The Chicago Cubs agreed to terms on one-year contracts with six players to avoid salary arbitration: infielders Jeff Baker, Blake Dewitt and Ian Stewart; catcher Geovany Soto and right-handed pitchers Chris Volstad and Randy Wells. I know this is story isn’t very exciting. Not really the best or most important of MLB players here. And who wants to ever read about the finer...

The Cubs exchanged salary figures with Matt Garza on Tuesday, and avoided arbitration with Jeff Baker, Blake DeWitt, Geovany Soto, Ian Stewart, Chris Volstad and Randy Wells.

...a whole lot of nothing. - An article in a Dominican paper says the Cubs (so far) have been the most aggressive at pursuing Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. - No real news out of the Cubs convention beyond the Kerry Wood signing ($3M with a $3M option for 2013) and the new patio deck in right field with the LED scoreboard. - "One change the Cubs have already made was tweaking...

There is a Twilight Zone episode from 1963 called "The Parallel." The story goes something like this... An astronaut (Steve Forrest) blasts-off from Cape Canaveral, and once he is in orbit, his ship disappears from radar. Next scene, the astronaut wakes up in a hospital, and he appears to be OK. Except he notices certain aspects of his life are slightly different. For instance...

Sweet Lou brings us a guest column on what the Cubs may do at first base in 2012 It will be interesting to see who will be playing first base for the Cubs in 2012. There was talk in recent weeks that the Cubs had an interest in Albert Pujols, but that obviously didn’t materialize. Now that Pujols is headed to California, who might the Cubs turn to to fill the void at first base...

The Cubs have non-tendered catcher Koyie Hill, but did tender contracts to their other arbitration eligible players -- Jeff Baker, Blake DeWitt, Matt Garza, Geovany Soto, Ian Stewart, and Randy Wells.

The Chicago Cubs are in a need of a third baseman.  Aramis Ramirez is a free agent and almost certainly won’t return.  Replacing Ramirez’s offense will be difficult but the team must find a defensive upgrade at the hot corner.  Ramirez clubbed 26 homers and drove in 93 runs for the 2011 Cubs but he posted a negative defensive WAR for the fourth straight season.  Theo...

Jeff Baker joins a long list of starting right fielders for the Cubs Friday as they host the Astros and lefty starter Wandy Rordiguez.

Starlin Castro homered, scored four runs and drove in three while extending his career-high hitting streak to 13 games and leading the Chicago Cubs to a 12-8 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a four-game series on Monday. Aramis Ramirez also had three hits, including a double and his 25th homer of the season, and Jeff Baker added a home run as the Cubs won a third consecutive...

Starlin Castro homered, scored four runs and drove in three while extending his career-high hitting streak to 13 games and leading the Chicago Cubs to a 12-8 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a four-game series on Monday. Aramis Ramirez also had three hits, including a double and his 25th homer of the season, and Jeff Baker added a home run as the Cubs won a third consecutive...

Jeff Baker smacked a tiebreaking solo homer, Starlin Castro added a two-run shot and Aramis Ramirez notched his 25th of the season to power the Cubs to a 12-8 victory Monday night over the Reds.

NEW YORK -- Reed Johnson and Jeff Baker are back in the Cubs lineup for Saturday afternoon's game against New York Mets left-hander Chris Capuano.

MILWAUKEE — As if the Cubs didn’t have enough issues to weather lately, a few players have been keeping an eye on Hurricane Irene in recent days. Infielder Jeff Baker has a home and family in Virginia, the state hit hardest by the storm Saturday. All are well, said Baker, who was awaiting word Sunday on how his house fared. “My...

MILWAUKEE — As if the Cubs didn’t have enough issues to weather lately, a few players have been keeping an eye on Hurricane Irene in recent days. Infielder Jeff Baker has a home and family in Virginia, the state hit hardest by the storm Saturday. All are well, said Baker, who was awaiting word Sunday on how his house fared. “My...

The following results are from a recent NWA Smoky Mountain live event. The event took place at the Civic Auditorium on August 20th, 2011 in Kingsport, Tennessee. Singles Match Robbie Cassidy defeated Jeff Baker. NWA Smoky Mountain Tag Team Championship Match Legit Dynamite (Derik Billings and Bryan Kyle) (c) defeated Jeff Connelly and Lukas Angel. Singles Match “Notorious” Nick...

Now that the gauntlet has been dropped and there will be a new sheriff in town - eventually - let me take a look at what a new statistically inclined general manager may think of the current crop of Cubbies with the predisposition that the Cubs are not going into some full 3-year rebuild mode. That may be a faulty assumption on my part, but I assume the Ricketts would at the very...

Reed Johnson will start in right field and Jeff Baker at first base as the Cubs stack their lineup with right-handed bats against the Cardinals' Jaime Garcia, who is 10-6.

The following results are from a recent NWA Smoky Mountain live event. The event took place on August 4th, 2011 in Kingsport, Tennessee. SSW TV Championship Match Scott Sterling (c) defeated Jeff Connelly. Singles Match Jeff Baker defeated Southern Storm. Triple Threat Match For The NWA Smoky Mountain Tag Team Titles Legit Dynamite (Derik Billings and Bryan Kyle) defeated Tony Kozina...

SSW TV Champion Scott Sterling defeated Jeff Connelly Jeff Baker defeated Southern Storm Legit Dynamite (Derik Billings & Bryan Kyle) defeated Tony Kozina & Sigmon and Lukas Angel & Jeff Connelly in a 3 Way Match to win the NWA Smoky Mountain Tag Team Titles. Jason “The Gift” Kincaid defeated Kyle O’Reilly in a great match— After the match Kyle O’Reilly posted...

SSW TV Champion Scott Sterling defeated Jeff Connelly Jeff Baker defeated Southern Storm Legit Dynamite (Derik Billings & Bryan Kyle) defeated Tony Kozina & Sigmon and Lukas Angel & Jeff Connelly in a 3 Way Match to win the NWA Smoky Mountain Tag Team Titles. Jason “The Gift” Kincaid defeated Kyle O’Reilly in a great match— After the match Kyle O’Reilly posted...

Chicago Cubs (43-65) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (54-52)7:05 at PNC ParkCarlos Zambrano (7-6, 4.59)vs. Paul Maholm (6-10, 3.16) Lineups: Cardinals Lineup:1. Reed Johnson (R) RF2. Starlin Castro (R) SS3. Jeff Baker (R) 3B4. Geovany Soto (R) C5. Marlon Byrd (R) CF6. Alfonso Soriano (R) LF7. Carlos Pena (L) 1B8. Darwin Barney (R) 2B9. Carlos Zambrano (S) P Pirates Lineup: 1. Andrew McCutchen...

The Cub’s lack of activity at the trade deadline is a sign of what the team’s direction will be for the next year or two. The decision by the front office to not deal Aramis Ramirez, pending his cooperation, and Carlos Pena shows that the team is looking to supply a similar product for the near future. Players like Jeff Baker, Reed Johnson, Marlon Byrd, and so forth would have...

The Chicago Cubs are a million games under .500. No no…I’m just kidding. They’re only…actually- what’s it matter? This is a bad baseball team right? Right. Well, so then how to the Chicago Cubs not make any moves today to improve the future of the ball club? I am absolutely stunned certain players weren’t traded. Jeff Baker, Reed Johnson, and Carlos Pena to start. The...

MILWAUKEE -- Jeff Baker makes his fifth appearance in the leadoff spot Tuesday night as the Chicago Cubs face Milwaukee left-hander Chris Narveson in the opener of a three-game series at Miller Park.

Miller Park has been Wrigley Field North for much of its existence, but Brewers fans might outnumber Cubs fans now that the home team is contending for the National League Central title. But the Cubs still feel comfortable there. ‘‘We like playing in that environment; we get a lot of support up there,’’ infielder Jeff Baker said. ‘‘The other thing is they’re ahead of...