Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez is having a good season after an awful start, no question. But it's fool's gold, with the gold going to Ramirez and Cubs GM Jim Hendry the fool.

For if Ramirez's season leads Hendry to either pick up his club option at $16 million for 2012, or motivates him to sign an extension, then this otherwise solid season by Ramirez will actually be a negative for the Cubs in the long run.

Ryan Dempster was Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade's biggest supporter last season, openly lobbying for Quade to get the interim tag removed from his title. But perhaps he's second-guessing himself now.

The WGN cameras caught Dempster and Quade in a heated argument after Quade informed the Cubs starter that he was being lifted for a pinch-hitter after the fifth inning.

Ryan Dempster was a roller coaster ride last year. Check out his ERA by month:

April: 2.75
May: 4.54
June: 3.24
July: 5.03
August: 2.89
September/October: 4.59

This year Dempster started off in the outhouse with a 9.58 ERA in April. He then went 3-1 with a 3.08 ERA in May and 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA in June. I wouldn’t quite call that the penthouse, but he has his numbers at least looking respectable at 5-6 with a 4.99 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster allowed seven earned runs for the second consecutive start on Thursday, recording just one out before being yanked. Along the way he walked four, hit a batter and yielded four hits, including a grand slam to Stephen Drew.

This year, like every other, will provide us with season-ruining busts and the championship making prospects. To help you out, the following are the top five players you should, and still can target to ensure success in your fantasy league. Note: the following rankings and stats are based off of Yahoo! Fantasy Sports Leagues. For a more complete ranking of fantasy players go to Jackman Sports' Rankings found here.

The Chicago Cubs may have thrown the 1918 World Series, an Associated Press report suggested Wednesday.

In fact, it appears that the 1919 White Sox—later known as the Black Sox after several players were found to have thrown their World Series a year later—maybe have gotten the idea from the Cubs the season before.

The Chicago History Museum recently placed a 1920 court deposition on its website, and it contains quotes that imply the Cubs may have thrown the 1918 World Series against the Boston Red Sox.

Eddie Cicotte, who was one of the 1919 Black Sox banned from baseball after being accused of throwing the World Series, said that there was talk of just such a thing.

I promise you that this article isn't going to be one of those that simply reminisces about glory days and laments the passing of the 'good old days' when a postage stamp was 10 cents and outfielders shared baseball mitts.

Look, a lot of positive changes have occurred that have helped to improve the enjoyment of the game of baseball. But I must admit that some of the changes do have me occasionally longing for things I miss about the game.

The Cubs finished up their first two home series against arguably the two worst teams in the National League even at 3-3. They should certainly have gone 4-2 against these teams and probably 5-1.

The outcome is not a cause for panic, but still a disturbing sign.

With a tip o’ the cap to The Big Lead, I came across an article in the Chicago Tribune about Chicago Cubs’ LHP Sean Mar