castro will chill at home and rest for two or three weeks. He hasn’t decided whether or not he’s going to play winter ball. Cooperstown or not, he’s shown no signs of slowing down yet.

“I feel ready to finish strong,” Castro said. “Sometimes (I’m mentally) a little tired. But I keep going. I keep working.”

--

CSNChicago.com Start it up: Samardzija could get his wish in 2012 By: Patrick Mooney

Once Jeff Samardzija committed to baseball, he had a clear idea of who he should be. Even as he struggled to establish himself in the big leagues, he wasn’t shy about expressing his desire to be a starter.

Whatever the reasons – a glaring need for rotation help, a weak free-agent class, Samardzija’s growth as a pitcher – the Cubs are gradually coming around to his way of thinking.

Even manager Mike Quade – who’s consistently said that Samardzija’s more suited to being a reliever – seems to have softened that stance.

“There are plenty of reasons for people to mull over that and think about that possibility,” Quade said Saturday. “It looks like we need some starting pitching (and) it’s not rocket science (to) think about guys that have done it before.

“It’s like anything else around here – just stay focused on finishing what you’re doing now. (He’s) a big, strong guy. Could that be a possibility? Absolutely.”

There are way too many variables to make a definitive statement, because there will be a new general manager with his own viewpoint. That executive will also decide the fates of the manager and his coaching staff.

Next year is the only prism through which you can view these games.

Rodrigo Lopez – a 35-year-old who began the season pitching for Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate – gave up one run across six innings. Bryan LaHair – a Pacific Coast League MVP at the age of 28 – smashed the go-ahead homer. The Cubs hung on to beat the last-place Houston Astros 2-1 on Saturday at Wrigley Field.

“Everybody knows I’m fighting for a job next year, trying to find a spot somewhere,” Lopez said afterward. “It’s very to important to finish strong and go home with a good feeling and make a case to get a job.”

LaHair has forced the issue by hitting .433 (13-for-30) with seven walks in 11 games since his September call-up. He made an error in right field on Saturday as well as a nice running catch at the warning track. The Cubs (67-85) have a surplus of , but could need a first baseman if they don’t re-sign Carlos Pena.

Lopez is now 6-6 with a 4.71 ERA and hit six innings for the second time in almost two months. The Cubs will have to at least explore some in-house options for the 2012 rotation, and much will depend on Andrew Cashner’s health.

“Let’s make sure we don’t let a potential high-end starter just wind up in the bullpen without taking a shot,” Quade said. “It made perfect sense (this year). It’s a damn shame he got hurt because we all wanted to see that experiment. Maybe it starts up again this winter.”

Samardzija has pitched so well out of the bullpen – 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 85.1 innings – that the Cubs have started to think there could be more there.

Samardzija will be 27 next season and has already made the club options for 2012 and 2013 – believed to be worth $6.5 million total – seem like almost automatic pick-ups.

At this time last year, reporters were asking the former Notre Dame All-American if the start of football season made him re-think his decision. Now the sense is that Samardzija will be a big part of the 2012 Cubs.