The Cubs have released 35-year old lefty starting pitcher Doug Davis. Davis started 9 games for the Cubs this year and he was 1-7 with a 6.50 ERA and a 1.86 WHIP. Davis gave up 59 hits and he also walked 26 batters in only 45 2/3 innings for the Cubs this year, so he wasn’t missing many bats when he was throwing strikes. In his last two years, Davis has pitched in 17 games (all starts) and he is 2-11 with a 6.96 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP. I have a feeling that his career could be over.

33-year old switch-hitting infielder Bobby Scales has left the Cubs to sign with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. Scales played in 68 games in AAA-ball for the Cubs this year and he was 70 for 230 (.304 avg, .959 OPS) with 48 runs scored, 9 homers, 43 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. In parts of two years with the Cubs, Scales was 34 for 137 (.248 avg, .743 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 3 homers, 17 RBIs and 1 stolen base. This was a good move for Scales as he will get a chance to make more money in Japan before his career ends.

The odds of 28-year old lefty swinging 1B Bryan LaHair seem to go up every day with the way he is playing in AAA-ball right now. LaHair has played in 73 games in AAA-ball this year and he is 92 for 259 (.355 avg, 1.106 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 21 homers and 59 RBIs. If the Cubs wind up moving Carlos Pena in a deal, they might just give LaHair his second chance in the minors. LaHair’s only major league experience came back in 2008. He played in 45 games for the Mariners in 2008 and he was 34 for 136 (.250 avg, .661 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 3 homers and 10 RBIs.

33-year old lefty swinging 1B Carlos Pena is finally starting to pay off the Cubs for their patience with him while he was slumping earlier in the year. In Carlos Pena’s last 10 games, Pena is 9 for 36 (.250 avg) with 8 runs scored, 5 homers and 9 RBIs. Pena has now played in 73 games this year for the Cubs and he is 51 for 230 (.222 avg, .780 OPS) with 33 runs scored, 14 homers and 39 RBIs. The Cubs hope he keeps ripping the ball because they are likely going to be sellers at the trade deadline and Pena could be a very nice chip to move in the trade market.

30-year old righty starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano has been up and down this year. In his four starts so far in June, Zambrano is 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He has pitched two good games in June and two awful ones. He has pitched in 16 games (all starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 6-4 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Zambrano only has 7 quality starts so far this year, so he’s been either really good or really bad. You never know what you’re going to get when Carlos Zambrano hits the pitching mound. The one thing you do know about Carlos is that he’s going to hit the ball. He is 10 for 32 (.313 avg, .822 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs.

Righty swinging Andre “The Hawk” Dawson burst onto the scene for the Chicago Cubs in 1987. Dawson played in 153 games for the Cubs in his first year with the Cubs and he was 178 for 621 (.287 avg, .896 OPS) with 90 runs scored, 49 homers, 137 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Dawson led the majors in both homers and RBIs in 1987. He was the N.L. MVP in 1987 and he also won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger Award and he was on the N.L. All-Star team. Dawson never came close to matching his 1987 with the Cubbies. Dawson played in 867 games in six years with the Cubs and he was 929 for 3,262 (.285 avg, .834 OPS) with 431 runs scored, 174 homers, 587 RBIs and 57 stolen bases. Dawson made it to the All-Star team five times in his six years with the Cubs. He also won 2 Gold Glove Awards and 1 Silver Slugger Award for the Cubs. Dawson was elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2010.

28-year old righty swinging catcher Geovany Soto is having another rough year with the bat. He has played in 46 games for the Cubs so far this year and he is 35 for 159 (.220 avg, .691 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 5 homers and 15 RBIs. A look at Soto’s career shows that in odd numbered seasons, he just doesn’t produce. In his four odd numbered seasons with the Cubs, Soto has played in 167 games in which he is 128 for 545 (.235 avg) with 57 runs scored, 19 homers, 70 RBIs and 1 stolen base. In his three even numbered years, Soto has played in 257 games in which he is 236 for 841 (.281 avg) with 114 runs scored, 40 homers and 141 RBIs. The Cubs hope that Soto breaks out of his funk soon.

With the trade deadline less than a month away, the Cubs could decide to start dealing any time. It appears to be another lost year for the Cubbies due to all of the injuries they have endured this year. I think the Cubs are going to put Geovany Soto, Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood on the trading block. On the smaller type deals, I see Jeff Baker, John Grabow, Blake DeWitt and possibly James Russell all being available. I think the Cubs need to make sure they get a good return for all of these players as they have a long way to go before they become a good team again.

The Cubs have placed 25-year old righty swinging 2B Darwin Barney on the 15-day disabled list due to a sprained right knee. Barney has played in 63 games for the Cubs so far this year and he is 73 for 248 (.294 avg, .679 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 1 homer, 25 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. 29-year old righty swinging Jeff Baker and 25-year old lefty swinging Blake DeWitt will likely platoon at 2B until Barney is ready to return to action and they will likely do a decent job. Baker has played in 34 games for the Cubs so far this year and he is 34 for 98 (.347 avg, .846 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 2 homers and 15 RBIs. DeWitt has played in 49 games for the Cubs this year and he is 30 for 106 (.283 avg, .711 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs.

The Cubs have released 28-year old righty starter/reliever Thomas Diamond. Diamond pitched in 14 games (5 starts) in AAA-ball for the Cubs this year and he was 1-3 with a 8.66 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. He gave up 58 hits (7 homers) and he also walked 32 batters in only 44 2/3 innings in the minors this year, so he was getting hit really hard. Diamond pitched in 16 games (3 starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 1-3 with a 6.83 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. Last year was Diamond’s first taste of the majors and it didn’t go too well. The Cubs won’t miss him at all.