Once again the Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves in a night game at Wrigley Field.  The Cubs beat the Braves 7-2 on Wednesday night behind a complete game by Ryan Dempster.  It was the first complete game by a Cubs pitcher this season as he threw 119 pitches to finish the game.

However any celebrating the Cubs wanted to do, they won’t be doing it tonight as Alfonso Soriano was hit on the left hand and actually broke a finger on his hand.  Soriano will miss atleast two weeks but expect it to be three or four weeks.  Micah Hoofpauir would be our guess to be called up to take Soriano’s spot on the roster.

Kosuke Fukudome had three rbi all on a three run home run in the first inning to lead the Cubs at the plate.  Ryan Theriot and Jim Edmonds both had two rbi each in the game as well for the Cubbies.

The Cubs will go for the three game sweep of the Braves on Thursday afternoon from Wrigley Field.

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Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Scott Eyre will be taking it easy for a few days as he rests his pitching arm/elbow.  Hopefully that is all Eyre will need after his elbow started to hurt over the weekend.  If Eyre does have to start the season the disabled list, look for the Cubs to use Carmen Pignatiello out of the bullpen.

The Chicago Cubs have expressed interest in Reed Johnson who was released by the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend.  Johnson could be the right handed outfielder the Cubs have been looking for all off season.  Johnson could help out in centerfield as well as the corner outfield positions as well.  Something could happen in the next 48 hours involving Johnson and the Cubs.

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There was some rumblings between Jason Marquis and Lou Piniella over the weekend to go along with a broken finger for Alfonso Soriano out of Cubs spring training in Mesa, Arizona.

Marquis said that he is a starter in the big leagues and that he should be in the starting rotation with the Cubs or even another team.  Piniella then came back and said that maybe he should be pitching for another team then.  After both of them cooled down, Piniella said that everything was ok between the two of them.   I wonder if Marquis could possibly be included in the trade for Brian Roberts if that ever happens?

The Cubs will have to do without Alfonso Soriano for five to seven days as well as he suffered a broken middle finger while taking flyballs in practice.  Reports are saying that it isn’t too serious, and he just can’t use the finger for a little while.  Soriano can keep up with his running / conditioning so he will just have to put in some extra time in the batting cages to catch up.

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Cubs second basemen / utility player Mark DeRosa was hospitalized on Saturday with an irregular heartbeat.  DeRosa was fielding groundballs at second base when he became short of breath and after being checked out by the trainer, he was taken off the field on a stretcher even though he was sitting up.

DeRosa stayed Saturday night in the hospital while tests were being run, and then was released on Sunday.  He shouldn’t miss much time with team, and will probably be back later in the week but will be monitored very closely.

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