--IF/OF Jake Fox, a member of the 40-man roster, was named the Pacific Coast League's Hitter of the Week. Fox, who saw time with the Cubs in 2007, batted .487 for the week with Iowa with seven homers, five doubles and 14 runs scored. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) was 1.615 entering the week. Fox was drafted as a catcher in 2003, but he has yet to find a defensive position.
--RHP Carlos Marmol, the Cubs' most effective reliever to date, had a string of scoreless innings totaling 6 2/3 snapped Saturday. Marmol led the Cubs in appearances last year, with 82, and he is tied with LHP Neal Cotts this year. Each has appeared seven times. Marmol is 2-for-3 in save opportunities. Manager Lou Piniella has used him over RHP Kevin Gregg at times. --LHP Sean Marshall will be available out of the bullpen for the first two games of the Cincinnati series, according to manager Lou Piniella. Marshall is slated to start Saturday at St. Louis, but the Cubs need an extra lefty in the pen to bolster things with Neal Cotts struggling.
--RHP Angel Guzman earned his first major league victory in Saturday's 7-5, 11-inning victory over St. Louis. Guzman, a highly touted prospect since the Cubs signed him out of Venezuela in 1999, has battled shoulder and elbow problems for much of his career. He broke camp this year as a reliever. His major league debut came in 2006, and he entered this year with no wins and seven losses.
BY THE NUMBERS: 7 -- Cubs batters had walked at least four times in a game seven times this season entering the week. That should come as no surprise. The Cubs led the NL in walks and on-base percentage last year. Kosuke Fukudome was leading the way with nine walks, with Mike Fontenot and Alfonso Soriano each having eight.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Tony's not the commissioner. He's a good friend and a heck of a manager, but he's not the commissioner of baseball -- not yet anyway." -- Manager Lou Piniella on Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who wondered why the Cubs got away with criticizing umpires.
