Cubs SS Starlin Castro evolving as hitter

Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro is showing promise for the future of the middle of the team's lineup.

Cubs vs. Rockies final score: Chicago gets swept in Denver

The Chicago Cubs lost Thursday's series finale to the Colorado Rockies, 7-5, resulting in the three-game sweep for the home team at Coors Field in Denver, Colo.

The Rockies jumped on Cubs starting pitcher Chris Volstad, who is now 3-11 on the season, early and often. Volstad allowed three runs in the first inning on a Jordan Pacheco home run, then gave up two more in the second by surrendering a two-run shot to former Cub DJ LeMahieu. The Cubs got runs back in the second and third on a Brett Jackson RBI single and an Anthony Rizzo solo homer, but the Rockies struck again for two more in the third, spelling the end of Volstad's day.

Chicago's bullpen pitched well, as three relievers combined to toss five shutout innings, while allowing the Rockies to get just two hits. However, the damage had long been done by that point, even though the Cubs fought back by scoring two runs in the ninth while threatening for more.

With the loss, the Cubs inched closer to claiming the No. 2 pick in next year's draft. They may get some help finishing the job, as they'll travel to Phoenix to face the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game series starting on Friday.

Cubs vs. Rockies preview: Chicago looks to avoid sweep

The Chicago Cubs haven't had a great start to their final road trip of the season, dropping the first two games of a three-game set with the Rockies by a combined score of 16-5. They'll send Chris Volstad (3-10, 6.22 ERA) to the hill to stop the bleeding, where he'll face Jhoulys Chacin (2-5, 4.73 ERA). Volstad will need to be sharp, as the Rockies have put up at least 10 hits in their last six games, and are averaging 6½ runs per game over that stretch.

Other than the Astros, the Cubs and Rockies have the two worst records in the National League this season, and don't have a ton to play for besides pride. The Cubs need to win four of their final seven games to avoid a 100 loss season. A sweep for the Rockies would be their first in over a month.

First pitch is 2:10 p.m. CT from Denver.

Cubs vs. Rockies final score: Chicago held to 5 hits, shutout 6-0 by Colorado

The Chicago Cubs were held to just five hits on Wednesday night, as the Colorado Rockies earned a 6-0 win after a lengthy rain delay in the seventh inning held up the conclusion of the game. Rockies starter Drew Pomeranz pitched five scoreless innings as the Colorado offense generated all six runs in the first three innings off Jason Berken. Then a one hour and 23 minute rain delay in the top of the seventh inning delayed what seemed inevitable from very early on in the contest.

With the loss, the Cubs fell to 22-55 away from Wrigley Field this season, and they claimed their 96th loss of the 2012 campaign. The only extra-base hits on the night for Chicago -- a pair of doubles -- came via Dave Sappelt and Joe Mather. Cubs batters did supplement their five hits with five walks, but the team went 0-9 with runners in scoring position.

The Cubs will try to avoid a series sweep when they meet the Rockies one last time on Thursday at 2:10 p.m. CT.

Bryan LaHair hopes to be back with Cubs in 2013

Despite his recent struggles on the field, Chicago Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair hopes to be back with the team next season, as Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago writes. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, LaHair spoke of his commitment to the organization:

I look at it as I'm a Chicago Cub. I plan on being back here next year. I've said before: Until I hear from Theo and Jed and those guys that I'm not a part of this, then I plan on being back. I don't see why I wouldn't be at this point. I'm obviously a pretty good asset to have, still.

Earlier this year, LaHair was spoken about as one of the league's major breakout players following an appearance at the All Star Game, but he's since fallen on hard times. Since the beginning of June, the 29-year-old has hit .212/.279/.332 with five homers over 201 plate appearances.

The club's starting first baseman to begin the season, he was bumped to the outfield midseason by the promotion of Anthony Rizzo, and he soon saw his playing time in the outfield dwindle as well after Brett Jackson's call up. Now on the bench, it's not entirely clear where he would play next season.

Cubs vs. Rockies preview: Chicago looks to end losing skid

Riding their latest losing skid, the Chicago Cubs are hoping to reverse their fortunes against a similarly hapless team, the Colorado Rockies, on Wednesday night. The Cubs have lost seven of their past eight games, scoring just 3.1 runs per game during the stretch.

Taking the mound for Chicago on Wednesday is right-hander Jason Berken, who looks to continue his recent success since joining the organization mid-season. After struggling through his debut after the defense faltered behind him, Berken allowed two hits over six shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds last week.

The Rockies have struggled as much, if not more, than the Cubs lately, but they did notch a victory in the series opener on Tuesday night. Before Colorado's current two-game winning streak, the team had been on an abysmal run, going 3-17 since Sept. 3.

Wednesday's game is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. CT from Coors Field in Denver.

Cubs vs. Rockies final score: Chicago pounded in shortened game

Tuesday night's game between the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies was canceled due to rain after the top of the seventh inning, with Colorado up 10-5. Cubs starter Chris Rusin took the loss, while Rockies righty Carlos Torres picked up the win in relief.

The Cubs got out to a three-run lead in the first inning off Colorado starter Jorge de la Rosa, thanks to the first career homer by Dave Sappelt, an error on Rockies shortstop Josh Rutledge and a double by Chicago catcher Welington Castillo. But Colorado fought back, putting up a run in the bottom of the second and two more in the bottom of the third, which came on a triple by ex-Cubs outfielder Tyler Colvin. The Cubs were able to keep a slim lead thanks to a Starlin Castro homer in the top of the third and a Darwin Barney single in the fourth that made it 5-3 Cubs.

But things would unravel from there, with Colorado putting up three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, pushing the score to 9-5. They would add one more run in the sixth, which would ultimately be their last time at the plate. The Cubs would go quietly in the seventh prior to the game being called.

The two teams will be back on the field on at 7:40 p.m. CT Wednesday, with Jason Berken taking on Drew Pomeranz.

Cubs vs. Rockies lineups: Chicago and Colorado open series Tuesday

The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies enter their three-game series this week with identical records and similar goals: Avoid 100 losses, avoid finishing as the second-worst team in baseball for 2012. One more win will keep the Cubs from matching their franchise record for losses, last set at 103 in 1966.

Chicago starts Chris Rusin (1-2, 6.00) on Tuesday night in Denver. The southpaw has started five times for the Cubs, giving them quality starts in two appearances and blowing up in the other three. Rusin will face Jorge De La Rosa (0-1, 12.27), who made his first start in 16 months last Thursday, a 9-2 loss to San Francisco.

Lineups as follows:

Cubs (59-94)

Cubs Prospects Albert Almora and Jorge Soler Highlight Baseball America's Top 20 List

While things look bleak now, the Chicago Cubs might have a bright future ahead of them. Three Cubs prospects are ranked on Baseball America's AZL Top 20 Prospects list, with two of them coming in the top four.

Albert Almora, who was selected sixth in the 2012 draft, was second on the list behind only Oakland Athletics shortstop Addison Russell. Almora hit .321 in 33 games combined between the Arizona Rookie League and Class A Boise.

Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler was fourth on the list. The Cubs signed the 20-year-old Soler to a nine-year deal worth $30 million earlier in the year. The youngster struggled a bit in the Arizona Rookie League, hitting just .241 in 14 games. But he showed off his immense talent at Class A Peoria, batting .338 and knocking out three home runs in 20 games.

The final Cub on the list is Dan Vogelbach, coming in at 14th. Vogelbach excelled in the Arizona Rookie League the past two years before also performing well at Class A Boise this season. He hit .322 and had 10 home runs for the Boise Hawks in 2012.

For more on the Cubs, be sure to check out Bleed Cubbie Blue. You can also head to SB Nation's MLB Hub at Baseball Nation.

Kerry Wood Would Like To See Sammy Sosa Involved With Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have honored Kerry Wood with Kerry Wood Appreciation Day, and now, he's hoping to earn a role with the team in some form or fashion, though not as a player or coach. Wood says he wants to be around the players, and that he thinks he has a lot to offer the team after spending 12 season with the organization prior to his retirement in May.

Wood isn't just looking to get himself a position though, as he believes many former players have a lot they can offer the players and the organization in general. According to Sarah Trotto of CSN Chicago, Wood mentioned Sammy Sosa and Ryne Sandberg as guys who could return to the organization:

"Sammy and (Mark) McGwire pretty much single-handedly brought the fans back just to baseball (in 1998), and Sammy did tremendous things for the city," Wood said. "We all know how he left and how it ended with him, but ultimately that one mistake that he made at the end shouldn't determine his future here in Chicago. He did too much for the city."

Wood will be at spring training and the Cubs convention, and he is a big supporter on many of the changes that have been occurring with the roster of late. Since he's gone, many of his former teammates were traded away or released, and according to the piece, he supports them to help get the franchise on the winning track and into the postseason.

For more on the Chicago Cubs, check out Bleed Cubbie Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Dusty Baker Released From Chicago Hospital

When the Chicago Cubs took on the Cincinnati Reds last week, Reds manager Dusty Baker was hospitalized in downtown Chicago with an irregular heartbeat. On Sunday, Baker was released from the Chicago hospital following four days of treatment. He could return to the team and resume his manager duties on Tuesday, but that's not certain, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Baker is 63 years old, so it was definitely worrying to see, even for Cubs fans, who were playing the Reds. Baker returned to Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon, and spoke with his players in the clubhouse after practice, but didn't remain there for the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chris Speier took over as manager against the Cubs and has been the manager since that point. He said that he's hopeful Baker will be back on Tuesday after a "good relaxing night at home," on Monday.

For more on the Chicago Cubs, check out Bleed Cubbie Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Cardinals Vs. Cubs Final Score: Chicago Falls Short In Series Finale, 6-3

With a chance to knock the St. Louis Cardinals down a notch in the National League playoff race, the Chicago Cubs came up on the wrong side of a loss on Sunday to conclude the series, 6-3.

Cubs starter Justin Germano was shelled for four runs on 10 hits before being pulled from the mound in the sixth inning, and now falls to a meager 2-9 on the season. Despite watching his team suffer through its 94th loss of the year, Chicago outfielder Alfonso Soriano at the very least continued his strong month of September with a 3-for-4 performance that included his 31st home run of the season.

Soriano also managed to push his season tally to 105 RBI, marking just the third time in his career where he's eclipsed the 100-RBI plateau. The All-Star slugger has already belted six home runs with 22 RBI in September alone, and continues to defy critics who claimed that his skills were in rapid decline.

Only nine games remain on Chicago's 2012 schedule, as the Cubs will next hit the field to face the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday to open up a three-game set from Coors Field. Young left-hander Chris Rusin will take the mound for manager Dale Sveum in Game 1 looking for his second career victory.

Be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue for more Cubs coverage, and check out Viva El Birdos for more on the Cardinals. Also head over to Baseball Nation for even more news and analysis from around the league.

Cardinals Vs. Cubs Preview: Justin Germano And Kyle Lohse Square Off In Rubber Match

Justin Germano and Kyle Lohse take the mound Sunday as the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their weekend series at Wrigley Field.

Germano (2-8, 6.17) leads the Cubs as they look to spoil St. Louis' playoff chances, but the 30-year-old right-hander has struggled of late. Germano has lost his last six starts and has not pitched more than five innings in any start since Aug. 15. He has an 8.16 ERA in that time.

For the Cardinals, Lohse (15-3, 2.71) has pitched well for St. Louis all season long, carrying a sub-three ERA for all but two weeks of the season. He enters Sunday's game coming off a gem against the Houston Astros where he pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only four hits.

St. Louis presently holds a 2½-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card race.

For more on the Cubs, be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Additional coverage on the Cardinals can be found at Viva El Birdos.

Cubs Vs. Cardinals Game Recap: Beltran Sends It To Extras, Cards Increase Wild Card Lead With Win

John Jay doubled home the winning run in the top of the 10th inning for the Cardinals as they defeated the Cubs, 5-4, in extra innings. After Jay drove in the go-ahead run, Jason Motte came in for the Cardinals to put the game away.

The victory sees the Cardinals increase their lead for the final wild-card spot to 2½ games over the both the Brewers and Dodgers, with the Dodgers still in action on Saturday.

The Cubs took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning, but Carlos Beltran hit his 30th home run of the season to tie the game at 4 and send it to extras. Matt Carpenter would walk in the 10th for the Cards, advance to second when Bryan Anderson walked as well, and score the winner when Jay doubled him home.

Adam Wainwright went seven innings for St. Louis, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five. Travis Wood threw five innings for the Cubs, striking out seven while allowing two earned runs. Neither pitcher was involved in the decision.

Mitchell Boggs got the win for the Cardinals, while Jaye Chapman took the loss for Chicago. Jason Motte recorded his 39th save of the season when he struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th.

For more on the Cubs, be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Additional coverage on the Cardinals can be found at Viva El Birdos.

Cubs Vs. Cardinals: Chicago's Starting Lineup For Saturday

The Cubs announced their starting lineups for today's 12:05 p.m. CT first pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Travis Wood is on the mound for the Cubs, looking to improve on a decent streak over the last three games. He's won two of those starts, and has a 2.16 ERA in the month of September.

St. Louis lost a game in the Wild Card chase with a loss to the Cubs Friday, and looks to rebound with Adam Wainwright on the mound.

1. David DeJesus - CF

2. Darwin Barney - 2B

3. Anthony Rizzo - 1B

4. Alfonso Soriano - LF

5. Starlin Castro - SS

6. Welington Castillo - C

7. Dave Sappelt - RF

8. Josh Vitters - 3B

9. Travis Wood - P

For more on the Cubs, be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Additional coverage on the Cardinals can be found at Viva El Birdos.

Cubs Vs. Cardinals Preview: Chicago Looks To Take Second Straight Game Against St. Louis

The Chicago Cubs gave their fans a moment of glee in what has been a glum season on Friday when they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, who in turn lost a game off their Wild Card lead. Chicago has a chance to inflict more pain on Saturday when the two teams take the field for Game 2 of their weekend series.

The Cubs will be throwing Travis Wood, who will look to put the finishing touches on what has been a very solid first season on the North Side. Unfortunately for Wood and the Cubs, he's been hammered in two starts vs. the Cardinals in 2012, giving up 14 earned runs in 11 innings pitched. In those two starts he's also given up an astronomical seven earned runs.

The Cardinals will counter with Adam Wainwright, who will be looking to harness his reputation as an ace in a crucial game for the Redbirds. Wainwright, though, has also had trouble in this matchup in 2012, giving up 11 earned runs in 15 innings pitched. That said, he has struck out 15 batters in those 15 innings and has pitched considerably better in the second half of the season.

The game will kick off at 12:05 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest.

Additional coverage on the Cardinals can be found at Viva El Birdos. For more on the Cubs, be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Baseball Nation is the place to go for news and analysis from around the league.

Cardinals Vs. Cubs Final Score: Come From Behind, 5-4, Win For Chicago

Long eliminated from the playoffs, the Chicago Cubs filled the spoiler role as best they could with an 11th inning, come-from-behind victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

After falling into a 4-2 hole, Darwin Barney came up big for the Cubs in the ninth inning with a two-run home run to left field against Fernando Salas that tied the game up and sent it to extra innings. Phenomenal pitching from Carlos Marmol in the 10th and Alberto Cabrera in the 11th left the Cardinals without a hit in the extra frames and set up the opportunity for the Cubs offense to win the game.

David DeJesus obliged with a game-winning single that brought home pinch-runner Brett Jackson to give the Cubs the 5-4 victory.

While the win means little for the Cubs in the long run, it's a bad loss for the Cardinals who are in the midst of the Wild Card race and have to hold off a host of teams, including the Brewers and Dodgers, who are each now within three games of taking the Cardinals' spot.

The Cubs and Cardinals will play the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET, when Adam Wainwright and Travis Wood are scheduled to be the starting pitchers.

Additional coverage on the Cardinals can be found at Viva El Birdos. For more on the Cubs, be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Baseball Nation is the place to go for news and analysis from around the league.

Cubs Manager Dave Sveum Bemoans Team's 'Brain Farts'

The Chicago Cubs (58-92) own the second-worst record in Major League Baseball -- ahead of only the 48-102 Houston Astros -- heading into the games on Friday, and Cubs manager Dale Sveum knows his team has been making some especially silly mistakes at this point in the season. Luis Valbuena, the potential tying run in the team's recent game against the Cincinnati Reds, got picked off at second base in the sixth inning and it led Sveum into a depressing commentary on how he has to handle the mental errors for role players in September (via CSN-Chicago):

"If we're screwing up bunt plays or fundamental breakdowns and all that - that can be a reflection," Sveum said. "But I don't take anything to heart when a player gets picked off standing and gazing at the stars. It's not one of those where he was dogging it or anything like that. It's just: Why (do) these brain farts happen?"

There aren't many players for the Cubs that will enter the offseason with a guaranteed starting job in 2013, so perhaps Sveum just knows that he will be dealing with a new crop of players on the roster next season. It's just another reminder that 2012 has been a season to forget for the Cubs.

Additional coverage on the Cardinals can be found at Viva El Birdos. For more on the Cubs, be sure to visit Bleed Cubbie Blue. Baseball Nation is the place to go for news and analysis from around the league.

Cardinals Vs. Cubs Preview: Chris Carpenter Returns To Take On Chicago

The Chicago Cubs are looking to play spoiler on Friday afternoon when Chris Carpenter returns to the St. Louis Cardinals after previously undergoing "season-ending" surgery.