Andrew Bagnato

Shawn Boskie absorbed a pounding in Tuesday afternoon`s 13-4 Cub loss. Then he absorbed a demotion to Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs replaced Boskie with right-hander Laddie Renfroe, a 29-year-old journeyman...

Two injured Cubs starting pitchers are showing gradual improvement. But the prognosis is worse for two others. The bad news first: Mike Bielecki will miss Tuesday`s start because of an...

Manager Jim Essian said he plans to stick with Andre Dawson in the cleanup spot, even though Dawson went into Thursday night`s game riding a 2-for-27 slump. ''I haven`t seen...

The Cubs said closer Dave Smith`s right knee will be examined Friday morning in Chicago. Smith injured it while warming up in the bullpen this week. ''When I went out...

Frank Castillo could hardly believe it when his Iowa pitching coach, Grant Jackson, told him he was supposed to join the Cubs in Pittsburgh Wednesday. He could barely sleep before...

The Cub rotation received moderately good news Tuesday when Danny Jackson passed a physical examination and Rick Sutcliffe pitched a simulated game in Pittsburgh. Jackson apparently has been spared a...

The Cubs haven`t accomplished much on their 1-9 trip. But they have succeeded in putting themselves in a must-win situation in a three-game series in Three Rivers Stadium beginning Tuesday...

In another blow for the Cubs` beleagured starting rotation, the club said Danny Jackson would undergo an examination of his sore abdomen Monday in Chicago. Jackson also has reported tightness...

Saturday`s loss to the San Francisco Giants dropped the Cubs to 12-16 when the opposition starts a left-handed pitcher. Among major-league teams only the Philadelphia Phillies have as many losses...

Manager Jim Essian continued to tinker with his batting order Friday night, inserting Mark Grace into the No. 2 spot. It`s the highest Grace has batted since 1988. ''I may...