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Baseball Today (AP)

Rodriguez shuts down Cubs bats in Astros 4-1 win (AP)

Lou Piniella is beginning to worry about the Cubs' sputtering offense. Wandy Rodriguez struck out seven, and the Houston Astros again stifled Chicago's bats in a 4-1 victory on Saturday night. Rodriguez (5-3) allowed nine hits, including a solo homer by Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, but Chicago stranded seven runners and dropped its third straight game.

Moyer baffles Marlins; Mets' streak ends (AP)

Philadelphia's Jamie Moyer fooled the Florida Marlins with his deceptive stuff for the 10th straight time. Ten in a row is where the Mets' streak ended after they couldn't figure out the Reds' Bronson Arroyo. The 45-year-old Moyer beat Florida for the 10th time in 10 career starts, pitching six innings Friday night to help the visiting Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 victory.

Offers for Cubs, Wrigley Field rolling in (Yahoo! Sports)

Ten investment groups offered to buy the Chicago Cubs , and more than 20 made proposals to purchase just Wrigley...

Cubs Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Cubs were looking for two things as the unofficial second half of the season began Friday in Houston.

They wanted a good start and a lot of good health. The health appears to be coming, even if the Cubs did lose 2-1 to the Astros.

"One thing that is important is that we get off to a good start here the second half," said manager Lou Piniella. "It's a tough little stretch that we're playing. Ten of our first 14 games are on the road. Let's start playing where we left off."

The Cubs "left off" in first place in the NL Central, even while playing short-handed. They soon hope to have left fielder Alfonso Soriano and left-hander Scott Eyre off the disabled list.

"We're getting healthier, but we're not quite there yet," said general manager Jim Hendry.

Pence lifts Astros to 2-1 win over Cubs (AP)

Hunter Pence spent most of the All-Star break facing a pitching machine in the batting cage at Minute Maid Park. The extra work produced instant results. Pence drove in the game-winning run with a double off Bob Howry in bottom of the ninth inning and gave the Houston Astros a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

Cubs place Lieber on DL, recall Hoffpauir (AP)

The Chicago Cubs placed Jon Lieber on the 15-day disabled list because of a right foot strain on Friday and recalled infielder Micah Hoffpauir from Triple-A Iowa. The 38-year-old Lieber is 2-3 with a 3.43 ERA this season. He last pitched on July 10 against Cincinnati, allowing two runs and three hits in two innings of work.

Cubs place RHP Lieber on DL (PA SportsTicker)

HOUSTON (Ticker) - The Chicago Cubs on Friday placed righthander Jon Lieber on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 11, with a right foot sprain.

The best players choose the best player (Yahoo! Sports)

All-Stars were asked to pick the top player in the game. Alex Rodriguez and Josh Hamilton were the top vote-getters.

Pertinent post-All-Star break issues (Yahoo! Sports)

Questions for each team come to mind two at a time as the season enters its second half.

Rays, Cubs have big hopes for second half (AP)

Raise your hand if you had this in your preseason picks. Evan Longoria and the Tampa Bay Rays are sandwiched between the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees and leading the wild-card race in -- gasp! -- mid-July. The Chicago White Sox are on top in the AL Central, with the big-budget Detroit Tigers in third and Cleveland languishing in last.

Boy injured by foul ball at Wrigley heads home (AP)

A 7-year-old boy whose skull was fractured by a foul ball at Wrigley Field is doing well and has been released from the hospital. Dominic DiAngi of Frankfort headed home from Children's Memorial Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. He wore a Cubs ball cap as he met with news reporters. His father, Peter DiAngi, says his son now has his "same old twinkle in his eye." Last Thursday, Dominic was sitting...

Cubs LF Soriano close to returning (PA SportsTicker)

The first-place Chicago Cubs will begin the second half without left fielder Alfonso Soriano, but his return could be only a week ago.

Rays help AL win All-Star game (AP)

Already in the middle of a special season, the Tampa Bay Rays left their mark on the All-Star game. Sure, the Rays didn't have seven representatives as did the Boston Red Sox. Nor did their players garner nearly as much attention as some of the more established stars at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. But when it counted on the field, Tampa Bay's three rising stars contributed mightily to the American...

Dempster, Cubs believe in 2008 (PA SportsTicker)

BRONX, New York (Ticker) - Five months ago, the Chicago Cubs began spring training and right away Ryan Dempster expressed confidence.

The Highest-Paid Non-All-Stars (Yahoo! Sports)

Few of baseball's eight-figure earners make it to the Midsummer Classic.

Ohman would like to finish the season in Atlanta (Yahoo! Sports)

He was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Braves in December, and Will Ohman says the change of scenery did him...

Cohesive clubhouse has led Cubs to the top of standings (Yahoo! Sports)

In general manager Jim Hendry's mind, the primary reason for the Chicago Cubs ' 57-38 record at the All-Star...

A place for long-suffering Cub fans to rest in peace (Yahoo! Sports)

If you build it . . . A final resting place for the ashes of long-suffering Chicago Cubs fans is being proposed by...

Lincecum pitches Giants past Cubs (AP)

Tim Lincecum was the first pitcher to upstage Ryan Dempster at Wrigley Field this season. Lincecum tossed eight strong innings in a matchup of All-Star pitchers, handing Dempster his first home loss and leading the San Francisco Giants to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. Dempster (10-4), one of eight Cubs selected for Tuesday's game at Yankee Stadium, entered with a 10-0 record in 11...

Cubs tie record for most NL All-Stars (AP)

The Chicago Cubs tied the National League record for most players on an All-Star team when Carlos Marmol was selected Sunday to replace teammate Kerry Wood, becoming the eighth player picked for the team. Marmol was chosen because he was the reliever with the highest vote on the player ballot. He is the only pitcher in the game who isn't a starter or a closer.

Marmol replaces Wood on All-Star team (PA SportsTicker)

One day after suffering a major meltdown, Chicago Cubs righthander Carlos Marmol finds himself on the National League All-Star roster.

Ex-Yankees star Bobby Murcer dies at 62 (AP)

Bobby Murcer succeeded Mickey Mantle, played in pinstripes with Don Mattingly and watched proudly from the broadcast booth when the New York Yankees returned to power. A cherished link from former Yankees greats to the club's current stars, Murcer died Saturday due to complications from a malignant brain tumor, the team said.

Cubs closer Kerry Wood likely out of All-Star game (AP)

Kerry Wood expects to sit out the All-Star game because of a blister on his pitching hand. "We have the opportunity to take six days to let it get better and not deal with it the rest of the year," the Chicago Cubs closer said Saturday. "It's a little bit disappointing." Wood still plans to attend All-Star festivities at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

Harden strikes out 10 in debut, Cubs win in 11 (AP)

Rich Harden left his Cubs debut to a standing ovation with Chicago ahead by seven runs. The game, however, was far from over. Harden struck out 10 for the Cubs, who gave up two runs in the eighth and then blew a five-run lead in the ninth inning before beating the San Francisco Giants 8-7 Saturday on Reed Johnson's single in the 11th.