Carlos Zambrano News

It's awards time in Major League Baseball, meaning Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee and pitcher Carlos Zambrano could be back in the spotlight.

Mark Prior had no-hit stuff against the New York Mets Wednesday at Shea Stadium, looking at times like the pitcher once compared with Tom Seaver.

For a losing baseball team. In the middle of a recession. Who does that? "It was my idea" said new Cubs Owner Tom Ricketts, as he smiled and looked out over one of the Wrigley Field skyboxes, noting the work that needs to be done.

And thus, at least a few of us expected Carlos Zambrano to have this kind of year.

Two weeks ago, I begged other Cubs fans to watch John Lackey pitch this October.

The Maxwell Street market has moved, Marshall Field's is Macy's and Soldier Field looks like it has been sideswiped by a UFO.

Sometimes Cub fans embarrass me. Actually this is pretty typical -- if you are a Cub fan, no matter how idiotic you may act, sooner or later you'll encounter some other Cub fan who makes your face burn an embarrassing shade of red, leaving you to apologize to the non-Cub-fans around you.

Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs throws a pitch during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella calls 2010 ''an important year for this organization.'' He talks about re-establishing the contender status that peaked -- so far -- with a 97-victory season in 2008 as the team builds on a streak of three consecutive winning seasons that's already the longest for the franchise since 1967-72. But he's only partly right.

Milton Bradley should come with a recorded warning similar to the ones you hear on television for prescription drugs.

Neither the hitter-friendly dimensions of Coors Field nor a tender left hamstring bothered Freddy Garcia.

Remember Mitch Williams ? "Wild Thing"? Sure you do. He was the 1989 Cubs closer who notched 36 saves and gave countless more fans heartburn, or worse.

Cubs pitcher Randy Wells was one of the few pleasant surprises for the Cubs in 2009.

Count pitcher Randy Wells among the best chapters to a sad Cubs story. Brought up in May to fill in for the injured Carlos Zambrano, Wells outperformed all but one of his rotation counterparts, capping his 12-10 season Saturday in the Cubs' 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Yellow caution tape was wrapped around the entrances of the top section of Wrigley Field 's center-field bleachers Wednesday afternoon, preventing fans from sitting there during the opening game of a day-night doubleheader against Pittsburgh.

For Jeff Samardzija, the future started on Thursday night. And then the future got rained out after three innings.

The T-shirt Ted Lilly wore to his postgame news conference said a lot more than the loss he wore after his last start of the season Wednesday.

Piniella has talked of the need for another run-producer in the middle of the lineup, a role disgraced outfielder signed to fill.

Carlos Zambrano says he'll retire next year if he goes through another season like 2009.

Manager Lou Piniella said it. And Randy Wells wasn't happy about it. And it might be one more reason for the Cubs to like the way their pitching staff looks heading into next season.