Abbatacola: It's All About The Pitching
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Starlin Castro had three hits and Carlos Zambrano survived six choppy innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the slumping Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Monday night to spoil slugger Derrek Lee's two-homer debut with his new team.
If the Cubs trade Zambrano and still have to pay the majority of his freight – as was rumored in the proposed deal with the Yankees – then how does that help the Cubs?
Prince Fielder hit his 23rd home run and Rickie Weeks needed to be helped off the field when he injured his left ankle running out a throw to first in the Milwaukee Brewers' 2-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
The Cubs needed some help to win at home against Houston and thankfully, the Astros were happy to provide it. Zambrano earned his 7th win on the season as the Cubs defeated Houston 4-2.
The Cubs used a four-run fifth inning to erase a two run deficit and beat the Houston Astros 4-2 at Wrigley Field Friday afternoon.
The Florida Marlins had no interest in another nail-biter. Mike Stanton hit two home runs, Javier Vazquez struck out 10 and the Marlins routed the Chicago Cubs 13-3 Saturday.
Carlos Zambrano will make a rehab start Friday in Peoria and is expected to rejoin the Cubs after the All-Star break.
On Wednesday, Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry went on record saying that despite the team having one of the worst records in baseball, there wouldn't be a "fire sale."
Cubs' GM, Jim Hendry, spoke to reporters before game one of the Crosstown Classic at Wrigley Field. "We're going to put Z on the DL," Hendry said.
Carlos Zambrano left Thursday's game in the second inning with lower back soreness.
"The bantering that goes on about how many people will be out of here is foolish." - Jim Hendry
The White Sox really missed an opportunity to pile on Carlos Zambrano. It's been a trend for the Sox lately that they're falling behind with first pitch fastballs.
The story before the game was how would Carlos Zambrano react to his welcome at U.S. Cellular Field. Turns out, it wasn't a problem at all.
Carlos Zambrano's 10 seasons for the Cubs have been a roller coaster: He's helped lead the team to division titles. He's been suspended by the team for getting into fights with teammates. He threw a no-hitter, and he's gone on rants criticizing the team.
Carlos Zambrano has been the center of several Cubs storylines this season, unfortunately they haven't been because of stellar pitching performacnes.
Tonight we start our biannual ritual of the White Sox versus the Cubs. Some say the novelty has faded after all these years and there probably is something to that. But the ballparks will be filled (maybe?) for a few days to make the beer distributors happy.
Disappointing seasons for the White Sox and Cubs fans can gain some excitement as the two teams square off six times against each other in the next two weeks.
Carlos Zambrano wants to remain a member of the Chicago Cubs, but he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the team decides to trade him.
With Carlos Zambrano on the mound, the Cubs fail once again to win three games in a row as they fall to Milwaukee 9-5.
Rickie Weeks homered and doubled twice as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 9-5 to take sole possession of the NL Central lead.
The Cubs reactivated Alfonso Soriano Wednesday after placing Darwin Barney on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained knee.
The Chicago Cubs are 4-9 in June, a record that hardly encourages optimism for the team that has the third worst record in baseball. But if the last two games are any indication, the rest the season could be an improvement.
After losing to the St. Louis Cardinals on June 5, starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano went on a postgame rant where he called the team's performance this season "embarrassing" and compared them to a Triple-A team.
In his first start since criticizing his team and second-guessing closer Carlos Marmol, Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano got rocked by the Philadelphia Phillies.
The city budget is a top priority as Chicago alderpeople prepare for Wednesday's City Council meeting, but the mayor and council are still far apart on a deal.
The full Chicago City Council will vote on whether or not to ban hemp-derived THC products Wednesday.
A U.S. district judge blocked Trump from deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and said control of the Guard must be returned to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Students at a library in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood got a special surprise Tuesday from former President Barack Obama.
A federal judge in New York has granted a request from the Justice Department to unseal more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The city budget is a top priority as Chicago alderpeople prepare for Wednesday's City Council meeting, but the mayor and council are still far apart on a deal.
A U.S. district judge blocked Trump from deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and said control of the Guard must be returned to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
A federal judge in New York has granted a request from the Justice Department to unseal more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A Wisconsin judge on Tuesday refused to step aside as requested by President Donald Trump's former attorney, who faces a felony forgery case related to the 2020 election in the battleground state.
Majority Leader John Thune announced that the Senate will vote on a Republican-led measure alongside a Democratic bill to extend expiring tax credits.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning about additional cookware brands that could be leaching lead into your food.
Walgreens said it will close its office space in Chicago's Old Post Office building.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
Two pregnant Black women recently faced alarming neglect at hospitals in Indiana and Texas, highlighting racial disparities in maternal care.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a bill aimed at protecting vaccine access in Illinois.
Roseland Community Hospital on Monday celebrated the opening of a new sickle cell treatment clinic.
Consumers with the imported pans should throw them away due to the severe health risks posed by lead, the agency warns.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Small Business Saturday was disrupted by the winter storm for many business owners in Chicago, but in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a group of business owners came together to draw customers.
Paramount Skydance's $30 per share offer comes just days after Netflix agreed to buy parts of Warner Bros. in a deal valued at nearly $83 billion.
The nominations for the 2026 Golden Globes have been announced. Here are the nominees.
Landon Wallace, better known as Power 92 radio and Chicago Bulls mixer DJ Commando, died last week.
Thirty-five years after throngs headed to a theater near them to see "Home Alone," you can have a lovely cheese pizza, just for you, like Macaulay Culkin's Kevin McCallister character did.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
To celebrate the final season of the hit show, Replay Lincoln Park is hosting a "Stranger Things" pop-up.
The Chicago City Council will again take up its budget battle with Mayor Brandon Johnson at the full council meeting Wednesday.
The Chicago City Council will vote on whether to ban hemp products like Delta-8 and Delta-9.
Chicago police, along with friends and family, are looking for a South Side man who has been missing for two weeks since a car crash in Blue Island, Illinois.
Tony Dokoupil has been named anchor of the "CBS Evening News," the network announced Wednesday.
Shots were fired at two off-duty Cook County Sheriff's deputies outside Mount Sinai Hospital on Wednesday morning.
A Chicago Border Patrol officer is facing federal charges for allegedly sexually assaulting four women at Chicago area hotels while on the job in 2022.
Rylee Parker discovered his goldendoodle, Cooper, was missing after his car was ransacked while he validated his parking.
Chicago police shot and killed a man while investigating a stolen car in the Arcadia Terrace neighborhood on Tuesday night.
The city budget is a top priority as Chicago alderpeople prepare for Wednesday's City Council meeting, but the mayor and council are still far apart on a deal.
A Chicago woman battling ALS said she's been struggling just to get a disabled parking space in front of her Bridgeport home.
Days after new Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach ordered an urgent review of the county's electronic monitoring program, Sheriff Tom Dart said this crisis isn't new, and that he's been warning lawmakers of problems for years.
Charles Beach was sworn in on Monday as Cook County's first new chief judge in 24 years, and takes over amid a political firestorm over what appears to be systemic issues with how accused criminals are being monitored before trial.
Some Chicagoans found out the hard way on Monday that the overnight winter parking ban is in effect.
The electronic monitoring system in Cook County has come under increased scrutiny, after a woman was set on fire in a horrific arson attack on the Blue Line, with critics demanding answers as to why the suspect wasn't already behind bars.
ISU knocked off No. 1-ranked and defending champion North Dakota State in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Daniel Hardy, Cole Kmet, and Kyle Monangai volunteered with the Salvation Army to serve a BBQ holiday meal to shelter residents and others in need.
The Chicago White Sox will have the first overall pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.
Despite Sunday's loss and losing the top spot in the NFC North, fans said they're confident the Bears will bounce back.
Leo Carlsson scored two goals and rookie Beckett Sennecke had a goal and an assist in the Anaheim Ducks' 7-1 victory over the road-weary Chicago Blackhawks.
A man stood charged with attempted murder Tuesday in a shooting involving a Chicago police officer in the Morgan Park neighborhood this past weekend.
A man died after being with multiple gunshot wounds in an alley in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood early Tuesday morning.
The Federal Transit Administration is demanding that the CTA take immediate action to improve safety or risk losing funding.
A man has been charged with setting a fire in the apartment building where he lived to cover up the shooting death of his roommate last month in Cicero, Illinois.
A man was charged with impersonating a police officer and other counts after a chain of events that led to gunfire from real police officers in Aurora, Illinois.