The Cubs have traded Cesar Izturis to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named later.  Izturis played in 65 games this season for the Cubs and he was 47 for 191 (.246 avg, .652 OPS) with 15 runs scored and 8 RBIs.  The Cubs won’t miss Izturis too much as Ryan Theriot has taken over as their starting shortstop.

The Cubs have acquired catcher Jason Kendall from the Oakland A’s for catcher Rob Bowen and minor league lefty Jerry Blevins.  Kendall has had a rough season as he is only 66 for 292 (.226 avg, .542 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 2 homers and 22 RBIs.  Kendall will likely bat 7th for the Cubs and he is a much better hitter than he has shown this season so look for him to hit well for the Cubs.  Rob Bowen didn’t make a good impression for the Cubs as he only played in 10 games for them and he was 2 for 31 (.065 avg, .264 OPS) with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs.  In 40 games this season with the Padres and Cubs, Bowen is 24 for 113 (.212 avg, .661 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 2 homers, 13 RBIs.  Bowen has whiffed an incredible 41 times so far this season.  Blevins was 3-3 with 9 saves, a 1.32 ERA and an 0.95 WHIP in 39 games of A and AA ball.

The Cubs have decided to send Felix Pie to AAA ball where he can play everyday.  Pie had a tough time in Chicago as he played in 48 games and was 30 for 139 (.216 avg, .617 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 2 homers, 18 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  Jacque Jones and Angel Pagan will platoon in CF for the Cubs for now.  Geovany Soto could be getting his big break if he hits well for the Cubs right away as Koyie Hill and Rob Bowen have been awful at the plate.  Soto played in 69 games in AAA this season and he was 77 for 226 (.341 avg, .996 OPS) with 32 runs scored, 12 homers and 55 RBIs.

Only Scott Eyre and Wade Miller pitched bad in the first half of the season.  Lefty reliever Scott Eyre has been so awful this season that Lou Piniella is using him as a mop up man.  Eyre is 0-1 with a 6.60 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP so far this season.  It will be interesting to see if he shows any pride in the 2nd half or if he mails it in and steals money from the Cubs.  Wade Miller was in the starting rotation at the start of the season but he pitched so bad that he was put on the DL.  He has been rehabbing in the minor leagues but it appears that he will likely be let go as the Cubs have nowhere to put him in the rotation.  Miller was 0-1 with a 10.54 ERA and a 2.20 WHIP for the Cubs.

Carlos Marmol has come out of nowhere and he has given the bullpen a huge boost.  He has cut down on his walks and he’s been aggressive in the strike zone and that is the reason for his success so far this season.  Marmol is 2-0 with 1 save, a 0.96 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP this season.  Marmol has only allowed 18 hits and whiffed 40 hitters in 28 innings this season.  Carlos Zambrano started the season poorly but he has been outstanding lately and his overall numbers don’t look too bad.  He is 10-7 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP so far this season.  Look for Zambrano to dominate in the 2nd half of the season without Michael Barrett around.  Many thought the Cubs wasted their money when they signed Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis as free agents but they have both proved their critics wrong so far this season.  Lilly is 8-4 with a 3.67 ERA and Marquis is 6-5 with a 3.67 ERA.  If both of those guys pitch like that in the 2nd half the Cubs will probably make the playoffs.  The kid lefties at the back end of the rotation have also done their part this season.  Sean Marshall is 4-3 with a 3.48 ERA and Rich Hill is 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA.  Look for Marshall and Hill to be good in the 2nd half of the season as they both have outstanding stuff.