The Cubs have declined a $3 million dollar option for the 2009 season on 37-year old righty swinging catcher Henry Blanco. The Cubs hope to re-sign Blanco at a much lower rate. He played in 58 games for the Cubs last season and he was 35 for 120 (.292 avg, .717 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 3 homers and 12 RBIs. Blanco has now appeared in 208 games (4 years) for the Cubs and he is 147 for 576 (.255 avg) with 57 runs scored, 15 homers and 78 RBIs. Blanco is still a decent backup catcher so the Cubs might lose him in free agency.

The Cubs have lost 26-year old righty swinging 3B Casey McGehee to the rival Milwaukee Brewers on waivers. McGehee played in 9 games for the Cubs in 2008 and he was 4 for 24 (.167 avg, .368 OPS) with 1 run scored and 5 RBIs. He also played in 133 games in AAA in 2008 and he was 147 for 497 (.296 avg, .774 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 12 homers and 92 RBIs. The Cubs won’t likely miss McGehee much unless he gets a chance to show what he can do for the Brewers at some point in the future.

The Cubs have outrighted lefty reliever Carmen Pignatiello to AAA making him a free agent. He pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Cubs in 2008 and he was 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA and a 6.00 WHIP. He also pitched in 45 games in AAA (0 starts) last season and he was 0-1 with 3 saves, a 7.94 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. Despite being a 26-year old lefty reliever Carmen Pignatiello has shown no signs of being a effective major league pitcher. Some team will give him a invite to spring training because he’s a lefty but the Cubs won’t lose any sleep over letting him go.

The Cubs were put out of their misery last night by the Dodgers as they just couldn’t hit the ball. Can’t blame Derek Lee for this loss as he was 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. Pinch hitter Daryle Ward drove Lee in with a pinch hit single late in the game. Rich Harden was awful for the Cubs in this game working the first 4.1 innings and allowing 5 hits, 3 earned runs, walking 3 batters and whiffing 4. He was the losing pitcher for the Cubs. Sean Marshall, Carlos Marmol and Neal Cotts followed Harden in the game and they pitched well enough to keep the Cubs in the game working 3.2 innings and allowing only 1 hit while whiffing 5 batters and not giving up any runs. The Cubs were swept 3-0 by the Dodgers as Cubs’ fans misery continues.

The Cubs looked like the Bad News Bears last night as each of the Cubs’ infielders made a error. Mark DeRosa was 2 for 4 with 1 run scored and 2 RBIs. Derek Lee was the only other Cub with more than 1 hit as he was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Carlos Zambrano couldn’t overcome all of the shodding infield play. He worked the first 6.1 innings allowing 6 hits, 7 runs (3 earned), walked 2 batters and whiffed 7 as he was the losing pitcher. Reliever Carlos Marmol didn’t help the situation working the 8th inning allowing 3 hits, 2 earned runs and whiffing 2 batters. The Cubs are now down 2-0 in this series.