--RHP Chad Gaudin will go to the bullpen and pitch in middle relief. Gaudin was obtained along with RHP Rich Harden on Tuesday in a six-player trade with Oakland. Gaudin pitched for Cubs manager Lou Piniella when both were at Tampa Bay. Gaudin said he was "excited" to pitch for Piniella again, but he remembered one thing. "He does not like you to walk guys," Gaudin said of Piniella, who gets impatient with pitchers who issue walks.
--LF Alfonso Soriano probably will not return to action until the second series after the All-Star break, July 21-23 at Arizona. Soriano is recovering from a broken left hand and has felt weakness since taking batting practice last Saturday. Manager Lou Piniella would like Soriano to go out on a minor league rehab assignment so he can hit and take flyballs, but Soriano may not want to do it. --LHP Scott Eyre will pitch in rehab games for Class A Peoria on Thursday and Saturday. The Cubs plan to activate Eyre after the All-Star break. He has been on the disabled list since June 28 with a strained left groin.
--SS Ryan Theriot went 2-for-5 and has hit safely in his last six home games. Theriot has 34 multi-hit games, which puts him among the NL leaders.
--3B Aramis Ramirez had his seventh game-winning RBI. The Cubs have homered in each of the last five games, one short of their season high.
--C Geovany Soto hit his 24th double of the season, tying him for the team lead with 1B Derrek Lee. Soto's 24 doubles are a franchise mark for a Cubs rookie before the All-Star break.
BY THE NUMBERS: 7 -- The Cubs are sending a club-record seven players to the All-Star Game. Their previous high was six, in 1988 and 1936.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think you focus on winning your division. You win your division, you're in. I wouldn't want to count on the wild card. Win the division and you're in the derby." -- Manager Lou Piniella, on getting to the postseason.
