Jon Lieber

SEATTLE - Perhaps everyone should have known that Cal Ripken would not go quietly into retirement. He has risen to the occasion time after time, so why would his last All-Star Game be any different? Ripken came to Safeco Field to take his final All-...

The Kansas City Royals have gone through some lean years since winning the World Series in 1985.  A big reason for those struggles was a series of personnel decisions that sent Royal favorites on to future stardom.  Here's a look at the Top 10 "Royals...

It started six months ago in Mesa, Ariz., when Ryan Dempster stood in the parking lot of Fitch Park before the opening day of spring training and calmly declared the Cubs were going to win the World Series. Dempster wasn't afraid of jinxing the team with...

PITTSBURGH — Earth to Alfonso Soriano, come in please. Earth to Soriano … Earth to Soriano … report in, please. About the only thing that didn't happen to the Cubs over the weekend at PNC Park was an alien abduction, and the...

Cubs at home? Check, they had the best home record in the major leagues. Wind blowing out at Wrigley Field? Check, Cubs were 9-2 and had out-homered the opposition 20-13 and outscored them 81-55. Ted Lilly on the mound? Check, he hadn't lost at home...

After Ryan Dempster earned his 14th victory by beating Florida 9-2 on Sunday, manager Lou Piniella said the Cubs knew coming into spring training that he'd make the starting rotation. So much for the three-way competition for two spots among Dempster,...

Ask Paul returns from hibernation to address burning issues such as Felix Pie's playing time, Big Z's velocity and, of course, whether Soriano should be leading off. So much for our starting pitching surplus! Paul, do you think we messed up by not...

When Rich Hill hit his head on a drain pipe as he entered the postgame interview room Friday at Wrigley Field, it served as a perfect metaphor for his team's bumpy start. Defensive lapses cost the Cubs again in a 4-3 loss to the Astros, leaving them 1-...

The theory that the Cubs are in dire straits if their two left-handed starters can't turn their seasons around is one few in the organization will speak of openly. Ted Lilly and Rich Hill combined for 26 victories last year but have struggled to...

One problem solved, maybe. The second is still a work in progress. Rich Hill became the first Cubs left-hander to win a game this season, a day after Ted Lilly failed for the fourth time, but he needed a bullpen boost to get there. "That's a start in...

Cubs manager Lou Piniella joked about "taking a dip in the Allegheny River" before Monday's game against the Pirates on a sunny afternoon at PNC Park. But after watching his team blow a seven-run lead only to come back for a wild 10-8, 12-inning win in a...

Michael Barrett ducked his head into Lou Piniella's office Sunday morning to remind him it was time for chapel. "We've got church?" the Cubs manager replied. "We need it." A few hours later, all of Piniella's prayers were answered in a 4-1 win over...