Cubs on the All-Star team?

According to All-Star voting, which closes in just a few hours, Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome and Geovany Soto will likely make the starting line-up for the National League in the All-Star game.

It's interesting that this trio will get starting nods, while Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez do not. Although it's important to note that the competition at Lee's position (Berman, Pujols, Fielder) and ARam's (C. Jones, Wright) is fierce.

I do hope Aramis makes the team, though, as a reserve. He deserves it. I wouldn't be surprised if D-Lee was left off the club however.

Beyond those two, I don't see any of the other hitters making the squad. Mark DeRosa probably has the best shot at second base (he trails only Chase Utley in the voting). But Florida's Dan Uggla is having a better statistical year and probably deserves the spot.

As for the pitchers, I would expect Carlos Zambrano to be on the team, and Kerry Wood will likely be one of the closers, unless Clint Hurdle needs to get a representative on the roster from some of the weaker teams and goes for their closers (Rauch from Washington, Capps from Pittsburgh, Wilson from San Francisco).

Will injuries derail the Cubs?

Maybe.

The team has now lost four in a row and five of their last six. While we were due for a slump, I'd be a bit more concerned if the Cubs tailspin from here into the All-Star break.

Considering they're playing the woeful Giants in seven of the final 13 games before the break (including tomorrow's contest, in which the atrocious Barry Zito will start), I'd be thoroughly disappointed if the team can't play .500 ball into the halfway point.

And while I'm not much for excuses, I think it's fair to say injuries are skewing the performance on the field.

Who knew - after how much we bad-mouthed him early in the season - how important Alfonso Soriano was to the offense? I'm even inclined to say - gasp! - that I'd happily put him back in the leadoff spot without complaint when he returned (although I'm pleased Lou is going to put Spider-Man in the No. 2 spot instead of the No. 5).

Rough week. Hopefully it's an aberration, instead of a sign of things to come.

Ouch...

...that hurt.

Alfonso Soriano will miss six weeks after breaking his hand tonight. Soriano was hit by a pitch thrown by Atlanta's Jeff Bennett.

Looks like Micah Hoffpauir will be called up for sure, and maybe another player as well, before interleague play starts.

Wouldn't be surprised if it's Eric Patterson rather than Matt Murton.

Goatriders has some statistical analysis as to who should get the call-up. I agree with his sentiment that whoever it is, it will still be a huge drop-off from Alfonso Soriano.

I disagree, however, that Hoffpauir has the least talent of the three (Hoffpauir, Murton and Patterson). I saw Hoffpauir a lot this spring in Arizona (he played in every spring training game) and the guy can swing the bat. Better than Thunder Matt, in my humble opinion. Plus, he'd be a lefty joining a righty-dominant lineup. And, he can spot Derrek Lee at first base (since Daryle Ward won't be ready).

Brenly: Move that has to be made...

Bob Brenly, on the WGN broadcast of the Cubs-Dodgers game, just said that replacing The Rubik's Cube for defense in the late innings is "a move that has to be made."

Whether it's a move that Lou will make, Brenly said, remains to be seen.

He said there is ample evidence of Alfonso Soriano's defense now, that it has to happen.

CLANK!

The Rubik's Cube strikes again.

(Is Rubik's Cub better?)

Alfonso Soriano launched his 11th home run Sunday against the Pirates in a 6-5 Cubs' loss.

But he also failed to corral a possibly-catchable ball off the bat of Jason Bay that went for a homer in the 1st inning.

Then he channeled Brant Brown and fumbled a flyball with two outs in the 9th inning, costing the Cubs the game (it looks like he lost the ball in the sun).

Final Soriano totals:

Contributed: 2 runs

Cost: 2 runs

Total: WASH

Soriano = The Rubik's Cube

That's my nomination for Alfonso Soriano's new nickname: The Rubik's Cube. Because he's just so darn hard to figure out.

For the first 21 games of the season (through May 9), he was hitting .191. Not once during those first 21 games did Soriano's batting average sit atop the Mendoza Line. Not once.

BA: .191
AB: 89
H: 17
HR: 3
RBI: 11
K: 18

Yet, Soriano has been hotter than molten lava over the last week. As of this writing (halfway through Saturday's game against the Pirates, during which Soriano is 3-for-3 with another homer), he has raised his batting average 92 points.

Over the past eight days, Soriano is hitting a sizzling .548 (17-for-31) with 6 homers and 14 RBIs. So Soriano's season stats are now:

BA: .283
AB: 120
H: 34
HR: 9
RBI: 25
K: 22

How does it happen? What woke Soriano up? Was it simply that he needed to get his timing back after missing action with the leg problem?

Or could it be that he's just the most puzzling, streaky hitter in all of baseball and we should just ride the wave right now as much as possible?

I think it's the latter.

(UPDATE: Soriano has just homered AGAIN. He's now 4-for-4 in the game with two homers and four runs driven in. His average is up to .289. That's almost a 100-point increase in a week!)

Quote of the Day

Quote of the day comes from Mrs. Ivy Leaguer...

We were watching the FOX broadcast of the Diamondbacks-Cubs on Saturday and Mark Grace was doing the color.

Mrs. Ivy Leaguer doesn't know who Gracie is, so I was giving her a little background. Decided to tell her the story about Gracie and the 'slumpbuster.'

For those who haven't heard it, Grace was on 'The Jim Rome Show' many years ago and said that whenever he was in a slump, he would just find the "fattest, grossest, gnarliest chick" and have sex with her. The affair was normally enough to 'bust' the slump.

So Saturday night, I was telling Mrs. Ivy Leaguer about the game (she had left for work before it was over). I said that Alfonso Soriano had gone 4-for-5 after what seemed like a month of bad games.

Her matter-of-face response: "Soriano must have banged a fat chick."

Ten Things, after the 7-2 Cubs win over D-Backs...

1) Could it be that Alfonso Soriano is finally breaking out of his prolonged slump? He went 4-for-5, scored twice, drove in a run, and provided a spark with some aggressive baserunning.

Still, not to be a downer, but there are reasons for concern:

* Fox monitored his total pitches against how many he swung at. I think it finished at 17 pitches seen; 12 swings. Not exactly ideal for a leadoff man (haven't we been over this before?)

* He doesn't look healthy running. He looks like he's compensating when he runs, so it feels more like a hopping lumber, rather than a smooth sprint.

2) Solid effort by Dempster. Give the guy credit. I didn't buy him as a starter this year (and I know I wasn't alone), but he's been a solid No. 3 man.

However, what is up with his glove during his wind-up? Is it just me or is his left-right-left freakout with his glove way, WAY more pronounced this year?

3) Hard-luck no-decision for Arizona's Max Scherzer. But the kid's a future ace. If the D-Backs can lock up Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Micah Owings and Scherzer, they'll be a contender for many years to come.

4) How bad was the Cubs' baserunning today? Aramis' late jump from third on the Soto grounder was brutal. Reed Johnson was out by a day-and-a-half on D-Lee's potential sac fly. And Soriano's 'aggressiveness' was also inches from being FOUR baserunners thrown out at the plate in this game.

5) Carlos Marmol's stuff is flat-out nasty. He's going to be one heck of a closer one day. Soon.

6) Sure, he's been inconsistent on the hill. But it's nice to have Jason Marquis in the rotation, if for nothing more than he's a serviceable pinch runner and Lou doesn't have to burn someone else on the bench to save Daryle Ward from plodding around the bases.

7) You ever just get the feeling that a pitcher's style/wind-up/stuff is going to get crushed by a specific batter? I got that feeling when Brandon Medders was facing Aramis Ramirez. Just had this hunch A-Ram would hammer Medders. Result: RBI single smacked to right-center.

8) Randy Johnson goes tomorrow for the D-Backs. He's never, NEVER lost to the Cubs (12-0 lifetime). I sure hope that changes and that the lanky lefty gets lit up like the Las Vegas Strip. If for nothing more than he strikes me as a TOTAL TOOL.

9) How sweet would it be to sweep baseball's best team?

10) Before the series, Wrigleyville predicted the Cubs would take 2 of 3 from the D-Backs. Now I hope he's wrong!

The troubling case of Alfonso Soriano

Question: Is Alfonso Soriano really worth it?

And I'm not even talking about his 8-year, $136 million contract. I'm simply talking about whether it's worth it to have him in the line-up. Because there are plenty of reasons why not.

* His insistence on hitting lead-off

Lou Pinella, being interviewed by ESPN's Joe Morgan last night, said he compared Alfonso Soriano to Bobby Bonds, who was apparently never comfortable hitting in the No. 4 hole but relished the leadoff spot, where he was a 30-30 man.

Fine. Accepting that it's okay for a $100 million player to only be comfortable hitting in one spot in the order (even though it's not okay), then Soriano should produce for that spot. But he's not. Not hitting for average. Not getting on-base. Not hitting for power. Not getting runners over or having productive at-bats. And not even stealing bases... when he finally does get on. In short, not doing ANYTHING a leadoff man (or a middle-of-the-order guy, for that matter, is supposed to do).

* His adventures in left field

We all saw the game on Friday. What a disaster. I think the hitting troubles are having an effect on his defense. Either that or his head's not in the game.

* He no longer is a 30-30 man

One of the reasons Soriano got the massive contract that he did was that he was one of baseball's few power-speed guys. He could hit 40 home runs and swipe 30-40 bags. But after his leg issues, Soriano barely runs at all. I'd be surprised if he reached 20 SBs this year.

So, instead of being similar to Alex Rodriguez, with power and speed, he's more like Adam Dunn, with some pop and a ton of strikeouts.

Although, to be fair, Dunn has a great eye and reaches base quite often. Soriano doesn't. So perhaps the best comparison is to Rob Deer.

Ouch.

* His lack of plate discipline

Soriano went to the plate five times last night. Each and every time, he was immediately in an 0-and-2 hole. Each and every time! It's a combination of bad plate discipline, a bad eye, and an inability right now to put solid contact on the ball consistently.

Really good to see that from your leadoff hitter. Way to (not) work the count and (not) show the rest of the team what the opposing pitcher has.

* All the sacrifices the team has to make for him

Lou Pinella is even considering copying Tony La Russa's strategy of batting the pitcher eighth and a "second leadoff man" ninth. The reason?

“If we used a guy who could run in the 9-hole, it might help Soriano,” said Piniella. “Yeah, the 9-hitter gets on and maybe Soriano sees more of those fastballs he likes."

Classic.

You know what would also accomplish that, without having to resort to some sort of gimmick move? Putting Soriano fifth or sixth in the order, where he can hit with men on-base. That, too, would get him the "fastballs he likes" without ruining the top of the order.

Ugh. Makes a line-up of Mark DeRosa in left, Reed Johnson in center, and a Ronny Cedeno/Mike Fontenot platoon at second look pretty attractive to me.

The adventures of Soriano...

Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Alfonso Soriano is always just seconds away from injury. Last night, the clock struck midnight.

I think we all knew that 'trademark' hop before catching a flyball was going to come back to bite him. It did.

Now, the Cubs are waiting on results of an MRI to see how long he'll be out.

Anyone else have visions of Bill Gramatica tearing his knee ligament while (moronically) celebrating a field goal?

'Cause I do.

The souring on the streaky Soriano...

I highly doubt there has been a more puzzling, troubling, stupefying Cub than Alfonso Soriano.

His season numbers so far are discouraging to be sure:

(7 games, 3-for-32, .094 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB, .147 OBP, .188 SLG)

But Soriano has notoriously been a streaky hitter, probably more so than just about anyone in the big leagues. So the numbers themselves are sure to improve.

However, it's Soriano's 'quirks' that are starting to wear thin:

* He is hell-bent on hitting in the leadoff spot, despite not possessing many (if any) of the characteristics you look for in a leadoff man: take pitches, work the count, bunt, get on-base often, not strike out.

* His talents (and don't get me wrong, he is talented) seem far better suited for the middle of the order, but he can not seem to hit when put in that position.

* His streakiness is ill-suited for the leadoff spot. As he scuffles right now, the Cubs have a hole atop the order. Now Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez have to drive themselves in, or get on-base and rely on guys lower in the order to drive them in. That's now how this is supposed to work.

* Soriano's not a fool. He knows he's not producing. He knows he's struggling. Yet, given the opportunity to simply help the team by doing 'the small things,' he can't (or won't try). Take Monday's game against the Pirates. Given the chance to sacrifice Ryan Theriot to second in a tied game, Soriano instead takes a murderous cut at the ball and misses. When Theriot steals second with none out, Soriano can move him to third with a grounder to third. Instead, he strikes out, trying to pull the ball.

I just don't know what to make of Soriano. So talented. The guy can run, hit for power, drive in runs, has a cannon for an arm. But with all of that, you have to deal with his streakiness, strangeness, and even a bizarre hop before he catches an easy pop fly.

Hopefully, he can work things out... on the field AND in his head.

The good, the bad, and the (very) ugly...

I have no idea what to make of Monday's game in Pittsburgh.

There was plenty of good:
* Winning a tight, extra-inning ballgame on the road
* Scoring 10 runs (including six in one inning), socking 13 hits and having the patience to draw 11 walks
* Derrek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome continuing to pulverize the ball
* A splendid outing from Jon Lieber out of the bullpen, showing everyone why he's valuable as a long reliever

And plenty of bad:
* Ted Lilly struggled again, not being able to hold down a seven-run lead or finish five complete innings
* Alfonso Soriano looks lost. Still.
* Felix Pie is starting to look like Corey Patterson. Over-swinging. Swinging at fastballs over his head. Not coming through in the clutch.
* With runners at second and third in the 10th inning, both Lee and Aramis Ramirez failed to put the ball in play, both striking out off Matt Capps (although Lee's called third strike was a horse manure call)

Plus, the ugly:
* Crucial errors by all of the infielders: Ramirez short-hopped a throw to Lee that allowed two runs to score, Ronny Cedeno air-mailed a throw that might have actually gone into the upper deck and Mark DeRosa booted a grounder that allowed the tying run to score
* Carmen Pignatiello might have sealed his ticket back to Iowa. Faced two batters Monday. Walked them both. On four pitches each. "Hello, Iowa, it's Jim Hendry. Is Sean Marshall there?"
* Awful fundamentals --

1) Leadoff double by Geovany Soto (a bright spot with three hits) and all Ronny Cedeno has to do is hit a grounder to the right side to get him to third. What does he do? Grounds out...to short. Soto stays put, doesn't score.

2) Leadoff walk to Ryan Theriot in the 10th inning. Can Soriano bunt him to second? No, of course not. But after Theriot steals second, at least Soriano can get him to third, right? No. Strikeout. Theriot doesn't score.

Again, I have no idea what to make of Monday's game in Pittsburgh. I'm thrilled the Cubs won. But I also know that truly great teams... don't let that game almost slip away.

Cubbies in Fantasyland

According to Yahoo! Fantasy, Kosuke Fukudome is the most valuable Cub right now in terms of fantasy production.

Kosuke Fukudome
Overall Fantasy Rank: 6th in MLB

Derrek Lee
Overall Fantasy Rank: 20th in MLB

Mark DeRosa
Overall Fantasy Rank: 157th in MLB

Geovany Soto
Overall Fantasy Rank: 187th in MLB

Aramis Ramirez
Overall Fantasy Rank: 212th in MLB

Ryan Theriot
Overall Fantasy Rank: 707th in MLB

Felix Pie
Overall Fantasy Rank: 752nd in MLB

Alfonso Soriano
Overall Fantasy Rank: 999th in MLB

Yes, Soriano, 999th. Almost one thousand players have been more productive than you so far this year. Perhaps you might want to work on that...

Reflections on the first week of baseball...

* For the Cubs to be at .500 right now (3-3) is an accomplishment. As poorly as they've swung the bat this first week, finishing up even is a feat.

* Things that didn't carry over from spring training:
- Derrek Lee's slump
- Felix Pie's hot hitting

* Things that did carry over from spring training:
- Carlos Zambrano's stellar stuff
- Bob Howry's scuffling

* Most pleasant surprise: Kosuke Fukudome excelling in all categories
* Biggest disappointment: Alfonso Soriano can't hit outside the leadoff spot and no one knows why

* Prediciton after one week: Ryan Theriot will lose his starting spot by the end of this season
* Prediction for a career: Carlos Marmol will eventually be one of the game's top five closers

* Favorite moment: Fukudome's three-run homer off Gagne in the season opener

Lou gets jumpy, Soriano back to leadoff

Well, that was fast.

After Alfonso Soriano started the season 0-for-9 hitting in the second hole, Lou Pinella has decided he's moving the leftfieder back to the leadoff spot, while Ryan Theriot (hitting .222, 2-for-9) will vacate the leadoff spot and drop to the No. 2 position.

I guess Lou is about as patient as most Cubs' fans.

You know, it seems bizarre to think that a guy can only produce when hitting in one spot in the order. But if somewhere were loony enough for that to be the case, I'm guessing it'd be Soriano.

Just a shame he usually puts up No. 4 hitter numbers in the No. 1 slot.

(I still think he should be in the No. 5 spot.)

Opening Day!

Welcome to the baseball season!

But not the way we wanted...

Brewers 4 Cubs 3 (10 innings)

Observations on the first game (bearing in mind that it is just one game and not necessarily a microcosm of what the entire season will be):

* The top of the order has to be better or this team will go nowhere.

Ryan Theriot: 0-for-5

Alfonso Soriano: 0-for-5

That won't fly.

* Anyone else think Derrek Lee looks a bit listless? Not so much worried about the slight swing troubles as I am about how apathetic he appears. What's up?

* Doesn't need to be said, but I will anyway: Kosuke Fukudome was AWESOME. Loved the crowds' energy behind him; loved how he produced.

* Let's hope that was first-game jitters from Felix Pie. Because he did everything that Corey Patterson used to do to drive us nuts (struck out too much, swung at pitches over his head, looked over-matched in clutch situations).

* Carlos Zambrano really does look more fit. And his stuff was filthy. Movement was excellent. He deserved a run to make him a winner.

* Obviously, Kerry Wood's outing is frightening. Not so much that he was wild and looked very hittable, but more so about his demeanor. I think we can agree that a closer should have a nastiness to him (and a short memory). I thought Wood looked nervous instead. That can't be.

* And Bob Howry needs to work out his mess too.

* Ben Sheets would win a Cy Young if he could just stay healthy. No doubt about it.

* The Brewers are going to be tough this year. I foresee a closer division than most do. I'd like to think the Cubs can prevail, but I don't think it will be by much.

Thoughts on the 'Fantasy' Cubs (Part I)

Analysis of the Cubs hitters from a fantasy baseball perspective:

Alfonso Soriano - have him as the second-best outfielder available (behind Matt Holliday). But I do think people get a little scared off by his meager RBI totals last year and his leg problems (which might cripple his stolen base output). I've already turned down a Soriano-Bedard for Holliday trade because I was worried about those things.

Derrek Lee - have him in the second-tier of first baseman (along with Justin Morneau, Lance Berkman, Mark Teixeira and Travis Hafner and behind Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, David Ortiz and Ryan Howard). I've always wanted D-Lee on my team, but he's invariably picked the pick right before I want to make him my choice. Probably fell from the top-tier because he hasn't been hitting for the same kind of power as he did during his near-MVP season.

Aramis Ramirez - second-tier third baseman, sixth overall, behind Alex Rodriguez, David Wright, Ryan Braun, Miguel Cabrera and Garrett Atkins. If only he could run...

Kosuke Fukudome - seems to be going in the mid-to-late rounds in most drafts. Not bad to take a flyer on, but he probably won't be a great fantasy player because he likely won't hit for a ton of power and takes a lot of walks (worthless in fantasy).

Ryan Theriot - some people like his 30+ stolen bases. Then they see his .260ish batting average and re-assess.

Mark DeRosa - not drafted in most 12-team leagues.

Geovany Soto - lot of people have him as the seventh- or eighth-best catcher this year. I'm not willing to do that after just a couple dozen at-bats last year. I've been sticking to some proven catchers in late rounds at a position I don't particularly care about anyway.

Felix Pie - undrafted.

Observations from the Ballpark (Part II)

Caught the Cubs-Royals today in Suprise, Arizona. Cubs were flat-out dominant. Won it 13-1. Out-hit the Royals 21-2. Looked like the varsity against the JV. And the scary part is that the Royals played most of their regulars!

Here are my observations:

Offense:

Awesome. The Cubs scored in every inning except two and did so without the need for the long ball. Eric Patterson hit a two-run homer late, but for the most part, the explosion came mostly from line drives ripped into the gap.

Daryle Ward was unstoppable. Went 4-for-4 and every single hit was powdered. Felix Pie and Patterson shot balls into the gap a few times, and Alex Cintron, Alfonso Soriano and Matt Murton hit balls hard as well.

I really like Micah Hoffpauir. He won't make the team because he's behind Derrek Lee (and Ward and Mark DeRosa can back Lee up), but he hits a ton. Might be valuable come September as a late-season call-up when rosters expand.

Defense:

Pretty much perfect. Team made every play it needed to. Only play of note was a double by Alex Gordon; Sam Fuld played the ball off the wall extremely well.

Pitching:

Ryan Dempster started and his numbers will look pretty good (4 innings, 1 hit, 1 run) and he didn't pitch badly. But I did find one thing worrisome and I'll get to that in the "concerned me" section.

Otherwise, the bullpen was filthy good. Kerry Wood looked unhittable in an inning of work. Carlos Marmol closed the game with a 1-2-3 inning. Even Michael Wuertz and Neal Cotts worked scoreless innings. Kansas City looked overmatched.

Impressed me: Pie and Patterson, two players who look like they may have turned the corner. Patterson looks very comfortable both at the plate and in the field (he played nine innings at second base today). Kid brings a lot to the table.

And Pie is a different player from last year. Much more under control at the plate. Shorter, more compact swing and it's making a huge difference. He's crushed the ball at every game I've been to.

Depressed me: Kansas City, as a whole. What a terrible team.

Starting pitcher Brett Tomko got lit up like the Fourth of July. But it didn't help that the defense behind him was wearing iron gloves. They dropped a couple flyballs and did nothing to pick Tomko up.

Particularly bad was former Cub Mark Grudzielanek. Dropped a flyball, made a throwing error, had the ball fall out of his hand on a relay-play. Atrocious.

Intrigued me: It's clear that Lou Pinella and Jim Hendry are going to have some tough decisions to make... and that's ideal. I've now seen three of the four pitchers battling for two spots (I've only missed Jason Marquis) and they've all impressed me. Picking between Jon Lieber, Sean Marshall, Ryan Dempster and Marquis aint going to be easy.

Nor will it be easy to say goodbye to either Cintron, Ronny Cedeno, Mike Fontenot or Patterson. They all can't make this team, but each is hitting a ton and playing solid defense.

Concerned me: All right, here's what worried me about Dempster. He was in control for the first two innings. But then, in the top of the third inning, the Cubs sent nine hitters to the plate. It was a long inning and I was anxious to see how Dempster would react to the long layoff. He reacted, well, horribly. Walk. Double. Hit batter. Hard-hit groundout. Walk. Double play. He completely lost command and got bailed out by a ground ball hit right at someone.

In a tight race between four pitchers, it's the small things that will make a difference... and that seemed like a big deal to me.

The Importance of Roberts...

The more and more I think about it, the more I am convinced the Cubs need to trade for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts. Trading for Roberts would accomplish at least three things:

1) Give the Cubs a true leadoff man to set the table for Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, and...

2) ...Alfonso Soriano, who Lou Pinella can then move down to fifth in the order, where he belongs.

3) Put Roberts at second base, move Mark DeRosa over to shortstop, and make Ryan Theriot the super-sub (a role, I feel, he is more suited for than starting at short and batting second).

A Q&A with Dan Connolly from the Baltimore Sun predicts it will take Sean Gallagher, a top pitching prospect, and others to get a deal for Roberts done...

The Best Moments of 2007 (#2)

Soriano's game-winner against the Rockies. June 25, 2007. This Cubs-Rockies contest on a Monday in late July was, in a word, unbelievable. Even before Alfonso Soriano's clutch ninth-inning walk-off single, this game had produced some amazing things:

* Mike Fontenot went 5-for-5.

* Bob Howry was nearly attacked by a fan.

* The Cubs led 8-3, heading to the top of the ninth.

* The overmatched combination of Scott Eyre and Howry then got lit up for six runs, putting the Cubs on the short end of a 9-8 score.

* Cubs Ninth inning: Mark DeRosa, single; Angel Pagan, K; Rob 'I Never Got A Hit As A Cub' Bowen, fielder's choice; Koyie Hill, single; Ryan Theriot, reached on error

Kaz Matsui's error on Theriot's ground ball loaded the bases with the Cubs still trailing by one. Soriano, who was 0-for-5 at the time, then looped a single into short right field, scoring two runs.

You can see the entire bottom half of the ninth here... (you have to love how Len Kasper's voice cracks when Soriano gets his hit)

Soriano called it his best moment so far as a Cub. And it was, by far, the best game of the year to that point in the season.

But it would be trumped later that week... as you'll soon see at #1.